Editorial: US fatalities down but battle not won

Reports indicate there has been a decrease in the number of fatalities among US troops compared with last year. But while violence directed towards American soldiers is decreasing, sectarian violence is on the rise, according to a US Army report. The question is whether this can be deemed a success for the US forces. Some military leaders think that decrease of the number of victims among US forces is an improvement in their situation and expresses the change in the US attitude – a more balanced, or indifferent, attitude to the sectarian violence in Iraq. This judgment appears to be highly shortsighted. The presence of US troops in Iraq is part of a comprehensive American strategy, and the number of victims among US troops cannot be considered the sole criteria for determining how well this strategy has succeeded. Also important is building a pluralistic, democratic system in Iraq, annihilating terror; and enhancing of the American presence in the region. So success and failure of the US presence cannot be judged without considering all these factors.