Iraq Fact Check: Responding to Key Myths (Straight from the WH website)

[The Straight Story]

Iraq Fact Check: Responding to Key Myths

1. MYTH: The war “is lost.”

* FACT: Our commanders and ambassador do not believe that. Asked whether the U.S. could win in Iraq and leave behind a stable government, General David Petraeus said “If I didn’t believe that I wouldn’t be here… I think that there is good prospect for progress in the months ahead.” Ambassador Ryan Crocker says “the level of violence is down in the two areas where the ‘surge’ is focused, Anbar and Baghdad.”
* FACT: The surge of operations is just beginning. The additional brigades Gen. Petraeus requested have only been in place since mid-June, and the military only began major offensive operations such as Operation Phantom Thunder once that happened.
* FACT: We have seen promising indicators since the President announced the new strategy in January. While al Qaeda and other extremists have conducted a counter-surge resulting in numerous horrific mass-casualty terrorist attacks, and while it is too early to declare the surge a success or failure, we have seen:

o A substantial drop in sectarian murders in Baghdad since January
o Arms caches found at more than three times the rate of a year ago
o Tribal sheiks in Anbar and other provinces cooperating with Iraqi and American forces against al Qaeda
o Attacks in Anbar at a two-year low
o Total car bombings and suicide attacks down in May and June
o The building of “joint security stations,” where many Iraqis are coming with information on where terrorists are hiding
o Signs of normalcy in Baghdad like professional soccer leagues, amusement parks, and vibrant markets.
o Recruiting for Iraqi police forces drawing thousands of candidates
o Young Sunnis signing up for the army and police
o More Shia rejecting militias


(lots more at link)
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/07/20070710-3.html

Spin, spin, spin.