the surge worked. the surge worked. the surge worked.

if I hear that one more time from the repukes and the idiot MSM, I may smash something.

it's such rank bullshit.

no, it's not the tragic loss of life this morning that prodded me to write this, its the moronic belief that a lessening in violence imposed by American troops, can be sustained. Even the assholes who support the war and the surge, know that American troops will be leaving Iraq sometime in the next few years. And what happens then? We've destroyed the country, created a breeding ground for sectarian violence.

This morning's suicide attacks in Baghdad merely illustrate that Iraq is hopelessly caught in a cycle of violence that will not abate, and that the surge is as flawed tactically as it is morally.

from a nation-building point of view, not so much.

and this morning's bombings and terrible death toll tends to negate the claim that the surge is working from any pov.

The long-term solution does not include continuous military occupation, rather a transition from military to diplomatic solutions. Currently, however, the fight is still being waged at the tactical level (although the military has, by and large, transitioned to SASO) and in that frame, the surge is working.

However, the true test of the surge's effectiveness will be when it can be demonstrated whether or not the increased military presence facilitated or hampered the transition to implementation of diplomatic solutions.

The conveluted GOOP Pretzl Logic...amplified by the corporate media...is that since we don't see things blowing up in Iraq, thus things must be just hunky-dory...the "Surge worked". This despite the additional 1,000 lost American lives since Jan '07 (I guess that's better than the 5-10,000 a year we saw during Vietnam) and that this regime and Gramps feels that the only way this "victory" is assured is to sacrafice more lives to prove that it is "working".

Of course they ignore the political benchmarks that was used to determine the surge's success. When those expectations became unrealistic, then they were forgotten. Also, since the only journalists that operate in the country live in a small area of Baghdad and rarely go outside the Emerald City or their hotel rooms...walking the streets or going into the countryside puts a big target on your head...not just from "the enemy" but "friendly forces" as well. Networks have scaled back their staffs to just a reporter and producer or two...if that. This has always been a dirty, secret war...and it continues to be one. Body still are piling up...we just don't see 'em.

Fortunately violence against our forces are down...but it's also that these forces stay very close to their fortified outposts and have paid off the various factions to keep the "peace"...a peace that is nothing more than a "lull"...the inevitable war between Sunni and Shittes is still to come or the total partition of the country (Joe Biden may just have called this a long time ago). This lull won't last...and I suspect the sides are waiting for the outcome of the election as to where and when this next battle gets underway...with our forces in the middle.

Malaki's agreement with Senator Obama was a tactic hint that this day is coming and that we have a limited time window to get our asses out of there before the shit really flies. Leave it up to Gramps and we'll be having to shoot our way out...Senator Obama offers a real chance to do what the GOOP called for in Vietnam...Peace With Honor. They can't have any of that.

well said indeed

I see visions of tet '68 in the not too distant future if grampsCo was to somehow steal this one.

In many ways this has been all the mistakes of Vietnam in slow motion. The two were civil wars we got ourselves in the middle of and made worse. We also measured "victory" on short term objectives...I dare any repugnican to tell me an "exit strategy"? Our "allies" are the best money can buy but don't dare turn your back. And most importantly, they have time...we don't.

These people LIVE there...we are occupiers. They can wait us out...draw down morale and effectiveness...and when everyone is lulled to sleep, then the shit will hit the fan. We are being given a rare "out"...16 months, take it or leave it. We never had such a luxuary in Vietnam.

Thank you as always for your kind words...and always a great topic to delve into.

Cheers...

:toast:

My blood pressure went down and my outlook on life went up. We still have the paper delivered each morning but I hardly ever read it anymore for the same reasons. I would just as soon not have 'news' if that 'news' is tainted with bias. Its only propaganda now.

for Dick Cheney and KB&R.

Don't forget that bit :eyes:.
Haven't you heard? Iraq is a huge success story thanks to the military genius and foresight of Bush and McCain :banghead:.