Does success in Iraq = Failure for liberals?

Question

Deaths among American forces and Iraqi civilians fell dramatically last month to their lowest levels in more than a year, according to figures compiled by the U.S. military, the Iraqi government and The Associated Press. The decline signaled a U.S. success in bringing down violence in Baghdad and surrounding regions since Washington completed its infusion of 30,000 more troops on June 15.

Curious to hear the liberal spin on this and why this is all somehow bad!

Answer 1

Liberal spin:

"Yes, but the Iraqi government is in shambles!! Shambles!!"

If the Iraqi government gets things together, the Liberal spin:

"Well it took them long enough! What a Bush failure for taking so long! Only Bush would take so long to win a war! If you consider that a win since it took so long and children in America are without healthcare. That loser Bush! How dare he take so long in Iraq and not give healthcare to the poor kids?!? Bush doesn't care about black people!"

Answer 2

Falling deaths is not a measure of success. This war has been going on for three and a half years The current death rate was unacceptable a year ago and is still unacceptable. Toppling Saddam Hussien was a success and not a failure for liberals. What constitutes success now? Most would agree that a self sufficient Iraq military and a Democratic government that is inclusive of all factions. We are a long ways from either of those things.

Answer 3

Some reputable reporters tell us that there are hidden reasons why deaths have decreased.

Observation 1: Deaths are less because 2,000,000 Iraqis have simply left their country and gone elsewhere to be safe.

Observation 2: Deaths are decreased because the neighborhoods have become segregated. All Sunnis live in certain parts of town and all Shia live in other parts. Everyone knows not to cross into those neighborhoods because if you are of the "wrong" religion you will be killed.

So, there are fewer deaths because the people themselves have segregated and obey the unwritten rules of territorial boundaries.

This is success?

Observation 3: The tribal groups have convinced their members to stop the killing so the Americans will leave. Like naughty children who don't throw crayons until the teacher turns his back, they are laying low and faking cooperation until we leave.

But is this country turning into a democracy with equal rights for all? No.

Do they even have electricity for more than an hour a day? No, not in most places.

Do they have enough food to eat? No.

Do they have jobs for all who want them? No.

Crazy liberals think food, electricity, jobs and integration are needed in a developing nation.

I guess conservatives don't.

So, if 100,000 dead Iraqis and 2,000,000 absent Iraqis is "success" to you----congratulations!

Answer 4

The goal of success is a moot issue already in Iraq because tens of thousands have already died and half a trillion dollars have been spent. No matter when the Iraq gov't finally get their butts in order, this entire war will never be looked upon as a success because of its incredible cost. (Sorry cons, removing a 70 year old head case who was well contained in his own country does not justify the costs.)

At this point, the real success will be when troops come home, something both sides want. But no one will have the credibility to claim the scepter of success to wave around.

Answer 5

The fact that there are less people dead this month than last month is always good, regardless of which political affiliation you want to be a part of. But to take this article alone and associate the good news of today with the success of tomorrow is quite premature on your part. Have you ever stopped to consider that Al Qaeda may take a moratorium for a while and let things cool down just so we will leave? We could stay in Iraq for another 5 years and there be no serious episode of violence whatsoever.....but once we completely withdraw from Iraq, there will be a takeover attempts and the government will resort back to Islamic Law control....wether you want to believe it or not. My father is a life-long Republican, Korean War Vet, Marine....and we talked about this very subject this weekend and he says the same thing - once we leave, they will just go back to what they have been for centuries.

Answer 6

Yes.You will see a new round of re-direction and spin.They have counted on our defeat and have played upon the American sense of urgency(we want everything NOW and in a neat little package) The continued updates of our progress have undermined their arguments to the point that they have lost favor with the majority of American people.Add to that their latest ad campaign which shows great disrespect toward a General who has dedicated his life to the protection of the United States and they have shown America what they are truly about.

Answer 7

Not at all. Liberals have pushed for the changes to "stay the course" and that policy was finally trashed. I'm glad that the death toll is finally coming down but the number of deaths is still too high and is no way to measure success.

Answer 8

Since success in Iraq is impossible, then it would not be a failure for Liberals, but a failure of the fragile fabric that holds space and time together.

Answer 9

Its not bad, its just not necessarily good.

Throwing men at a problem doesnt solve it anymore than throwing money at it does. What is going to happen when those 30k men are needed elsewhere? What is being done to make the country stable?

The best leader in battle is not always the one who wins, he is frequently the one who fails with a higher percentage of his men at the end of it. Bush is following the same strategy as Napoleon, Grant, and WWII Russia-he isnt trying to out strategize or out politick his enemy, he is trying to take them on man to man not caring about the losses.

Iraq has come too far for us to cut and run, but it has also come too far for us to continue without making headway on all fronts, that means we need to get their soldiers fighting as well as ours, and most importantly that means that their gov't has to be building itself up. If someone this strategy works and Iraq is free tomorrow, how long will we have to stay to prop up their gov't?

One of the first things to do when preparing for battle is to find a path out. Battles today require more than a physical way out-you must also have a political one. Bush has done nothing to even begin pulling us out of the military or political mess that Iraq has become.

Answer 10

Success in Iraq? Exactly what is that? Is it an end to the current civil war? Is it a government that can be trusted to do the will of the people, not the will of Iran? Is it the end of the killing of American soldiers? No Republican can achieve the first two, and none wants to achieve the third. A Democrat will achieve the third.