Posted on 09/09/2007 11:08:17 AM PDT by vietvet67
WASHINGTON - When Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker give their progress report on Iraq to Congress Monday, much will be said about US military gains since President Bush announced the "surge" of 30,000 additional troops in January.
But the main question for US policymakers in judging the surge strategy remains a political one: Did Iraqis use the period of intensified American action to make political gains, especially to further the reconciliation goals for ending sectarian violence?
With even General Petraeus saying in a letter to his troops that in this political objective the surge "has not worked out as we had hoped," the debate in the days ahead will revolve primarily around the Iraqis' political shortcomings and what that should mean for US policy.
That debate falls broadly into three camps:
1) The political failures show that Iraq is in a civil war the US cannot stop, so US troops should come home.
2) US security interests are served by the surge's military successes, and the rug should not be pulled out from under local Iraqis, such as the Sunnis of Anbar Province, who are starting to act without the central government.
3) As a "middle way," the US should begin a token troop drawdown in coming months to pressure the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to make political progress and to get the US on the road to an orderly disengagement.
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Yes.
Next question?
Ummm, yah, sure..
We must not judge the relative lack of speed of other Democracies by the breakneck progress of our own political system..
Bull malarkey.
2) US security interests are served by the surge's military successes, and the rug should not be pulled out from under local Iraqis, such as the Sunnis of Anbar Province, who are starting to act without the central government.
Ding! Ding! We have some common sense!
3) As a "middle way," the US should begin a token troop drawdown in coming months to pressure the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to make political progress and to get the US on the road to an orderly disengagement.
Rubbish.
Saddam the tyrant and his offspring are dead.
What a stupid question.
Monday’s pre written pap, check the date, they haven’t seen or heard a thing about the report, just put out a “news article” and call it fact and insight.
I will wait for the real report, read it, and make my own decisions about what it says and progress in Iraq. Who needs an interpreter, the reports in English.
Well, they've achieved more since January than the US democrat-run congress has...
Making more strides than Do Nothing Nancy’s congress. Supporting our troops better too.
Pray for W and Our Troops
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