From the National Board of Review's press release today:

“2006 was one of the most challenging for the NBR in terms of choosing winners in the various categories,” said NBR President Annie Schulhof. “There were many outstanding films and performances this year, and our 2006 Ten Best Films list reflects a wide range of narratives. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA is probably Mr. Eastwood's masterpiece and perhaps one of the greatest films of our time. His achievement is all the more extraordinary when one views the film as a companion piece to FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS.”

I think one thing that is important to note about these films is that, had they remained in separate years, the accomplishment would not have been perceived in as grand a light as it is. The box office failure of "Flags of Our Fathers" would have left "Letters from Iwo Jima" as a February 2007 afterthought. The decision to pull "Letters" into the 2006 film season is in many ways a brilliant move, not only for awards attention, but for the very fact that coupling these films in the same season assures more viewers for the second film, thereby assuring more dollars at the box office.