Remember Iraq?

So my favorite author over at National Review is one of five journalists who the State Department has flown out to Iraq to cover what is going on in the country. It's an unprecedented move by the government, and they're doing it because the news of the success of the recent events in Iraq is being underreported. He has written a five part series of columns, and they're very casual. It's interesting reading, I think at least. Here is the fifth piece in the series. From there you can access all of the others. If you're avoiding homework, or work work, like me, then this is a great thing to read.

Anyway, one thing that I thought was worth posting was this excerpt from the final column:

Our group makes its way to Camp Cropper, to tour a detention center. Must be a hellhole, huh? A nightmare of torture and depravity. Not really. The people who are detained here are very, very lucky detainees indeed — very, very lucky jihadists, or former jihadists.

They have the best medical care, the best nutrition — professionals in white coats looking after them. Diabetes seems to be a problem, and that is treated.

An assortment of classes is held. The detainees learn “life skills.” As the general in charge, Robert Kenyon, says, “Everyone gets a skill set” — they’ll need it on the outside. There are “Islamic discussion” sessions, too.

For some of these people, getting detained is the best break they ever had. They’re not hardcore al-Qaeda: They were in the wrong place, or did a job for money, or were a little screwed up (or a lot). Some detainees don’t want to leave, and, in fact, fear doing so. Some mothers say: “Won’t you keep my son for longer?”

Camp Cropper is very, very different from being captured by al-Qaeda — very different indeed. And the coalition makes a point of telling the detainees so.

When they leave, they get to choose Western or Arab clothing. And they get $25 to put in their pocket. They also have the instruction and care they received.

I think — for the thousandth time during this trip — has there ever been so benign a major power as the United States? Some people would regard that as naïve. I regard them as confused.

About 25 prisoners come in a day, and about 50 are released. Recidivism, we’re told, is very, very low.

I wish we all had any real grasp of what an amazing success these facts alone are. Do you have any idea what the recidivism rates are in the United States? 67.5%. It's amazing what they're doing over there in Iraq.

The most cited sentiment among the Iraqis is that they're trying to return to "normalcy." And they're doing it. While they are still in fact fighting a war over there, the US military is engaged in the propping up of a nation. Has that ever happened before in the history of the world? Has one world power gone through such an effort to build and fortify an independent nation? I'm pretty sure the answer is no. I think that line that Jay writes, "I think — for the thousandth time during this trip — has there ever been so benign a major power as the United States? Some people would regard that as naïve. I regard them as confused," is so perfectly true.

And I have to include this part too:

There are art classes, and we see what the students — students! — have produced. Some paintings are very nice. An officer tells us that the detainees tend to start off painting guns and the like. Gradually, the paintings get less violent and bleak, and more beautiful. A civilizing effect is seen.

One of the art instructors is a former detainee — a former detainee now on the camp’s payroll. Imagine that.

There are sewing classes too, and the instructor shows us what he calls “the graduation piece” — a camel, known as the Cropper Camel.

I ask again: Has there ever — ever — been a power so benign? What’s al-Qaeda’s equivalent of the Cropper Camel for their detainees — if they had detainees?

These are prisoners, people who have tried to murder our troops and innocent people, and they are providing them with art and sewing classes, teaching them life skills, and providing the best medical care in that part of the world. Can you even imagine? It is nothing short of a miracle what we're achieving over there, and I mean "we" as in Iraq, America, and the coalition of nations that are pitching in. Yes, it is a coalition. It is by no means a unilateral effort. And the common feeling among the people? There are significant improvements, but it can be gone in a flash if we don't withdraw responsibly. It only takes one suicide bomber to cause a major setback. One terrorist can really ruin your day.