GAO Chief Suggests Administration Is Cooking The Books On Levels Of Sectarian Violence In Iraq
GAO Chief Suggests Administration Is Cooking The Books On Levels Of Sectarian Violence In Iraq
Gen. David Petraeus has claimed that there has been a 75 percent reduction in sectarian violence. In testimony today before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, GAO Comptroller General David Walker said those statistics cannot be independently verified.
The GAO’s statistics, which extend through the end of July, demonstrate that the number of daily attacks against Iraqis remains unchanged. Walker said the Pentagon has refused to provide him with the latest statistics. “We asked for but did not receive the information through the end of August.” he said. “They haven’t given us the data.”
While Walker wasn’t privy to the Pentagon’s information, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) said he recently met with Gen. Petraeus and was shown “the data in August.” Coleman said the data is “very clear about a reduction in violence. General Petraeus has those charts,” Coleman explained. Walker responded by hinting that a classified version of the GAO report contains more explanation of the administration’s claims about reductions in sectarian violence. He said:
Without getting into detail, let’s just say there are several different sources within the administration on violence. And those sources do not agree. So I don’t know what Gen. Petraeus is giving you. I don’t know which source he’s using. But part of the problem we had in reaching a conclusion about sectarian violence is there are multiple sources showing different levels of violence with different trends.
Watch it:
Ilan Goldenberg writes that one explanation for the contrary reports is because the military is not counting deaths from car bombs. The National Security Network notes that Petraeus has made a number of statements about the results of escalation that have been contradicted by Iraqi government data, independent media reports, and other U.S. agencies.
NSN writes, “The numbers have raised such alarm bells that a member of the Iraq Study Group, former ambassadors and leading academics have written to Congress asking them to look into the validity of U.S. government claims.”
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78 Responses to “GAO Chief Suggests Administration Is Cooking The Books On Levels Of Sectarian Violence In Iraq”
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Why not just ship the White House to Baghdad?
You can stick it right behind the statue of Dumbya that was NEVER ERECTED, right Dick Perle??????????????
September 4th, 2007 at 4:50 pmI believe this is a case of ‘Shadow Government’ at it’s worst.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:51 pmSave on shipping costs, and put them all up at the Halliburton Hilton
September 4th, 2007 at 4:51 pmDo you mean, “facts were being fixed around the policy” ???
Gee, where have I heard that before?
September 4th, 2007 at 4:51 pmWill Mr. Walker be leaving to spend more time with his family soon?
September 4th, 2007 at 4:52 pmIts that reality bias the bushco has had so much trouble with lately.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:56 pmThis hate-site psychotically extrapolates the words of a public official (Walker) to falsify that whom they see as a Bush flunkie (Petraeus) was disproved. Look at TP’s exaggerated BS headline of “cooking the books”; in reality, all Walker said in testimony was that there was a disagreement and not a consensus on the levels of violence. This admission of different points of view is hijacked by TP to mean Petraeus is a liar and was exposed…PATHETIC! Further, if Coleman says Petraeus has the charts to back up his assertion that Iraqi violence is down, then Petraeus deserves the benefit of the doubt, certainly more so than Walker who’s nothing more than a bureaucrat Walker isn’t on the ground in Iraq and cannot measure the actual drop in violence that exists. He’s only a bureaucrat who ignorantly “investigated” Iraq’s progress from DC at the behest of the Dem-controlled Congress that dictated the unreasonable criteria for his review. TP obviously hates the military since they’re devaluing Patreus’ assertion of less violence.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:57 pmComment by Raven
But I prefer to move Shrub and the whole Bushista clan to a far away foreign land where TRAITORS can be HANGED.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:58 pmThe GAO is suggesting this?
Aren’t they supposed to work for Bush?
lol
September 4th, 2007 at 4:58 pmSHUT UP MR. P.
You’re a weak little GOP hack.
Can’t WAIT till your drafted, puke.
