What have the Kagans been Wrong about Now?

It's been a while since "America's First Family of War Whores" has written an article. Two whole weeks. Surely, pugnacious Brian Dennehy look-alike Robert Kagan is due to publish an editorial this Sunday in the Fred Hiatt Section of the Washington Post?

So we must travel back to the nostalgic days of early July 2007 to find this bon mot from Holly Gofightly of the Kagans, Kimberly who said:

Today, Iraq is a different place from what it was six months ago. U.S. and Iraqi forces began their counterinsurgency campaign in Baghdad in February. They moved into the neighborhoods and worked side-by-side with Baghdadis. As a result, sectarian violence is down. The counterinsurgency strategy has dramatically decreased Shiite death squad activity in the capital.

In the words commonly heard in the military history section of AEI (outside of "I'm turning in my cards for 15 armies"), "OOPS!":

Up to 592 unidentified bodies were found dumped in different parts of Baghdad in the period between June 18 and July 18, 2007, according to figures based on media reports compiled by Iraq Slogger. Most of the bodies found by the police – an average of 20 a day – are bound, blindfolded and shot execution style, victims of sectarian violence carried out by both Sunni and Shi’ite death squads. Many also bear signs of torture or mutilation, according to medical sources in Baghdad. Despite official Iraqi and U.S. statements to the contrary, the reports indicate that the number of unidentified bodies in the capital has risen again to pre-surge levels over the last two months.

A quick look at the map shows that over half the bodies are found in five specific districts of Baghdad: Amil (100 bodies), Saidiya (84), Bayya’ (67), Sadr City (39), and Dora (33), respectively. With the exception of Sadr City and Dora, both of which are almost completely cleansed from their former minority Sunni and Shi’ite communities, all mentioned districts are mixed and are witnessing a power struggle between Sunni and Shi’ite militants to control them and drive the other community out. They are also the least affected by current U.S. and Iraqi military operations in the capital, as media reports indicate that the U.S. military usually focuses on districts where they are attacked – such as the Sunni districts of Adhamiya, Jami’a and Khadhraa’ – rather than districts witnessing gruesome sectarian reprisal killings. Shi’ite-dominated Interior Ministry commandos currently patrol the top three districts in the list.

The five districts are closely followed by Ghazaliya, Shu’la and Mansour, with 21 bodies found in each over the same period. Incidentally, districts completely controlled by either Sunni or Shi’ite militias had witnessed the least number of unidentified corpses. Two thirds of the bodies were found in western Baghdad, while half the number was found in the districts south of the Baghdad International Airport highway alone.

In other words the surge isn't accomplishing shit on its most fundamental claimed basis, the sectarian battles and ethnic cleansing continue unabated. Only where it has already been completely accomplished has the killing dropped.

It is the success of the cleansing that drops sectarian deaths, not the Kagan's beloved Surge. All that has accomplished is increased American casualties, increased expense, and a perpetual delay of George Bush taking responsibility. So they continue to get to lie -- I guess that's the most important form of "Mission Accomplished" to them. Thanks Don, thanks Fred, thanks Robert, thanks Kimberly - Medals of Freedom all around.

And most recently?

July 24 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Iraq at 2000 GMT on Tuesday:

* BAGHDAD - Eighteen bodies were found around Baghdad on Tuesday, police said. Most were believed to be victims of sectarian violence.

BAGHDAD - The bodies of 24 people, most with bullet wounds and showing signs of torture, were found in different parts of Baghdad throughout Monday, police said.