“A War We Just Might Win”
VIEWED from Iraq, where we just spent eight days meeting with American and Iraqi military and civilian personnel, the political debate in Washington is surreal. The Bush administration has over four years lost essentially all credibility. Yet now the administration’s critics, in part as a result, seem unaware of the significant changes taking place.
Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily “victory” but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with.
After the furnace-like heat, the first thing you notice when you land in Baghdad is the morale of our troops. In previous trips to Iraq we often found American troops angry and frustrated — many sensed they had the wrong strategy, were using the wrong tactics and were risking their lives in pursuit of an approach that could not work.
Today, morale is high. The soldiers and marines told us they feel that they now have a superb commander in Gen. David Petraeus; they are confident in his strategy, they see real results, and they feel now they have the numbers needed to make a real difference.
That was from the New York Times.
SDA readers won’t find this surprising at all – Yon and others have been reporting it for weeks;
The most important and best-known example of this is in Anbar Province, which in less than six months has gone from the worst part of Iraq to the best (outside the Kurdish areas). Today the Sunni sheiks there are close to crippling Al Qaeda and its Salafist allies. Just a few months ago, American marines were fighting for every yard of Ramadi; last week we strolled down its streets without body armor.
RTWT.
Update – Discussion at NRO.
(Speaking of “others”, Michael Totten has another Baghdad dispatch.)
I know, I said this once before already, but here it is again; Tide’s a turnin’. On this side of the fence now too.
Yahoo !!!
The best possible scenario. Wonder how it will affect the Loopy Hollywoodites and Lefties everywhere should this play out?
“Seventy percent of Iraqis are without adequate water supplies, compared to 50 percent in 2003, the year George W. Bush, who knew better than the impartial UN inspectors, took it upon himself to, “destroy Hussein’s Weapons of Mass Destruction” that threatened America.”
http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070730-121104-4362r
Yeah, the military progress seems real enough, but whether Nouri al-Maliki can make the political progress that’s going to necessary in order to hold onto these gains is another matter. I’d be more optimistic if the Iraqi Parliament wasn’t taking August off. But, hell, it’s good news here’s hoping for more.
Yeah, right Alby, things were soooo much better under Hussein. Thanks for pointing that article out to us. Really good impartial source, too (no mention of infant mortality and starvation during the Oil for Food plague of Hussein’s). Sheesh and c’mon, try not to make it so obvious.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_East_Times
‘Nother albatross round the neck of AQI.
Leftists are on suicide watch.
…-
Armed group reconciles with Iraqi gov”t(1920 Revolution Brigades FLIPS)
BAGHDAD, July 29 (KUNA) — The US military said on Sunday that the 1920 Revolution Brigades have reconciled with the Iraqi government and the US military. A statement issued by the US said the “Sunni group” had rejected the Iraqi government in the past, but had reconciled with both the government and coalition forces to eliminate Al-Qaeda….-
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1873806/posts
ahh, albatross- what a mental burden you are. Rejecting progress, rejecting new developments.
Did you know that the reason for the poor water in Iraq – isn’t due to Bush and the USA – but to Iraq? Their years of neglect to the infrastructure of water, their inadequate maintenance of these structures, and deliberate sabotage and looting by ‘insurgents’
“In 2003, Iraq’s 140 major water treatment facilities were operating at about 35 percent of their design capacity (3 billion liters a day) due to inadequate maintenance, lack of plant operators, power shortages, and looting. USAID is helping improve the efficiency and reliability of existing treatment facilities, and is constructing several new facilities, especially in the south where water quality is particularly poor. Iraq has 13 major wastewater treatment facilities, operating at about a quarter of their design capacity. Baghdad’s three sewage plants, comprising three quarters of the nation’s total sewage treatment capacity, were not treating waste for more than six years before the conflict, allowing raw waste to flow into the Tigris River. In the rest of the country, most wastewater treatment facilities were only partly operational before the conflict, and a shortage of electricity, parts, and trained staff exacerbated the situation.” http://www.usaid.gov
But don’t let the facts affect your emotions, albatross. You just ‘go on hating’. Enjoy it.
