Yes, There Is Progress In Iraq

Remember in April when Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid said of the war in Iraq that “this war is lost, that the surge is not accomplishing anything”? Remember in June when Reid and Speaker Nancy Pelosi wrote to the president that “[t]he increase in US forces [in Iraq] has had little impact in curbing the violence or fostering political reconciliation” and “has failed to produce the intended results,”?
Well, lo and behold, Democratic Senators Durbin (the #2 ranking Democrat in the Senate) and Casey, after actually visiting Iraq, now admit that the surge is, in fact, making precisely the military progress that Senator Reid declared to be impossible:

The funniest thing is CNN anchor John Roberts’ shock at hearing Democrats admit this, and his repeated efforts to get them to say it again. As Allahpundit and Brian Faughnan of the Weekly Standard note, Durbin and Casey try to move the goalposts by talking up the political problems remaining in Iraq, but of course legislative gridlock and paralysis are much more tractable than car bombings. Also, Casey’s description of the new military strategy (which he admits he voted against) as “a stay the course policy, no change in direction” is a hilarious illustration of how thoroughly out of his depth Pennsylvania’s lightweight junior Senator really is; he’s still using last year’s talking points.
Seems like General Petraeus may well find himself facing a divided and disorganized enemy when he comes to Capitol Hill in September. In any event, it’s a healthy sign for the nation that not everyone in the Democratic Party is willing to personally invest their credibility in the message that we have lost the war.

4 thoughts on “Yes, There Is Progress In Iraq”

  1. The Democrats are not the enemy of the Military, or the American people.
    And in terms of moving the goalposts – that is exactly what the administration did few weeks ago when the “report card” turned out to be poor. I have no doubt either side (or both – that’s my bet) will do this come September.
    And when you look back at January, this is what the surge was supposed to accomplish – to put order in place so that political progress can be made. I hope this continues once the summer heat goes away. Any number of people have brought up that the NYT’s “War we Can win” editorial. Ugh, here’s Joe Klein.
    https://time-blog.com/swampland/2007/07/whats_missing_in_this_column.html
    “you really can’t write a piece about the war in Iraq and devote only two sentences to the political situation, which is disastrous and, as Petraeus has said, will determine the success or failure of the overall effort”
    I think it’s only fair for the Senators to follow the General’s line. It would be better if they followed more of what he said.

  2. How could anyone have ever doubted our President’s eternal wisdom? Those communist bastards.

  3. My feeling have noting to do with the administration. What I have is the utmost confidence in the young men and women that make up our military. If our politicians will get out of their way, there is no task on the face of this earth that they can not accomplish.

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