Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Here's a shocker to no one

From the L.A. Times:

Iraq likely to miss goals set by U.S.

U.S. military leaders in Iraq are increasingly convinced that most of the broad political goals President Bush laid out early this year in his announcement of a troop buildup will not be met this summer and are seeking ways to redefine success.

In September, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, is scheduled to present Congress with an assessment of progress in Iraq. Military officers in Baghdad and outside advisors working with Petraeus doubt that the three major goals set by U.S. officials for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki will be achieved by then.



I'm going to guess that a whole new series of the usual suspects will be trotted out to demand SIX MORE MONTHS!

Allow me to just "cut & paste" Joe Lieberman's Fall 2007 WaPo & WSJ editorials now:

"I've seen remarkable progress in Anbar Province"

"For the first time, we are making real progress against Al Qaeda"

"Our fighting forces are upbeat and optimistic that the job is being done"

"Now is not the time to begin pulling out troops"

"We must give our military leaders in Iraq, even more troops to complete the job"


And who should appear in this non-shocker of the latest achievement of absolutely nothing except more blood and more treasure lost?

Why "Neck Enhanced" omnipresent FRED KAGAN!

(AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!)

Frederick W. Kagan, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research and early advocate of the troop buildup, said the military would have few major political accomplishments to report by September. "I think the political progress will be mostly of this local variety," said Kagan, who recently visited Iraq and met with American commanders.


Which is strange because Freddy's wife and apprentice Kim just wrote:

MAY 7, 2007:


Sectarian violence fell dramatically in Diyala in February 2007, as al Qaeda and other extremist groups fought coalition and Iraqi forces. But the terrorists are gradually losing control, local government is beginning to function once again, and the local population is turning against al Qaeda and toward cooperation with coalition forces in a manner similar to what has occurred in Anbar.


And this "local" progress in Diyala province turned out to be bullshit!

No comments: