The Price of the Surge

There's a whole lotta goal-post-moving going on in that article

Consider: The Iraqi Army kicked Sunni al-Qaida out of Mosul, kicked Shiite militia out of Basra and Sadr City, and the Sunnis & Shia populations are supporting this. Iraq's elected government is supporting this. And I might add, it was one of the 'benchmarks' that congress set for Maliki.

Iraq has put together 134 army battalions. The government is sharing oil revenues with the provinces, they have enacted amnesty and pension laws. They have passed de-Baathification reform; all things that are intended to unite the country and increase support for the Iraqi central government.

Even Pelosi said as much when she met with the Prime Minister recently:

LINK
She welcomed Iraq’s progress in passing a budget as well as oil legislation, and a bill paving the way for the provincial elections in the fall that are expected to more equitably redistribute power among local officials, and said, "We’re assured the elections will happen here, they will be transparent, they will be inclusive and they will take Iraq closer to the reconciliation we all want it to have."

 

Translation: If Iraq is unstable, it's Bush's fault. If Iraq is stable, it's Bush's fault, because he's allowing them to kill each other.

Get something straight: Maliki didn't consult the US before he sent Iraqi troops into Basra, and many, many US advisors thought it was the wrong thing to do, especially after the fighting did what we were expecting: it escalated and got nasty. But then things surprisingly quieted down.

Then the situation in Sadr City went nuts, and Maliki again sent in Iraqi troops--this time with US approval, and here's why: In both situations, the Iraqi government led the effort. And in both cases, the insurgents stood down because it was their own countrymen coming after them, with the Americans following.

We military types honestly believe this is a turning point. The Iraqis are willingly taking the lead, instead of expecting us to show them how to do it. And the insurgents--who were upset because they see an Iraqi government being led by the nose by Americans--are seeing an Iraqi government that's acting on its own, sometimes without American "approval."

But of course, because we Americans haven't forced the Iraqis to accept each other despite their religious and tribal differences....

Well, I guess the mission isn't finished yet, is it?

(tongue in cheek)

 

And that is the best news. It looks like all the hard work that our guys and the coalition troops have been doing is finally paying off.

I remember awhile back that you were about to be deployed to Iraq. Have you completed your tour?

 

"Cut 'n run" was the liberal mantra before the "surge".

The message is that it still is, even though it's working. Maybe, especially because it's working.

"Goal post moving" is a good description.

 

As of yesterday - I am home!

 

Well that is great that you are back home. Glad to know that our Lord looked after you. Welcome back!