So This Is Victory, Mr. Kristol?
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Joe Conason
As America marks the first anniversary of the troop escalation in Iraq, at least one thing has become clear. Although the “surge” is failing as policy, it seems to be succeeding as propaganda. Even as George W. Bush continues to bump and scrape along the bottom of public approval, significantly more people now believe that we are “winning” the war.
What winning really means and whether that vague impression can be sustained are questions that the war’s proponents would prefer not to answer for the moment. Their objective during this election year is simply to reduce public pressure for withdrawal, which is still the choice of an overwhelming majority of voters.
So long as the surge appears to be working, political space is created for the Republican candidates who support the war—especially Senator John McCain, the hawk’s hawk, who said recently that he might keep U.S. soldiers in Iraq for “a hundred years.” Although that remark was not well received in the Arab world, they may have taken comfort in the fact that no matter how determined the Arizona senator is to carry out that threat, he is unlikely to do so since he is already over 70 years old.
But the revival of Mr. McCain’s moribund candidacy over the past few weeks would have been impossible without the media’s endorsement of “progress” in Iraq. Indeed, war propaganda itself has surged lately on the strength of casualty statistics from December 2007. Consider the work of William Kristol, the indefatigable publicist who played an important role in selling the war as editor of The Weekly Standard and on the Fox News Channel. From his new perch on The New York Times’ Op-Ed page—which proves that being hideously wrong is no obstacle to scaling the heights of American punditry—he proclaims that “we have been able to turn around the situation in Iraq” and achieved “real success.”
According to Mr. Kristol, who once mocked concerns about religious strife in Iraq as “pop sociology,” the drop in violence last month may have marked the lowest overall number of deaths for both civilians and military forces since the war began, in March 2003. Declining casualties for a month or two means progress, which in turn means that the war must continue, and that the president’s policy is correct.
What has fallen far more sharply than the casualty statistics in Iraq is the standard for success there, as defined by neoconservatives like Mr. Kristol. In the original promotional literature produced by them and their associates, and recited by the president, this war was supposed to remake the Middle East into a showcase for democracy, with ruinous consequences for our terrorist enemies, cheaper oil for us—and all for free because the Iraqi petroleum industry would cover all the costs.
When that happy future never arrived, to put it very mildly, the war’s proponents scrambled to reduce expectations. So when the president announced the surge, he set forth a series of benchmarks for progress in Iraq that were supposed to result from our increased troop presence. The objective was not a temporary reduction of sectarian killing but real movement toward reconciliation of the contending factions, including the passage of laws on sharing oil revenues and political power among the Sunni, Shia, Kurdish and other communities. President Bush declared that the escalation would create space for the Iraqis to act on behalf of their own country.
Even those minimized objectives have yet to be met. The oil-sharing statute is stalled in the Iraqi parliament while Kurdish regional authorities make their own separate deals with foreign oil companies. The Sunni militia organizations that we have armed to fight Al Qaeda have been rejected by the Shia central government. The statute passed by the Iraqi parliament last week to reduce sanctions against former members of the Ba’ath Party, which was supposed to mollify the Sunni leadership, appears only to have alienated them further because they consider it fraudulent.
Worst of all, despite the undoubted courage and commitment of our troops, the level of violence in Iraq has increased since the new year began. Killings of civilians by car bombs and snipers averaged more than 50 per day during the first two weeks of January, and U.S. military deaths are averaging slightly more than one per day, or nearly 50 percent higher than last month.
At that level, if American troops stayed for another 10 years, let alone a century as Mr. McCain suggests, our casualties would double. What would winning mean then?
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The whole war is a bait and switch. WMD! No? OK, well by some miraculous geopolitical bank shot, it was exactly the right thing to do anyway! (This is the second time I've done that. I remember once at the house at Yalevard I was dru-- um, I was feelin' good and blam blam, sunk everything!)Plus: Misson accomplished! No? Killing of us and them is up you say? Let's surge! Surge is good. It sounds like sugar! Mmmmm...sugar. And, like the comment above, if you don't agree well, that ain't patriotic, now iiiissss it? Thanks for the war, the economy, our vaulted status around the world, and the plummenting dollar! You had so much and its all gone. Mmmmm sugar....
