No Wonder Libs Are Upset - The Surge Is Working

[red states rule]

I understand, RSR....if I had claimed that Iran was in cahoots with Al Qaeda to kill Iraqi shiites, I wouldn't want to "debate" it either!

Surge Success Posted 2007-07-24




Occasionally, the first few paragraphs of a news story can act like cold water being thrown in the face of a reader.

These cold water paragraphs come from the London Times – not known as a radical rightwing newspaper: "Fed up with being part of a group that cuts off a person’s face with piano wire to teach others a lesson, dozens of low-level members of al-Qaida in Iraq are daring to become informants for the U.S. military in a hostile Baghdad neighborhood.

"The ground-breaking move in Doura is part of a wider trend that has started in other al-Qaida hotspots across the country and in which Sunni insurgent groups and tribal sheiks have stood together with the coalition against the extremist movement."

The Times story backs up other reports from Iraq that indicate the surge is working. Provinces that were once al-Qaida strongholds are slowly – and bloodily – being pacified.

The Times story also quotes Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Michael, who commands a battalion of 700 troops in Doura, as saying that al-Qaida’s days are numbered.

A key factor is that local people and members of al-Qaida itself have become sickened by the violence and are starting to rebel.

"The people have got to deny them sanctuary and that is exactly what is happening," according to Lt. Col. Michael.

Wholesale slaughter should turn off a population, and the terrorists have never been too choosy about their choice of victims. The story notes that there is a hardcore group of al-Qaida fanatics who will fight on no matter what, but that group is seeing diminishing support – and even hostility – among area groups and tribal leaders.

As noted, this is not the first story to detail such progress in Iraq. Hopefully, it will not be the last

http://www.dnronline.com/opinion_details.php?AID=11316&sub=Editorial

 

[maineman]

what does that link have to do with you debating your claim that the Iranians are in cahoots with Al Qaeda in their efforts against Iraqi shiites?

 

[red states rule]

what does that link have to do with you debating your claim that the Iranians are in cahoots with Al Qaeda in their efforts against Iraqi shiites?

Shhhh... The Surge is Working
By Patrick Ruffini
Saturday, February 24, 2007


A gloomy haze has settled over the nation's prosecution of the War on Terror as of late. It seems like we can only watch helplessly as Nancy Pelosi and Jack Murtha size up new angles of attack for undermining the war effort. The media is chomping at the bit the tell the story of an America, bruised and humbled and exhausted, heading for the exits in Iraq.

But something interesting is happening on the way to the "new direction." Early indications are that the troop surge into Baghdad is working. It hasn't been reported on widely, but murders in Baghdad are down 70%, attacks are down 80%, Mahdi Army chief Moqtada al-Sadr has reportedly made off for Iran, and many Baghdadis who had fled the violence now feel it's safe enough to return. The strategy that Congress is busy denouncing is proving to be our best hope for victory.

In Iraq, there's a sense that change is in the air -- literally. Omar of Iraq the Model spots a B-1 Bomber in the skies of Baghdad for the first time since the end of the major combat. On the ground, Omar writes that the signs that Iraqis are getting serious about security are more palbable. With the help of Compstat-like technology, security forces are cracking down at checkpoints (even ambulances are getting stopped) and getting nimbler about locating them strategically so the terrorists don't know what to expect.

This turnaround in Baghdad is confirmed at home by the media's near-deafening silence. If it seems like you've heard less about how Iraq is spiraling into civil war in the weeks since the surge was announced, this is why. Even some discordant voices in the media are starting to wonder what's happening. Time magazine worries that it's "Quiet in Baghdad. Too quiet." That's right -- a dramatic reduction in violence is actually bad news.

It's too early to claim victory just yet; the operation is just two weeks old. But U.S. troops have been able to accomplish all of this with just one more brigade in-country, with four more on the way by May. These encouraging early returns show the potential for success when we apply concentrated military force to the security problem. When the Army and Marine Corps are on offense, carrying out combat operations and clearing out insurgent strongholds, we win. When we lay back, carrying out routine patrols and playing Baghdad beat cop, we lose.

The key to success is staying power. The always incisive Daffyd ab-Hugh has a good read on this dynamic. Counterinsurgency in Iraq has often been compared to a game of whack-a-mole -- secure an area, only to have the insurgents pop up somewhere else. But if we slammed a mallet into the hole, and kept it there, then picked up a new one... and did the same?

This is a new game called Seal-a-Hole , and it has a very different dynamic from Whack-a-Mole: the normal game is one of futility; the game continues until the player gets tired and quits or he runs out of money. But Seal-a-Hole actually has a victory point: when all the holes are sealed, the game is over -- and the player, America, has won.

Even though Seal-a-Hole is not futile, it nevertheless requires a great deal of patience; there are many, many holes, and each hole has a mole who must be whacked. Some of the holes, such as Sadr City, are very big and will require many mallets to properly seal. But if we have the courage and fortitude of our American forebears, we will seal those holes... and we will win.


http://www.townhall.com/columnists/PatrickRuffini/2007/02/24/shhhh_the_surge_is_working

 

[maineman]

and agasin....

what does THAT link have to do with you debating your claim that the Iranians are in cahoots with Al Qaeda in their efforts against Iraqi shiites?

 

[red states rule]

and agasin....

