‘Surge.’
By on Sep 30th, 2007 at 12:15 pm
‘Surge.’
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, “acknowledged today that violence had increased since Sunni Arab militants declared an offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. ‘Certainly Al Qaeda has had its Ramadan surge,’ Petraeus said.”
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Afghanistan
Bachmann
Beck
Boehner
Bush
Business
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
Dobbs
Education
Election
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Glenn Beck
Global Warming
Guantanamo
Health Care
Immigration
International Relations
Justice
LGBT
Lieberman
Limbaugh
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Politics
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Steele
Stimulus
Tea Parties
Technology
Terrorism
Veterans
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
HMMM, I wonder why those “statistics” weren’t available to him when he spoke in front of Congress? Must have been some of “THE math” of the rover.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:18 pmProbably not a big deal for progressives, because a surge could never work, right?
Comment by CaptainMantastic — September 30, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
Actually, it IS a big deal, to everyone, since the whole BushCo CLusterf@ck is a world-wide failure and disgrace to humanity.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:20 pmProbably not a big deal for progressives, because a surge could never work, right?
Comment by CaptainMantastic — September 30, 2007 @ 12:18 pm
Strawman.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:21 pmIf they put people as effective as we do in charge of their surge it will fail
September 30th, 2007 at 12:28 pmSo, next time the White House talks trots out their “the surge is working” talking point, let’s make sure we ask them which “surge” they’ re talking about.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:30 pmStrawman.
Comment by Jane E. Schneider — September 30, 2007 @ 12:21 pm
It’s not so much a Strawman, as a… what?
Circular logic? What? Such a bizarre statement. He’s justified in attacking US because something they did didn’t work? Just flat out bizarre.
It’s like you warn someone something won’t work, he goes ahead and does it anyways, and when it doesn’t work, he’s justified in attacking you because you were right in the first place.
Kind of sidesteps taking responsibility for one’s own actions, huh?
Does that count as a Strawman? Or just a really nutty irrational comment? Ya gotta luv TP… ya see everything here after a while.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:41 pmIf they put people as effective as we do in charge of their surge it will fail
Comment by rehbock — September 30, 2007 @ 12:28 pm
Say… that just might work… now, if we can only get Al Kaidi ta pick Rummy as their new topman…
September 30th, 2007 at 12:43 pmGovernment by corrupt used-car salesmen.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:45 pmLet me get this straight: We invaded the country because it was a better target than Al Qaeda, then screwed things up to the point that tens of thousands of innocent civilians are now dead, the infrastructure is ruined, 3800 soldiers (and counting) have been sacrificed, and the country is a convenient new training ground for God knows how many fanatics – all to the benefit of Iran. And that’s success.
Talk about diminished expectations.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:48 pm“It’s not so much a Strawman, as a… what?”
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — September 30, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
From ‘My Cousin Vinny’, “It’s a bullshit question!”
September 30th, 2007 at 12:48 pmI wrote about this “splurge” ™ last Tues. at the DailyKos, you can view in here. People need to be aware that this is more a Sunni surge than it is A.Q. surge.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:50 pmHmm, the link didn’t take… test http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/26/1116/79108
September 30th, 2007 at 12:50 pm‘Certainly Al Qaeda has had its Ramadan surge,’ Petraeus said.â€
Well at least he is still on point with the Bush talking points. He blames al Qaeda for the increase in violence. Couldn’t possibly be the insurgents who want us out of their country, could it. As a matter of fact, there ARE NO real al Qaeda in Iraq. The people our government calls al Qaeda are either insurgents or foreigners who have come into Iraq to fight the Americans. It was our government that branded them “al Qaeda in Mesopotamia”. They never called themselves “al Qaeda”. They are happy to do that now that they have been branded with that name because they know that somehow we are more scared of “al Qaeda” than we are of the Iraqi’s who are fighting to make us leave their country and who are fighting their own personal Civil War.
September 30th, 2007 at 12:57 pmProbably not a big deal for progressives, because a surge could never work, right?
Comment by CaptainMantastic
Wow, a Right Wing Loon finally gets it right for once. You are correct, the escalation (”surge”) could never work, at least with the number of soldiers they sent in. And Betrayus knew that before he sent the additional 30,000 soldiers into that hellhole. Betrayus is a traitor and should be tried for his crimes. He chose, because of political ambitions, to spout Bush’s lies rather than to support his troops. Practically every other General in Iraq disagrees with him (including his boss), but that didn’t matter as long as he furthered his political ambitions.
September 30th, 2007 at 1:01 pmQuestion America?
When will the shame kick in?
Comment by BARTLEBEE
It has kicked in for 70% of this country. Unfortunately due to a gutless Democratic Congress the 30% who are not shamed are allowed to dictate to the other 70%.
September 30th, 2007 at 1:03 pmWhen will the shame kick in?
