the iraq paradox

fareed zakaria writes about something that's been batting around my brain for the last few weeks: if the surge is such a success, when why can't the u.s. follow the original surge plan and reduce its forces this spring without iraq going all to hell? if the violence is only tamped down because of an influx of forces, and if the commanders in iraq think that death and destruction would increase again as soon as u.s. forces return to pre-surge levels, the surge really can't be said to have accomplish any real change in iraq.