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Petraeus sees mixed results from Iraq 'surge' »
Posted by: TechnologyExpert 2 years, 6 months agoGen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, said the ongoing increase of nearly 30,000 U.S. troops in the country has achieved "modest progress" but has also met with setbacks such as a rise in devastating suicide bombings and other problems that leave uncertain whether his counterinsurgency strategy will ultimately succeed.
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TechnologyExpert
I am Editor-in-Chief at Alice Hill's RealTechNews (http://www.realtechnews.com). I also have my own blog (Tech-Ex) at http://TechnologyExpert.Blogspot.com. Finally ...
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Comments: 122
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OnlyTheTruth
April 22, 2007, 3:16 p.m.As Gates notes, it is time (past time actually) for the Iraqi government and ARI to step up to the plate.
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skyking2p
April 22, 2007, 3:18 p.m.Come on just six more months ok maybe 12 months well just to be on the safeside 24 months. Then we will "WIN"!! and GWB will be the most wounderful prez this or any other country in the history of the world . After all i heard him say he read two books last year about George Washington. OJT books i guess. Impeachment NOW
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NelsonR
April 22, 2007, 3:30 p.m.I don't know who is to blame for initiating this surge that will fail.
Bush needs his legacy saved so he initiated the surge but the question, what did Petraeus tell him? The generals writings even suggest many more troops are necessary to achieve success. Now take into consideration its a civil war and his past estimates would have to be even increased more dramatically. So who is the dillusional one in this scenario and surge?
Vietnam had over 200,000 American soldiers and they were not fighting a civil war as in Iraq. Yes there were a few suicide bombings but it was not the norm. Iraq, its an everyday occurrence. Petraeus is beginning to remind me of these retired armchair Generals that have through these past years been hawkish and avering we would win this war.
How wrong these Generals have been, are and will continue to be, as in Vietnam. Conventional war, I would trust their judgement, not in these civil wars our leaders wrongly got America into, sadly.
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NelsonR
April 22, 2007, 4 p.m.So the question posed, Did Bush set up Petraeus to be the fall guy for the failure of the surge?
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Obaku
April 22, 2007, 4:15 p.m.I keep forgeting what we are hoping for in Iraq.
Is it a Shia dominated government that will ally it self with Iran?
Is it a divided country just barely avoiding chaos that has to rely on the U.S. forever?
Is it just lots and lots of dead Muslims?
Bush keeps saying Iraq needs to be able to "govern and defend itself", but who, exactly, is it supposed to defend itself from? Not the U.S., clearly. And surely not Israel. Have the Saudis been making threats?
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NelsonR
April 22, 2007, 4:22 p.m.Obaku - I'm quite perplexed myself as to, what is the end game? All conservative hawks say, "They will follow us". Such thinking is why we are in Iraq, Lunacy. All I see is a recruitment center for terrorist and Al Queda. The average Iraqi just wants peace, America out, Al Queda out and just maybe they will achieve peace for a change.
I will repeat my own perspective, Bush and Cheney should be charged with war crimes by the world as Hitlers Henchmen were charged. I know it sounds harsh but Iraq NEVER attacked America and we have now become the aggressor nation, I thought we despised such acts?
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29thInfantryLRS
April 22, 2007, 4:50 p.m.It is really time for the Iraqi government and soldiers to step up. We have provided, within our limits of control, the best security for their elections, their government meetings, and their leaders. At some point you have to stand back and let them be willing to fulfill their responsibilities to their own country. If you ask any soldier who has been in a combat MOS in Iraq what the biggest problem is, they will more than likely say the Iraqi government. There are questions of loyalty within their ranks. Loyalty to their government vs. their religious sects is the biggest issue. Our policy in Iraq, filled with political bs, is contradictory to what the boots on the ground reality of the situation is. In fact, we have gone in a completely different direction than what many have said the correct action should be. Instead of somewhat forcing the Iraqi government to show a commitment to control their own population and security issues by backing off, we have once again come to the rescue.
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blowback
April 22, 2007, 10:07 p.m.Getting the US out of there would go a long way to solving one major problem for Iraq.
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29thInfantryLRS
April 22, 2007, 5:05 p.m.Albert Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. This "surge" by our civilian leadership is once again an example of our failed understanding of the situation and our already, many times over, tried and true failed policies in Iraq.
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brothers
April 22, 2007, 5:03 p.m.My Allah is better than your Allah. That is why they are fighting. One tribe against another and vengence. That will never stop therefore the sooner we get out the better.
