The Iraqi Upturn … A Negative For The Democrats
An undertone to this WaPo piece is a hint to the democrats, Hussein in particular, that since “George Bush’s Vietnam” is actually not a quigmire, and is successful and victorious … well, might be time to drop ‘the war is lost’ mantra and bring on the ‘well, WE can do it better … Only WE can finish the job in Iraq’ … Which is bullshit.
The democrats have shown a lack of something important and crucial in any long war … patience and confidence. They are now being directed to (especially their ‘golden child’ presidential candidate) change course and strategy in their America’s lost the war, the military and generals are lying incompetents to get our guy in there so he can take all the credit.
And since it was George Bush’s war when the dems claimed we were losing in Iraq … It can’t possibly be acceptable that it would still be George Bush’s war (under the proclaimed third Bush term should John McCain win in Nov.) when it is quite obvioulsy WON.
Anymore so than Vietnam could NOT be seen as JFK’s or LBJ’s war … but it was Nixon’s war when it got neck deep in bullshit there and here, and pressure to get out mounted via the MSM and antiwar groups.
(WaPo)
Don’t look now, but the U.S.-backed government and army may be winning the war.
THERE’S BEEN a relative lull in news coverage and debate about Iraq in recent weeks — which is odd, because May could turn out to have been one of the most important months of the war. While Washington’s attention has been fixed elsewhere, military analysts have watched with astonishment as the Iraqi government and army have gained control for the first time of the port city of Basra and the sprawling Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City, routing the Shiite militias that have ruled them for years and sending key militants scurrying to Iran. At the same time, Iraqi and U.S. forces have pushed forward with a long-promised offensive in Mosul, the last urban refuge of al-Qaeda. So many of its leaders have now been captured or killed that U.S. Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker, renowned for his cautious assessments, said that the terrorists have “never been closer to defeat than they are now.”
Iraq passed a turning point last fall when the U.S. counterinsurgency campaign launched in early 2007 produced a dramatic drop in violence and quelled the incipient sectarian war between Sunnis and Shiites. Now, another tipping point may be near, one that sees the Iraqi government and army restoring order in almost all of the country, dispersing both rival militias and the Iranian-trained “special groups” that have used them as cover to wage war against Americans. It is — of course — too early to celebrate; though now in disarray, the Mahdi Army of Moqtada al-Sadr could still regroup, and Iran will almost certainly seek to stir up new violence before the U.S. and Iraqi elections this fall. Still, the rapidly improving conditions should allow U.S. commanders to make some welcome adjustments — and it ought to mandate an already-overdue rethinking by the “this-war-is-lost” caucus in Washington, including Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.).
Gen. David H. Petraeus signaled one adjustment in recent testimony to Congress, saying that he would probably recommend troop reductions in the fall going beyond the ongoing pullback of the five “surge” brigades deployed last year. Gen. Petraeus pointed out that attacks in Iraq hit a four-year low in mid-May and that Iraqi forces were finally taking the lead in combat and on multiple fronts at once — something that was inconceivable a year ago. As a result the Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki now has “unparalleled” public support, as Gen. Petraeus put it, and U.S. casualties are dropping sharply. Eighteen American soldiers died in May, the lowest total of the war and an 86 percent drop from the 126 who died in May 2007.
If the positive trends continue, proponents of withdrawing most U.S. troops, such as Mr. Obama, might be able to responsibly carry out further pullouts next year. Still, the likely Democratic nominee needs a plan for Iraq based on sustaining an improving situation, rather than abandoning a failed enterprise. That will mean tying withdrawals to the evolution of the Iraqi army and government, rather than an arbitrary timetable; Iraq’s 2009 elections will be crucial. It also should mean providing enough troops and air power to continue backing up Iraqi army operations such as those in Basra and Sadr City. When Mr. Obama floated his strategy for Iraq last year, the United States appeared doomed to defeat. Now he needs a plan for success.
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June 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pmWe need to finish the mission in Iraq.
We gave our word to the Iraqi People. Our Soldiers gave their word to the Iraqi’s also. I’m sorry, but I thought keeping your word meant something to most Americans.
Now that America is starting to see that victory is possible in Iraq they will take that over surrender or a defeat any day.
Americans are winners. We say what we mean and mean what we say. That’s always who we have been when we have principled leaders running our country.
Americans want to win the war. Obama and the rest of the party of defeat and surrender gambled on failure.
They chose unwisely. They chose to bet against our Soldiers who they claim to “support” but not support their mission.
The US Military is giving the surrender monkeys the hairy middle finger.
Our Soldiers are living “yes we can” as in yes we can win.
If Obama and the rest of the party of defeat want to lead then they need to learn from those who are most qualified to lead. Those who lead by example.
