Michael Fumento has written an excellent article about the progress U.S. troops are making in Ramadi - a city full of daunting challenges, long-standing social sytems, and numerous dangers:

Last spring I visited Fallujah and the surrounding area for the second time and Ramadi for the first time, writing articles on each in these pages. I noted that Fallujah had clearly become more violent, but that this wasn't particularly alarming considering that about half of the population had returned and with it some of the enemy who could hide among them. Further, security in parts of the city was being turned over to the Iraqi Army (IA) and Iraqi Police (IP). Obviously this was a positive development, but when the IA or IP take over an area, the bad guys fiercely try to demoralize them and drive them out.

Ramadi was a different situation entirely. AP's Todd Pitman, with whom I was embedded, correctly noted that the "sheer scale of violence in Ramadi is astounding." And Pitman specializes in going to violent places. Leaving your base camp ("going outside the wire") during daytime practically guaranteed an attack. I went on two patrols and we got hit both times. The military says Ramadi "remains the most contentious city right now inside Iraq."

The article is beyond compelling - make sure to check it out.

(Thanks to Tony for the tip).