The damn report was biased anyway. I don't put much faith in it.

Yes, it was really biased, bvut it was a hoot to watch them presnt their case to Congress and Congress ate it up. Dems are fighting an uphill battle which they will not win, without a chance in startegy. I will watch for the change, but I think they are stupid and will stay the course.

The general and the ambassador have done their jobs well. They have sold the Congress on the strategy.


Sept. 10, 2007 - Let’s not mince words: David Petraeus may be the only thing standing between George W. Bush and total failure in Iraq. And it’s apparent that most of the Washington power elite—as well as the rest of the country—understands that. All of which helps to explain the extraordinary spectacle on Capitol Hill on Monday, when Gen. Petraeus, the commander of multinational forces in Iraq, delivered a mostly positive report on Bush’s “surge” in Iraq, as anguished antiwar protesters shouted and screamed imprecations from the back of the packed hearing room before being led out by security guards. (Among those arrested: Cindy Sheehan, who lost her son in Iraq and later became a leading activist against the war.)


SOURCE

David Petraeus is the Iraq war poster boy and a puppet for Bush. Birds of a feather.

If you are a news junkie, everything that Patraeus has said, has been said by Bush for the last three weeks. Just Patraeus has a larger vocab than Bush.

The whole report was BS. Their withdrawl plan is BS. And the war continues to be BS.

Bush is trying to keep what support he has among the Repubs, why else would a Pres use a military man to justify his policies? The military impliments, they do not justify.

You tell 'em!


BAGHDAD, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Iraqi lawmakers said on Saturday Washington was covering up for its own mistakes in Iraq by setting them artificial benchmarks to meet and then ticking them off like scorecards.

Frustrated by criticism from the United States over their slow progress towards political goals meant to foster national reconciliation, Iraqi leaders said Washington would be better served by dxamining its own progress in the unpopular war.

"The Americans always try to pretend the responsibility for cleaning up this mess isn't theirs and tend to shift blame onto Iraq, Iran and Syria for everything that goes wrong," said veteran Kurdish lawmaker Mahmoud Othman.


LINK

An op-ed from the region on the testimony of The general and the ambassador.


The long-awaited report on the US occupation of Iraq has finally been issued. Both General David Petraeus, commander of the Multi National Forces in Iraq, and the US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, testified before a commission set up by the US Congress. This occasion was handled by the US administration with apparent professionalism to achieve the best possible gains from this occasion, as the date of testimony before Congress was set before the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to be dealt with differently by media coverage on the same day as this painful anniversary.


LINK

Found yet another op-ede and this one points to positive points of the surge.


The real issue in Iraq, as in all other theatres of the global war against terrorists, has always been one of commitment and resolve, especially on the part of those who have the power to make a difference.

Rather than enter into a debate about the actual number of suicide bombings, let us note some positive developments that no one can deny:

* The Sunni Arab tribal sheikhs in the once unruly Anbar province have decided to come off the fence and take up arms against Al Qaeda, even if this means collaborating with the Americans.

* The principal Arab Sunni armed groups, including the 1920 Brigade, and the Islamic Army of Iraq have switched side by agreeing to work with the Iraqi government against foreign terrorists.


LINK

Rather than enter into a debate about the actual number of suicide bombings, let us note some positive developments that no one can deny:

I can deny any damn thing I see as BS just like every "positive" aspect of the surge. It's political spin.

There is no doubt that the arrival of additional US troops has helped improve security in parts of Iraq.

Oh yea? How come more Iraq civilian death are up if it so GD safe? What parts?

* The Sunni Arab tribal sheikhs in the once unruly Anbar province have decided to come off the fence and take up arms against Al Qaeda, even if this means collaborating with the Americans.

We'll see. This hasn't been in place long enough to say it's a great success yet. They are putting the cart in front of the horse.

* The principal Arab Sunni armed groups, including the 1920 Brigade, and the Islamic Army of Iraq have switched side by agreeing to work with the Iraqi government against foreign terrorists.

What government? It's basically ineffective.

* Another Iranian controlled Shi'ite group, known as the Thar Allah (God's Revenge), has also suffered major setbacks with dozens dead and scores captured by the new Iraqi army.

Wow. Dozens killed and they are declaring victory. When will they be putting up the banner?

It's all BS.

Sounds like his trying to help the US boys sell the "positive" to the Arab world.