Comments on: Study: Surge in ethnic cleansing led to reduced violence in Iraq.

By: Lumberjack

Lumberjack — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 02:57:41 +0000

The December 16 2007 data, which was supposed to show less prosperity (as reflected by the lights) was taken at 11:00 PM. All the other data sets were taken at 9:00 PM.

http://www.envplan.com/abstract.cgi?id=a41200

Fewer lights at 11PM than at 9PM ? Well, duh.

By: kirkaracha

kirkaracha — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 17:43:15 +0000

“Ok, the surge worked. Let’s go home.” Does Senator “100 Years” have a response?

By: Bushie

Bushie — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 16:42:25 +0000

While my gut feeling is, unlike our Dear Leads gut, the level of violence was due to cleansing. Electric night-light output seems a dubious methodology, since many neighborhoods get only two hours of electricity a day.

By: Badger

Badger — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 10:14:20 +0000

From Gen. Robt. Gard

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/14/7569/26098/54/551162

“Since the beginning of this year, military experts that I’ve talked to argue that the fall-off in violence in Iraq had almost nothing to do with the increase in American troop levels — and everything to do with actually talking with and supporting the previous insurgents. Recent published reports confirm that talks with the insurgents began all the way back in December of 2003, when military officers met with Sunni insurgent leaders in Amman, Jordan. Not only that, but when those talks were actually opposed by the administration, the military went ahead with the talks anyway.”

Once American policy changed, and we started TALKING with the Suni Insurgents, Al Qaeda was all but wiped out in Baghdad.
These formerly DISBANDED Iraqi military and Bathists KNEW WHERE Al Qaeda Lived. The Surge worked, when the Enemy became NO LONGER INVISIBLE.

According to reports on NPR, these “Sons of Iraq” killed over 400 Al Qaeda fighters in one operation, once we started Paying them $500 a month.

When Gen. Petraeus took charge of Iraqi Operations, he began A total Reassessment of the situation…meeting with everyone, not just the yes men that had Rumsfeld’s ear.

The tragedy is, that we should have been following this policy Years Ago.

By: sectionop92

sectionop92 — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:05:39 +0000

So will Vets for Freedom now have to amend their commercial to “the reverse surge was a success” when it airs during Countdown? Or will they stick by the lame duck General til the end, in Truman fashion?

By: Fred

Fred — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:41:35 +0000

Nat Says:
This study is useless because, politically, Obama and Biden cannot use it. They’ll be savaged by the GOP

The gop is too busy savaging each other right now to place the blame one each other for the whole iraq folly.

Even the media is turning on them….its good, wholesome entertainment.

By: lthuedk

lthuedk — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 04:17:56 +0000

Well, Gen Petraeus…care to explain what appears to be controlled genocide on your watch?

http://www.light-to-dark.com/the_petraeus_insult.html

By: Keith

Keith — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:28:20 +0000

Okay, but don’t leave out the part where we put 100,000 former insurgent evil-doers on our payroll. That’s equally important! At any time they wish, they can decide to begin fighting us again.

By: blue state bob

blue state bob — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:02:57 +0000

Well Duh, it’s a lot harder to kill people when there is no one left to kill.

By: RUCerious

RUCerious — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:01:02 +0000

satirev, how did McIIIRd POW abandonment not get any other national attention???

By: RUCerious

RUCerious — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:56:04 +0000

Ummm., Nat, they can absolutely say that both ethnic cleansing and the Sadr cease fire had more to do with the decline of violence, as well as pointing out that the failure to reconcile that still plagues the Iraqi political structure is cause to accurately state that the surge is, was and will be an utter failure.

By: RUCerious

RUCerious — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 01:54:25 +0000

if “anyone is telling you that the cleansing of Baghdad has not contributed to the fall in violence, then they either simply do not understand Baghdad or they are lying to you.”

I’ll go with ‘lying to you’ for 2,000 Alex.

By: Nat

Nat — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:45:42 +0000

This study is useless because, politically, Obama and Biden cannot use it. They’ll be savaged by the GOP and the press if they go out there and say something other than American troops reduced the violence even though it’s true. They’re better off sticking with “no political reconciliation”.

By: tokin librul

tokin librul — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:25:27 +0000

So now the struggle ensues – ‘tween socialism and fascism. Hell with democracy – that went out the window when Chimp took over.

the nation which government is ‘of’ the people, legitimated by consent of the governed; ‘by’ the people, across the whole spectrum of the governed, and ‘for’ the people, in their interest exclusively, must almost by necessity model itself economically on socialist principles. Capitalism can NEVER be trusted NOT to corrupt even the most principled of people.

You are correct that the alternative is ‘fascism’ which, as I am certain you already knkow, was defined by the guy who invented it, about 1920, as the marriage of the Corporation and the State. You will notice no reference to the people, either their contribution or participation.

By: tokin librul

tokin librul — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:19:02 +0000

Crusty Old Bastard Says: The surge is working!
It all depends on what your definition of the “surge” is!

Well, it’d help to know what was meant by “working,” too…

By: Doc Rock

Doc Rock — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 00:07:25 +0000

Duh!

By: Crusty Old Bastard

Crusty Old Bastard — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:54:35 +0000

This is OT but Granny and I were just discussing the “Bail-outs” and came to this conclusion:

Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac: Saved their ass.
Home Owners: Took it in theirs.

Wall Street: Saved their ass.
Little stockholder: Took it in theirs.

AIG: Saved their ass.
Ex-policy holder cancelled for lack of money to pay premium: You guessed where.

But “WE” own them all now! But that is Socialism so we may have to sell it all back (at a loss of course) because that is capitalism. We must keep our “free” market. I haven’t seen any market in this Country that was free–they always charge as much as they can steal.

By: Badmoodman

Badmoodman — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:51:27 +0000

“Instead, we found that the night-light signature diminished in only certain neighborhoods,

– - “My friends, the surge has worked! It’s WORKED!! The surge has supplied not only the AC but the DC, forming a winning combination of an AC/DC surge!! And by the way, I was a POW.”

By: Snoozer

Snoozer — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:48:20 +0000

Bush has 100+ Shia death squads “working” Baghdad and over 35 in Basra – the ethnic cleansing will continue till the war crimes court start doing their job…. LOL

By: Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:47:55 +0000

Has anybody thought of doing a simi;ar study of certain neighborhoods in this country that have been economically cleansed?