So the last of the five so-called "surge" brigades is preparing to withdraw from Iraq. Yet people still argue whether the troop surge was a success or not. The Pentagon and the Bush Administration claim that the action reduced violence and insurrection and is proof that the U.S. is making headway in Iraq. Critics of the move argue it only proves that huge numbers of U.S. troops are needed to keep Iraq marginally safe and secure. What's your opinion? Leave a comment or write a post on the chat box to the left.
God Bless,
Aaron
6 comments:
I really enjoy reading your blog... you say a lot of interesting and different things. You write really well too!
well i can't say thats an opinion, but i do agree that you write really well. I say give EMT and become a journalist for a major magazine. because your opinions are not going to get you anywhere
Thanks Mike
So far the "surge" has been a "success" at reducing progress and there is the appearance of progress. The question in my mind is whether or not the progress will succeed in the long run.
President Bush ordered the surge because it was absolutely unthinkable to him to admit failure in Iraq and it was a way to "run out the clock" on his own administration without having to acknowledge failure in Iraq. There has been a little political progress. That's the good news.
The bad news is that the 3 ethnic groups in Iraq all have mutually opposite goals and I have serious doubts whether the country will ever be "stable" without a very long term (and very costly) U. S. commitment of troops. Two problems with this: 1. 2.5 billion dollars a week from the US down this rat hole is driving us toward insolvencey (Read "The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers"). 2. A long term commitment to Iraq is politically untenable for any U.S. government.
I predict that if Obama wins and begins to withdraw troops and then things go haywire (which they inevitably will) the Republicans will say, "See, it's the Democrats fault, we were "winning" and you guys blew it.")
Yeah, right. I got you. After 6 years in Iraq, we were "winning." Makes sense to me.
Oops! I meant to write the surge has been a success at reducing violence.
I always was too impatient to proofread.
All our government has turned into is a bunch of lying crooks. Promising the return of many troops and then sending more out. What happened to a ronald reagan type president where when a bunch of air traffic controllers refused to come back to work he warned them once and then had them fired. Oh sorry that might have been to harsh for some of our gentle American ears.
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