Politics

A Surge of Peace

JimmyHavok.

Posted to Politics on Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 02:51:48 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

A bit over a year after initiating the surge strategy in Iraq, President Bush has declared its mission accomplished.

 In an address to the press last Thursday, President Bush said

This has been a month of encouraging news from Iraq. Violence is down to its lowest level since the spring of 2004, and we're now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady. General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker caution that the progress is still reversible, but they report that there now appears to be a "degree of durability" to the gains we have made.
There is no shortage of naysayers, but few can deny that violence in Iraq is down. President Bush's aspirational time horizon looks more achievable than ever, although, as John McCain has pointed out, if American troops aren't being killed, there's really no reason not to continue to station them in Iraq.

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Tags: edited by Port1080, written by JimmyHavok, politics, the surge, Iraq War, Bush (all tags)
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1

Nice.

MayorBob.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 03:01:14 PM EST

none

Glad to see the violence has been throttled back to 2004 levels. Damned shame about those 3,000 plus who came back in body bags over the past four years.

Is there any way I can just go to sleep for the next five months so I don't have to hear any more encouraging words from our War President?

Illegitimi non carborundum.

2

Summer Vacation

Lou.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 03:38:04 PM EST

none

I'm pleased that fewer Americans are dying in Iraq.  For now, it seems that Bush's surge may be working.  Meanwhile, troop casualties are going up in Afghanistan...home of the fella who co-started this mess.  I hope the insurgents/terrorists/black hats have been taken out of the mix and not simply moved East.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

4

^ 2

Re: Summer Vacation

thefadd.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 04:18:31 PM EST

none

Actually, the people who started this mess were all citizens of Saudi Arabia. No evidence has yet been presented linking someone in Afghanistan or Pakistan to any of them.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

5

^ 4

Re: Summer Vacation

Lou.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 05:18:25 PM EST

none

True, but the Taliban in Afghanistan gave him shelter.  But, that's not a link to Bin Laden.

It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine

3

Re: A Surge of Peace

arromdee.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 03:43:00 PM EST

none

Well, on Slashdot, the summary doesn't match the article.  Here, it's just the first line of the summary that doesn't match the article.  So I suppose it's still better than Slashdot, but Bushdidn't declare it's mission accomplished.

6

^ 3

Re: A Surge of Peace

JimmyHavok.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 08:38:24 PM EST

none

Bush didn't use the actual words "mission accomplished," it's true, but he did say

The progress in Iraq has allowed us to continue on our policy of return on success.
So, if it's a success, does that mean its mission has been accomplished?

7

^ 6

surge fatigue

thefadd.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 08:48:07 PM EST

none

who gives a crap? surge talk has been eclipsed in importance in the public's consciousness by the timeline for withdraw. surge is so last year.

It is easy to buy small plaster models of what you think life is like.

8

^ 7

Only it's not a timeline.

MayorBob.

Wed Aug 06, 2008 at 09:15:58 PM EST

none

In the parlance of George Bush and his faithful minions, the operative term is "aspirational time horizon."  Now, as Jon Stewart pointed out, a horizon is something you can only approach and never reach.  There is no way that Bush is quite that clever in his choice of terminology here.  So, I'm guessing this is the handiwork of some fuckwad of a speech writer on his staff.  "Aspirational time horizons" my ass.  January of next year can't get here soon enough.

Illegitimi non carborundum.

9

^ 8

Re: Only it's not a timeline.

JimmyHavok.

Thu Aug 07, 2008 at 04:59:56 AM EST

5.00 (brilliant, astute)

Not to mention,"aspiration" is when you inhale something and it makes you choke.

10

^ 9

Re: Only it's not a timeline.

ivyafire.

Thu Aug 14, 2008 at 02:32:57 AM EST

none

Not to mention,"aspiration" is when you inhale something and it makes you choke.

I, for one, have been praying for that since January of 2001. ;)

"It was an ancient rule of Hawaiians that no one should hurt another bodily, or through theft of goods or through injury to feelings.These were the only sins."

11

^ 10

Re: Only it's not a timeline.

JimmyHavok.

Sat Aug 16, 2008 at 04:31:22 AM EST

none

The Pretzel Incident was your fault?

12

^ 11

Re: Only it's not a timeline.

ivyafire.

Sat Aug 16, 2008 at 12:53:37 PM EST

none

I consider that one a complete failure. :(

"It was an ancient rule of Hawaiians that no one should hurt another bodily, or through theft of goods or through injury to feelings.These were the only sins."

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