Iraqi Troop Surge Already Working
What do you know, the surge in Iraq is having a "positive impact." Reports The Financial Times:
The top US general in Iraq said on Thursday that the military surge would continue “well beyond the summer”, as leading Democrats in Congress vowed to press ahead with legislation setting a timetable for withdrawal.
General David Petraeus said in Baghdad that there were “encouraging signs” the military escalation in the Iraqi capital was having a positive impact...
Hmm, a General saying something good about Iraq. Why isn't the media reporting this? They seem to report every ex-General who thinks things are going poorly. It's almost as if the mainstream media is biased. But that can't be, can it? Someone would have said something!
I liked this hidden gem:
The Pentagon this week said 2,200 military police would be sent to Baghdad to help deal with the increased detainee population that is expected as US and Iraqi forces clamp down on sectarian militias.
It's always nice when we anticipate capturing so many terrorists that we need an extra 2,200 MPs to detain them.
Just hours after Gen Petraeus gave his first press conference since the surge began, Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, said the party would push legislation that would require US combat troops to leave Iraq by August 2008 at the latest, and earlier if the Baghdad government did not make more progress.They truly want us to loose in Iraq, don't they? Screw the 26 million Iraqis who could be oppressed yet again by a terroristic regime that takes over once we leave, if the Dems make GW look bad it's good for them. And what's more important than winning elections? Apparently, to the Democrats, 26 million Arabs aren't.
And what is this about leaving earlier if the Iraqi government doesn't shape up? I understand the importance of accountability (however, since when do the Democrats?), but is that really a good idea? The Dems are basically saying unless you learn to handle the terrorists yourselves, we're leaving. But if they can handle the terrorists themselves, they won't need us. If they can't and we leave, they'll all die. Great logic, Madame Speaker!
Another little sign of the working surge:
US officials say there has been a fall in the number of bodies discovered in the capital, and Iraqis say that in some districts families driven out by insurgent and militia threats are returning.I think that line deserves it's own story. If a few Iraqis are murdered, it's a sign of civil war. If the murder rate drops, it shows that the surge might have a "positive impact." Again, what media bias?
All-in-all, positive signs that the surge is already working, and will do great things once in full effect. Hopefully we'll be able to finish our job in Iraq before the Dems pull the rug out from under our troops feet. 26 million Iraqis are counting on it. The question is, what's more important to the Democrats; 26 million lives, or a few political points? Sadly, I think they've already answered the question, and it looks like they prefer genocide to losing elections.
***Update, 6:49pm***
Pathetic, this is how the mainstream media reports this story: "Iraq War Commander: Military Alone Won't Win: Nevertheless, Gen. David Petraeus Says Troop Surge Won't End Anytime Soon." Ah, to be invested in defeat...
The story opens:
As additional U.S. troops continue to flow into Baghdad, the new U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus, warned that force alone would not get the job done.
"Any student of history knows there is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq," said Petraeus. "Military action is necessary to help improve security … but it is not sufficient."
But in his first public comments since taking over, Petraeus made it clear the surge of more than 20,000 additional combat troops won't be over any time soon. After all, he said, all those troops won't even be in place until this summer.
Unreal. Not once did the ABC story mention a single one of the quotes above highlighting the success of the surge. The story closed with this carefully chosen quote:
Petraeus today did not rule out asking for even more troops down the road. He said there are no immediate requests, but that he would not hesitate to ask for more if needed.
Of course he didn't rule it out! As the original, unbiased story from The Financial Times quoted him as saying:
“Right now we do not see other requests [for troops] looming out there,” said Gen Petraeus. “That’s not to say that some emerging mission or emerging task will not require that, and if it does, then we will ask for that.”
