"Progress"

I'm guessing we will be hearing a lot of claims like this in the next two months:

the head of US forces in Iraq, US General George Casey, remained cautiously optimistic.

"Since mid-July, statistics measuring levels of violence have trended down," he said in his weekly column in the US-led forces newsletter.*

"While a positive indication, it is far too early to call this a continuing trend. The Baghdad security initiative has resulted in reduced levels of murders, kidnappings, assassinations, terrorism and sectarian violence."

Meanwhile, such statements will be contained in stories that report this:

Insurgents killed at least 24 people and wounded 55 more in a bomb attack at a popular central Baghdad market amid unabated bloodshed across the country.

The blast in the Shurja market came just two hours after insurgents targeted an Iraqi army recruitment centre in the Shiite town of Hilla, south of Baghdad, killing 12 volunteers and wounded 38.

Windows one kilometre (half a mile) away from the market were rattled by the mid-morning blast.

A sustained bout of bloodshed has rocked
Iraq over the past four days, leaving more than 150 people killed and scores wounded.

The important thing is NOT the truth, but to give folks like Bill Kristol and numerous administration hacks a talking point to run and lie with -- by not "technically lying". It is sort of like Clinton only it isn't as evil and sordid as the worse sin in the world, the extramarital blow job. No, it is just minor sins like war & death. The stuff Jesus (and the media) apparently doesn't care about as much.



*Yes, the "newsletter", try not to indignantly guffaw too much.