Guilaini calls it a war. He says that the "Surge worked" and that there would be chaos without it.

Lets put aside al Sadr, telling his fighters to stand down because he was told that if he did, the Americans would be gone sooner. Set aside the bribes we are paying to the Sunnis and their fighting Al Qaeda because they were told that if they did the Americans would be gone sooner.

The Surge combined with the above factors, has taken Iraq violence from a bit over 2000 deaths to around 500. The question I'd like to ask is was it worth $200,000,000 and a few hundred american lives and a few thousand permanently maimed, to save those 1500 Iraqis from each other?