a) once "the surge" is over that things will go back to the way they were
b) "the surge" will only work as long as we commit almost our entire military to Iraq
c) Iraqis know that the days of the "blank check" are coming to and end and that they'd better quit being lazy and start doing things for themselves
d) that even though things are getting "better" America has lost more troops this year in Iraq than ever before
2007-11-17 11:33:20 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Military
Hopefully it'll be c)
2007-11-17 11:43:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
a) No. The progress is largely due to the general public in Iraq pitiching in for their own security. No one wants to live in a war zone. They've seen they don't have to.
b)Well, we've never come close to committing almost our entire military to Iraq. The surge was only an additional 5 Brigades, or about 15,000 troops. The total in Iraq has been 127,000 troops. Our entire military numbers over 2.3 million.
c)There's never been a "blank check." If you think the Iraqis are lazy, I'd suggest you need to go over there and see for yourself.
d)Higher losses are a direct consequence of a more aggressive engagement, which is what the new strategy is about. Even so, this is and has been the most bloodless war ever fought in human history, for both sides. We lost more men on D-Day alone than we have in 6 years.
Things aren't just looking better, they are better. The link below will take you to a compilation of sources of good news from Iraq, stories published in the last half of October. If you like I'll alert you when the next one is done that will be the first half of this month.
2007-11-17 20:06:55 · answer #2 · answered by RTO Trainer 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
We have been capturing and killing Al Queda in Iraq. That's one of the reasons the surge has been working. The Sunni sheiks in many areas are forming "Awakening" brigades to take on Al Queda as well. They recognize that Al Queda holds to the heretical doctrine of "Takfir" which says it's O.K. in the conducting of Jihad for Muslim to kill Muslim. So, they have decided to take up arms and get rid of the "fitna" (perversions) that Al Queda are. That's another reason the surge has been working. We have had 3,144 combat deaths since the beginning of Operation Iraq Freedom. That count is accurate through 10 AM Washington time on November 16th. That compares to 7,500 active duty deaths during the eight years of the previous administration and 9,555 active duty deaths between 1980 and 1984.
So, none of the choices you profer are accurate. The surge is working. Troop levels will be reduced. The Iraqis are stepping up to the effort. Al Queda in Iraq is losing.
2007-11-17 21:00:43 · answer #3 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
Well it's just a matter of time before it all goes to hell again. I suppose it might hang on to some kind of lower level of violence until after the 2008 elections, if Bush is lucky, but Iraq is doomed, we all know that. The Shiites and Sunnis are just stockpiling and getting ready to have at it as soon as we leave.
I suppose one could set one's house on fire, then call for more trucks, get the fire down to a controllable level and then declare that you did something great.
But you'd be wrong.
2007-11-17 19:43:19 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
At the end of the day there will be no winners of this conflict which has cost so many lives, on both sides.
2007-11-17 20:12:37 · answer #5 · answered by Whistler R 5 · 2⤊ 2⤋