To which the media and Democrats chant (with fingers in ears) “LALALALALA…I can’t hear you”.

Attacks by insurgents and other fighters on U.S. troops, Iraqi forces and civilians in Iraq dropped sharply in September to their lowest level since early 2006, continuing a steady decline in violence since June, according to a new Government Accountability Office report released today.

But just so you don’t get excited and hopeful, WaPo makes sure to remind you that political progress isn’t as far along as we’d like. All good news from Iraq must come complete with bad news. However, bad news only comes complete with bad news.

The GAO report provides the first monthly update on “enemy-initiated attacks” for Congress and the public as requested in a GAO report last month, and shows that the overall number of attacks has declined from about 5,300 in June to about 3,000 in September. Much of the decrease was in attacks on U.S. military and other coalition forces, the targets of most of the assaults. The decline in the number of attacks against Iraqi forces and civilians was smaller, it showed.

The number of enemy-initiated attacks on civilians, Iraqi Security Forces and coalition troops increased dramatically after the February 2006 bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra. The increase in the number of monthly attacks generally continued through June 2007.

To help quell the violence, the United States deployed about 30,000 additional troops to Iraq during the spring of 2007, bringing the total number of U.S. military personnel to about 164,700 as of September.

By the way, WaPo, that’s called the “surge”, which is actually a term that can be found nowhere in the article. And the “surge” leading to less violence and deaths, is called “working”. Add them together, and you get “the surge is working”.

A few more numbers for you. Violence throughout the country is down by 70%, according to Reuters. Violence in and around Baghdad is down by 59%. Car bombings are down throughout the country by 65%. Casualties from car bombings are down by 80%. Casualties by enemy attacks are down by 77%. Assassinations attempts are down by 72%. And apparently taxi drivers who hang out around morgues, as well as cemetery workers are hit the worst.

H/t Hot Air.