Lessons From the Surge

[retiredman]

I never once doubted the US Military's ability to accomplish the military mission of the surge: to provide a calm period of time relatively devoid of violence so that the Iraqi politicians could come to the compromise decisions necessary to form a lasting government.

It is, therefore, no surprise to me that we have done our part and done it well...

It is, unfortunately, also no surprise to me that the Iraqi politicians have failed to do their part.

[red states rule]

I never once doubted the US Military's ability to accomplish the military mission of the surge: to provide a calm period of time relatively devoid of violence so that the Iraqi politicians could come to the compromise decisions necessary to form a lasting government.

It is, therefore, no surprise to me that we have done our part and done it well...

It is, unfortunately, also no surprise to me that the Iraqi politicians have failed to do their part.

It must have been a shock to your party leaders - they are said the war was lost and the surge was a waste of time

[Lazarus]

There was never any doubt that our military could tamp down the violence, temporarily.

What was in doubt, and what has come to pass, is that the 2nd wave of this plan was ill-conceived.

Bush sold this as a package deal. The two cannot be split up at this late stage.

The diplomatic aspect was designed to fail.
A sovereign nation must choose its' own path, and no amount of coaxing from outside agitators will produce any sustainable results.

We could force our vision of a " democracy " upon the populace, but it would only produce an unstable equilibrium.

Our Armed Forces =
I'd give them a " B "

Our State Dept. =
a " D "

[red states rule]

There was never any doubt that our military could tamp down the violence, temporarily.

What was in doubt, and what has come to pass, is that the 2nd wave of this plan was ill-conceived.

Bush sold this as a package deal. The two cannot be split up at this late stage.

The diplomatic aspect was designed to fail.
A sovereign nation must choose its' own path, and no amount of coaxing from outside agitators will produce any sustainable results.

We could force our vision of a " democracy " upon the populace, but it would only produce an unstable equilibrium.

Our Armed Forces =
I'd give them a " B "

Our State Dept. =
a " D "

There was alot of doubt on the left

Now they are having to eat their words of defeat

[Lazarus]

There was alot of doubt on the left

Now they are having to eat their words of defeat

If you could cite specifics, one could discern under what context that doubt was voiced.

Also, I would expect citations from outside this DP bubble; lots of shit is spewn in here - from all sides.
Democratic Leadership examples ?

But, viewed as a whole, this surge/escalation/reconciliation gambit cannot be deemed as anything other than a failure. The de-escalation will begin in a few months, and no political end-game is in sight.
The goals were not met.

And the relocation of those troops from Afghanistan to Baghdad put the former into renewed jeopardy.
Which also has limited - and is limiting - our options re: Pakistan.

The domino theory.

[retiredman]

It must have been a shock to your party leaders - they are said the war was lost and the surge was a waste of time

what are your thoughts about the lack of Iraqi political progress that the surge was designed to promote? and what will happen when the surge troops are forced to come home in april due to troop rotation?

[red states rule]

what are your thoughts about the lack of Iraqi political progress that the surge was designed to promote? and what will happen when the surge troops are forced to come home in april due to troop rotation?

The government is working on their issues - they have alot of work to do

Of course, libs were saying how the surge would never work - and now they are searching for anything to distract from their previous doom and gloom rants

[retiredman]

The government is working on their issues - they have alot of work to do

Of course, libs were saying how the surge would never work - and now they are searching for anything to distract from their previous doom and gloom rants

on a military level, the surge worked. no doubt. our troops and our military commanders should be congratulated for a job well done!

an analogy:

a patient has a heart attack and has blocked coronary arteries. doctors operate. they go into his heart and open up all of his coronary arteries with stents and restore blood flow to all muscle areas of the heart. the operation was a complete success. but the patient died anyway.

our surge can "succeed", but if the Iraqi government does not make progress, the patient died....get the analogy? The surge will be over in April. troop levels will return to the level they were when violence was out of control. If there is no political progress that will stop the violence from returning, what will the surge really have accomplished, in the long run?

[trobinett]

on a military level, the surge worked. no doubt. our troops and our military commanders should be congratulated for a job well done!

an analogy:

a patient has a heart attack and has blocked coronary arteries. doctors operate. they go into his heart and open up all of his coronary arteries with stents and restore blood flow to all muscle areas of the heart. the operation was a complete success. but the patient died anyway.

our surge can "succeed", but if the Iraqi government does not make progress, the patient died....get the analogy? The surge will be over in April. troop levels will return to the level they were when violence was out of control. If there is no political progress that will stop the violence from returning, what will the surge really have accomplished, in the long run?

That's a trick question right?



























More dead BAD GUY'S.

[red states rule]

That's a trick question right?



























More dead BAD GUY'S.

Of course it is. MM wnts us to ignore the good news, and still sees the glass as half empty