It’s fascinating – and sickening – to see the left parade its emotional investment in failure. These people would cheerfully watch Iraq suffer if it satisfies their BDS.
In the other thread on Trudeau Alby’s busy teling me he spent years in the Canadian military.
My money says he’s an undergrad at U of T in political “science”.
Tell me Alby, how does one field strip an FNC1?
Actually, the bird of ill omen apparently has graced the military during its nadir, is in his late 40’s, and is an undergraduate in Manitoba pursuing a degree in (shudder) environmental studies and anthropology.
UMan used to give courses in logic. If they still do, he ought to take them.
The Phantom – “Tell me Alby, how does one field strip an FNC1?”
The same as the FNC2 other than the fact one need not remove the C2’s forestock.
I am still quite skeptical…it would be little short of a miracle for Bush to pull this one off at this late time.
I would be ecstatic to be proven wrong though.
The stark reality is that despite the apparent good news getting through on the net,the MSM still has the power(and probably the partisan motivation)to make Americans believe all is still lost.
And we all know(hopefully)that perception is everything in a battle for hearts and minds.
Truly,I believe we are currently in the middle of a civil war in N.America between hardcore partisan ideologies.A war of words where everybody is talking,but very few people are listening.
And who knows what to believe as propaganda is the main weapon of choice for both sides.The biggest problem being….this internal bickering has left us exposed like a deer frozen in radical Islam’s headlights.
All I do know with any certainty is that no matter what medium or forum for debate I discover on my travels,it always seems to be the conservatives who are willing to wear their love for their country,and democracy itself,on their sleeves.
And that’s a sincerity I choose to put some faith in.
Some.
Oh….and to ALL the albatrosses of the world…
If you are truly incapable of adjusting your thought processes to accept any new input,then stay the hell away from the blogosphere so the rest of us can make some progress.
Thank you.
ET – “Did you know that the reason…”
Why is there still no water? Stop blaming Hussein, the Americans have had enough time to bring basic services to the Iraqi people.
You don’t like the source of this story? Do a search yourself and you can pick whichever unbiased source you like, they all tell the same story as this source. I suggest Oxfam’s own website and get it from the horses mouth.
How many billions missing in rebuilding Iraq? See the Passionate Eye tonight 10:00 E.T.
http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyesunday/feature_011006.html
Fine, Iraq is a stunning success. Can we invade The Congo now?
GENEVA, Switzerland (Reuters) — Extreme sexual violence against women is pervasive in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and local authorities do little to stop it or prosecute those responsible, a U.N. investigator said on Monday.
…
“Violence against women seems to be perceived by large sectors of society to be normal,” she added in a report after an 11-day trip to the strife-torn country.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/africa/07/30/congo.rape.reut/index.html?iref=topnews
Andrew, troops will only invade to stop the oppression of women in the Congo if those women happen to be sitting above few billion barrels of American oil.
How the hell did we get to the Congo so quickly???
Alby and like minded others. Spend $19.95 and pick yourself a book at that evil Joos store called “Chapters”. It’s called “Churchill and America”. Read it and find out just what has happened over the last century in Iraq and the rest of the ME. Read,understand, and inwardly digest the history of the region.Your comments represent just a tiny fraction of time in the history of that screwed-up country.
Problems in the Congo? Well, why not just send in the UN? Sure, the blue helmets may well just start pimping the abused women or abusing them themselves, like they have elsewhere on the continent, but that’s gotta be OK ’cause it’s the UN, right?
albatross – you are recommending the CBC to me? Never. I don’t watch propaganda.
albatross – why are you so desperate for the Iraqi people to fail? Could you explain that to me? They are now free of a dictatorship and yet, your focus, and hope, it seems, is that they will fail to take their country’s governance into their own hands, and make it a success. Could you explain why you want the Iraqi people to fail?
Remember, under Hussein, only the cities were provided with basic services of water and hydro; the rural areas were ignored. The current Iraqi gov’t is attempting to develop the whole country. Again – why do you want them to fail? I’d be interested in your reasons.
Again – I don’t watch or read propaganda. Therefore, don’t suggest it to me, ie, the CBC.
