Cleaning up after a car bomb
Great! It looks like we’re getting an AG who doesn’t know if waterboarding is torture (despite it having been considered so in the past by the US), we’re not condemning Musharraf‘s dictatorly actions, and now it’s possible the Iraqi Surge’s main success was in ethnic cleansing. It sure is comforting that US policy is a shining beacon to the rest of the world grounded as it is in human and democratic rights!
The dark side of Iraq’s good news
A new set of data from Iraq shows Iraqi civilian deaths on the decline, from 2,800 in January 2007 to about 800 last month. Other reports reveal that tens of thousands of Iraqis have joined local auxiliary forces to secure their neighborhoods and that U.S. forces continue to kill or capture many of the insurgency’s top leaders. Violence is down sharply in most areas. In Baghdad, troops report weeks without a roadside bomb in neighborhoods that used to be hit every day; and in Anbar, things are so good the Marines held a 5K race on the streets of Ramadi two weeks ago.
Still, the truth behind these numbers is elusive. It’s near impossible to discern whether they reflect the success of our military operations or some larger, deeper trends in Iraqi society, such as the success of the Shiite campaign to rid Baghdad of its Sunni residents. The situation does present a paradox, however. If the surge is the reason, as the generals claim, we’re in trouble, because the surge is about to end. If Iraqi reconciliation and ethnic cleansing get primary credit, and the surge is mostly acting as a catalyst, our inevitable drawdown over the next six months to pre-surge levels may not be catastrophic, because the positive trends result more from Iraqi societal shifts and less from American soldiers brokering the peace.
It would be unseemly for Lt. Gen. Odierno to claim credit for ethnic cleansing, or to find a silver lining in the deaths of thousands of Sunnis, but this is the unavoidable, if unspoken, truth about the decline of violence in Baghdad.
Yes, it’s important you find something negative to say so George Bush doesn’t get any credit and the Democrats don’t look like total idiots for being in favor of defeat in Iraq.
Why should we condemn Musharraf’s actions? I thought the reality based community wasn’t so committed to putting ideals over pragmatism?
“Iraq is quieter ” – perhaps they are runnning low on muslim martyrs supply?
After all even the blindest faith can’t produce enough idiots (aka suicide bombers) to blow up thousands of people day by day every day for any longer term… it take quite many years to raise new martyrs…
Heh. The Democrats just cannot “move on” from the elections in 2000 and 2004, they are still campaigning against Bush II.
The only thing that makes the slightest sense is for Soros and some of the Oil Arabs to be funding the fight.
No telling what Soros is up to, but the Oil Arabs want to keep oil prices high.
Soros is busy robbing South America at this moment.
Oil Monkeys always want to keep oil prices high, so whats new 😉
#1 – Yes, it’s important you find something negative to say so George Bush doesn’t get any credit and the Democrats don’t look like total idiots for being in favor of defeat in Iraq.
The only people who look like idiots are the ones who say that Democrats are in favor of defeat in Iraq.
I’ve just about had it with being accused of hating America, being a traitor, or being “against” the troops. I’m getting ready to start inserting my foot up some neo-con ass.
I mean seriously, how much more fucking up of the country by these right wing warmongers and hatebreeders do we really have to stomach?
Disagreeing with the stupid son of a bitch that attacked the wrong country and destabilized the Middle East and increased the threat to America and is trashing our economy is not unpatriotic. In fact, its every GOOD citizen’s duty.
#6 are you *that* stupid?
The White House Monkey didn’t attack wrong country LOL
He took down the biggest threat to Israel in the Middle East at that time. That they did it supposedly because of 9/11 (what may seem to you as attacking “wrong” country) was just convenient coincident, perfect timing you might say.
It was beneficial to israel first and most, of course, but it still *is* beneficial to you (as an american) and almost all other western countries as well. It got out of hand and mess there is bigger than it was ever expected, but nevertheless stability in that area and strong/united Iraq (or any other Arab country for that matter) is exactly what scares the Israel the most and what was the real reason to invade Iraq last time.
Obviously Israel couldn’t take down Hussein because all arab countries would level it down in retaliation, so who else was there to do the dirty job? And who is financing both of your major american parties? 😉
Weelllll….
Something just isn’t right with the propaganda….
– 2007 just today turned into the most deadly year for the US troops since their arrival. (How many of you can say how many troops are dying per month for the last 6 months? I can, because I care)
– There are still over 1200 Iraqi’s being officially counted as dead per month, with many more not listed.
– There are 2.5 million refugees within Iraq itself.
– The infrastructure is as bad as it has ever been. There is less water and electricity than ever since the start of the occupation.
– Our own state department employees do not want to go there, since they actually know just how bad things really are.
In other words, things probably could not get any worse than the last few months. We hit bottom. ANY improvement is taken as some kind of ‘victory’ by the brainwashed and ignorant, without any sense of perspective.
if we never leave then we never lose.
-everyidiotwhostillsupportsbush
#7 – #6 are you *that* stupid?
The White House Monkey didn’t attack wrong country LOL
He took down the biggest threat to Israel in the Middle East at that time.
If you think Iraq was a threat to Boy Scout Troop 42 of Beavercreek, Ohio, let alone Iraq, then I’m not the idiot in this conversation.
