From the statements made by Gen. David H. Petraeus on FoxNews Sunday, it appears that the United States and Iraq might not meet the “surge” milestone come September when Petraeus and and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador to Baghdad, report to the US Congress.
At the time, should there not be sufficient improvements in the Iraq conditions, the American people and Congress might reconsider its mission and troop funding obligations.
Petraeus now has approximately 30 thousand troops in Baghdad and 160 thousand throughout Iraq.
Patraeus said, "The fact is that as we go on the offensive, the enemy is going to respond. That is what has happened. Certainly it is a mix. And that is what I have tried to convey in my assessments — that we are ahead in some areas and we need to do some serious work in others."
Gen. David H. Petraeus said, “I think that we have a lot of heavy lifting to do." In relationship to a question about whether Bush’s surge might be sufficiently successful.
The purpose of the surge was to create military stability in Iraq attempting to get the warring Shiite, Sunni and other factions to come to military terms and allowing the Iraq military and political system to step up.
However, should conditions in Iraq not improve, complicating matter are a confluence of factors including the Presidential elections, and even new development in which the Middle East might be radically changed with the takeover by the Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The presence of Islamic militants as an increasing stronghold in the Middle East could impact the arguments in Congress, on the streets of America and throughout the world.
Also, on Sunday the U.S. ambassador in Baghdad, Ryan Crocker, said "In terms of the political agenda, clearly we are frustrated with the slow progress that is being made on the legislative benchmarks. The Iraqis are frustrated, too. They are working hard on these things. The fact is they are difficult to do, difficult in and of themselves ... and difficult in the current security climate."
While the Iraqis work on the military and political agendas, many will be looking at the interface of the latest development between the Hamas and the Fatah and what role that skirmish is having upon the risks in Iraq and the success of an overall strategy that could establish stability in the region.
Ohfershur -- that'll solve things. Just do Not tell the American People what is really happening. That way the insurgents will know what is going on, the American troops in Iraq will know what's going on, but the American People won't.
Congress may then initiate a new federal Department of Official Propaganda, and move that function out of the White House.
Things will get better immediately, without question. The insurgents will be in their last throes within only a matter of days.
Sheesh! In fact, Double Sheesh!
Written by DH in Oregon
on 6/19/2007
Threadbare references to WWII coated with partisan drivel are not helpful. This war is for the wrong reasons,at the wrong place and potentially unending.
Just a Korean Veteran (and glad to be out of there0
Written by ishmael
on 6/18/2007
While all these thing are true, I wonder if things might not be considerably better if the media and members of Congress were sending a different message to our enemies. What if they did not get their dose of victory on the evening news? What if they heard that we intended to stay until the job was done? What if the evening news told any of the good stories coming out of Iraq? How many Americans know there are good things happening in Iraq? What if Nancy Pelosi had told Assad that if he didn't stop interferring in Iraq, Syria might be next instead of how the Democrats had a different foreign policy from the Bush Administration? From the look on Petraeus's face, one might assume he might just like to say a few things to Senator Reid but being a real soldier, he held his tongue. He intends to give an honest assessment in September. Too bad the Reid and the Democrats could not wait to declare defeat until then. They are working for the wrong side IMHO. In WWII we as Americans stood behind our military and we liberated nations. Since Vietnam we have gone for half measures, never finished the job, and evil has grown stronger each time. If we do not make a stand in Iraq, the free world will pay a huge price.
Written by Sharon
on 6/18/2007
Thanks for reminding me. Another example of not getting the job done. We are still in Korea trying to prevent North Korea from overrunning their neighbor to the South. How many years is that?
To
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