11th MEU taking over Karbala Province

Not long ago, we noted that the 11th MEU had declared Najaf Province secure, and enemy forces there completely defeated. Now the 11th MEU is moving to Karbala Province, their mission being thus:

While in Karbala province, MEU Marines will conduct security patrols; train, equip and build leadership in the 401th Iraqi National Guard Battalion and police force; and conduct civil military operations in their area of responsibility southwest of Baghdad.

This seems like excellent news. The MEU has already had raving success at training the security forces in one province and will now tackle those of another. The Shi'ite dominated southern portion of Iraq seems on track to be completely stable by the time of the elections. If you missed the last "Good News From Iraq" post of the year, check it out. It's a good one.