With the President’s announced surge and shift in policy in Iraq from yesterday being the topic of much national debate I thought this new graphical representation of progress in Iraq on the security front was telling, especially in light of criticism from the left suggesting that no or little progress has been made in Iraq:

More from the website:

In June 2004, no Iraqi Army units were in the lead, capable of coordinating, planning and executing security operations independent of coalition forces in their own areas of responsibility.  By September 2005, eleven Iraqi battalions participated in Operation Restoring Rights in Tal Afar, controlling their own battle space, and outnumbering Coalition forces for the first time in a major offensive operation.  As of December 2006, 92 Iraqi Army battalions were in the lead in more than half of Iraq’s territory, with Coalition forces providing assistance in certain key roles such as logistical support.  As shown in the included maps, the growth of the Iraqi Army in 2006 has been significant.

All that green area has lit up just over the past year.  Over the next year, if our troops remain in Iraq (and I expect that they will under President Bush unless the Democrats should pull the rug out from under them by cutting off their funding) I expect more of that map to turn light green, and more of the already light green areas to turn dark green as Iraqis take full control of their situation in Iraq.

Does this suggest that everything in Iraq is progressing as we’d like?  No.  Of course not.  But does it suggest that there has been steady progress in Iraq despite the cries to the contrary from the President’s political enemies?  It certainly does.