September 4th, 2007 at 4:59 pmSo does this mean the GAO is now a liberal front organization?
September 4th, 2007 at 4:59 pmDavid Walker is awesome. He’s also the guy who’s been touring the country screaming about how the national debt is going to destroy us. Unfortunately, nobody’s listening to him…
September 4th, 2007 at 5:01 pmuhh… i am not doing a devil’s advocate thing here,
but i just ran across this while perusing the google news…
the title grabbed me, i guess:
Correcting the GAO
Max Boot - 9.4.2007 - 10:01AM
The Washington Post gave front-page play last week to a leaked version of a draft Government Accountability Office report, claiming “Report Finds Little Progress on Iraq Goals.†[…]
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/ contentions/ index.php/ boot/ 867
i have no idea who max boot is, but the next sentence told me the path this article was going to take… but i’m in this world to learn… so i read and came away with several questions…
after reading it, maybe someone can/will answer…
firstly, i am confused as to how the “officer” can compare numbers the way he did… such as: ‘x’ in December 2006, ‘y’ in August 2007
and i wonder why boot doesn’t have to source that officers’ information and numbers if he publishes it as he did…
for starters…
September 4th, 2007 at 5:02 pm…
Comment by GAOusedfalsecriteriaforreport — September 4, 2007 @ 4:57 pm
You know, why don’t you do a little research on the role of the GAO before you dismiss it? Why would Betrayus have more credibility than the independent officers of the GAo? Quite the opposite, actually. That Coleman would claim that the General has ‘the numbers’ is laughable. And why won’t the Pentagon give the numbers to the GAO? Could it be because it’s their job to look for cooked up numbers?
September 4th, 2007 at 5:03 pmThe military is not counting Iraqi deaths from car bombs? Aren’t those the deaths from Al Qaeda operatives? Is Al Qaeda no longer the enemy? Or do we only use Al Qaeda as an enemy when it suits the Bush Administration?
September 4th, 2007 at 5:08 pmPetraeus is to Iraq…
September 4th, 2007 at 5:09 pmas Westmoreland was to Vietnam.
Not counting car bombs victims in the “sectarian violence” body count is a neat trick.
It’s like when the government says “inflation is low” if you don’t count fuel and food.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:09 pmCOOKING THE BOOKS? It can’t be!! Bush & Co lying to the american people to get their way?? Imagine that! This is predictable modus operandi for this gang of thugs. DO NOT BELIEVE ONE WORD OF IT.
Lobby your Congressmen NOW to thwart Bush’s report and reveal the truth to the american people. If they don’t, they, too, will find themselves swept out the door in 08 or when their term expires.
The American People have totally and unequivocally HAD ENOUGH of this chicanery.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:10 pmCould it be because it’s their job to look for cooked up numbers?
Comment by troqua — September 4, 2007 @ 5:03 pm
No further reseach is necessary on the GAO. The GAO is one of those agencies that is not useful to my cause. Agencies that deal in truth and facts are unfriendly to Al Qaeda. GAOusedfalsecriteriaforreport is one of our most useful tools, and is to be worshipped with Allah for extending our hold over the 25% of the American public that has no use for truth or facts. while we would like to have a better number, these last few rightwingers are enough for us to continue on our path of making the USA our fawning, scared little satellite, as long as they will ignore all fact and reason. This is why our great friend George Bush is so respected by Al Qaeda and my fundraising Saudi sheik friends. without him and his bootlickers, we are nothing. If the liberals hold sway, we will be finished.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:11 pmCook those books! Besides, where are all the missing RNC emails??
September 4th, 2007 at 5:11 pm#7 - if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck…. well, you know the rest.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:11 pmIf we’re to believe Mr Pee here, everyone who comes out against the Bush administration on anything is wrong, and Bush is always right.
The very definition of a brainwashed bootlicker.
