as I have, that the US and its allies have made remarkable progress in Iraq over the past several months.

You kidding david?

Could you list few of theose remarkable progress in Iraq"
?
 

Rushing Deeper Into The Hole
 

Anon 2:47 AM:

70% reduction in violence since surge began compared to last year.

Cemetery workers not getting enough work.

US troop deaths at lowest level since July 2006

Civilian deaths down 50%

Iraqi police/military deaths at lowest levels

Multiple fatality bombings at lowest level since Samara mosque bombing

Electricty production above pre-war levels
 

You may want to also add Bin Laden's latest soundbite all but conceding defeat. It translated into a hail marry pass for all those who want to fight the infidels in Iraq.
 

"Now we're a military at war, with less than 1% of the population in uniform. Unless you have a friend or family member in the military, it's a separate reality. In airports and in living rooms, you can see for yourself the effect in the eyes of a soldier at war for fifteen months at a time, hidden behind a smile that conceals a secret: you'll never quite understand what we did there."
Coming Home, Part Two
 

The more I think about it, the more I believe that only GOP candidate who is remotely "authentic" is John McCain. Romney and Giuliani are transparent changeling social moderates and the latter is so obviously a one-trick pony that his campain should be universally recognized as a joke. It all makes me wonder why McCain is doing so badly in the polls.
 

It all makes me wonder why McCain is doing so badly in the polls.

1) McCain-Feingold, 2) support for amnesty
 

Interesting McCain/G. post. I thought you’d be interested in our findings in the new “Confidence in Foreign Policy Index.” In short, our Foreign Policy Anxiety Indicator measures American attitudes toward current foreign policy and the nation’s place in the world, while providing policy makers, journalists, bloggers and ordinary citizens with the public's overall comfort level with America's place in the world and current foreign policy. Here is a snapshot:

- The number of Americans who say they worry at least “somewhat” about a terrorist attack has increased seven points in six months.
- More than eight in 10 people give the government a grade of C or worse on controlling immigration – a finding that has increased nine points since 2005
- Nearly six in 10 say we have a moral obligation to the Iraqi people, while only one-third say the United States should act in its own interest without regard to how it affects the Iraqis
- When asked if U.S. troops should stay in Iraq to control the violence even if it means more American casualties or withdraw even if it means more Iraqi casualties, 55 percent said the United States should still withdraw

Of course, these are only a few of the issues mentioned in Public Agenda’s new report. Check it out at http://www.publicagenda.org/foreignpolicy/index.cfm. Feel free to get back to me with any questions or comments!
 

"as I have, that the US and its allies have made remarkable progress in Iraq over the past several months. "

You should probably read Kaplan's piece in Slate regarding the massive increase in air strikes in Iraq.

It's been a while since I read it but I'm pretty sure that wasn't what Petreaus' COIN strategy suggested.
 

regarding the massive increase in air strikes in Iraq.

The U.S. military has increased airstrikes in Iraq four-fold this year, reflecting a steep escalation in combat operations aimed at al-Qaeda and other militants.

Coalition forces launched 1,140 airstrikes in the first nine months of this year compared with 229 in all of last year, according to military statistics.

Airstrikes are up in Afghanistan, too. Coalition planes have made 2,764 bombing runs this year, up from 1,770 last year. The figures don't include strikes by helicopter gunships.
 

Hey Jody, thinks for the Brookings pdf, but perhaps you should read it a bit more again. I was curious about the electricity back to "prewar" levels comment you made - turns out that's not exactly true, as Baghdad is still only getting 6.9 hours of it per day, according to the pdf (around p. 40).

But the overall point has to be made that you can have all the military success you want, but it's no good and unsustainable without economic, humanitarian and political progress.

And now that the world is finally learning about the PKK and that there are other terrorists groups in Iraq besides AQI, it looks like northern Iraq is heading for regression, not progression (especially if Turkey crosses the border and invades northern Iraq to track down those PKK terrorists). It could get really ugly up there pretty fast.

And if Turkey does war with the PKK, it would be stupid, tragic and pointless since they've never been able to wipe out the PKK terrorists the other dozens of times they fought with them. They (like the Taliban and al Qaeda Central) are good at hiding and fighting from the lawless mountain areas.

To put it another way, it would be as dumb as the Israeli war with Hezbollah last year. If you're not 100% sure you will wipe out or significantly damage the terorists you're going after, don't do it at all.
 

David,

So far 50%of your list if not more doutlly eccepetd by readers, with yourself still confident of your list?

I offer you a trip to Iraq and asked them "FACE TO FACE" if you still sticking with your list.

How is that?
 