Andrew – developing countries take years to develop. After all, it took years for the US, Canada, UK, Europe etc to develop. So, don’t expect overnight results in the ME. As for Africa – their behaviour is their behaviour, ie, they are responsible. The UN should do something about it – not the US. Why should the Americans always be not only held responsible for everything happening on this planet, but also, expected to fix everything?
Ha. I went to Chapters yesterday. They have three small rows of books on Canadian politics – or about a quarter of the shelf space devoted to Wicca.
albatros39a – do you manage to communicate such nonsense with a straight face? Do you even think, or just demonize by reflex?
You got two choices:
The US in Iraq is evil? Okaay…then so is the presence of China in Tibet, and UN-mandated forces in too many places to think about.
The US should be everywhere? Then so should the EU and the UN.
Ipso facto, you are being prejudiced.
You’re also acting like the PETAnuts that throw blood on little old ladies in fur coats, but not on Hell’s Angels in leather.
ET offers the following brilliant insight: developing countries take years to develop.
Wow. Thanks for sharing that with us ET! Deep!
And on CNN today … story on the success and improvements in conditions in Iraq followed by (AHEM) analysis by Wolf Blitzer (who says CNN has no sense of humor?)
Wolf’s analysis?
“Can anyone be sure after only 8 days of study how great an effect we are seeing here?”
Well Wolfy baby! That would be about 69,120,000 times as much study as the 10 or so milliseconds you and your pals have to it!!
Or Albatwit39eh!
As has been noted elsewhere on this blog. Listening to the interview with Petraeus on hughhewitt.com is very much worthwhile. The general literally wrote the book – the most current edition at least – on counterinsurgency tactics. Now he’s putting those tactics into practice with apparently excellent results.
Let’s hope his taking over the Iraq campaign happened in time unlike the guy who wrote the first edition – General Creighton Abrams who took over operations in Vietnam and had notable success with “Vietnamization” but only after the war had already been lost at home by LBJ and the left.
The question for individuals like Albatross and Andrew is whether or not they think the United States should immediately and unilaterally withdraw, and what they think the likely consequences of that would be. So c’mon boys: instead of tossing off your usual one-liners, use your enhanced ethical sense and critical faculties to show the rest of us fools the way out.
Some words of wisdom for Alby and his pals:
Life is Tough!
No hope Alby or Andy doing anything but pulling a Leftie SSD (Sneer, Smear and Disappear) on their way through to troll elsewhere.
ET…Alby cannot answer your question to him because that would expose him as the leftard,oppressionist twit he/she/it is. Leftards cannot survive without an oppressed group that they can exploit. If a group stands up and helps themseles,they have,in fact,defeated the leftards purpose…i.e….said group no longer needs their “support” or hand-outs…ergo…THEY…as in the leftards,lose an excellent money source from the government/and or “social” agencies. Prove me wrong,Alby.
And OMMAG….nothing personal…but please….don’t try to show Alby and buddies what real life is. It might hurt their feelings.
Achieving security against violence — through military means, as necessary — are important, though ultimately futile if not followed by commensurate political and socioeconomic advances:
– news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6922347.stm
– 3w.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/30/africa/ME-GEN-Iraq-Politics.php
Al Qaeda may have been forced into the margins for now, but they will assuredly be back. Their self-perceived reason d’etre — the US foreign presence in the ME — will only be enhanced by a strong Iraq. Sectarian violence will plague the country for decades, with or without democratic governance.
The best from the Belmont Club.
…-
dla said…
Red River said…
Iraq is the Wahhabist’s Guadalcanal.
Profound. And I think you are right. I hope you are right.
My personal feeling is that radical Islam has been exposed as the gangreenous sore on humanity that it is, for all the western world to see. And for once the stupidity of the MSM works in Bush’s favor – by accident. All of Islam is tainted by the Wahhabbist-nutballs, and the 30 million muslims in the US are scrambling to salvage the image of “the religion of peace”. Since the MSM lumps all Muslims together, Americans are solidifying a viewpoint that Islam is bad.
