Pride and Progress In Iraq

As a local family practice doctor and a U.S. Army Reserve medical officer, I would like to give a report on the good job our soldiers have done in Iraq.

It was obvious that significant change had occurred between the time I left Iraq in June 2007 and when I returned for my second deployment in October 2008.

When I left in 2007, the 32 beds of the Combat Support Hospital (CSH) were filled with injured American soldiers, Iraqi soldiers, Iraqi police, and civilians -- including children. When I returned to Iraq in October 2008, all the beds of the hospital were empty except one.

For both deployments I was assigned to the same CSH located on the Al Asad Marine Air Base, 100 miles west of Baghdad in the Anbar province.

I finished my second deployment in January 2009. I was at the same hospital for both deployments, so it is easy to make comparisons.

Our young soldiers have done an excellent job for America and Iraq. Iraq remains very fragile with many conflicting agendas from different factions. But, for the moment, the young soldiers have bought stability to this land.

For years they have convoyed across Iraq and patrolled Iraqi streets day and night.

During my first 3-month deployment in 2007, we had daily war injuries -- involving civilians, the Iraqi Army, Iraqi police, and our soldiers. We had more than 150 battle-related injuries and deaths.

On my last deployment, we had only two battle injuries. There were no head injuries, no spinal cord injuries, no burns, no amputations, and no deaths -- what a great outcome for our young soldiers.

There were no civilians or children injured who needed treatment in our CSH, as had been the case in 2007. This is an amazing statement of success because our soldiers cannot protect every neighborhood and small town from the insurgents.

In 2007, we often had shootings right after an Iraqi young man would refuse to join the insurgents. Throwing a grenade into an Iraqi's house after a recruiting visit failed was a common tactic.

Iraqi children were flown to our hospital after mortars hit their playgrounds and neighborhoods. Many children were killed and injured when pressure-activated land mines were detonated after being placed in common walkways in neighborhoods.

These tactics were used to create fear and confusion -- and were very successful, as you can imagine.

Frankly, 18 months ago I had no idea how we would ever see any stability come to this region.

At almost every dinner, 10 to 12 of us on the hospital staff would discuss possible solutions to the war. We really had no solutions. The only solution was to discourage the civilians from hiding the insurgents by making them more afraid of us than of the insurgents.

In reality, we all knew this was not an option. The U.S. military would not use fear to control Iraqi civilians.

From my perspective, the western part of Iraq is a success now because of the way our soldiers have treated the Iraqi civilians.

Our soldiers did not respond to the terror of improvised explosive devices the past 4 years by taking out their frustration and anger on the Iraqi people. They have responded to the insurgents with courage and treated the Iraqi people with dignity and value. This has won the confidence of the Iraqi people.

The Iraqi civilians are no longer allowing the insurgents to hide among them. I talked to a 60-year-old contractor from North Carolina who works outside the wire 24/7. He said the Iraqi people in the towns with whom he works are thankful for the American soldiers because they keep their word. He also quoted a recently captured terrorist who said, "we made a mistake by terrorizing the people instead of winning their heart."

I'll close with a statement from a former Marine, who was stationed five miles from our base. He did two tours in Iraq as a Marine, out-processed in 2007, and then chose to return as a civilian contractor. His story shows the progress that he has witnessed firsthand:

"I served over 21 years in the United States Marine Corps and have two combat deployments to Iraq. While deployed I conducted over 300 Motor Transport Combat Logistic Patrols with my Marines. I can tell you that there is now more good in Iraq than most are aware of. I find myself breaking bread, playing cards, learning the culture, and making friends with a people that I once considered my enemy."

I am thankful and privileged to have served with the soldiers of our military who are a credit to themselves and our nation.

We as a nation can be proud of how our soldiers have represented us to Iraq and the world community.

Lt. Col. James C. Anderson, M.D., lives in Midlothian. Contact him at .