McClatchy: Old problems plague new security plan for Iraq

[babylonsister]

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/news/nation/17343981.htm

Old problems plague new security plan for Iraq
By Nancy A. Youssef
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON - Three months after additional U.S. troops began pouring into Baghdad in the most recent effort to stanch violence in Iraq's capital, military observers are fretting that the same problems that torpedoed last summer's Baghdad security plan are cropping up again.

Violence is on the rise, Iraqi troops aren't showing up to secure neighborhoods, U.S. troops are having to revisit neighborhoods they'd already cleared, and Iraq's politicians haven't met any of their benchmarks.

With expectations high in Washington for a September assessment from new Iraq commander Army Gen. David Petraeus, military officials in Iraq already are saying they'll need more time.

One thing is already clear, however: The additional U.S. troops haven't yet had a major impact on reducing violence.

more...

[JeffR]

1. More troops, more violence

If an idiot like me can see this, why can't the SecDef and the Joint Chiefs? I can only conclude they do see this. As does their nominal boss. So why the fuck are our troops still there?

on edit: oil, natch

[babylonsister]

2. Thread after thread, story after story, coming more fast and furious

to anyone paying attention. Where is Congress? Where is the media?

[JeffR]

4. Those questions haunt America

where are they indeed?

[applegrove]

3. Even McNamarra admitted in the end you cannot win against an insurgency.