Perhaps America will begin to weigh in on some of the other Islamic-sponsored atrocities in the world – like Darfur. …-
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=12136206&postID=8780311671674005010
I have to respect O’Hanlan and Pollack becauase they seem to be two of the very few people who write or simply spount off about Iraq who do not manifestly suffer from severe confirmation bias of pre-existing political agendas. They actually went back to Iraq, did a comparative analysis of earlier work and came to a starkly different conclusion. A rare feat these days; one that in itself lends substantial credibility to their report.
smoke – the ‘self-proclaimed reason’ for the existnce of Al Qaeda is not and never was, the US presence in the ME. but the emergence of modernity in the ME.
This is a war within Islam, between those who want to live in a non-industrial tribal culture -which includes both the tribal dictators and the islamic fascists, and those who want to move into a modern industrial mode. Guess which one will win?
Albatros
“Andrew, troops will only invade to stop the oppression of women in the Congo if those women happen to be sitting above few billion barrels of American oil.”
So, in your world, invading Iraq to stop the general oppression of the people there is wrong because there were a few billion barrels of oil but it’s would be ok invading Congo to stop the general oppression of the people if only they had a few billion barrels of oil.
Why do you find it so difficult to say,
“I disagree with how Iraq was handled but I hope it works out for them anyway.”
Instead of pointing to the worst case caused not by Americans but by people who blow up water treatment plants intentionally?
“Instead of pointing to the worst case caused not by Americans but by people who blow up water treatment plants intentionally?”
Silly IceDog. The CIA is American.
Oh, you think – in a war in which the Secretary of Defence famously raged that he would fire the next person who mentioned exit strategy – that planting fifty bucks worth of explosives is somehow unthinkable, presumably because it isn’t “nice”?
When one runs an empire featuring 800 military bases in 130 countries “nice” does not enter the equation, my hideously misguided friend. For greater certainty, yes I am accusing the USA of planting bombs and doing whatever they can to incite violence in Iraq while blaming it on “the terrorists”, and I suspect a good 30% of American would agree with me. This is a logical conclusion based on reason, history, and facts.
There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
Albatros, I think you’re a fake. You don’t take the forestock off an FNC1 to field strip, and the C2 doesn’t have a forestock. It has a folding bipod.
Only reason to take the forestock off is to dismantle the gas system for servicing. Not something one does the field unless a bit breaks off. Too many little teeny things to lose in the grass.
So now you’re a fake as well as an idiot. Congrats.
Alby was about as much of a soldier, as I am a tree hugging leftard. Did you get your low shoes dirty when they force marched you and your fellow desk jockeys out to the ranges for your twice in a career range qualifications? Comox and Trenton. Hahahaha. Ever lay in shell scrape, in the pouring rain, waiting for the enemy to attack? Ever get rifle butted in the head by a member of the 82nd airborne? Ever get shot at delivering distilled water to remote Somali hospitals. Ever get mortared on the Golan. Go shine your low shoes, and straighten out your air force flag moron. You would have no clue as to what turdeau, the f@#$ing commie did to the “ARMY”
I mean no disrespect to current and former members of the air force. Just moonbats who try to claim otherwise.
Its sad but this is the kind of news that many Democrats don’t want to hear. They are so geared to continuing to blast GWB that news of progress and fewer deaths of their troups is actually bad news for them and that is not what they want. Democrat senator after senator has publically stated that they don’t want to wait for the September report on the war – they want the troups out now.
This past Sunday on Fox News Chris Wallace interviewed Senator Russ Feingold (D) and he stated that he would not believe Gen Patraeus if he testified before the Senate in September that things had turned around in Iraq and things were going much better. This guy is some piece of work. How do you work with people like this?
The American Congress is in a gridlock. The Democratically controlled Congress has accomplished next to nothing since they took over both houses. It is a sad spectacle to observe how politics and self-interest has taken over the legislative branch. Sad indeed but also very dangerous. They can’t even get their act together to pass legislation that will allow the CIA to monitor communications from a terrorist organization in one foreign country to one in another foreign country. I can’t believe that this is even illegal in the U.S. but I guess it is.