Joe, this is why you're the partisan hack writer you are: Your pessimism and nagging would doom your chances in any other profession, where optimism and hope and goodwill are key. I think most people realize that, when faced with obstacles, even the byzantine ones we face in Iraq, it's more promising to believe in a favorable outcome than a disastrous one. That's just day-to-day-living 101.
I don't know how our efforts in Iraq are going to turn out, and neither do you. Although I admire your rhetorical skills, your petty and miserable nay-saying during what is perhaps the most important conflict in our lifetime does not mark you as a great thinker; it only shows your desire for the United States to fail, whatever the cost.
Hey Ross, there's a name for people who blindly and idiotically follow the program with "optimism and hope and goodwill" despite glaring evidence to the contrary - i.e., the lies and death and total waste of taxpayers' money. The name is GOOD NAZI.
Lets take a look at the last State Department travel warning, available at: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_921.html
Dated: November 2, 2007...
The Department of State continues to strongly warn U.S. citizens against travel to Iraq, which remains very dangerous. Remnants of the former Ba’ath regime, transnational terrorists, criminal elements and numerous insurgent groups remain active. Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue, including in the International (or “Green”) Zone. Targets include convoys en-route to venues, hotels, restaurants, police stations, checkpoints, foreign diplomatic missions, international organizations and other locations with expatriate personnel. These attacks have resulted in deaths and injuries of American citizens, including those doing humanitarian work. In addition, there have been planned and random killings, as well as extortions and kidnappings. Several U.S. citizens subsequently were murdered by terrorists. U.S. citizens and other foreigners are targeted by insurgent groups and criminals for kidnapping and murder. Military operations continue. There are daily attacks against Multinational Forces - Iraq (MNF-I) and Iraqi Security Forces throughout the country.
There is credible information that terrorists are targeting civil aviation. Civilian and military aircraft arriving at and departing from Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) for other major cities in Iraq have been subjected to small arms and missiles. Civilian aircraft generally lack defense systems capable of defeating man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). As a result of a security incident at the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP), the U.S. Embassy has prohibited all U.S. government employees from departing BIAP on commercial airlines until further notice.
All vehicular travel in Iraq is extremely dangerous. There have been numerous attacks on civilian vehicles, as well as military convoys. Attacks occur throughout the day, but travel at night is exceptionally dangerous. Travel in or through Ramadi and Fallujah; in and between al-Hillah, al-Basrah, Kirkuk, Baqubah (Diyala Province), and Baghdad; between the International Zone and Baghdad International Airport; and from Baghdad to Mosul is particularly dangerous.
Occasionally, U.S. Government personnel are prohibited from traveling to certain areas depending on prevailing security conditions. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), and mines often are placed on roads, concealed in plastic bags, boxes, soda cans, dead animals, and in other ways to blend with the road. Grenades and explosives have been thrown into vehicles from overpasses, particularly in crowded areas. Overland travel should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary and with the appropriate security
Violence may be reduced due to the surge and to previous ethic cleansing in Baghdad.
But let's not kid ourselves. If the President hadn't misled the nation into war under false pretenses against the wrong country, we wouldn't be debating whether the surge was working or not?
There is no political reconciliation on the ground.
This President who midled us into war against the wrong country that had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks is still fully worthy of the condemnation of every American whether the surge is "working" or not.
How many of these neocons have ever served in wartime? Kristol? Perle? Wolfowitz? No...while they drink and laugh in Georgetown,childen are losing fathers because of their theories...it is vomitous.
Amen, Joe! As someone once said, when the USSR published Pravda the Russian people knew it was overt propaganda. But today in the USA, the same kind of overt pro-government propaganda is being spewed by our media and too many people believe it's true. The goal of the surge (creating a stable government - never happened; revenue sharing - never happened) has been a failure. Saying that violence is down in areas where ethnic cleansing has already occured is akin to saying the crime rate dropped in Hiroshima in 1945. Our "Bush is Good & so is war" mainstream media made up their minds long ago that 2008 was not going to be a year of highighting the failure of the GOP's clusterfuck in Iraq as we head into a presidential election.
