It was a Year ago today that Bush announced the SURGE/Benchmarks.

just a reminder from nbc news. whow--seems like years and years ago

2 hours, 38 minutes ago
Massive U.S. air strikes pound insurgent havens south of Baghdad
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/080110/world/iraq_375
By Hamza Hendawi, The Associated Press


ZAMBARANIYAH, Iraq - U.S. warplanes unleashed one of the most intense air strikes of the Iraq war Thursday, dropping more than 18,000 kilograms of explosives in a thunderous 10-minute onslaught on suspected "al-Qaida in Iraq" safe havens in Sunni farmlands south of Baghdad.

The mighty barrage, recalling the Pentagon's "shock and awe" raids during the 2003 invasion, appeared to mark a significant escalation in a countrywide offensive launched this week to try to cripple remaining insurgent strongholds.

But it also fits into the endgame strategy of last year's U.S. troop buildup, which seeks to regain control of Baghdad and surrounding areas as a buffer zone for the capital. U.S. commanders are now attempting to subdue the last insurgent footholds around Baghdad before the Pentagon faces a possible reduction in troop strength.

Some of the additional 30,000 troops have been pulled out and the remainder are expected to depart by June, military officials have told The Associated Press. With insurgents still holding pockets south of the capital in the north - including areas around the key northern city of Mosul - the military apparently wants to take the remaining four months or so to use the expanded military muscle against al-Qaida.

After Thursday's fierce air strikes, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers advanced through smoldering citrus groves into areas that were considered important al-Qaida enclaves around Arab Jabour, southeast of Baghdad. An Iraq officer said the soldiers discovered two houses used to torture kidnap victims and arrested at least 12 suspected insurgents.
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"Thirty-eight bombs were dropped within the first 10 minutes, with a total tonnage of 40,000 pounds" the statement said. That tonnage would equal just over 18,000 kilograms.

Besides, it worked perfectly and did everything it was supposed to do. Think I'm kidding? Well, it kicked the can down the road another year, and now nobody thinks we can do anything else in Iraq except keep on killing and being killed for the rest of Bush's term in office. Success, baby!