The State Of The Surge

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CBS News

In his first American television interview since the U.S. troop surge began in February, Iraq's prime minister told CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan on Tuesday that the additional forces have prevented an even greater catastrophe in Iraq.

"If the Baghdad security plan had not been implemented, we would have a true civil war in Iraq,” Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.

But Iraqis on the streets of Baghdad say security is worse. Murders went down, but they are coming up back up again. There are still bombs every day. What's al-Maliki's sense of the quality of life to Iraqi people?

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Meanwhile, CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports that all the troops for the surge are now in Iraq and U.S. military officers say American casualties are likely to go still higher when operations hit full throttle next month.

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(Steven Biddle - Advisor to American Commander in Iraq)"If I had to put a number to it, maybe it's a 1-in-10, maybe it's a 1-in-5 long shot if we play our cards right. There's no question that this is likelier to fail than succeed as this point," Biddle said.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/29/eveningnews/main2865127.shtml

[tabasco]

1. Is this guy related to Baghdad Bob?

The only thing protecting the puppets from a lamp post is the US military.

Of course they will say the surge is just great. I'm sure they want even more surges. As long as we stay, they collect a big paycheck. When we leave, they leave too.

[Journeyman]

2. Did Iraqi murders go down, or was it a seasonal reduction brought about. . .

by cold, inclement weather -- I imagine even suicide bombers dislike being cold and wet.

[LynnTheDem]

3. Iraqi murders went down IN BAGHDAD, because residents are leaving

Baghdad as fast as they possibly can.

Murders elsewhere in Iraq went up.

Murders in Baghdad itself are now rising. Again.

[modrepub]

4. Makes you wonder what was going on before the "surge"

My guess is keeping their heads low (in their bases and bunkers) to try and keep casualties down so it wouldn't look too bad and hope that all of Iraq's troubles would just magically go away. Would the surge have been more affective a year of two ago when the rebellion started? Maybe, but seems to me those swaggering cowboys who said "bring it on" didn't have the resolve then and now it's truly too late. Sorry, I can't support these bozos any more; they've had too many chances and have blown every one.