From WMD to Abu Ghraib to the wondrous surge, every aspect of the failed occupation of Iraq has been built on lies. Thank you Joe for not clicking your heels and saluting the devastating failure in Iraq.
For you fevered war critics: I know you're angry that a clear-cut victory and reconciliation in Iraq hasn't materialized. But just think how angry you'll be when it does.
Joe, God bless you! I know its tough to smell the fragrance of flowers when your nostrils are steeped in flatulence. Dear me, no matter what sweet fragrances come out of Iraq, you're busily sniffing out the few remaining secents of caca wafting around the desert. You're angst-ridden petulant poutiness over the Bush policy of proactively attacking our enemies before they become "Hitlerized," is so prepubescent. Discussing this maturely with you and your little "wart-headed" sycophants is like listening to 8 yr. olds, "The Iraq War sucks! Bush sucks! Cheney really sucks! Kristol sucks! Neo-Cons suck! FoxNews Sucks! Republicans Suck! Tax cuts suck! Big oil sucks! Blackwater sucks! Chavez rocks!" You and your little pinheaded followers are relentless - like 8 yr. olds screaming for ice cream at a coffee bar! Move on, dude.
US tropps are still in S. Korea, Germany, Japan, Bosnia, etc. I don't hear you crying about that. McCain's right, it's the casualty count, not the fact that our troops are in Iraq. Once the casualty count is eliminated, all you'll be able to do then is scream that we shouldn't have been there in the first place. Useless rhetoric!
Ross Odom--would you like to make a little wager on if and when "clearcut victory and reconciliation in Iraq materializes?" Your sniffing glue if you think that's going to happen any time soon, if ever. Neocons and their followers have been on the Kool-aid so long they don't know which side is up.
Steve G.--- would you like to make a wager on when "the casualty count is eliminated?" I didn't think so.
To Ross and Steve G:
Thanks you guys. It's hard selling this "war' to people these days, especially when they see past the propaganda. I mean I thought we were going to attack Iran over the incident in the Strait of Hormuz involving Iranian Speedboats. We almost had it but that damn media uncovered the truth. Of course I had my taklking heads at Fox news and Talk Radio pushing for war with Iran but to no avail. Thankfully I still have guys like you defending my (and Bush’s) every mistake.
Keep up the good work fellas and remember, being a Republican means never having to admit your wrong. Stay the course no matter what the truth is.
Let’s go water boarding sometime.
Thanks so much
Love Dick
You can’t be serious. After years of nothing but daily footage of car bombs, kidnappings, and beheadings every night on the main stream media news, you now have the audacity to claim that media hype is helping fuel the false impression that success is being achieved in Iraq? What planet do you live on?
Iraq is indeed improving substantially on every front, including politically (approval of former Baathists into government positions) and economically (growing at 7% annually with increased oil outputs) but the silence from the main stream media is deafening. NBC nightly news rarely even mentions the war anymore, ABC and CBS aren't much better. Of course, you fall back on Fox news, the lone dissenting island in an ocean of liberal media to make your point. But of course, Fox is the exception that proves the rule!
You are indeed among an ever dwindling breed of anti-Bush, anti-Iraq journalists who still claim the surge hasn't worked and we are only lowering our standards. You'd do well to emulate your colleagues and just ignore Iraq all together. Otherwise, you look like a bitter naysayer who can't accept reality. I'm sure they'll be plenty of time for you to re-visit Iraq, that is, if the car bombings, kidnappings and beheadings begin anew. I suggest as you continue hoping for that day to arrive, you shut-up in the meantime. Besides, now you have the economy to complain about.
Ummmmm......yeah so sending an extra 30,000 troops to Baghdad with quell some of the violence but you still have:
War News for Friday, January 18, 2008
Baghdad:
#1: Two Iraqis were killed and four others injured in a bomb attack in Baghdad on Friday, a well-informed police source said. "A roadside bomb detonated near furniture's factory in Baghdad's eastern neighborhood of Ur, killing two civilians and wounding four others," the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
A woman and a girl child were killed and three others wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off near a U.S. patrol in the neighborhood of Ur, eastern Baghdad, on Friday, police said. The IED went off when a U.S. convoy was passing in Ur neighborhood, eastern Baghdad, meters away from a joint Iraqi army and police checkpoint in the area," an Iraqi police source, who refused to have his name mentioned, told Aswat al-Iraq – Voices of Iraq
Diyala Prv:
Baquba:
#1: Two policemen were killed and two wounded when a bomb exploded in a house they were searching in Baquba, 65 km (40 miles) north of Baghdad, police said.