صرح مؤخرآ نائب رئيس المجلس المركزي لنقابات النفط في العراق ، إن رئيس مهندسين أقدم في حقول شركة نفط الجنوب توفي متأثرا بجراحه ، الأربعاء 19 أيلول 2007 ، بعد أن أصيب بنيران أمريكية غرب البصرة ، مساء الثلاثاء 18 أيلول 2007 وأوضح فالح عبود عمارة في مؤتمر صحفي عقد في مقر النقابة (( أن المهندس الأقدم في شركة الحفر العراقية التابعة لشركة نفط الجنوب طالب ناجي عبود ، توفى في أحدى مستشفيات البصرة ، يوم الأربعاء، متأثرا بجراحه بعد تعرضه لنيران قوات أمريكية ، مساء الثلاثاء ، على طريق الرميله الجنوبي وأضاف عمارة أن قوة أمريكية فتحت النار ، مساء الثلاثاء ، على طالب ناجي عبود أثناء عودته من الدوام الرسمي ، عند تقاطع الطريق القادم من مدينة صفوان مع طريق الرميلة الجنوبية غرب البصرة ، تسبب بإصابته بجروح بليغة نقل أثرها إلى المستشفى )) وأشار عمارة إلى أن نقابة منتسبين القطاع النفطي ستنفذ اعتصاما احتجاجيا يشارك فيه كل العاملين في شركة نفط الجنوب , وطالب عمارة الحكومة ( العراقية ) بفتح تحقيق نزيه و سريع في الحادث وكشف ملابساته أمام الرأي العام ؟؟؟ وأن لا يمر هذا الحدث الإجرامي كسابقيه دون أن يتم فتح أي تحقيق كما في الحالات السابقة . يذكر أن الشهيد المهندس طالب ناجي كان من أشد المعترضين على قانون النهب ( قانون النفط والغاز الذي تسعى أليه العصابة الحاكمة ) ونعتقد جازمين بأنه دفع الثمن لاعتراضه على هذا القانون سيئ السمعة والصيت . هذه ليست المرة الأولى التي نسمع بها من وسائل الأعلام والصحافة عن خبر اغتيال طبيب أو جراح متخصص أو أكاديمي أو عالم عراقي في بلد محتل مثل العرا
 

Madtv - Apple I-rack
 

The Human Rights Report for the second quarter of 2007 was long overdue, and was finally published on October 11. The report explains that it was modified following discussions with U.S. and Iraqi occupation authorities, and this appears to account for the long delay in its publication.

The report makes it clear that U.S. air strikes in densely populated civilian areas are violations of international human rights law. A footnote to the section on "MNF military operations and the killing of civilians" explains, "Customary international humanitarian law demands that, as much as possible, military objectives must not be located within areas densely populated by civilians. The presence of individual combatants among a great number of civilians does not alter the civilian character of an area."

UNAMI demands "that all credible allegations of unlawful killings by MNF (Multi National Force) forces be thoroughly, promptly and impartially investigated, and appropriate action taken against military personnel found to have used excessive or indiscriminate force" and adds that, "The initiation of investigation into such incidents, as well as their findings, should be made public."

The UNAMI report provides the following details of 88 Iraqi civilians killed by air strikes, 15 civilians killed "in the context of raid and search operations" by U.S. ground forces and several incidents of torture and extra-judicial execution by members of Iraqi auxiliary forces under overall U.S. command. UNAMI investigated these incidents because a relative, a journalist or a local official brought each one to its attention. Without doubt, the U.S. Department of Defense is aware of many more killings of civilians by air strikes and ground operations, hence UNAMI's urgent demand for full public disclosure and investigation of all such killings.

March 11 - Nine civilians in 5 villages near Ba'quba killed by U.S. air strikes.

March 13 & 14 - Twelve Palestinians detained by the Interior Ministry at al-Baladiyat and tortured with electric shocks to sensitive parts of the body, forcing metal sticks down the throat, and rape and other sexual assault with metal objects.

March 15 - Two civilians killed in Dulu'iya by a U.S. air strike.

March 29 - A 14-year-old boy and three other family members killed in Mosul by a U.S. raid on the home of Zeyour Mohamed Khalil.

March 30 - Sixteen civilians killed in Sadr City by U.S. air strikes.

April 2 - Six civilians killed in U.S. raids on the homes of Bashar Mahfoudh and Walid al-Ahmadi near Mosul.

April 3 - Twenty-seven civilians killed in Khaldiya, near Ramadi, by U.S. air strikes.

April 12 - Three civilians killed in southern Haditha in a house raid by U.S. forces.

April 26 - U.S. air strikes kill four civilians in Sadr City and four more in Taji.

April 29 - Al-Kesra, Baghdad, five men found dead after being detained by Iraqi Army in al-Sifina.

April 30 - Three civilians killed by an air strike in Basra.

May 3 - Hay al-Amel, Baghdad, 16 people detained and killed by Interior Ministry Public Order Forces.

May 4th - Al-Dubbat, Baghdad, 14 civilians arrested and then shot dead by Iraqi security forces.

May 5 - Seven civilians killed by a U.S. air strike east of Baghdad.

May 5 - Hay al-Rissala, Baghdad, men guarding a mosque detained and executed by Iraqi security forces.

May 6 - One civilian killed by a U.S. air strike in Sadr City.

May 8 - Seven children killed by a U.S. helicopter attack on an elementary school in Diyala province.

