New Covert Techniques, Not Surge, Responsible for Iraq Success

In his new book The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006-2008, scheduled for release Monday, Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward says the U.S. troop "surge" of 2007 was not the primary factor behind the steep drop in violence there during the past 16 months. Rather, "groundbreaking" new covert techniques enabled U.S. military and intelligence officials to locate, target, and kill insurgent leaders and key individuals in extremist groups such as al-Qaeda in Iraq.