Thread: Iraq News

Heh...

"Even as they call for an end to the war and pledge to bring the troops home, the Democratic presidential candidates are setting out positions that could leave the United States engaged in Iraq for years.

John Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, would keep troops in the country to intervene in an Iraqi genocide and be prepared for military action if violence spills into other countries. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York would leave residual forces to fight terrorism and to stabilize the Kurdish region in the north. And Senator Barack Obama of Illinois would leave a military presence of as-yet unspecified size in Iraq to provide security for American personnel, fight terrorism and train Iraqis."

Fairly safe way of having it both ways! They still have GWB to blame. And when the tide turns they can say "yes that was our strategy"!

If the surge is designed to bring some order to Iraq before a phased withdrawal, I wish it success. The operation remains a failure, it is too late to change that now.

The fact remains that it was an ill conceived invasion from the start, the occupation has been abysmally botched from the start, and the sort of lies and innuendo used to justify it to a gullible public shoud land the perpetraitors in jail.

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

The coalition of the Willing will be in Iraq for a long time boys...

I still don't quite see how you view this as a positive?

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Read the link in post #213 and get back to us will you? That's a nice boy...

Is it any better than the one that you selectively posted in #194 and then seem to have entirely ignored when it was pointed out to you that it did not, in fact, support the position you'd said it did?

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

Poor ray, tilting at the proverbial anti-war windmill like a modern-day don Quixote. "Major Attacks Decline in Iraq: The number of truck bombs and other large al-Qaeda-style attacks in Iraq have declined nearly 50% since the United States started increasing troop levels in Iraq about six months ago, according to the U.S. military command in Iraq" read it and believe it ray..

Since the " Escalation "

The five-month US "surge" has caused "no appreciable change" in vehicle-bomb attacks, according to figures collected by reporters from the McClatchy Newspapers

Total number of attacks against US and coalition forces, Iraq security forces, Iraqi civilians, and infrastructure targets in June: 5,335. This works out to a daily average of 177.8, an all-time high since May 2003, according to the Pentagon, and 46% more than in June 2006; more than 68% of these attacks - 3,671 to be exact - were launched against US troops, up 7% from May 2007.

Number of attacks in July using the most powerful type of roadside bomb: 99, an all-time high, according to Lieutenant-General Ray Odierno, US second-in-command in Iraq, accounting for one-third of US casualties last month.

Number of US military deaths in the "surge" months, February-July: 572, according to the Iraq Coalition Casualties website. This represents 189 more American deaths than in the same set of months in 2004, 215 more than in 2005, 237 more than in 2006.

Asia Times Online :: Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs

More good news from Iraq or what?

"The top U.S. general there is expected by Bush administration officials to recommend removing American troops soon from several areas where commanders believe security has improved, possibly including Al Anbar province."

Heh...

and here's a little something from the LA times article...

Despite Bush's repeated statements that the report will reflect evaluations by Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, administration officials said it would actually be written by the White House

but, it's just another general thrown under the bus by the bush white house....par for the course.

^
Hey...if they can't get with the program, out they go.
Just like the TEFLer who can't conjugate the verb...out he goes!

stay the course ,

6 mths more ...............................

Originally Posted by Mid

stay the course ,

6 mths more ...............................

What are you talking about? Bush declared victory in Iraq over 4yrs ago...

"Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed. And now our coalition is engaged in securing and reconstructing that country" - 2/5/03

Mind you he did also say:

"When Iraqi civilians looked into the faces of our servicemen and women, they saw strength, and kindness, and good will...

..With new tactics and precision weapons, we can achieve military objectives without directing violence against civilians."

And:

"We have begun the search for hidden chemical and biological weapons, and already know of hundreds of sites that will be investigated." (Presumably they're still looking)

so he was clearly quite confused. Bless.

you clearly don't understand the world we live in ............................

Surge Is Working southeast of Baghdad

Heh...

The surge is not working, not yet anyway. It has reduced violent deaths in the Baghdad area, but this has been more than compansated for by the increase in deaths in the rest of the country.
After 911, the worlds second largest terrorist atrocity has taken place since the surge began, amongst other things. This article by Tom Englehardt dates from August 13th-

Tomgram: All-time Highs in Iraq

Not much to feel smug about.

Originally Posted by sabang

The surge is not working, not yet anyway. It has reduced violent deaths in the Baghdad area, but this has been more than compansated for by the increase in deaths in the rest of the country.

I agree with Sabang, here.

The Surge is only doing minor things in certain areas. It's what the military calls the "pillsberry Dough effect." I poke a part of one area, and other areas see increases in attacks, cleansing, etc.

It's still about political. The Al-Maliki government is barely functional on many levels.

Folks shouldn't confuse military with political.

Because political, is what this is all about.

More good news out of Iraq from the NY Times - of all places...

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

More good news out of Iraq from the NY Times - of all places...

So what are you going to do when the "peace with honour" comes down.

Leave them where they are (you ain't got room in Gitmo)

The Shias will string 'em up for you.

Ah sure , they're all "Islamofascists" , especially the kids.

Originally Posted by NathairCeann

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

More good news out of Iraq from the NY Times - of all places...

So what are you going to do when the "peace with honour" comes down.

Leave them where they are (you ain't got room in Gitmo)

The Shias will string 'em up for you.

Ah sure , they're all "Islamofascists" , especially the kids.

Well, it's far from over isn't it. There will be an American presence in Iraq for many years to come. Within two years or so there will be a draw-down of combat troops as the Iraqui security forces mature. Only way for a total withdrawal - peace w/honor, will be if the raving liberal cut & run moonbat democrats totally take over the executive and legislative branches of government...

Wish I could agree...what you say about the US staying over for many years is right, but only so long as the sad fvcks don't slither in.

Plobrem is, if they do, they effectively have carte blanche to do whatever they want, because however they cock up they find the usual convoluted reasoning to blame it on Bush.

Originally Posted by keda

Plobrem is, if they do, they effectively have carte blanche to do whatever they want, because however they cock up they find the usual convoluted reasoning to blame it on Bush.

Eh, like he was the one directly responsible for miring the nation in an illegal war and quagmire of an 'occupation'?

Yeah, fancy blaming that on Bush when it's clearly some else's fault!?

Here we go boys - got France onboard. What's the expression? "Let's Roll" not "Let's Roll Over"!


France's Sarkozy raises prospect of Iran airstrikes

"In his first major foreign policy speech, French president says diplomatic push by world's powers to rein in Tehran's nuclear program is only alternative to 'Iranian bomb or bombing of Iran'

poor boonie....

in the very line you quoted, it says that a 'diplomatic push' is the only only alternative.

AND, in that very same address he called for a timetable for withdrawal of troops from iraq....and after all boner, this is the iraq news thread.

Sarkozy calls for timetable for Iraq troop withdrawal UPDATE - News - MSNBC.com

keep posting booner!

^
Poor ray - still in denial re. the surge and progress on the WOT...
...rather sad but then you have to take the blinders off sometime, eh?

Originally Posted by Boon Mee

^ Poor ray - still in denial re. the surge and progress on the WOT... ...rather sad but then you have to take the blinders off sometime, eh?