US generals disagree on Iraq violence

[leftchick]

http://smh.com.au/news/world/us-generals-disagree-on-iraq-violence/2006/01/07/1136609984022.html

THE recent surge in violence is "an anomaly" and Iraq is not on the verge of civil war, the top US commander there said yesterday, after one of the country's bloodiest days since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

"This level of violence, I think as we've seen, is an anomaly. We see these spikes periodically," Army General George Casey said.

On Thursday, suicide bombers in Karbala and Ramadi killed more than 120 Iraqis, and 11 US troops died in four insurgent attacks.

"These attacks of the past days, I believe, have been intended by the foreign fighters and the Iraqis that are supporting them to foment sectarian tension during a vulnerable period of the formation of the government," General Casey said. "But I don't think it's on the brink of civil war."

[lebkuchen]

1. "a periodic spike"

Is that how the DoD is justifying these deaths to families who have lost a loved one?

What could be colder?

[GR]

3. Isn't That The Definition Of War...Periodic Spikes Of Violence?

They are so, so dishonest....

[pretzel4gore]

2. "meanwhile, we needa depress any knowlege of US troops lost;

we gotta keep the record playing pro war and so on, so being honest of what it's costing the US just aint good idea, ok? drugs are bad, ok, marajuwanna's bad, ok...."

[saigon68]

7. These Generals are Hateful war criminals

Kind of like the Nazi's below

Except they kill Muslims rather than JEWS

[rodeodance]

4. 2004=848 US troops dead & 2005=846: The use of stats to say violence

has not increased. geech!


....Using US military deaths as a gauge, the level of violence caused by the insurgency has remained consistent over the past two years. In 2004, there were 848 US military deaths; last year there were 846.

The 11 deaths on Thursday made it the deadliest day for US troops in Iraq since December 1, taking US fatalities since the start of the war in March, 2003, to 2193.

Marine Corps Major-General Stephen Johnson, who commands forces in Iraq's most violent province, forecasts a decline in bloodshed over the next year and said recent operations in Anbar province have "taken the insurgent off of his stride".

General Johnson told reporters at the Pentagon that the insurgency will continue "until the political process has time to develop".

Reuters

[Journeyman]

6. US military deaths held steady, but Iraqi civilian deaths spiked high. . .

so the "net" was a major increase in violence in 2005 over 2004.

As someone said up thread, they are so, so dishonest. . .

[TheGunslinger]

5. "We see these spikes periodically,"...yeah...like every freakin' month!!