Our all volunteer military that is full of engineers, accountants, architects, businessmen, CEO’s, coaches, police officers, fire fighters, carpenters, lawyers, judges, car mechanics, biologists, scientists, artists, managers, entrepreneurs, etc. who are teaching the Iraqi’s and Afghans how to be leaders themselves and most importantly build free nations where you can dream and accomplish anything even when the chips are down and everyone is calling attention to your own pending doom and failure, including those who are supposed to be your leaders.
They persist until they succeed. They do it with honor, integrity, courage, determination, fortitude, skill, precision, love, compassion, trust, empathy, service, etc.
No, the democrats will not win the Presidency this November. They do not have the courage, honor, integrity, fortitude, determination, nor have they shown that they are competent to hold the most difficult job in the whole world. They gambled that America would lose the most important conflict of the 21st century. Their gamble is not paying off and every day things get better in Iraq the Democrats will continue to suffer as they should for their stupid and unconscionable gamble against our military. Their actions against our troops along with the liberally biased media will cost them dearly in November.
I think former military leaders are the most qualified and humble people to be president. ESPECIALLY during a war. Most Americans feel this and we all just need to get used to saying and hearing President McCain.
June 1st, 2008 at 1:13 pm“Success is Not an Option”… for liberal Americans… there will be hell to pay for victory.
June 1st, 2008 at 1:15 pmYa done good!
June 1st, 2008 at 2:07 pmb…b…but if I don’t vote for Obama then I’m a racist.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:12 pmMy son was telling me a couple of days ago when he called from Iraq that the insurgents are causing trouble.
Also he said that CNN was out and out lying and making stuff up and misreporting.
He was there when an event occured. I must say this my young Marine just turned 21 the other day and who had his eyes opened by our dishonest media.
I am actually glad that he has learned this lesson, but obviously it makes me sad that the best these evil shits can do with their freedom of the press is to BEAR FALSE WITNESS.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pmCorey, your words of truth are words of failure for Barak Obama and every Democrat. With Iraqi victory comes a great ally to the GOP. Each and every Iraqi knows that Bush and the Republicans have given Iraq freedom at the greatest possible expense. The Iraqi’s also know, along with every American voter, that the success in Iraq is despite the actions of Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Durbin, Murtha, and every traitor in the Democrat party.
I bet all Iraqi’s are praying for victory now and in November.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pmFunny, the guy telling people to “Get a brain,” mispelled “morons” on his sign. lol
I am not a big fan of the Iraq War, despite my right wing leanings. German Chancellor Bismarck once said “the whole of the Balkans isn’t worth the bones of a single Pomeranian grenadier.” My thoughts are pretty much the same for Iraq and the whole Middle East, except substitute in US marine.
The Iraq War was part of a policy of “remaking” the Middle East. So far, the only clear winner is Iran, who is a much bigger player on the world stage now and has the #1 enemy, Saddam Hussein removed. Remove our troops and Iraq probably falls into civil war with Iranian dominated Shiites taking control. We have lost 4,000 of our nation’s best and brightest, spent around $3 trillion in wealth and for what? So at the end of the day, Iran can be a bigger player on the world stage.
Iraq was a mistake, but we are in a “you broke it, you bought it” situation. I just hope and pray for the best there, so we can get our troops back safely to home.
June 1st, 2008 at 2:48 pmI call BULLSHIT on Tom!
Still bleating the civil war mantra about Iraq, and now using the new leftist angle that will be puked out this election season, that the war in Iraq, OIF, has made Iran stronger.
June 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pmNice try. Go away.
Right you are Steve! Tom doesn’t get it at all, not even about the picture.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:12 amTom let me play Devils advocate here for a minute. Let’s just assume that you are absolutely correct in your assessment of the situation in Iraq.
Using your logic wouldn’t this mean that we are in the middle of a civil war right here in the United States of America? There are more people here in the U.S. that meet their end at the hands of thugs and criminals. Just like the Iraqi Parliament our Congress cannot get anything productive done, the Democrat majority cannot even fulfill the promises that put them in the majority position that they are now in.
The only area that both the MSM and those on the left are correct is that Iraq is exactly like Viet Nam.
We were winning in Viet Nam, the “morans” on the left worked fervently towards our defeat, and members of our Congress continue to say that our military cannot win this unwinnable war.
The problem is that those of us on the right, read correct, side of the political aisle are not just sitting idly by and allowing our troops and our country to be disrespected without a fight!!
Semper Fi!!
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:12 amUh oh. When the WaPo prints articles like this, it’s all over but the shouting. Let the finger pointing begin. Nancy Peloski, it’s all due to the good graces of the Iranians, right?
June 2nd, 2008 at 11:45 am