Graphic source: BBC.
Militarily, the surge works, as evidence, the number of violent deaths in Iraq fell again this week.
This is by no means any long-term solution but the problems are not only with the U.S. military.
An extra 30,000 U.S. personnel have been deployed in Iraq, mainly in and around the capital Baghdad, since the launch of the security drive, in February. The situation is dire though since some fairly well developed breathing room has been extended for the Iraqis, but without anything approaching a legitimate and democratic government.