#2: Two policemen were killed and two wounded when gunmen attacked a police patrol in al-Wejaiheiah east of Baquba, police said. news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->
Muqdadiyah:
#1: In Muqdadiyah city, some 100 kilometres north-east of Iraq's capital Baghdad, US forces killed four suspects on Thursday during an operation targeting al-Qaeda, according to a US military statement.
Jalawla:
#1: U.S. soldiers killed six people, including two women, during raids against al Qaeda near the town of Jalawla, 120 km (70 miles) northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province, the U.S. military said. Ground troops and support aircraft returned fire on a building in Jalawla, killing three suspected al Qaeda fighters. The bodies of two women were found inside the building along with another two women who were wounded. In a separate raid nearby, U.S. forces killed a man who ignored warning shots when he emerged from another building, the military said.
Nassiriya:
#1: Iraqi police clashed with gunmen from a Shi'ite cult who staged a series of hit-and-run raids in two southern cities on Friday, security officials said. Witnesses in Iraq's southern oil hub of Basra and Nassiriya said at least four people may have been killed in the violence, in which gunmen were reported to be using heavy machine guns and mortars.
A policeman in Nassiriya, 235 miles southeast of Baghdad, said three policemen may have been killed in clashes there but the reports could not be verified immediately.
At least 10 people including a police major-general and two colonels were killed in Nassiriya, hospital and police officials said. Hospital officials said 53 people had been wounded. Witnesses said gunmen from the "Soldiers of Heaven" attacked four police stations in the city.
Basra:
#1: At least two policemen were injured on Friday as violence flared in the Iraqi city of Basra, some 550 kilometres south of Baghdad, security sources said. The two were wounded when militants fired on a police patrol in the Maqal area in southern Basra, sources told Deutsche Presse- Agentur dpa.
In central Basra, a Reuters cameraman said he saw the bullet-riddled body of one man lying in a street, as well as a policeman who had been shot in the arm.
#2: Iraqi police clashed with gunmen from a Shi'ite cult who staged a series of hit-and-run raids in two southern cities on Friday, security officials said. Witnesses in Iraq's southern oil hub of Basra and Nassiriya said at least four people may have been killed in the violence, in which gunmen were reported to be using heavy machine guns and mortars.
Mosul:
#1: in the northern city of Mosul and near Lake Hamrin, five terrorist suspects were killed and another 17 were arrested, said US statements.
Better by what standard?
Oh and to Steve G.:
PLease remove your lips from Bush's penis long enough to soak up some truth. Oh and remove Rush Limbaugh's penis from your ass.
Oh gosh was I acting like an 8 year old again? I certainly wouldn't want a complete nut case such as you to think I'm being immature because after all your pathetic opinion means so much to me.
I lie awake at night worrying what every little blind Nationalist Government apologist wack off thinks of me.
Yeah and Bush isn't a liar.
Peter
To Dick:
Thanks for the complement. I was feeling very insecure lately because of the incredibly low approval ratings of both you and Bush. I realize that a majority of my fellow Americans are completely at odds with me which makes me uncertain about why I continue to believe everything you and Bush say. I know you would never lie to me because that never happens……unless of course you count Nixon…okay maybe Clinton….the point is that I believe whole heartedly in everything you say and I don’t care what those other 70% of Americans think. I will continue to blindly defend a Government who tortures, spies on it’s citizens illegally, commits rendition, suspends of Habeas Corpus etc. and I don’t care if I sound like a fascist in the process.
I Love you Dick
Steve G.
To Steve G:
You had me at torture!
I love you too!