May 26 - Eight civilians in Basra killed by air strikes.

May 29 - Four prisoners executed by the Kurdistan Regional Government after testifying to the death under torture of Fahmi Ismail Abu Bakr in 2005.

June 6 - Yassin Farhan and his son Sarmad killed by U.S. troops in a house raid in Baghdad.

April-June - Seventy-three percent of KRG detainees interviewed by UNAMI reported being victims of torture.

The recent increase in U.S. air operations in Iraq has brought a spate of reports of more such incidents. On the day the UNAMI report was released, six women, nine children and 19 men were killed in air strikes near Lake Tharthar, north of Baghdad. The Centcom press office immediately declared that the 19 men were "terrorists" but similar claims regarding previous air strikes have been contradicted by local residents and officials, and they beg the question as to how you know that 19 men were "terrorists" after you've blown them off the face of the earth. An air strike on September 25 in Mussayyib, 30 miles south of Baghdad, killed five women and four children; and one on September 28 on the al-Saha district of Baghdad killed seven men, two women and four children. Once again, I must stress that these incidents just happen to have been reported and that they are probably only the tip of the iceberg of civilians being killed by U.S. air strikes.
 

Hey Jody, thinks for the Brookings pdf, but perhaps you should read it a bit more again. I was curious about the electricity back to "prewar" levels comment you made - turns out that's not exactly true, as Baghdad is still only getting 8.9 hours of it per day, according to the pdf (around p. 40).

Peak power:
Nationwide Prewar production: 3,958 MW
Nationwide October 07 production: 4,790 MW

Energy:
Nationwide Prewar production: 95,000 MW hr
Nationwide October 07 production: 114,870 MW hr

There was a conscious decision some time ago to not privilege Baghdad at the expense of the nation as had been done under Hussein.
 

McCain is a zionist puppet. Only Israel benefits from these endless Middle East wars. Iraq is the beginning. As we commit war-crimes in Baghdad, the US gov't commits treason at home by opening mail, eliminating habeas corpus, using the judiciary to steal private lands, banning books like America Deceived (book) from Amazon and Wikipedia, conducting warrantless wiretaps and engaging in illegal wars on behalf of AIPAC's 'money-men'. Soon, another US false-flag operation will occur (sinking of an Aircraft Carrier by Mossad) and the US will invade Iran.. Then we'll invade Syria, then Saudi Arabia, then Lebanon (again) then ....

Vote for Dr. Ron Paul (he has more money than McCain and Huckabee COMBINED).
 

70% reduction in violence since surge began compared to last year.

Civilian deaths down 50%

Iraqi police/military deaths at lowest levels.

Multiple fatality bombings at lowest level

Well, no kidding. This was pretty much a given once the neighborhoods diminished in population or drastically segregated. We can fool ourselves and call this "remarkable progress" if we want, but "Pyrrhic Victory" would be the more apt phrase. Or it could be the calm before the storm, were the segragated populations to build up to the point that larger battles over territories and whatnot may break out.

U.S. troop deaths at lowest level since July 2006

Which could very well be the result of Muqtada al-Sadr ordering the Mahdi army to cease violent activities last August. Which could very well change on a whim. Maybe he's replenishing his resources? Maybe they're holding back until we leave? That a troop reduction suggests things are improving is very unlikely. That the death toll has been this low in July '06 only means it can go up again. The death toll in September of last year was 77 troops. This year, it's 69. Better, but that's only 11 percent less. Don't break out those "Mission Accomplished!" banners yet over an 11 percent reduction.
 

Jody,
There was a conscious decision some time ago to not privilege Baghdad at the expense of the nation as had been done under Hussein.

As or families tell us there is little improvement to power.

But what irony all these puppets when they were scattered outside Iraq all of them talking about tyrant regime crimes and acts, what you put is one acts that tyrant regime did, and now same those who accusing the tyrant regime (may they never suffered from his as ordinary Iraqis) now they acting as same if not worse than old regime and the suffering counties to Iraqis what a disastrous case.

BTW, Jody the reduction of US and Iraq fatalities also may links to the building of the number of Iraqi detainees which recently reported al 25,000 Iraqis living in very miserable conditions.
 

"Iraq: death of a nation" will examine how the US invasion and occupation created a multi-faceted civil war in which the US is now actively arming multiple factions.
 

A very brief question, David. If things are improving so much, why did the DOS just require that all foreign service personnel be willing to accept an assignment in Iraq or face termiantion of their employment?
 

To Judy,

Electricty production above pre-war levels

Here Iraqi news just comes today telling the power is less than pre war level.

So do we belive in Jody or Iraqi?

رغم مرور سنوات من العمل وصرف المليارات من الدولارات لاصلاح المنظومة الكهربائية المعطلة، يبقى تجهيز الكهرباء في بغداد متقطع واقل من المستوى الذي كان عليه قبل الحرب.
http://www.hewarat.dk/takrer%201/takrer267.kahrbabagdad.htm
 

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