For Iraq, there has been no change in policy and MNF-I units have been operating continually. We have just seen more captures and less violence in general recently.

We have, for example, seen a drop in the level of security incidents during Ramadan this year. In 2004 through 2007, Ramadan in 2006 provided the highest level of security incidents. For Ramadan in 2007, there was approximately a 38 percent decrease in security incidents from Ramadan in 2006.

We think the surge in operations is having an impact, and we certainly welcomed Muqtada al-Sadr's pledge that Jaysh al-Mahdi would stop attacks, which many groups have honored, and which certainly hasn't hurt. Finally, we have killed or captured many al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders, which is hindering their ability to respond to our operations, as well.

I can't speak for Afghanistan.

Thanks,

- MAJ Danielson