Bush defends troop 'surge' decision

[nodular]

Notice the slipping "troop surge" schedule. When it was first announced, they gave an impression the surge would happen quite quickly. At that time they said we would definately be able to tell if it was working, "by the end of summer." I believe General Petraeus said that in front of Congress, as did everyone else.

In this quote below, Bush says we have half the troops in, but I've read other recent sources saying it was 1/3. Either way, anyone want to take odds the June date will not be met for completing the surge?

At this rate of slippage, it will be the end of summer before we even have all the troops in. Then we have to "wait and see if there will be an effect." It won't be easy, but I'm guessing with some smoke and mirrors, they may be able to claim "temporary success" even as late as 11/2008. This has become the lynch pin of the entire Repub election strategy, in my opinion. If the surge falls flat, their last ounce of credibility is gone.

Already, they have spun the surge well in some quarters. See "more Americans starting to think the 'surge' in troops might be working," below.


MSN Money


March 28, 2007 11:42 PM ET

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?Feed=FT&Date=20070328&ID=6679823


"Opinion polls reveal the president's isolation. A USA Today/Gallup poll taken after the House vote showed 60 per cent of Americans supported a withdrawal of all US troops from Iraq no later than autumn 2008. Other polls, however, show more Americans starting to think the "surge" in troops might be working, although majorities still do not see the war going well.

"Mr Bush cited unnamed Iraqi bloggers as saying conditions were improving.

"Only half the extra reinforcements had arrived in Baghdad so far but all should be in place by June, he said. The strategy, led by General David Petraeus, was beginning to show 'signs of success'."

[CrazyOrangeCat]

1. Signs of success . . .

Yeah, like those badly wounded young men and women, yesterday at Walter Reed, eh Boy-King?



:grr:

[wake.up.america]

2. Is there a single person who believed Bush when he called the conditions for the "surge"?

I have a bridge for sale.

This guy gets away with so much crap!!!!!!

[DCKit]

3. 300+ Iraqi's dead in two days?

Yep, it's working.

[Amonester]

4. It's working... alright. Yeah, cheneyou$$elf tells chimpy it's working everyday!

Military Fatalities: By Time Period

News
Current Time in Baghdad: 11:49:50 PM

Period US UK Other* Total Avg Days
5 1093 36 21 1150 2.44 471
4 715 13 18 746 2.35 318
3 580 25 27 632 2.93 216
2 718 27 58 803 1.89 424
1 140 33 0 173 4.02 43
Total 3246 134 124 3504 2.38 1472
Who's to believe?

Yeah, it's working alright. Like it worked everyday since it started, and like it will Work each and every day the troops will occupy that OIL territory until the day there will be NO oil left to be profited from by Exxon MOBill and Hell eBurton.

They don't care who's blood is (was, and will be) Wa$ted... In fact, they've got another OIL territory to exploit in mind, starting next week...

Who's to stop them? Their M$M shills?

Source of their "daily signs of succe$$": http://icasualties.org/oif :grr:

To View Period Details Click The Period Number
Time Periods Defined
U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 3244
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 2
Total 3246
DoD Confirmation List
Latest Coalition Fatality: Mar 30, 2007

US Non Mortal Casualties:
including non-hostile and medical evacuations
Non Mortal Casualties Army Navy Marines Air Force Total
Wounded - No Medical Air Transport Required 10,540 400 5,888 219 17,047
Wounded - Medical Air Transport Required 5,206 139 1,865 57 7,267
Non-Hostile Injuries - Medical Air Transport Required 5,563 227 918 283 6,991
Diseases - Medical Air Transport Required 16,528 568 1,239 862 19,197
TOTAL - WOUNDED 15,746 539 7,753 276 24,314
TOTAL - MEDICAL AIR TRANSPORTED 22,091 795 2,157 1,145 26,188
As of March 24, 2007

Source: DIOR

[nodular]

7. Sorry, but I do not understand your data.

Mainly, I am wondering what periods 1 through 5 are in the first table (Military Fatalities)

[TwilightGardener]

5. We on DU really need to stop focusing on whether or not it's working

because it's not really a military strategy that can be judged to succeed or fail--it's an indefinite troop buildup in Baghdad--nothing more, nothing less. When we question whether or not it's working, we are buying into the White House framing of this escalation. What they have done is ram in a bunch more troops before the new Dem majority in Congress could really do something about it--haven't you all ever wondered about the timing of this? And there's no doubt they will proclaim it's working. But that's to distract us all from the fact that they've managed to keep this war going indefinitely--that's all the "surge" is for. It's not a Hail Mary pass, do-or-die, last-ditch thing the way it's been portrayed. It's a permanent escalation to protect our embassy, the oil plan, and to keep control of the Iraqi government.

[nodular]

6. I don't disagree with anything you said, but the key is not whether

the surge is working. It is whether the illusion of the surge is working vis a vis the American public. That is quite important, in my opinion, and why I am focused on it.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Honestly, I think people are so sick of this war, and are coming to

the realization that it's total bullshit and based on lies--and I live in the reddest of red states. I don't know that even the most fanatical spin on the "surge" is going to turn it around for Chimpy, in the court of public opinion. You won't soon see Americans suddenly demanding that we put more troops in there or keep them there for time eternal--there's an internal clock in this country for how long a war is supposed to last, and BushCo is finally running out that clock. People want to see this end.

[nodular]

9. I agree that most people are sick of the war and want it to end.

But I think a certain number are still hesitating to commit to a pullout if the whole thing can be saved by an "easy" answer (like the surge). Deep down, practically everyone knows its BS, but some are still engaging in wishful thinking.

I'll admit, however, that the odds are against the "surge" strategy working to gain Repub victories in 2008. But the possibility still seems real enough for me to follow it.

And really, if and when the surge collapses, so will Repub 2008 strategy. At least, this is my prediction. They seem to be basing everything on it.