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Sieben
April 22, 2007, 5:15 p.m.What is it going to take to wake up America,that they cant win in IRAQ, If & that is a giant word they secure Bagdad,m Bagdad is "NOT " IRAQ" WHY sacrafice American Blood for a people that dont want you there. No more parents should cry because of BUSH & CHENEY,s Obsession of war and profits "HALIBURTON"
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turnitupsidedown
April 22, 2007, 5:47 p.m.this is for Ari libssuck Snow http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-518859... ground truth
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canadianrancher57
April 22, 2007, 6:14 p.m.I might be way off base here but win is when no more Americans die and the shooting stops. Lose is when certain American interests no longer have access to 20% of the worlds oil.
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donald51
April 22, 2007, 7:24 p.m.He's already said it can only be won politically... and he's not getting any political help from Dubya! So, he is just enjoying those new stars while he can.
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teepeebiking
April 22, 2007, 8:27 p.m.It is relieving to see a clear majority of commenters on this article have the judgement and HONESTY to see, and say, what is clearly happening.
I'm all for the positive, glass half full mode of thinking, but the "ostrich with it's head in the sand," "my country, right or wrong" thinking that the bushies employ, is a recipe for disaster!
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MikeReardon
April 22, 2007, 8:48 p.m."That's part of the concrete caterpillar," Alice said, "I don't think you're ever going to get rid of all the car bombs," said the Queen. "Iraq is going to have to learn -- as did, say, Northern Ireland -- to live with some degree of sensational attacks." No walls. Hummpy Dumpty should have briefted George.
Critical now, they said in interviews this week, (all of the top brass 'the cards') is for Iraqi leaders to forge the political compromises needed for long-term stability.
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hobiedan
April 22, 2007, 9:39 p.m.I am beginning to believe that "Libsuck" is either Herr Karl Rove or The drug addict. This poster is way crazy.
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garystroman
April 22, 2007, 11:05 p.m.How many on here have actually been to Iraq? I have personally been here for the last 18 months and things are improving. I am a military contractor and also have two sons in the military. The thing that bothers me the most is that a lot of people are oing by what they see and here on the news and all you are getting there is the sensational attacks going on here in country. you don't see any of the good that is being done. There is a lot more going on in Iraq than the average person sees or hears about. Can it be won? Only time will tell but without trying nothing will be accomplished. Four years into this and things are better than they were and they should continue to improve but it will take time.
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caneher
April 22, 2007, 11:11 p.m.A very significant problem was the election itself. Being endorsed by the United States and by our legal system fair the United States now has to accept it though large segments refused to take part in it. The resulting government is therefore comprised entirely by the factions that did but is not representative of the country as a whole. The political compromises that are need require agreement of several parties. Those in power have to give up some of it and conversely do they not only need to find someone from the opposition that will take the responsibility of the power seriously but it must be someone already respected in the opposition that can accept such a position without losing the respect he has. Convincing a man that already has that degree of respect to take part in the government will be difficult an not something that any American can likely do.It is something that the Iraqi have to do. All America can do is buy them time to do it.
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caneher
April 22, 2007, 11:55 p.m.Overly optimistic. The job is not yet to a point where even a timetable for American pullout should be considered but the best government that Iraq is likely to get now is one that has more respect for its people that the one before. Early mistakes of trying to appease too many people at one time have now insured that. When we accepted the current constitution that Iraq has we set limits on the freedoms that they will reach. Accepting short sited goal has lead to this long term problem.
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Candida
April 23, 2007, 12:17 a.m.LibsTellFibs: "America is a beacon of hope to the oppressed people who had to live under Sadaam for decades."
Have you heard this from the Iraqis?
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Waterkeeper
April 23, 2007, 2:28 p.m.I give you a positive vote for the results that you and I hope for. Unlike these others, who only wish for US/Iraqi failure.
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rickcb
April 22, 2007, 11:49 p.m."So far, the deployment of additional troops in Baghdad is only 60 percent complete..."
Is it just me, or is this the slowest "SURGE" in the history of the world. I mean Bush announced it in his state of the union address back in January.
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NoWayMan
April 23, 2007, 4:39 a.m.when a guy like Petraeus, who has been orderd to look at Iraq thru halliburton-issued rose colored glasses, says he only sees "mixed results" on the ground, then you know the truth can't be that good.
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