More bad news for Dems - the surge is working


Iraq surge working, reductions possible in north
by John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service
Published: Friday, July 20, 2007 2:01 PM CDT
E-mail this story | Print this page


WASHINGTON, D.C. - Now at full strength, the U.S. troop surge in Iraq is showing "definitive progress" and the number of forces serving in Iraq's Multinational Division North could be halved by summer 2009, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon said July 13.

A reduction of U.S. forces under the general's command could begin as early as January 2008, he told Pentagon reporters via videoconference.

Mixon, commander of both Multi-National Division North and the U.S. Army's 25th Infantry Division, is responsible for six Iraqi provinces in northern Iraq, including the city of Baqubah - site of the ongoing Operation Arrowhead Ripper.

He said he has given Army Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander, Multi-National Corps - Iraq, a plan indicated a possible reduction of force in Multi-National Division North during 2008.

Mixon said the current debate over troop withdrawal should revolve around reaching a strategic "end state."

"It seems to me that we should first decide what we want the end state to be in Iraq, and how is that end state important to the United States of America, to this region and to the world, and then determine how we can reach that end state, and how much time that will take," he said. "To me, that seems to be the most important thing, because there will be consequences of a rapid withdrawal from Iraq.

"It cannot be a strategy based on, 'Well, we need to leave,'" he added. "That's not a strategy, that's a withdrawal."

U.S. forces that remain in the region after a reduction could focus on training and assisting their Iraqi counterparts as needed, Mixon said.

"Over time, in a very methodical and well thought out way," he said, Multi-National Division North could be drawn down to "a minimum force that would continue to work with the Iraqi forces in a training and assistance mode, have the capability to react and assist the Iraqi if required, and provide them those capabilities that they don't have, like attack aviation, Air Force fixed-wing support, and medical support," he said.

http://www.ftleavenworthlamp.com/articles/2007/07/20/dod_news/dod2.txt

 

[maineman]

spam spam spam.

I asked you a simple question...and it was only to get you to clarify something you said previously.

you cannot - obviously - answer it.

Let me know when you can.

 

[red states rule]

spam spam spam.

I asked you a simple question...and it was only to get you to clarify something you said previously.

you cannot - obviously - answer it.

Let me know when you can.

Articles showing the surge is working

and MM is whining

All the good news is to much for MM to take

 

[maineman]

Articles showing the surge is working

and MM is whining

All the good news is to much for MM to take

no...I am sure you have got plenty of articles that show the surge is working.

unfortunately, the numbers do not agree with the words. more Iraqi deaths across the country. more american deaths across the country.

and I just want you to explain your goofy predictions. will you ever try to do that?

 

[red states rule]

no...I am sure you have got plenty of articles that show the surge is working.

unfortunately, the numbers do not agree with the words. more Iraqi deaths across the country. more american deaths across the country.

and I just want you to explain your goofy predictions. will you ever try to do that?

any good news from Iraq must be dismissed by the kook left (of which you are a proud member)

If the US troops are winning there goesa ny chance of appeasement and surrender

and that would hamper any gains in 08

Libs do have their priorities

 

[maineman]

let me know when you will defend your assertions.

 

[red states rule]

let me know when you will defend your assertions.

More bad news is coming MM

The surge is working and you will be growling

 

[maineman]

like I said...just let me know.

 

[red states rule]

like I said...just let me know.

The good news really must depress you

 

[maineman]

good news never depresses me...especially good news about our troops.

what does depress me is your continued refusal to ever carry on a conversation and to ever back up your assertions like a normal adult.

 

[red states rule]

good news never depresses me...especially good news about our troops.

what does depress me is your continued refusal to ever carry on a conversation and to ever back up your assertions like a normal adult.

Seems you dismiss any good news - that would get in the way of your surrender wishes

 

[maineman]

Seems you dismiss any good news - that would get in the way of your surrender wishes

I am not dismissing anything. I only ask that you defend your assertions. or retract them. that's all.

any chance of either one of those happening here?

 

[red states rule]

I am not dismissing anything. I only ask that you defend your assertions. or retract them. that's all.

any chance of either one of those happening here?

I have and the surge is showing signs of progress

Time for White Flag Harry to have another all nighter

 

[maineman]

I have

you say you have explained how Iran is helping AQ fight against Iraqi shiites?

no you haven't.

you say you have explained how all the sunni insurgents and all the shiite militias and all the members of the Iraqi army will lose to AQ in Iraq and let a handful of foreigners control their government and their oil?

no. you haven't.

you say you have explained how Iran will sweep in after AQ's victory and take over the government of Iraq against the will of the Iraqis and will give minor jobs to AQ members or, if they complain, kill them?

no. you haven't. AND YOU CAN'T

 

[red states rule]

you say you have explained how Iran is helping AQ fight against Iraqi shiites?

no you haven't.

you say you have explained how all the sunni insurgents and all the shiite militias and all the members of the Iraqi army will lose to AQ in Iraq and let a handful of foreigners control their government and their oil?

no. you haven't.

you say you have explained how Iran will sweep in after AQ's victory and take over the government of Iraq against the will of the Iraqis and will give minor jobs to AQ members or, if they complain, kill them?

no. you haven't. AND YOU CAN'T

and as the good news comes out of Iraq - MM foams at the mouth in diebelief

 

[maineman]

you gonna answer my last post or not?

just let me know one way or the other.