Dick Cheney
I skimmed through the early parts of the article -- about how John McCain is old, and Bush's approval ratings are low -- looking for the part about Iraq. In particular, since the title advertises some assessment of recent progress there, I found what I was looking for only in the final paragraph, where the author asserts that violent civilian deaths per day have averaged
--over 50--
in the first two weeks of January. Now, granted, sources tend to vary, but unless there has been a new study published in Lancet (which is impossible because it takes at least 18 months to get anything done in academia), this number strikes me as being too high. After all I, along with all of the foolish and gullible masses for whom the author clearly has no respect, had thought that violent deaths there had been much lower than this (owing to the surge - its stated goal being to improve security, i.e. make violent deaths number go down).
Sure enough, after checking my usual source, www.iraqbodycount.org (not exactly pro-white house) I found that in fact violent deaths have not been over 50 on any single day in the first two weeks of January, save for the 1st. The average for the 1st through the 14th is
--actually about 25--
which is what the rate was in mid-2004, and incidentally, is about a third of the murder rate in South Africa, after adjusting for total population. (www.southafricabodycount.org anyone?)
In summary, no wonder the author is confused as to why the masses seem to be fooled by the "propaganda" of the surge: He doesn't believe the numbers himself. If I also believed that violent deaths had not gone down, that this was just a story spun by the white house or pentagon, I too would deride the masses as being gullible and foolish for believing it.
What really blows my mind is that I found this on RCP. I normally assume that they've done such a nice job of selecting articles that I can click on anything and it will make a decent argument. (That's exactly why I clicked this one -- I was interested to see what an anti-progress viewpoint would sound like in the present climate, and there haven't been very many lately.) Instead I just got lied to. (And reminded that John McCain is old -- what's next? Dick Cheney heart problems? What does it feel like to actually hate someone?)
This is the real Steve G. Sheesh, Joe's little diaper- stinking, crumb-snatching followers have stooped sooooo low. Now, they've stolen my identity. EGAD!! They're co-opted my "Steve G." moniker. EGAD! I'm aghast!!
Hey, you little amoeba-brained nutjobs, let's chant together so you'll feel better, "Bush Sucks! Rush Sucks! Tony Snow Sucks! Sean Sucks! Bill O'Reilly Sucks! Tammy Bruce Sucks! Star Parker Sucks! Fred Thompson Sucks! I don't think you'll ever run out of suckers, will you? Oh gosh, you got so excited, you went poopie in your diapers.
Go help a real revolution! Hugo Chavez wants you bad. Send him a note of encouragement. He's kind of depressed since the Venezulan people voted down his dictator-for-life referendum.
What's a Pinhead? Have you ever met Joe Conason? How can you tell if he is a pinhead? Is a pinhead bad? In my 8th grade I didn't learn about pinheads. I think Joe is "whining" about the well honed use of repetition, name calling (see above) and partial information by this administration to divert some of the attention from the failure of the surge to accomplish the objective stated by its proponents: political reconciliation. Such diversion gives room to Republican presidential candidates to support our continued involvement in Iraq. By all means let us hope for a smaller casualty count. Let us not accept it as truth when simply pronounced by this administration. Let us look with real care at all the sources of information and hope to find some non ideologically driven information.
BUSH’S IRAQ WAR FAUCETS
The American Neo-Con Republican president, George Bush, got elected on his solemn promise that there would be “no nation building”; then, on the pretense of a nuclear threat, he illegally turned on two faucets: out of one flows the American People’s precious wealth, and out of the other faucet flows their priceless blood, to the sole benefit of Israel.
This treasonous betrayal of the trust of the American People is a black mark on his name, which can never be erased, will damn him forever in history.
Google: “Mearsheimer Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy”; and, “Human Events Ron Paul Interview”
Dear Steve G.:
Your witless, illiterate parody of what Mr. Conason wrote is insulting to every soldier who has served this country and especially so to the families of those who have died there. What do you say to the widows and fatherless children caused by this senseless, treasonous war? "Move on, Mrs. Dude and little fatherless dudes and dude-ettes"? Your crass, heartless ignorance is stomach churning.
Folks who believe the war is being won b/c of the surge have no concept of what it was designed to do, obviously. I've heard Gen. Colin Powell on two occassions recently discussing what hasn't happened in this lull of violence (and that's all it is, folks). Political reconciliation has not happened, period. And THAT was the reaason for the surge.
The war will not be won militarily.
