The WaPo summarizes the effects of the Surge to date:
In September, Iraqi civilian deaths were down 52 percent from August and 77 percent from September 2006, according to the Web site icasualties.org. The Iraqi Health Ministry and the Associated Press reported similar results. U.S. soldiers killed in action numbered 43 — down 43 percent from August and 64 percent from May, which had the highest monthly figure so far this year. The American combat death total was the lowest since July 2006 and was one of the five lowest monthly counts since the insurgency in Iraq took off in April 2004.
During the first 12 days of October the death rates of Iraqis and Americans fell still further. So far during the Muslim month of Ramadan, which began Sept. 13 and ends this weekend, 36 U.S. soldiers have been reported as killed in hostile actions. That is remarkable given that the surge has deployed more American troops in more dangerous places and that in the past al-Qaeda has staged major offensives during Ramadan. Last year, at least 97 American troops died in combat during Ramadan. Al-Qaeda tried to step up attacks this year, U.S. commanders say — so far, with stunningly little success…
(It’s) looking more and more as though those in and outside of Congress who last month were assailing Gen. Petraeus’s credibility and insisting that there was no letup in Iraq’s bloodshed were — to put it simply — wrong.
Erratum in uno, erratum in omnes?
That’s not what Retired Army Lieutenant General “Ricky” Ricardo Sanchez says, izzit? So why doesn’t the WaPo shove Sanchez’s words back down that same pie hole from whence they came?
The article title speaks all: “Better Numbers:
The evidence of a drop in violence in Iraq is becoming hard to dispute.”
WaPo is tring its best to dispute/distort the reality, nonetheless.
Now, if they’d only admit AlGore made up his facts on Global Warming I could sell my internet connection and get back to work.
Better numbers equal American troops returning home? Oh yea I forgot that part. American troops get to stay and stay for the next five years.
That’s the part that does not make sense. Except when you consider the seed corn they are dealing with-then it all makes perfect sense.
Hey Skip, I hear that American troops are still in Japan after all these years. Some of them even appear to like it.
Can you confirm that for us, seeing as how you’re over there?
American troops in Japan get beer, roam the country freely without body armor, have the ability to date the local women, drive cars, and in almost 8 years here I have yet to read about or see a car bomb going off anywhere in the country. The electricity always works and the trains are great.
Even allowing for the devastation Japan suffered during the war-it still accomplished more in 5 years than the Iraqis will in 50.
Comparing Iraq and Japan is comparing apples and oranges. Japan always had the capacity to improve itself-I’m not holding my breath that the Iraqis ever will.
“American troops in Japan get beer, roam the country freely without body armor, have the ability to date the local women, drive cars, and in almost 8 years here I have yet to read about or see a car bomb going off anywhere in the country. The electricity always works and the trains are great.” –Skippy-san
Let’s see, Pearl Harbor 12/7/41 plus four years puts us just past the end of WW II, so if your analysis is correct then all the keeno-jet stuff you’re enjoying was happening in December of 1945, right?
Check out todays WaPo..another grudging admission…
“Al-Qaeda In Iraq Reported Crippled”
Go find it. I would never link them because I am at war with ‘em and enjoy seeing their stock continue to slide.
b2