How Awesome is it that Bush's Surge is Working?

Question

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-dustup12nov12,0,7978252.story?coll=la-opinion-center

From the Left WIng LA Times;

"By every objective measure of military performance, the United States' surge of military forces into Iraq has been a great success. The number of terrorist attacks has fallen significantly. American military casualties are down, as are Iraqi civilian casualties. Perhaps the best testament to the surge's success is that civilian refugees are beginning to return."

Answer 1

Not to mention the traitors in congress have stopped talking about the war.
you know when they stop talking about it, the strategy is working.Watch how many of these guys try to jump back on the bandwagon.
How long will it take for them to start saying the surge is working,instead of saying we failed,the war is lost,Bush lied to us.
wahhh, wahhhh we are winning how are we gonna win the Presidency now ?

Mike...

Answer 2

The keys to the success of President Bush’s “surge” strategy are ending the orgy of sectarian violence and bringing the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to heel.

Well, it has been an awful week for both objectives:

* In the northern city of Tal Afar, a bombing in a Shiite neighborhood by Sunnis killed 70 people and a reprisal massacre of Sunnis by Shiite police officers left 70 more dead. Al Maliki ordered the obligatory “investigation,” but 18 police officers suspected of participating in the massacre were released after being briefly detained.

* In Baghdad, at least 60 people, mostly women and children, were killed when a man with an explosive belt walked into a crowded street market the Shaab neighborhood and detonated it.

* Elsewhere in the capital, a bomb placed on a popular shopping street in the Baya district killed 10 people, while a suicide car bomber detonated himself at an Iraqi Army checkpoint in the Jamiya district, killing three soldiers. Meanwhile, at least 25 bodies were found throughout the city.

* In the predominately Shiite town of Khalis in bloody Diyala Province, a coordinated attack involving three suicide car bombers killed at least 28 people, including women and children.

* In Mahmudiya, a car bomb exploded near a hospital, killing four people.

No one said that the surge would work overnight, but if there are real signs of progress, as opposed to a few good days in a row, I keep missing them.

It’s real simple:

There cannot be a military solution without a social solution and there cannot be a social solution without a military solution. This week was a notable setback for both efforts.

Answer 3

It's good but not great... great would be that the Surge stabilized the region enough to make the Iraqi government functional and independent. It would also be great if our soldiers did not have to do 4 consecutive tours of duty in that combat region. We need more new soldiers if we want to support the surge long term if we don't have a solution for Iraq's internal problems like rampant unemployment, a disfunctional government, tribal differences and a paramilitary citizenry among other things.

I'm not saying that it is not working... like I can stick a finger in my ceiling to stop a water leak but it won't fix the problem when I remove my finger to go to bed. I am certainly not celebrating and calling Bush a hero for this.

Answer 4

I think rhio 9 stats are correct.... also wasnt a bomb or two set off inside the highly secure Green Zone last nite more people died........

the surge only drove the roaches into the woodwork..... as soon as it leaves the roaches will be back out

I dont know why the refugees would want to return to ruble no water and no electric......no food in the stores ..
no medicine.... no school.......

the really good news is that the US will bring in about 2 million refugees from Iraq Afghanistan...... look for a mosque coming soon to a corner near you

Answer 5

Yep, it's working so well that 2007 has the highest number of US troop deaths since the war started. And I find it fascinating that you cons are always complaining that the media is liberally biased yet will use a source such as the LA Times to support your arguments. I bet if they run a story tomorrow that says the surge is working but not to the extent that it should be you will turn around and bash them and call every media outlet liberal, excluding Faux Snooze. You are nothing more than a flip flopping hypocrite.

Answer 6

I notice that you've chosen the excerpt that is not put forward by journalists of said newspaper but from someone who worked in a number of positions in the Regan and Bush administrations. Hardly an unbiased opinion.

The counter argument to it underneath describes his view as "wishful thinking at best and deeply irresponsible myopia at worst".
One other reason that attacks/casualties may have fallen is that we have just recently passed through the Islamic religious festival of Ramadan.

Answer 7

Not at all. Not until there is a political solution and a US exit in progress.
We can expect positive results from this surge as long as we keep forces in place.

Answer 8

It's great!! I hear the troops start coming home tomorrow and that Iraq is a role model for democracy in the Middle East!! Hooray! The Surge worked!!

Answer 9

I am glad the surge is working. I have and continue to support our government in whatever they do to kill terrrorists and keep us safe. But i have to say that we should have gone into Iraq more forcefully with twice the amount of troops. We wouldnt be having this discussion now if it were better planned in the first place.

Answer 10

according to harpers index:
70 percent of the iraqis living in the areas where the surge is taking place say that security is worse since the surge started.

is this the republic party's new measurement of success?

Answer 11

2007 marks the highest number of US casualties, yet...

Further, it looks like Turkey will invade Kurdistan and Iran is still obtaining power...

The al qaeda presence seems to be a bit lower in Iraq, but the irony is that they weren't there before we invaded.