Greg,
So you're a military man are you, Greg? I doubt it. It galls me that you liberals are suddenly concerned about the welfare of our all-volunteer fine fighting force of soldiers and their families. For the most part, these soldiers who died, Greg, overwhelmingly believe in the reasons behind this war. That's why they volunteered, spilled their blood, lost their future - all because they believed in THIS war. You mock them with this "Bush's treasonous war" blather.
You ask, what would I say to the loved ones, widows and widowers of our fallen soldiers in Iraq? With tears in my eyes, I would say to them, "Your son, your father, your mother, your daughter, your brother was a hero and died for a worthwhile cause - to free a subjugated people and to crush a worldwide evil villanous movement before it reared its ugly head again on American soil." That's what I'd say, Greg. What would say? I can only imagine, "Your dead loved one was needlessly killed as a result of the idiocy, greed, and trechery of one man - George W. Bush." Now, that, Greg, is a mockery to the the brave souls whose lives were lost in Iraq.
Dear Steve G.
Thank you once again for defending us. It’s nice to know there are still people out there who fool heartedly believe everything Bush and I say.
By the way Steve G., Bush and I are missing about five million emails. Have you seen them?
Hah, we deleted them of course. They’ll never find them.
Keep believing in me Steve.
Love
Dick
Dear Greg:
I just wanted to apologize for sounding like a complete jackass. As you can tell from my postings, I really don't have a clue about what I'm talking about. I just open my mouth and words just come flying out. See watch:
blah blah surge, blah blah, stay the course, blah, Bush is powerful, blah, blah Karl Rove never lies…..Hannity looks hot in tight pants….Mark Foley is delicious!
Whew. I feel so alive now! Let’s water board a Muslim or eavesdrop on someone’s conversations illegally…oops….I got a little carried away.
Anyway, I apologize again Greg. I’m just an overzealous insensitive right wing prick. I know I’m a prick and so does everyone else reading my rants. I swear I’m like a male Ann Coulter minus the witty intellect.
Oh and I really love Dick.
Steve G.
Wow, five years of reporting lies and fed us the worst spin in decades and you feel that a little pessimism isn't in definately order? Where were you when the WMD was discovered(NOT), the Mission Accomplished, and now, finally, the Surge to allow political progress? Doesn't abject failure and incompetence on an historical levels have any effect upon you at all? You must be the original 'Bushie' ideologue.
Shameful. It is apparent that radicals like Joe Conason and his merry band of Bush haters want only one thing: They want us to fail in Iraq. They hate Bush enough to want their country to lose.
Thank God these loonies were not there to hinder the war effort in WWII. We'd all be living under German rule today.
Dear Richmond,
On the contrary. We do not hate Bush. He is insignificant. he does what his handlers tell him to do. He really cares for nothing but the dough re mi. How do you explain giving tax cuts to the super rich while we are at "occupation". If George Bush had been president in Dec 1941, we would have declared war on Brazil.
"Can't we all just get along." Why does the phony Dick Cheney, the phony Steve G., Greg Hack, Centavo, Rosey Glasses, Jeugenen, and Desert Stormer and more say such inconsiderate, thoughtless, ludicrous, and ignorant things about our country's war effort (and fantastic progress)in Iraq. As a patriot, you've hurt my feelings and I'm sure that President Bush has cried a few tears on Laura's shoulder after hearing your rude insults.
All I can say is that conservatives have feelings too and you've hurt them badly. I'm not sure I can go on after the horrible things you've said about me. (Pause) Excuse me. I had to get control of myself as I tried to hold back these searing tears.
Psst. Hey it worked for Hillary! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Whether you bozos like it or not, America is winning and making a future for Iraqi citizens - for whom you would have been thrilled to see fall into Islamic fascism.
Hey, you sycophants can wrap yourself around Conason's leg like a horny dog. But, personally, I would choose other forms of erotic pleasure if I were you.
Steve G
You do a good job talking down to real veterens. What has your sacrifice been for the war effort? I bet you listened to your wonderful president and went shopping...am I right. You know, all you phoney tough guys need to shut your trap and go to the nearest recruiting office and sign up to win this occupation. The standards are so low that you may even qualify. Until then, quit trash talking like the little punk you are, and get back to your other form of erotic pleasure - will it be the right hand or left??