Short term casualty increases - Long term victory.

Michel Yon of http://www.michaelyon-online.com/ in his newsletter to subscribers has stated:

There have been tremendous changes in Iraq over the past year. Folks who are tracking the war might notice an upsurge in US casualties over the next couple of months. Al Qaeda is on the ropes in Iraq and suffering strategically due to operations at this time. These operations will likely lead to an increase in our own losses in the short term. My advice would be this: Do not despair if you see our casualties increase in January and February. Our forces are in hot pursuit and I plan to be back there with them soon. (Contingent on Army blessings.)

Progress in Iraq is clear and palpable, but is of course tenuous. We can do well there if we listen to those commanders on the ground who know what they are doing, and if we do not let politicians unravel the growing strategic progress for short term political gains.

So when the media starts trotting out increased casualty numbers - remember how silent they have been regarding the success of the surge and remember that this is an election year. If there is one thing that Al Queda has learned from the left is how to use the media during an election year to make their case for them.