Petraeus admits to rise in Iraq violence

[aggiesal]

Source: LA Times

The top U.S. commander, back from his trip to Washington, says Sunni Arab militants have carried out a 'Ramadan surge.' But he notes that the level of attacks remains lower than a year ago.

BAGHDAD -- Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, acknowledged today that violence had increased since Sunni Arab militants declared an offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"Certainly Al Qaeda has had its Ramadan surge," Petraeus said in his first comments to reporters since he returned from Washington to give lawmakers a status report on the war in Iraq. But he said the level of attacks was "substantially lower" than during the same period last year.

The Army general said he saw no need to revise the projections he presented to Congress this month for a gradual withdrawal of the additional forces deployed to Iraq as part of the troop buildup. He did not provide figures.

Militants with the extremist group Al Qaeda in Iraq have launched a string of deadly bombings in recent weeks, including one this week that killed at least 24 people at a reconciliation meeting between Sunni and Shiite tribal, religious, political and security leaders in the Diyala provincial capital, Baqubah.

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Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-iraq30sep30,0,7324298.story?coll=la-home-center

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No need to update my projections because that would mean that I was lying.
But, it's all Al Queda's fault.

[ClintonTyree]

1. So, the "Ramadan Surge".......

if anything like "Bush's Surge", could last a year or more. That would seriously screw up Betrayus's and Bush's plans to "withdraw" troops by next summer.

I imagine these Al Qaeda fighters are just some "dead enders" in their "last throes". :eyes:

Nothing to see here citizens. Go shopping and forget all about this.

I imagine the price tag for doing Bush's business in Iraq has just increased. Again.

[dickbearton]

2. Hasn't anyone told Betrayus like the Criminal Bush , he can't be trusted.

Like the Traitors Bush and Rumsfeld, who should be hung for
war crimes, should the Stooge Gates and the Lackey Betrayus be
hung or jailed for war crimes? We need a Nuremberg Trial, to
determine their just punishment, for killing over a million
persons.

[Trillo]

3. Lot's of asterisks!

If you made the line of horizontal asterisks equal to the total number of characters and spaces in your message, you could fit it all on a single line!

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[Didereaux]

4. when you discuss Petraeus you have to...

...do so with this picture fully in the forefront of your mind.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12461951@N03/1355142923/




....

[xchrom]

5. what a sick fuckin joke. n/t