Now watch. He’ll call us one.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:13 pmNumbers and research mean zilch to Bush - that’s been crystal clear in every department of this administration. It’s called “profound denial” - aka “bubble-ism”. Bubble Boy so desperately believes he’s infallible and omnipotent. Very sad to watch the continued level of fraud and corruption in this administration.
This picture gets worse with each passing day/each passing week. This country is going down the tubes if we do not Impeach both Bush & Cheney now.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:13 pmchicanery.
Comment by veritas — September 4, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
I prefer a good mocha latte.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:15 pmSo what else is new? Since the beginning of the administration we have seen nothing but lies… lies covering the facts while the corporate media entertains the masses with junk as the corporate war machine continues to grow. And all this hype about progress in Iraq… there is not one troll here that can define what progress means in Iraq.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:20 pmThis whole thing is one sham and is becoming corporate vs We the People.
chicanery.
Comment by veritas — September 4, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
I prefer a good mocha latte.
Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 4, 2007 @ 5:15 pm
That’s what they add to coffee at Cafe DuMonde I drink to wash down my beignets.
Ohh, I thought you said chicory! My Bad.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:21 pmSo the Pentagon/ White House is touting numbers they won’t show and the righttards swallow it whole but the Govt. Accountability Office shows their numbers that differ with the Pentagon (including where they got them) and the righttards ignore them.
Let’s see, the Govt. Accountability Office or the President. I’m going with the GAO.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:23 pmArt; BULLSEYE!!!!
Cooking the books has been raised to an art form by this mis-administration.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:26 pmComment #7 indicates the usual problem with the dead enders of the Republican base. Their is absolute and unquestioning belief in their leader and his subordinates. We question Petraeus and his report for the following reasons:
1. The overall number of civilian casualties in Iraq have not gone down.
2. The overall number of attacks within the country have not gone down.
3. This administration has had a practice of playing games with statistics.
4. Petraeus refused to provide GAO with statistics to back up his conclusion.
5. The Democratic Congress did not dictate unreasonable standards to review the results of the surge. Indeed, it is impossible to determine any strategy and related metric system to judge progress.
6. Most importantly, we have no concept of the end result sought by Bush. It has changed consistently throughout the war. It should be noted that the definition of success has constantly been lowered.
But I agree with GAO that a person needs to be on the ground to determine what the casualty rate really is.. I volunteer GAO to go over and personally count.
The past may provide some guidance, body counts in Viet Nam were notoriously inaccurate even though generated by those on the ground. The failure to provide baseline information, the sudden dramatic reduction in casualties in this one area (with overall casualties remaining the same or higher) gives great reason to validate these statistics.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:29 pmThats just proof of propaganda. Having Multiple offices to give stats on one issue is brilliant… Let the public fight over which is more credible. While they divide us, they conquer and move forward, laughing along the way. They is not a big group either.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:30 pmvitolly! said same thing foley: go play dress up wid someone else’s children. feelin the velva yet?
September 4th, 2007 at 5:33 pmThe “True” numbers will soon be released by Douglas Feith, I suppose.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:33 pm7 out of 18 goals achieved - PROGRESS
September 4th, 2007 at 5:37 pmKaty-13
I would be quite skeptical of whatever claims made by Max Boot as Boot is one of the biggest neoconservatives out there who is constantly pushing the agenda of the Bush administration. He is also quite eager to urge that the U.S. retain its belligerent foreign policy in the Middle East even though this chickenhawk, like his colleagues, has never come close to combat while wearing a military uniform and despite the fact that he has no reluctance in seeing more American blood being spilled to advance his less than noble cause.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:42 pm7 out of 18 goals achieved - PROGRESS
Comment by Jason M. Hendler
______________________
Only 3 of 18 benchmarks achieved. A few others are described by this administration as partially achieved, whatever that means. In other words, more double talk.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:43 pmAlso, there has been progress on almost half of the GAO benchmarks in only two months since the full surge began. This is dramatic progress. No wonder the Dems are backtracking on Iraq.
