AJ Strata continues his commentary on remarkable events in Iraq. Earlier this week, he posed the question of whether we can properly stop saying we’re winning in Iraq, but can rightly say, “we’ve won.” His latest post points to more evidence that this may be so.

Strata begins by noting what by now are widely reported declines in violence: against civilians, against US armed forces, in previously hostile areas outside and even more remarkably, dangerous areas inside Baghdad itself. Strata adds that military operations, civilian tips, and captured personnel and documents are leading to a huge increase in killed or captured terrorists, and the number of arms and weapons caches seized.

In recent months, as evidence of the success of the “surge” mounted, war critics have pointed to what they allege has been a diaspora of Iraqis, professionals in particular, largely Sunni, fleeing the dangers of today’s Iraq. Most recently, these same critics have suggested that, without clear evidence that many of these Iraqi refugees were returning, any latter day Iraq would be crippled by what amounted to real and de facto ethnic cleansing. These same critics may be running out of “yes, but” caveats and constraints at surrendering to ever-apparent victory: Iraqis are returning.

Strata links to a British press report:

The figures are hard to estimate precisely but the process could involve hundreds of thousands of people. The numbers are certainly large enough, as we report today, for a mass convoy to be planned next week as Iraqis who had opted for exile in Syria return to their homeland. It is one of the most striking signs that not only has violence in Baghdad and adjacent provinces decreased dramatically in recent months, but confidence in the economic and political future of Iraq has risen sharply. Nor is this movement the action of men and women who could easily reverse course and turn back again. Tighter visa restrictions imposed by Damascus mean that those who are returning to Iraq cannot assume that they could quickly retreat again to Syria if that suited them. This is, for many, a one-way decision. It represents a vote of confidence in Iraq.

Strata observes:

Why are hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, many with Baathist ties and one would assume some power and money, be streaming back into Iraq all of a sudden? What signal was given through the tribal or sectarian grapevine things in Iraq were quieting down enough to bring families home and to start their lives up again? These people may be looking at the sea of news stories coming out of Iraq on the progress. But given this mass exodus from Syria I would gather much more is at work here.

But whatever the reason, we now see three major indicators the war on Iraq is ending. We see huge drops offs in violence, violence now laid solely at the feet of al-Qaeda. Every bomb that kills Iraqi Muslims is now an attack from al-Qaeda. No one is being duped by the liberal media spin this is the fault of America. We see large numbers of dead and captured terrorists. The rest are fleeing.

From the terrorist cells we find we gain a wealth of intel which leads us to more terrorists, weapons and intel. We see a wave of concerned citizens leading us to the terrorists and their caches. We see the ever increasing amounts of weapons being seized and destroyed.

And now we see this massive migration of Iraqis coming home. These are not the signs of an endless war, an endless quagmire. These are the signs of a conflict ending. And they are all pointing to a huge US-Iraqi victory and a stunning defeat for Bin Laden’s Butchers.

Growing optimism. The people with a real stake in victory, their very lives at risk if they wager wrong, are voting, yet again, for the miracle that is modern, may the name and memory of the hated Tyrant not be uttered, post liberation Iraq.

Wait for it. When the Clintons start reminding voters that Hillary voted for us to go into Iraq, you’ll know we won, for sure.