There are lessons to be learned from the dazzling success of the surge strategy in Iraq.
Lesson one is that just about no mission is impossible for the United States military. A year ago it was widely thought, not just by the new Democratic leaders in Congress but also in many parts of the Pentagon, that containing the violence in Iraq was impossible. Now we have seen it done.
Chart via AJ Strata (where there’s more)
test. My apologies for the comments being down. I’ve been sick since last evening and haven’t been online.
They should work now.
CHIRP…CHIRP…CHIRP…THE SOUND OF CRICKETS AT MSM HEADQUARTERS.
Yahoo news, I believe, just put up an article saying 2007 was the most lethal year for US soldiers in Iraq. Well, that might be, but not for the reasons they want people to believe. I would invite lefties to explain what major event occurred during the most lethal year in WW II. IF they can get past the similarity in FACTS between the two points in time.
Hope you’re feeling better, kate.
My own view is that it isn’t only the ‘surge’ that is the cause for the great change in Iraq. It is also the result of the freedom from tyranny by the original US deposition of Hussein, with the Iraqi people finally realizing that they, not Hussein and his elitist clan, are in charge of their country.
They now appreciate this freedom, and are starting to defend it against both external and internal insurgency.
It’s a vital change. Now, let’s see how, not the oligarchic governments but the ordinary people of Iran and Saudi Arabia deal with the development of an Islamic democracy in their midst.
20,000 x 72…damn! Where’ve they been hiding them?
Damned if I could find ANY back in the 70’s. 😉
The movement out of tribalism into democracy isn’t easy, but that’s what’s happening in Iraq.
Jonathan Kay of the National Post has an excellent analysis of tribalism, for those of you still uncertain of the meaning of the term and its importance in understanding what is going on in the ME and in the Islamic world.
Dec.17/07. Title: The Enemy Isn’t Islam; It’s Tribalism.
About time this issue began to be discussed in the public media. I hope the link works.
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2007/12/17/jonathan-kay-the-enemy-isn-t-islam-it-s-tribalism.aspx
The Liberal USA: Wanting To Lose Since 1969″
Re the NP blog, isn’t it interesting that Kay doesn’t acknowledge the role of population size in his analysis. He tends to think people are permanently wired in a tribal way in the ME. I think he way underestimates the ability of people to adapt out of tribalism because they have to in order to survive in large populations. That’s why he has backtracked on his support for the war … too bad … he needs to rethink this.
Maybe part of the reason for success now in Iraq, in addition to the surge and the Iraqis being fed up with AQ …. Is that one can’t help but wonder if 90 or 100 dollar oil caused the Iraqi people to get a bit more involved in their own grubstake.
So to those that say it’s all about ..oil, the answer is: sure it is.
It’s about whether the proceeds of the oil are going toward building a middle class democracy or towards supporting despots like Saddam and propping up tribal Islamofascists.
Isn’t it great that this money will now flow to middle class people instead of more weapons and palaces for Saddam and his crazy sons?
Also success breeds success. So the pride the Iraqis will now have in their own development will hopefully spread quickly through the ME and even to Pakistan … which is what AQ was trying to stop.
Unlike Kay, I think that people can adapt quickly no matter what culture they came from provided they have leadership and hope that shows the way. That is what the Islamofascists fear most …hope.
Yes, I see your point, nomdeblog, about the oil. The oil has been freed from the grasp of Hussein and his clan, to be used by the Iraqi people to develop their own country.
Thanks to Bush and the USA. God bless America.
ET
I think that USA has also turned the propaganda war around, this alone should make the “liberals” take note, as they have been a part of the negative side (for the americans) of the propaganda war
There seem to be a couple of months there when the non-hostile deaths are almost as many as he hostile deaths.
That doesn’t say much about your enemy when he can’t do a better job at killing you than the accidental forces of nature.
But we never hear about that in the media, do we?
According to john hopkins univrsity were north of 600,ooo dead civilians.
There has been 14,000 times more radiation dumped in iraq than when japan was bombed.
Does that make you war mongers feel all warm and fuzzy inside?
morningstar:
The JHU numbers you cite are nonsense. Even an anti-bush site like this one (http://www.iraqbodycount.org/) only puts it at 87,000 since the start of the conflict.
As for the radiation number to what are you referring? The depleted uranium used for ordanace by the coalition forces? If so, then to draw some kind of paralell to the dosing of hiroshima destroys any credibility you might have on the topic.
moringstar. 108 people die every minute of every day are war mongers responsible?
hey morningstar;
when the forces of evil are stomped into submission then yes, I get all warm and fuzzy inside…
as for the numbers you quote, they’re a fabrication of a fragile liberal mind, a total lie…
morningstar is just another nutty Bush-hater who wants to see America defeated – sorry, it ain’t going to happen anytime soon….