Tough times for extremists in Iraq

Multi-National Force - Iraq:

WASHINGTON — Extremists are intimidating Iraqi citizens less and less, thanks to security improvements in the country, a unit commander there said recently.

Army Col. Tom James, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team, is less than three weeks into his third tour in Iraq and said he sees marked improvements. "It's different here," he said in a conference call with online journalists and "bloggers."

"This is a population no longer being intimidated by the extremists," he said. "They are tired of being terrorized, and they are standing up and saying, 'That's it.' They want to provide information and secure their families."