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Getting the people of Iraq to take charge of their own destiny hasn't been easy. Though the Iraqi people voted in overwhelming numbers in last December's national elections, no one in Mesopotamia -- other than exiles who have returned since Saddam's demise -- has experienced living in a democracy. Western institutions of civil governance and discourse are as unfamiliar to the people here as the language spoken by their liberators. It has been an especially difficult transition in al Anbar -- long a stronghold of Sunni opposition to U.S. forces and more recently, the democratically elected Shiite-led government in Baghdad.

After the all-out, U.S.-led fight for Fallujah in 2004, Ramadi became the home base for Al Qaeda, and the call to civil war. Everyone here -- Americans, Iraqis and foreign-supported terrorists -- knows that if Ramadi can be secured, half the battle for the future of Iraq will have been won.

Despite reports in the U.S. media to the contrary -- the week we arrived in Ramadi a Washington Post headline blared "Anbar Picture Grows Clearer, and Bleaker" -- the war here is being won. A predominantly Shia army and the Sunni police now man a Joint Coordination Center with their U.S. Army and Marine counterparts. Terrorists who once engaged in hours-long gunfights with U.S. units have been reduced to planting IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and occasional sniper, rocket and mortar attacks. Ramadi is still a dangerous place, but less so today than in any of our five previous trips to this city.

The Iraqis and Americans working together in Ramadi have no doubt that they can prevail in this fight. But privately, they wonder if Baghdad and Washington have that same vision. One U.S. officer told me, "the Iraqi security forces have plenty of courage, but some of their troops and cops out here haven't been paid for three months. Their problems are getting beans, bullets, Band-Aids and bucks from Baghdad."

Helping the Iraqis overcome those "five B's" must become a priority for Washington. Brave young American riflemen have shown the Iraqis how to fight and protect civilians. Now the civil leadership in Baghdad needs to be shown how to keep its own troops fed, equipped and paid. Only then can U.S. troops be sure that they really are winning.

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Oliver North is the host of "War Stories" on the FOX News Channel.

COPYRIGHT 2005 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC

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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.

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