Quick good news diary here:
More than 3,000 U.S. troops scheduled to deploy to Iraq won't go after all, as the military tries to draw down troop levels in the war-torn country, a Pentagon spokesman said Saturday
In other words, we're starting to see the fruits of the promise to begin withdrawing from Iraq, a mammoth and complicated task. Neverthless, every little bit counts and the lives of 3,500 soldiers and their entire families just got a whole lot better.
The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division will not replace a North Carolina National Guard unit already in Iraq, Lt. Col. Eric Butterbaugh told CNN. The 3,500-troop combat team, based in Fort Drum, New York, was to leave in January, he said.
"[The cancellation] reflects a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq and continued improvement in the ability of the Iraqi security forces to safeguard Iraqi citizens and institutions," Butterbaugh said.
The National Guard unit is still on schedule to return home, which will speed up the drawdown of forces, he said.
This isn't meant to be an argument about Aghanistan, just a positive diary about Iraq.
And remember, when you hear people say ridiculous things like Obama hasn't accomplished anything yet, well - we can start with 3,000 soldiers and their families who would say otherwise.