Comment by Brassmask — September 4, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
3 out of 18 goals in 7 months is progress? At this rate, it will take 9 years, and it will not continue at this rate, since the benchmarks “achieved” are the easiest and most unimportant ones. According to Bush, the surge started in March, so where are you getting this 2 months thing? You people even lie to yourselves. What a sick bunch or weaklings and cowards the right is infested with.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:44 pmOnly 3% approve of the Democrat congress’ handling of Iraq. Bush has a 9 to 1 advantage on this issue over the Dems.
Comment by Brassmask — September 4, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
3% of who? You and the pants-pissers you hide under the bed with? that’s bullshit. No proof of that, is there, coward?
September 4th, 2007 at 5:45 pmThe reality bites again - the reason the congress has low approval ratings is that they havent stopped the war yet. Watch it skyrocket if they find their balls and deny it funding. Repugs know no shame.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:49 pmpartially achieved, whatever that means. In other words, more double talk.
Comment by Starve-A-Bush_Feed-A-Beaver
What it means is that there has been progress on almost half of the benchmarks. Amazing stuff considering the surge has only been in effect for 2 months.
Comment by Brassmask
______________________
No, it means the administration is up to their old tricks of trying to spin their failures. The administration admits that only 3 of the 18 benchmarks are fully achieved. A few others they describe as “partially” achieved. Of course that could mean 1% achieved. It means absolutely nothing. So far, Bush has nothing to show for his war of choice.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:49 pmWhat it means is that there has been progress on almost half of the benchmarks. Amazing stuff considering the surge has only been in effect for 2 months.
Comment by Brassmask — September 4, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
Excellent work on my behalf, brassmask. You are the kind of citizen I count on, like your president. Please keep up the fight. if the liberals take over, I and my Al Qaeda are finished. Only with your help, and the grace of Allah and Bush can we continue to weaken the Great Satan America, and continue the very convenient shipping to my teritory of the young American targets I need to train my glorious warriors. We thank you for your support! al Qaeda is like wise grateful for your cooperation in catapulting the propaganda!
September 4th, 2007 at 5:49 pmThey’ve been cooking the books on everything for six years now.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:49 pmI guess the new definition of progress = the preznits not in jail yet.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:50 pm7 out of 18 goals achieved - PROGRESS
Comment by Jason M. Hendler
Answer my question: What is the definition of PROGRESS in Iraq?
September 4th, 2007 at 5:50 pmI don’t want to hear of any candy a$$ed stories of benchmarks or goals… just a clear definition from you.
Have those 2 million iraqi refugees returned to iraq yet?
NOPE.. Go suck on that progress.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:51 pmGovernment
September 4th, 2007 at 5:55 pmAccountability
Office
Answer my question: What is the definition of PROGRESS in Iraq?
I don’t want to hear of any candy a$$ed stories of benchmarks or goals… just a clear definition from you.
Comment by had enough — September 4, 2007 @ 5:50 pm
had enough, please don’t castigate Mr. Hendler like that. He has been of great help to me with his support of my good friends the Bush family. Why, he got my brothers and sisters out of the USA before those filthy FBI infidels could even interrogate them! Mr. Hendler walks very proudly in the footsteps of those that swore their fealty to the great Adolph Hitler, another very good friend of the Bush’s. Mr. Hendler is very important to me, because if the American people are led by liberals, they will develop alternative fuels and energies, and we will be sunk! We can’t sell sand, you know. So please, take it easy on my useful mouthpiece Hendler. Allah thanks you, and George Bush thanks you.
September 4th, 2007 at 5:55 pmJason Hendler. You should be ashamed of yourself. 7 of 18 goals have not been met. Only 3 goals have been met and that’s the terminology the GAO uses. The administration uses the same concept as 1st grade report cards. That shows satisfactory for the constitutional review when there is no review set and no ratified constitution. That says this administration is satisified there isn’t a constitution.
