Two "big news you'll probably not hear" updates on the war:

Meryl tells us we're learning from one of the best sources of urban counter-insurgency on the planet. Of particular note:

US special forces teams are already behind the lines inside Syria attempting to kill foreign jihadists before they cross the border.

Which puts to rest my own worries that there might be havens on the borders of Iraq which would act as "safe harbors" for the terrorists. Note: Weenie filters will be needed, as the Guardian author (IMO) tried a bit of spin in the opposite direction breaking this story.

From instapundit we get news that CERP money seems to be flowing again. CERP money was a relatively red-tape-free fund source originally provided for out of cash siezed from Saddam. Many success stories were reported from commanders on the ground who could fill out a few simple forms and, say, pay an Iraqi contractor to build a school or refurbish a hospital without waiting weeks or months for bureaucratic approvals.

That dried up last month, and there have been several reports since that we're losing ground a bit because of its lack. Here's hoping things get better again!