Comment by BARTLEBEE — September 30, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
i wonder that myself… days like today, more than ever…
i’ll be spending the afternoon with my family and all the extendeds…
most of whom are repugs… some more and worse than others…
we do not bring up politcs… maybe a rare jab, but to no depth…
i don’t know how i manage… but i’ve always been the loner,
the reclusive oddball, so they allow me my idiosyncracies…
but i don’t allow them their bigotted views in my presence…
oh, don’t worry… i know all about tact and good manners…
when needed… family is one of them…
you can tell how much i’m looking forward to this…
and, i’m gonna miss sam seder… :-[
September 30th, 2007 at 1:10 pm…
“Caring Liberal” had morphed into “CaptainMantastic”.
September 30th, 2007 at 1:17 pm#21 BARTLEBEE , “We are the Krauts this time. We are the oppressors of civilians.”
that seems to be what US is —
if you read these interviews with ElBaradei and Hersh from Spiegel Online.
we are living in a scary time “thanks” to the PNAC’ers
September 30th, 2007 at 1:17 pmIt seems that Petraeus, not unlike Bush-Cheny, has some issues identifying Sunni always and ever as AQI.
September 30th, 2007 at 1:41 pmAnd Betrayus knew that before he sent the additional 30,000 soldiers into that hellhole.
Comment by bilbobaggins — September 30, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
The US couldn’t control the country w/ 140,000 plus soldiers AND Lord knows how many “contractors” (160,000?). The surge (30,000) was strictly a dog-and-pony show to buy BruschCo more time. This admin is using the Army as a front for their private goon squads. Just disgusting…
September 30th, 2007 at 5:00 pmMaybe you’re (progressives) the appeasers (ie, Kennedy, Lindberg, Chamberlain, etc.)
Comment by CaptainMantastic — September 30, 2007 @ 1:54 pm
Yer a bit confused here, Mastabatastic…
“… Lindbergh’s political views were complex, and revealed both consistencies and inconsistencies with those of the Nazis. For instance, Lindbergh avowed a belief in American democracy. [17] However, he clearly stated elsewhere that he believed the survival of the white race was more important than the survival of democracy in Europe: “Our bond with Europe is one of race and not of political ideology,” he declared…”
As for Kennedy…
“… Brutality was in the eye of the beholder. Writing to Charles Lindbergh shortly after Kristallnacht in November of 1938, Joe Kennedy Sr. seemed more concerned about the political ramifications stemming from high-profile, riotous anti-Semitism than he was about the actual violence done to the Jews. “… Isn’t there some way,” he asked, “to persuade [the Nazis] it is on a situation like this that the whole program of saving western civilization might hinge? It is more and more difficult for those seeking peaceful solutions to advocate any plan when the papers are filled with such horror.” Clearly, Kennedy’s chief concern about Kristallnacht was that it might serve to harden anti-fascist sentiment at home in the United States.”
Lindberg and Kennedy weren’t “appeasers”. They were “supporters”, but neither was as deep in the Nazis’ business as Prescott… ya know, George’s grandfather. Don’tcha hate it when ya make a fool of yerself like that?
BTW, what about those photos of Rummy shakin’ hands w/ Saddam? Was Rummy an “appeaser” or supporter”?
September 30th, 2007 at 5:11 pmNBC showed Petraeus walking in the Iraq tryings to show everything is good. One problem was the camera slipped and showed officers all over the place and sounds from the air of planes over head. So this was another McCain show. NBC did try their best to make it show really good but the slipped told the truth. So Petraeus is still trying to pass this fake stuff with the help of the Media.
September 30th, 2007 at 6:38 pmgeez -that’s hardcore. Now he’s betraying the president by telling the truth. Is there anyone general Dave won’t betray?
September 30th, 2007 at 8:13 pmfamily day update: all’s well… ate too much…
one thing i found noteworthy -
i asked several, including a big military supporting sister, if they’ve
been watching KEN BURNS: THE WAR on pbs…
no one had even heard of it… huh???
i’m guessing the wingers aren’t big fans of this documentary?
what else? … ’cause this film is NOT a war cheerleader…
…
‘course, it could be that righty instinctual distrust of pbs and facts…
September 30th, 2007 at 10:08 pm…
US troop fatalities in September dropped from 2.83 per day before Ramadan to 1.55 per day during Ramadan. Last year Ramadan came 10 days later in September and the rates increased during Ramadan from 2.41 to 3.56. The numbers do not indicate a surge in violence. But then who can trust the numbers anymore. In fact, the numbers suggest our surge is working, assuming you judge the effectiveness in the surge by the number of US fatalities, but even Iraqi fatalities are down in September, 813 compared to 3500 last year.
The surge worked, mission accomplished, so bring em home. Maybe the numbers are so good that even he does not believe them.
October 1st, 2007 at 4:49 am