Navy Times: Progress In Iraq Report "Sober"

[Mark E. Smith]

Sept. 01, 2006

The Pentagon has issued its gloomiest view yet of progress in Iraq, acknowledging that some of the "preconditions for civil war exist" as the level of violence continues rising in key areas.

The growth of the Iraqi security forces remains on track, there are
some positive indicators that the economy is growing and oil revenue
is increasing slightly.

But it's hard for officials to put too much positive spin on the situation in Iraq, and officials who briefed the latest report acknowledge that things are not exactly looking up.

http://www.navytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2075345.php

[semillama]

1. now only if the president were "Sober"

:beer:

[MADem]

2. That's bullshitspeak for HORRIBLE, I take it!!!

....The report comes amid increasing calls to re-think the mission in Iraq. While President Bush recently reiterated his intention to stay until the job is done, members of Congress are growing uneasy as the mid-term elections grow near. Some lawmakers, including some key Republicans, are now saying it’s time to talk about timelines for a U.S. troop withdrawal.

The “Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq” report indicates that while the number of incidents of sectarian violence has remained steady, the number of casualties caused by those incidents has risen steadily since the spring, from around 300 in April to about 500 in July.
According to one chart in the report, the number of average weekly attacks rose from about 550 per week for the period ending in February to nearly 800 per week for the period ending in mid-August.

While coalition forces attracted most of the attacks, about 63 percent, Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians suffered the majority of casualties, the report said. Iraqi casualties went up by 51 percent compared to the quarterly period ending in May.

“Most attacks targeting coalition forces were ‘stand-off’ attacks, not involving close-up confrontations between coalition forces and insurgents,” the report said.
The 63-page report also indicated the number of car bomb attacks had returned to summer 2005 levels.

Perhaps the most striking statistic was the fact that daily casualties increased by 1,000 per month compared to the last quarter. The Baghdad coroner’s office reported the arrival of 1,600 bodies in June and more than 1,800 in July. Most had been executed, the report said.....

[rockymountaindem]

3. It appears the Navy Times has joined the defeatist liberal media

by not reporting the "good news" coming out of Iraq. Who'd a thunk' it?