The terrorists know how to hamstring the Americans. They have no such legal restraints on their operations. The Democrats have better wake up and soon.
andrew – you can make as many accusations as you want about the US ‘planting bombs’; you can also state that aliens populated the earth; you can claim that the moon is made of green cheese. That’s all part of the ability we have, using language, to utter nonsense.
To move beyond nonsensical rhetoric – and none of your rhetoric is based on ‘reason, history or facts’ , you have to provide factual evidence. You haven’t done so and you can’t.
The fact that 30% of Americans might agree with your conspiracy theories doesn’t mean that those theories have even a shred of validity. Lots of people believe in conspiracy theories, so, don’t worry – you aren’t alone. And a conspiracy theory has nothing, zippo, to do with logic or reason or facts.
Equally, your claim that the US is an ’empire’ is fallacious – kindly look up the term, and the fact that it has military bases in many countries doesn’t mean that it controls those countries.
Equally, the fact that many of our factories, industries and financial institutions are owned by foreigners doesn’t mean that those foreigners control Canada.
I suggest reading a book on critical thinking and checking out various ‘informal fallacies’.
Sounds like the war is going pretty well and Iraq is becoming a much safer place.
Unfortunately a lot of people just aren’t getting the message.
By the time this is typed and posted:
Congrats to Kate Macmillan, SDA…for hitting 6,000,000.I appreciate your work!
Congrats from me too, Kate.
Ugh, the video is cute but meaningless.
They probably edited out some of the people who were joining up. Aside from that, however, it’s irrelevant. I want my sewers to work, but I’m not going to become a plumber. I imagine you like law and order, but you’re not going to become a cop. I want airplanes to land safely, but I’m not going to become an air traffic controller.
My two cents is that it appears to me that the surge is working. I have never had any doubt about US and coalition forces’ ability to win militarily.
Sadly, political solutions are not keeping pace with the military, and it is hard to know to what extent we can get the various forces together for a workable political solution.
However, on the encouraging side, tribal leaders are getting sick of the conflict and are talking about a willingness to send their young men to act as police officers.
I was encouraged to see that the meetings between President Bush and Gordon Brown were very productive. It doesn’t appear that the US-British relationship is going to diminsh any, and it appears that Britain is still very committed to working with us and is uncompromising in respect to their views on terrorism.
If it were up to me, I would just establish a semi-permanent base in Iraq with 100,000 troops composed of us, you guys, the Brits, and the Aussies. But people haven’t been coming to me for my opinion.
No doubt about it … invading Iraq was all about oil. That’s why a whopping 19% (and dropping) of America’s oil comes from the ME … while 18% (and growing) of American oil comes from Canada, making us the number one single source for USA oil.
Iraq was all about oil alright … Olive Oil.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/297/1413/1600/oilimports05.jpg
Andrew,
Presumaby, from your diatribe, I gather that you are STILL unable to just say
“I disagree with how Iraq was handled but I hope it works out for them anyway.”
So much anger towards Americans that you seem to want to take it out on Iraqis.
I for one, wish them the best and hope their troubles are beginning to subside.
Congrats again, Kate. It seems not long ago it was congrats at 4Million then 5million. Keep up the great work!
Andrew,
“Oh, you think – in a war in which the Secretary of Defence famously raged that he would fire the next person who mentioned exit strategy – that planting fifty bucks worth of explosives is somehow unthinkable, presumably because it isn’t “nice”?”
And we all know that bosses who rage are capable of planting bombs. I think I’ll start checking under my car after work from now on.
Andrew,
“When one runs an empire featuring 800 military bases in 130 countries “nice” does not enter the equation”
Is there some kind of math equation where you can find the optimal number where a nation tips from being nice to not nice? If “nice” doesn’t enter into the equation then why can’t a nation have more than 800 military bases in 130 countries and still be nice?
“This is a logical conclusion based on reason, history, and facts.”
No it isn’t. It can’t possibly be. The history of this hasn’t been written yet.
“I suspect a good 30% of American would agree with me.”
Where are your facts and reason there? Supposition only!
Ah you can just feel the love in the room. So many responses, so little time. I will respond to a few of your loving comments.
