New York Times - “The surge has worked!”
Posted by Carlos C. on Friday, August 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Well, that’s not the headline. However, the headline is, “Exiting Iraq, Petraeus Says Gains Are Fragile.” The article, written by Dexter Filkins, is a proclamation that the “surge” of military personnel in early 2007, ordered by President Bush and supported by John McCain, has worked. Even though violence increased when the first phase of the surge was implemented, violent acts have steadily decreased in the past 12 months.
The surge, clearly, has worked, at least for now: violence, measured in the number of attacks against Americans and Iraqis each week, has dropped by 80 percent in the country since early 2007, according to figures the general provided. Civilian deaths, which peaked at more than 100 a day in late 2006, have also plunged. Car and suicide bombings, which stoked sectarian violence, have fallen from a total of 130 in March 2007 to fewer than 40 last month. In July, fewer Americans were killed in Iraq — 13 — than in any month since the war began.
Still, it’s too early to use the “V” word - victory. General Petraeus says the gains made in Iraq are fragile. The majority of the peace is being kept by 100,000 Sunni gunmen, who were former insurgents, on the Iraqi government payroll at a cost of $25 million per month. Also, General Patraeus refuses to discuss how many American troops are needed to make the fragile gains permanent.
On a personal note, my friend Marcus died this past April in Iraq. I have two cousins and nummerous friends fighting in Iraq. I have friends who have fought in Iraq. My friend Womack just arrived with his Army battalion in Iraq. They are the reason why we will soon be able to use the “V” word.
Perhaps one day Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Barack Obama will admit that the surge has worked. Perhaps one day all three of these politicians will give credit to our troops for their victory in Iraq.
Hat Tip: Hot Air and The Jawa Report
(1 Ratings)
Filed Under: News & Politics
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
The surge has not worked. The only thing that was accomplished was the browbeating of political factions, tyrannical and suppressive control of the Iraqi people in the process and halting the violence for a short period of time. The surge was meant to push through political reconciliation among Iraqi’s, of which it has not and cannot do.
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
But the current state of Iraq is better than Saddam Hussein and his sons in power.
It’s okay for you not to believe in freedom and victory. It’s a common Socialist policy.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Hey Carlos,
You do know that the main thing credited by American military commanders for the “success” of the surge is the “Awakening” movement, right?
And you also know that under the Awakening, we pay former Sunni insurgents $300/day to provide security and not shoot at our troops, right?
So then you know you and I have been putting money into the hands of guys who used to lay roadside bombs for about a year now, right?
Your nuanced and thoughtful comment above shows that you’re clearly intelligent - tell me, how does it feel to know that we are banking on these Sunni tribesmen not reverting to their old ways once the paychacks stop?
The surge is a failure, concocted during this election year to push Iraq off the front pages, and it has worked beautifully. No military or history-oriented human ever thought it was a path to real success.
Please find a clue.
August 22nd, 2008 at 1:37 pm
The Sunni tribesman are being paid by the Iraqi government.
But Ken, please continue your defeatist mentality. Please keep denying that the surge has failed.
You are winning votes for McCain.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:24 pm
First off, the current state may be better than Saddam Hussein, but it came at a high price, the deaths of 1 million Iraqi’s, and 3000+ coalition soldiers. We went in under the false assumption that iraq had WMDs and when that didn’t pan out, we claimed it was for liberation. Yet the Iraqi people have been hindered by this administration time and time again, from Paul Bremers 100 kingly decrees to the ignoring of the Iraqi Parliament and President’s call for a timetable for U.S withdrawal.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
1 million Iraqi’s have not died in Iraq. Stop reading Michael Moore’s website.
A new timetable has been set. American troops will exit Iraq by 2012.
Nothing worth having is ever easy. The American Revolution was not easy. Iraqi liberation is not easy.
However, both are worth fighting for. Both are worth dying for.
August 22nd, 2008 at 11:37 pm
wtf? I didn’t get the information of the deaths of 1 million Iraqi’s from Michael Moore, it was from an actual report from British ORB and U.S Lancelet organizations.
That timetable is not up to par with what Iraqi’s want, they want us out within 10 months, and they have continuously pressed the American military to prepare for it’s withdrawal years before.
If the Iraqi people want us out, than that fight for “liberation” is their own.