At the beginning of the war, people were too afraid to walk the streets. Now, statistics have shown that the violence in Iraq has drastically declined both among soldiers and civilians. Things are starting to return back to normal as people feel more free to go outside and venture out in the city. Some even go out at night, a time that they normally would’ve stayed in doors for fear of getting killed. In the process of the country’s revival, businesses have started opening up again.
Of course, many may believe that less violence is occurring because Americans aren’t attacking as much.  This is not necessarily true, as Americans are still warring against militants. However, many of these battles are better contained than what occurred in the beginning of the war. This is because Americans are able to get Iraqis to fight against the militants themselves. One way they have done this is by encouraging Sunnis and other nationalists to turn against al-Qaeda, one of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the country. Americans have also convinced Iraqis to join neighborhood guard groups. These are known as Concerned Local Citizens, (or CLCs). Young men join CLCs in droves because it offers an excellent income opportunity for themselves and their families.
As the presence of militants decreases, so does the level of violence in Iraq. In fact, in some areas Iraqi citizens are released from the stricter forms of Islamic rule they had to adhere by. An example is in Dora, where individuals would suffer dire consequences if they didn’t wear Islamic dress. Today the rule is no longer enforced and citizens can wear pretty much what they want as they walk through the area. American and Iraqi forces alike hope that there can be more ‘Doras’ as they continue to win more fights against the insurgency.