ET at July 30, 2007 5:57 PM:
Oh now ET you don’t have to tune into CBC to watch it, it’s not actually a CBC production. You can see it here.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article12499.htm
I’m not desperate for the Iraqi people to fail, you really shouldn’t put words in people mouths like that. I am however hoping the Americans will learn a hard lesson for invading a nation for their own selfish benefits.
Tenebris at July 30, 2007 6:09 PM:
Now where did I say anything about Tibet? The fact is China should not be in Tibet.
Now you really did miss the point about the Congo now didn’t you. The point being, the main reason the Americans invaded Iraq (meaning it became the main reason after there were no WMD found and no al Queda connection uncovered) was to free the Iraqi people from oppression. Where then is the concern for the people suffering in Darfur and Congo?
jim at July 30, 2007 6:31 PM
Too late to leave now isn’t it, the place is in a mess. Iraq should never have been invaded in the first place. It’s not as if the world didn’t scream at the “coalition of the willing” not to invade. It’s going to cost the Americans for this mistake and maybe they will think twice before they ever vote in another neocon, but somehow they don’t learn that quickly.
OMMAG at July 30, 2007 6:32 PM
Interesting you post a picture of John Wayne, the coward that put his carreer ahead of defending his nation during WW2. Yes he had a chance to sign up to fight but felt that would damage his livelihood. When people like Clark Gable and Jimmy Stewart were putting time in uniform and actually risking their lives, John Wayne continued to rake in the money making movies, usually playing a colonel or general fighting a war.
h2o2773kk9 at July 30, 2007 8:01 PM
“So, in your world, invading Iraq to stop the general oppression of the people there is wrong because there were a few billion barrels of oil but it’s would be ok invading Congo to stop the general oppression of the people if only they had a few billion barrels of oil.”
Invading Iraq to stop the “oppression” of the Iraqi people was the last thing on the minds of Bush Co. After the last four years of American occupation the Iraqi people were far better off and faced a far better future under Saddam Hussein.
The Phantom at July 30, 2007 8:30 PM
“Albatros, I think you’re a fake. You don’t take the forestock off an FNC1 to field strip…”
Oh dear forgive me, I haven’t seen a C1 in over 22 years, I’m much more current with the browning 9mm or C7 and the SMG was a much more fun weapon. However the C2, as I pointed out, didn’t require the removal of the fore stock for field stripping for the simple reason it was a bipod. When the bipod was folded it became the fore stock.
kingstontard(formerly kingstonlad) at July 30, 2007 8:40 PM
Oh this is my favourite post.
“Alby was about as much of a soldier, as I am a tree hugging leftard. Did you get your low shoes dirty when they force marched you and your fellow desk jockeys out to the ranges for your twice in a career range qualifications?”
Sorry (tard is it?) I was aircrew and didn’t wear low shoes, I wore aircrew boots and we didn’t require carrying a weapon on most occasions. There are advantages to having a higher IQ and not being in the army.
-“Ever lay in shell scrape, in the pouring rain, waiting for the enemy to attack?” Well if you’re talking about on exorcise in Wainwright then yes I have.
-“Ever get rifle butted in the head by a member of the 82nd airborne?” (Well that explains a lot. I can’t believe you left yourself open like that, but then again there is that IQ/army thing again) No I can’t say I have ever had a rifle butt to the side of the head. Weren’t you supposed to be on the same side? Oh never mind, army.
-“Ever get shot at delivering distilled water to remote Somali hospitals.” No we got shot at delivering relief into Ethiopia, but I’m afraid I can’t seem to remember exactly what the cargo was. I hope it was worth it.
-“Ever get mortared on the Golan.” No, I’ve never been to the Golan but we did get mortared flying into Sarajevo. I hope that was worth it too.
“You would have no clue as to what turdeau, the f@#$ing commie did to the “ARMY” No that was the other board about Trudeau. Hey but his government did buy you new tanks and didn’t close Lahr like the Mulroney government did. Oh did we ever miss Lahr (and the Chinooks, you know those helicopters that the Mulroney government sold off that the Harper government is now replacing) when we needed to get things to the other side of the world.
“I mean no disrespect to current and former members of the air force. Just moonbats who try to claim otherwise.”
A little late for that now isn’t it?