Success is just around the corner
By Libby
I'm sure you'll be shocked to learn that the Bush administration has once again moved the goalposts on defining the sucess of the surge. Remember all those benchmarks the Iraqis had to reach or else we were leaving in six months? Well, forget those. We've got new ones. All they really have to do is promise not to kick us out before Bush leaves office so he can leave his godawful mess for the next president. Oh, and our new diplomatic mission is to 'help' the Iraqi government pass a budget. Which is pretty funny when you consider the GOP left office without passing one here.
Meanwhile, the success of the surge is becoming more difficult to sell. It didn't result in the promised political reconciliation. After causing an increase of violence with the escalation, they managed to reduce violence back to the levels it was when everyone was saying Iraq was lost. And even as Iraqi refugees are being forced to return home, the lull is already being broken with several major bombings in the last few days. As Thomas Ricks of the WaPo cautions, "Don't celebrate the turnaround in Iraq just yet.
Somehow it all reminds me of this.
I'm sure you'll be shocked to learn that the Bush administration has once again moved the goalposts on defining the sucess of the surge. Remember all those benchmarks the Iraqis had to reach or else we were leaving in six months? Well, forget those. We've got new ones. All they really have to do is promise not to kick us out before Bush leaves office so he can leave his godawful mess for the next president. Oh, and our new diplomatic mission is to 'help' the Iraqi government pass a budget. Which is pretty funny when you consider the GOP left office without passing one here.
Meanwhile, the success of the surge is becoming more difficult to sell. It didn't result in the promised political reconciliation. After causing an increase of violence with the escalation, they managed to reduce violence back to the levels it was when everyone was saying Iraq was lost. And even as Iraqi refugees are being forced to return home, the lull is already being broken with several major bombings in the last few days. As Thomas Ricks of the WaPo cautions, "Don't celebrate the turnaround in Iraq just yet.
Somehow it all reminds me of this.
Labels: Bush Administration, Iraq, spin, surge
posted by Libby Spencer at 7:40 PM
2 Comments:
former CIA bin laden unit head Michael Scheuer has a good take on it
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/IK22Ak03.html
basically, it's his opinion that al queda has seen what a US "victory" in iraq is and is fine with it.
for good reason. when we leave it's going to become an islamic state.
I think it already is an Islamic state and the minute we leave they'll be making some kind of pact with Iran.
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