It seem we've decided to declare victory, and move on. Increasingly, the US has decided to talk about "progress" in Iraq. We speak of how the local tribal folks are fighting "al-quaeda" and how the neighborhoods are safer. Would that this were true. Violence in the neighborhoods has to do with the fact that sunni and sheite people have separated for self preservation. There is, thus, less sectarian violence. We've also built massive concrete walls between neighborhoods so that people are seriously separated. It's probably true that none of this has anything to do with the "surge" of American troops. They are still not able to speak arabic, do not know the people or culture, and still wander about as aliens in the land they occupy. If there is a reduction in violence (and reading my newspaper, I'm not sure that is statistically true), it's probably due more to the self separation of hostile groups than anything the "green zone" authorities or the US forces did. Still, it is an opportunity for GW Bush and his cronies to begin to declare victory in Iraq. They do not derserve the honor to do so.
2 comments:
I would tend to agree this is just a show for GWB, and a last gasp for the republicans trying to save any face for the 08 elections.
We need to get out of Iraq, take care of our own economy, and then start thinking abut intelligent foreign policy. Not only is the dollar weak and going now where, but the US has also squandered all kinds of political capital with the recent revelations about Iran's atomic ambitions.
Any reduction in violence and casualties is due to Al Sadr reining in the Mahdi Army and to some tribal leaders finally getting sick of Al Queida and accepting arms and support from the US to control them. Both of these conditions could turn around in a matter of days if the Iraqis change their minds.
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