Another satisfactory rating is on $10 billion for reconstruction and ignores the GAO status report saying the funds are allocated but unlikely to be fully spent. That tells me this administration is satisfied that money can be pissed away.
2 of the benchmarks the administration ignores saying conditions aren’t present for these benchmarks. In a rational person’s mind that would fall into the “unsatisfactory” rating.
I want honest assessment where my dollars go and where military is being sent in the name of my country. What this administration does is deceiptful.
This does not bring honor and integrity back into the white house. George Bush promised us that. Liar can offically be added to the long list.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:00 pmbecause if the American people are led by liberals, they will develop alternative fuels and energies, and we will be sunk!
Yeah, sure. Here is the Head Liberal at work:
“In a remarkable turnaround, liberals are now heaping scorn on the 73-year-old senator. Young audiences boo at his name, and the leftish “Daily Show†on Comedy Central makes fun of him.
The source of unhappiness is Kennedy’s efforts to kill an offshore wind farm on Nantucket Sound. Cape Wind was to be the first such project in the United States and a source of pride to environmentally minded New Englanders. Polls show 84 percent of Massachusetts residents in favor. But now it appears that America’s first offshore wind farm will be near Galveston, Texas.
Proposed the month before Sept. 11, 2001, Cape Wind remains in limbo. It’s been frustrated at every turn by a handful of yachtsmen, Kennedy included, who don’t want to see windmills from their verandas.”
September 4th, 2007 at 6:02 pmmore bushit
September 4th, 2007 at 6:04 pm#34 - 15 out of 18 benchmarks met… hmmmm
September 4th, 2007 at 6:07 pmOsama Bin Laden (R-Crawford) —
lol…
This invasion/massacre now occupation is hideous… the fact that the trolls here have their testosterone levels up over this, will not go fight but like to see others fight it and can’t define PROGRESS is absolutely insane. And their heads are filled with daily lies from Corporate right hate America radio to keep this corporate war machine going.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:07 pmFor the people who can’t read.
You are reading that 7 of 18 benchmarks have been met. Fine, even though that’s a failing grade in any world you choose to live in. But let’s break down those 7.
Iraq’s government has fulfilled only three of 18 benchmarks on political and security progress, and the level of violence in the country hasn’t fallen, the U.S. Congress’s investigative agency concluded.
In a report to lawmakers, the Government Accountability Office said the Iraqis had partially met four other benchmarks and failed to meet 11. It said one of eight political benchmarks and two of nine security goals had been met.
Got it now? That’s 3 completed and 4 partially completed and 11 not completed at all.
Only in rightie world does partial mean completed.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:12 pmHow many trolls would say to their child that this report card was satisfactory. How many would say that if you just keep doing the same thing it will get better.
How many would react differently if they had to sign up to be teachers to fill the great need for the patriotic education.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:12 pmI have been watching David Walker for 7 years. I may not always agree with him, but I give him credit for being an honest man, a truthteller. I give him more credence than anyone who sits in the White House.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:20 pmHe has spoken the hard-to-swallow truth as comptroller.
Tomorrow, he will be on C-Span Washington Journal - maybe he will be on before I have to leave for work.
If this invasion/massacre now occupation the right calls war, then what is with benchmarks… In war, real war that is you either win or lose.. not complete a bunch of bogus benchmarks.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:21 pmIf your child brought home that report card… what would you do?
September 4th, 2007 at 6:24 pmIf your kid’s teacher earned that kind of report…what would the principal do?
If your work record contained that kind of report…what would happen?
thanks - Erroll @ 5:42 pm
September 4th, 2007 at 6:24 pmi was definitely skeptical, as that next sentence mentioned kristol - a big clue as to the leanings of this guy boot…
but, boot was just providing the information, unsourced and unsubstantiated, that his friend the “officer” provided to him…
and the bots just eat it up…
…
How many trolls would say to their child that this report card was satisfactory. How many would say that if you just keep doing the same thing it will get better.
