Surge perspective

Is the surge working in Iraq? Here's Michael Totten's summary, in 650 words. Totten writes from the vanishingly rare perspective of a journalist covering the country from embeds with troops, rather than his hotel room or web browser. Think I'm exaggerating?

Embedded blogger Michael Yon’s dispatch after the first day of battle noted that he and NYT reporter Michael Gordon seemed to be the only media in Baqubah. Yon’s next dispatch noted that he and Gordon had been joined by the L.A. Times, CNN, AP and Joe Klein from Time magazine. However, the AP would “stay only a few days”; Klein helicoptered in and out the same day. By July 5th, the media would consist of Yon and two others; two days later it would be Yon and a photographer.

This from a very detailed analysis at proteinwisdom.com - if you have spare quarter hour, it's an essential perspective on the news you get from the mainstream channels.