'The military objectives of the US troop surge in Iraq "are largely being met", the top US military commander in Iraq, Gen David Petraeus, has said.
He told a Congressional panel that violence had declined significantly since the surge began in February.
That's one view so lets see what the Iraqi's themselves are saying. For that side of the story let us turn to this ABC/BBC poll conducted in more than 450 neighbourhoods across all 18 provinces of Iraq last month.
70% of Iraqis believe security has deteriorated in the area covered by the US
military "surge" of the past six months.
Between 67% and 70% believe the surge has hampered conditions for political dialogue, reconstruction and economic development.
Only 29% think things will get better in the next year.
Over half (53%) said US troops should stay until security improved including the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Malki, pleading today for the Americans not to leave until Iraq was ready to defend itself.
Someone is lying about the situation in Iraq or else the General had a very different view of matters from behind the safety of the heavily fortified Green Zone to those having to live in less secure neighbourhoods. I really don't put much faith in the group that once claimed Mission Accomplished and that the insurgency was on it's last legs.
2 comments:
Well, since any general who disagrees with the White House gets removed from duty and replaced with one that will toe the line, how can we NOT see these generals as political tools?
I read an interesting tidbit this morning about General Betrayus not being sworn in under oath, before giving his testimony.
Apparently they 'forgot' to do it.
Hmmm, that's a strange thing to forget, one would think, bearing in mind that one of the last notable 'Bushies' to give evidence in front of a committee like this was Scooter Libby... who was subsequently convicted of 'lying under oath'.
Question: Hypothetically, how could Betrayus be convicted of lying under oath, if he didn't take the oath?
Answer: I guess he can't.
So Bush will be spared the hassle of letting him off the hook, if the General ever got convicted of the same crime.
In a sense, Bush is 'cutting out the middle man' here.
That's the President for ya - always thinking ahead! :)
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