Day Ninety-Five: all quiet on the Iraq front?

There seems to be less news coming out of Iraq these days. It's hard to know how to interpret this. Is no news good news? Or have the eyes of the world moved on (to the incessant US election coverage, perhaps...)? Well, it's probably a bit of both - from here, it certainly seems there are more stories of Iraqi refugees returning home and of sectarian divisions being addressed. Today's linked article, from Time magazine, gives a more specific example of progress in rebuilding Iraq - physically and psychologically. It tells of efforts to restore the Baghdad neighbourhood of Dora, led by US generals and local volunteers. It's expensive, entailing massive investment in infrastructure, and there is still a long way to go - but already the district has seen many shops and other businesses (re)open, streets have been cleaned, and a school and and a clinic have been upgraded. Most importantly, levels of violence have dropped and residents seem to be sticking around. Banking on more good news to follow, perhaps...