Dvorak is an idiot (and a member of a drinking club) and his lackeys are idiots. Any moron who listens to the leftest news media is an idiot and does not know what’s going on. Before you commence to spouting what you’ve been fed by the news media, get a clue and find out the true facts.
#8 You’ll “hit bottom” if – per request of your fat brainless public majority – if your soldiers will leave Iraq, which hopefully won’t happen under next democratic party’s president (after all Jews are major contributors to both Dems and Reps). But if does, you all not only loose all those monies spent on this ‘war’ for nothing (which were borrowed against future income of yours and your children) but you’ll loose something far more important – Face. When this happens, the great US Empire as we know it from last 50 years or so (since WWII) is no more. Not only small town local big mouths like Hugo Chavez will kick your butt all over the world 🙂
It’ll be kinda interesting to see it happening too LOL
#10 go back to watching CNN/FOX/ABC/CBS/whatever you watch there… this is too complicated for your american brain, and i can’t post comics or cartoon version of my posts for your convenience, sorry…
Only 800 dead innocent men, women and children? How wonderful is that! Hurrah, United States! How proud I am.
14 Only 800 dead innocent men, women and children? How wonderful is that! Hurrah, United States! How proud I am.
Yeah, and it only took 4-years to get the monthly civilian death-toll down that “low”…
I’m sure Iraqis will be singing our praises for generations to come.
The telling part of this is if this sentance, “A new set of data from Iraq shows Iraqi civilian deaths on the decline, from 2,800 in January 2007 to about 800 last month.” said 2009 and a Democrat was president, Slate would be saying what a great job they were doing.
Let me seee,,,
figure 1000 Civilians died per month, at 8-7 years, (6×12) I figure that over >100,000 Civilians have died, from a population OF??
As well as the taliban, and OTHER groups ARNT in the 1 city, and may have figured, its easyier to WAIT for the USA to LEAVE.
So many have spread out and are causing problems in OTHER areas.
#15,16,17
Don’t forget the major fact in this: WHO KILLED THEM?
Obviously not the US Army, I hope you agree 😉
There was such a lamenth in all arabic tv stations about civilian casualties during the US attack on Iraq.
Someone remind me – how many exactly was that? Few thousand? Not that I’m not sorry for those innocent bystanders that were unlucky to be in wrong time and place, but hows that in comparison with the number of Iraqis killed by followers of ‘religion of peace’ …
[Deleted for violation of blog guidelines -ed.]
#19 – SCORE! That’ll be 1 deletion for me. Not a record, but at least I’m on the board…
While I won’t temp Uncle Dave’s mighty wrath, choosing to bow to his wisdom, it should be noted… I was right.
right, thats why you were delete… for gods sake, go get a brain transplant or maybe hire some Mexican to do posting for you, because you can’t do even that right LOL
#21, 887 ½
You don’t measure up. OFTLO left more intelligence in his last dump than you have in your entire brain.
#22 yeah, keep patting him on the back fellow american…
maybe there still is hope for you USA-nians after all 😉
Space aliens and their evil Plan 9!
Say, uh, how are the British doing down in south Iraq?
6, 10
[quote]
Disagreeing with the stupid son of a bitch that attacked the wrong country and destabilized the Middle East and increased the threat to America and is trashing our economy is not unpatriotic. In fact, its every GOOD citizen’s duty.[/quote]
[quote]
The White House Monkey didn’t attack wrong country LOL
He took down the biggest threat to Israel in the Middle East at that time.
If you think Iraq was a threat to Boy Scout Troop 42 of Beavercreek, Ohio, let alone Iraq, then I’m not the idiot in this conversation.[/quote]
someone already told you
– are you retarded? What you dont understand here?
He knew exactly what he was doing and why.
For details of “why” you should write to Knesseth, Jerusalem, Israel.
Well we’ve already had one Democrat Congressman admit that success in Iraq is a real problem for them.
reasons to piss on this report: it’s in slate. 🙂
OFTLO….not all Democrats are hoping for a loss on our part, just like not all Republicans are neo-cons. But all it takes is a few quick keystrokes to read the comments made by Pelosi and Reid since the elections to know where THEY stand. And there a few Republican names to go next to their’s as well. Lugar for one.
The surge is what should have been policy from the moment Bush discovered he screwed up, but thanks to Cheney and Rumsfield it took 3 years to happen.
I’m all for whatever is causing the deaths to go down and put’s us closer to leaving the lovely Iraq. Unlike Slate, I won’t be making up reasons why things have been changing to cover my ass. To bad they didn’t notice all the things that were changing even before the surge.
And where in the hell are all these anti-semites coming from????
You guy’s part of the Al Quieda internet hate brigade???
I think I hear your Imam calling. 🙂
Great joke from the intertubies.
Bush sneaks out to a bar in D.C.
Guy walks in, says to the bartender….**Isn’t that Bush over there**?
Bartender say’s…*yep*
Guy walks over to Bush…..*It’s an honor to meet you sir. What are you doing here?**
Bush say’s…..*I’m planning WWIII*
Guy say’s …..**wow!!! Whats going to happen?**
Bush say’s…..**I’m going to wipe out 140 million Muslim’s and 1 blonde with big tit’s.**
Guy say’s…….**Why you going to kill the blonde with big tit’s?**
Bush say’s to the bartender…….**See, I told you no one would give a damn about the 140 million Muslim’s!!!**