How many would react differently if they had to sign up to be teachers to fill the great need for the patriotic education.
Comment by hellinabucket — September 4, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
And how many parents would be happy with that report after 5 1/2 years IN THE SAME F’ING CLASS!
Now that brings new meaning to the “No Child Left Behind” And I bet we all would fire those teachers, too. Unless this is the same edukashun the trolls here wasgittin’ frum thre skoolbuk lernin;
September 4th, 2007 at 6:24 pmDeaths went down in Baghdad during August in part due to a strict vehicle ban imposed on the city during a major Shiite religious ceremony. Violence dropped dramatically during the Aug. 8-12 ban.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:30 pmhttp://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ html/ iraq/ 2003865047_iraq02.html
See thread below Nell, where they are talking of the books being cooked to show how peachy everything is in Iraq. I suppose though if it is all beer and skittles over there, we can bring out troops home now then?
September 4th, 2007 at 6:32 pmThe GAO starts with 3 out of 18 benchmarks met. After the administration cooks the book, it says 8 out of 18. Then, some Bush cultist exclaims on this board: 15 out of 18, this is real progress!
Bush cultists are craaaazzzzzzzy! I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like them in all my years of watching elections and politics. If it wasn’t so scary and disquieting, it would be very funny.
September 4th, 2007 at 6:43 pmIt is real progress Col. Jack we went from 3 to 15 of the benchmarks met in a matter of minutes.
ROFL
September 4th, 2007 at 6:45 pmNice to see the GAO stand up to BushCo now but where were they when we “lost” 190,000 weapons and billions of dollars worth of palleted 100 dollar bills? Maybe this is considered collateral damage, just like all those brave men and women who lost limbs or their lives to fight this hideous occupation!
September 4th, 2007 at 6:56 pmThings are looking better than ever in Iraq, and soon as we have secured our interests in the region, we will be out!
The sooner the better!!!
Comment by GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR — September 4, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
Ah, you got into your dad’s meth stash again, didn’t you Mr. Pee?
September 4th, 2007 at 7:16 pmWho cares.
September 4th, 2007 at 7:37 pmIf the administration needs to cook the books to say things are looking rosy…….I say let them.
If it means we can start to withdraw that much sooner…then let them cook the books.
They can’t leave if we keep saying they have failed.
We need to help them get out of there and if that means letting them tell tall tales well then let them.
Lets ask them how much better it has to get for them to leave and encourage whatever it takes. I don’t care how much they lie and how much we encourage that lie if it means we can leave now.
It is irresponsible to accuse the White House of “cooking the books” with respect to intelligence on any subject!
I am outraged!
Now… pass that crack pipe, Mr. Pee.
September 4th, 2007 at 7:56 pmAw mr. p.
September 4th, 2007 at 8:04 pmWhere’s the hate for your muslim enemys?
Now you’re in a hurry to leave Iraq?
Man, u r the definition of a FLAKE.
“While Walker wasn’t privy to the Pentagon’s information, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) said he recently met with Gen. Petraeus and was shown “the data in August.†Coleman said the data is “very clear about a reduction in violence. General Petraeus has those charts,†Coleman explained.”
And Mr. Coleman doesn’t wonder why, if the statistics he saw bolster the White House’s contention that violence is down, they didn’t give the information to the GAO? If the statistics were good, why would they withhold them. Norm Coleman is a fool and will soon be replaced by a comedian. Ironic, isn’t it.
September 4th, 2007 at 8:20 pmAlso, there has been progress on almost half of the GAO benchmarks in only two months since the full surge began. This is dramatic progress. No wonder the Dems are backtracking on Iraq.
Comment by Brassmask
Brasshat, you are a broken record. Why don’t you give it a rest. Most people here can do the math and know the facts. So your constantly repeating this garbage does nothing other than make you look like a very big fool.
