How will Democrats handle a Patraeus "Good News" Report in September (based on NYT report so far)?

Question

In the New York Times this week, two noted and vocal critics of OIF, Michael O’Hanlon and Kenneth Pollack, analysts with the Left-leaning Brookings Institution, published an op-ed entitled “A War We Just Might Win.”
Having just returned from a fact-finding tour of Iraq, their op-ed notes, “After the furnace-like heat, the first thing you notice when you land in Baghdad is the morale of our troops. Today, morale is high. The soldiers and Marines... feel now they have the numbers needed to make a real difference.”
On the politics of Iraq, O’Hanlon and Pollack write, “Viewed from Iraq... the political debate in Washington is surreal. The Bush administration has over four years lost essentially all credibility. Yet now the administration’s critics, in part as a result, seem unaware of the significant changes taking place.”
Their analysis continues:“Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand:We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms.

As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the potential to produce not necessarily ‘victory’ but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with.”

Also this week, retired Army General Jack Keane testified before the House Armed Services Committee, telling them in no uncertain words, “Your actions here in the Congress appear to be in direct conflict with the realities on the ground where the trends are up and progress is being made. We are on the offensive and we have the momentum.”

That news was so distressing to Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS) that she walked out of the committee hearings during General Keane’s testimony, lamenting later that there was “only so much [she could tolerate] after so much of the frustration of having to listen to what we listened to.” She continued, “Those kinds of [encouraging] comments will in fact show up in the media and further divide

this country instead of saying, ‘Here’s the reality of the problem’.”

Of course, reality in the alternate universe of the Left dictates that down is up, in is out, left is right, black is white, falsehood is truth, pride is humility, red is blue and, particularly in the case of Iraq, good news is bad.

Adding insult to injury, more bad news for Demos: Marine General Jim Jones conducted a congressionally mandated study of Iraq’s security forces and returned with a favorable report.

This report, combined with the continuing decline of American and Iraqi casualties, has Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid very concerned that their “defeat and retreat” political folly may backfire.

Asked about the political implications should commanding Gen. David Petraeus report significant progress during his scheduled congressional testimony in September, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) replied, “Well, that would be a real big problem for us, no question about that

replied, “Well, that would be a real big problem for us, no question about that.”

Good news out of Iraq is “a real big problem”? Guess that depends upon whose side you’re on.
Quote of the week
“We’re in a generation-long battle against terrorism, against al-Qa’ida-inspired terrorism, and this is a battle for which we can give no quarter. It’s a battle that’s got to be fought in military, diplomatic, intelligence, security, policing and ideological terms.” —Britain’s new prime minister, Gordon Brown

On cross-examination
“Liberals used to be the ones who argued that sending U.S. troops abroad was a small price to pay to stop genocide; now they argue that genocide is a small price to pay to bring U.S. troops home.” —Jonah Goldberg

The BIG lie
“This war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything.” —Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Answer 1

"not necessarily ‘victory’ but a sustainable stability that both we and the Iraqis could live with"

So are we finally defining victory or what? Are we willing to compromise on what was previously thought of as victory, or what?

Answer 2

Does this mean with all the good news our troops will be coming home now? Does this mean come September general Petraeus will be sharing this good news with the President and the President will be announcing a troop draw-down? One other thing, where does this good news fit into the part where the Iraqi government is taking a month off while our soldiers roast in Iraq and the Iraq government makes no progress in solving their political problems which was the whole point of the surge?

Answer 3

I don't know.
It is obvious that for the past two years or so, the democrats have adopted a policy of total defeat. They have supported and placed their agenda of Bush bashing ahead of anything that might actually help solve some of the really serious concerns presently facing this nation.
I can only hope that they will be honest enough to accept that Bush's policies in dealing with the terrorist situation was just a little more correct than they have been expecting, and they have been cheering from the wrong side lines since they so blatantly forgot that it was Congress that originally authorized the use of force in Iraq.
But I suspect they will only gloss over any positive news, spin what they can and continue their relentless pursuit of power - regardless of the consequences.

Answer 4

Very likely any report of "good news" will be met with laughter and scorn --- it's hard to imaging Patreaus being able to report good news when the Iraqi PM has asked that Patreaus be removed from his position, when death tolls in Baghdad are still increasing (on average), when the Iraqi govt failed to meet any of it agreed milestones, and when another large segment of the Iraqi parliament just quit.

The only progress is the fact that Patreaus has reduced violence in some outlying provinces by arming Sunni Militia leaders -- the same Sunnis that support Al Qaeda.

So, not really a good report card when looking at the objective facts -- so trying to spin it as "good news" is laughable.

Almost as laughable as the way many of your quotes are taken out of context.

Answer 5

Christianity is a private adventure with the author. With God no ones adventure is strictly alike. you are able to not positioned us all interior the comparable barrel. however the worldwide is somewhat like a crab in a barrel in basic terms God and his mercy can get us out of it. What approximately Gandhi? What approximately every person?basically by using fact you do no longer in basic terms like the respond does no longer mean it is not so? We would convenience ourselves with our very own wisdom. notwithstanding it does no longer mean that the word of God isn't the certainty. Christians do no longer comprehend each little thing as you implied. yet guy has stable comments related to God's judgment.yet guy has judgment approximately God and his alternatives. God isn't constantly honest yet he's basically. He bargains with us as infants,he does it on someone bases,in accordance to each opt for. Revelations 3:19.

Answer 6

We'll see what happens, although I think it is comical that everyone has jumped on this one report as if it correct and all of the other reports telling about the atrocities in Iraq are false....so, just so I understand:

Good news about Iraq:true
Bad news about Iraq: lies

Answer 7

wait a second - whenever I try to use the N.Y. Times as a source I get called a "moonbat" and that paper gets referred to as "Communist Propaganda"

so which is it ? New York Times - A Good Source -or- Not ?

Answer 8

You might want to read this article before you get too excited. You're not getting the facts about O'Hanlon and Pollack from Rushbo.


http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/07/30/brookings/

Answer 9

It would be great if we were winning, but it doesn't change the fact we never should have gone there in the first place.

Answer 10

Aww, how cute! He still believes the media!