September 4th, 2007 at 8:28 pmSpacejam..you have an interesting take on the situation. It’s a version of the “declare victory and leave” strategy. Clearly , Bush cares most about vindication. His 4 years of lethal incompetence and avoiding reality should be enough to destroy his legacy, regardless of the turn of events in Iraq….but with the right PR effort , America may forget .
September 4th, 2007 at 8:32 pmA lot will turn on southern Iraq. The Iraqi’s will have total control, once the Brits leave. If there is minimal violence, and oil flows smoothly out of Basra, A case could be made that “our job” in Iraq is over.
Bush claimed to attack Iraq to fight terrorists. For four years, he lumped all insurgents together….a losing notion since Iraqi patriots will fight against occupation. Now the progress…the surge working… is narrowed to just the foreign insurgents…Al Qaeda in Iraq. Now that Iraqi’s are willing to expose these forces, we are no longer fighting an Invisible enemy. This fact, plus superior firepower is the reason you can walk the streets of Falujah.
If Bush will settle for a victory over Al Qaeda, and set a timetable for withdrawal to calm the fears of the indigenous insurgents, we may have a way out of there without further disaster.
If he just wants to play politics with things, and keep our bases in Iraq…then I see no way out until after he leaves office…sooner or later.
Is Norm Coleman high? Oh, right.
September 4th, 2007 at 8:35 pmWe are told that counting car bombings would ‘hand the terrorists a big victory’.
Why don’t we also exclude anyone killed by bullets? We don’t want to hand the terrorists a victory by counting people tortured and shot, or killed in drive-by shootings, do we? Why not employ the term “terminal lead-induced paralysis” instead? It sounds like an epidemic rather than a continuous massacre on a nationwide scale.
We’ve already seen the “good” terrorists being re-defined as ‘patriots’.
Perhaps we can simply re-define the word ‘corpse’ to mean “someone who is only temporarily dead until the Resurrection”, or as “those who show deficient vital functions”, or merely as “residing underground for an extended period of time”.
Those numbers are really down now!
Corruption can be termed “enhanced private-sector participation”. The Iraqi military’s loyalty to the individual soldier’s sectarian militia can now be called ‘diversely robust allegiances’. Political collapse is only “an interim re-alignment to assess alternative solutions”, and genocide can now be defined as ” a comprehensive security dialogue”.
Problem solved. The surge has fixed everything!
September 4th, 2007 at 10:23 pmWhile on the topic of John Demjanjuk, someone who went to bat for him is now in the slammer: James Trafficant:
http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/
September 5th, 2007 at 9:15 amThe difference in the numbers is primarily due to the General using Baghdad only, while the other figures apply to the entire country. Read the statements carefully and you’ll see what I mean.
September 5th, 2007 at 11:57 amand soon as we have secured our interests in the region, we will be out!
The sooner the better!!!
Comment by GAIVS IVLIVS CAESAR — September 4, 2007 @ 7:13 pm
Counting on the Oil Law being passed? Keep dreaming!
September 6th, 2007 at 2:42 amThis just goes to show that ALL of the networks are just hacks in the propaganda “catapult” machinery operating on behalf of the upper-eschelon-controllers.
September 6th, 2007 at 3:36 pmWhat else is new. The shrub and gang have been cooking the books on every thing sense day one.
September 6th, 2007 at 3:51 pmCommenters seem to be missing the point here. Now that Dems have signaled that they’re not going to hold anyone accountable, and will approve whatever funds are requested, Bush and Friends need to continue to find ways to humiliate them. Not even bothering to provide a long-promised report? Sounds to me like, “Hey, I double dare you to vote against me NOW, chumps.” Count on them to always be liars and bullies and you can’t go wrong, but you’ll still misunderestimate what sociopahs they truly are.
September 7th, 2007 at 1:12 pm