Ladies and Gentlemen, the surge is just starting.
Civilization has a world to gain.
By Mark Kilmer Posted in War — Comments (20) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The Script says that the surge has failed and the generals are morons. The Democrats have long held that the President does not listen to the commanders in Iraq.
In Baghdad, military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Garver said today:
"The strategic movement of forces into the theater is complete, and the surge is just starting," said U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Christopher Garver. "Now that the force is here, we'll see the counterinsurgency start in full swing, and we'll be able to execute the strategy as it was designed."
So the surge has just begun. It could not have failed because it had not yet been fully implemented, and it seems likely that Col. Garver was, in part, responding, to the political lie told by Harry and Nancy. Why? Because Harry and Nancy are harming the efforts of our forces, and our military had to rebut the lie to set things right.
Read On…
There was a time, quite a few decades ago, when false stories that our troops were losing came from such as Tokyo Rose and the Nazi ministry of propaganda. This changed a little in the 1960s and 1970s, when the harmful propaganda began to be spread by the likes of John Kerry and Jane Fonda.
Here we are, folks: 2007. The Democratic leadership in the House and in the Senate are pushing this deleterious propaganda; yes, it can be called "Un-American" – not, per se, by the HUAC definition, but in the sense that it runs counter to the interests of America. Perfectly decent Americans buy and sell this propaganda because it has been packaged as opposition to a Republican Presidential Administration.
The strategy, which acknowledges Baghdad as the center of gravity in efforts to restore peace to the country, aims to create enough calm so that Iraqi leaders can reach agreement on key political measures to achieve reconciliation between the country's Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds. Problems between the groups and attacks against U.S. forces have pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.
[ . . . ]
Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and other U.S. officials have argued that it was not fair to judge the surge strategy until all 28,500 troops arrived and had time to exert their influence on the ground. The announcement of that milestone came Friday.
But Harry Reid says that General Petraeus is an incompetent and moronic liar. The implication of the Democrats' assertion, that the generals are painting a rosier picture of Iraq than what is actually happening, is that General David Petraeus is willing to sacrifice the lives of his soldiers in order to trick Congress into supporting the President. That is quite an assertion, and I won't answer it. To these troops, the general wrote:
Thanks for what you continue to do. It is an honor to serve with each of you.
House and Senate Republicans, save a few ignoble miscreants, have fought this dangerous line of thinking for the years during which we have been engaged in this conflict. I pray that they continue to do so until we, with the Iraqis, can free that country from its evil intercessors.
The surge has just begun. According to the Democrat script, it failed months ago anyway, and that is what they will repeat when General Petraeus reports in three months. They see this as political, and they have a lot to lose politically if they fail. (NOTE: The Democrats fail if our troops succeed and the surge is successful. That's the position into which they have put themselves.)
I pray godspeed to our troops in Iraq and to their commanders. If you succeed, civilization has a world to gain.
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Ladies and Gentlemen, the surge is just starting. 20 Comments (0 topical, 20 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
replace the failed Surge?
Mark, you are far to kind to the scum that go by the name of the Democrat Party. Not only should the leadership be held accountable for their rejection of America, it is time to hold every person in the US who put that trash in charge to be held accountable for the degrading our Nation.
So yes, dear reader, if you voted for a Democrat I view you as an enemy of America at worst and a fool at best.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
So yes, dear reader, if you voted for a Democrat I view you as an enemy of America at worst and a fool at best.
That's fine to view people that way, of course. But you should be advised that many people view those who voted Republican (and for Bush in particular) in the same light.
What gains are to be made from such sweeping generalizations, though?
the Hate America crowd (democrats) to the Hate Americans crowd (republicans).
What if you love this country, its citizens and its freedoms? Maybe we need a third party.
by definition and so what they think is, of course, wrong.
"That's fine to view people that way, of course. But you should be advised that many people view those who voted Republican (and for Bush in particular) in the same light."
As for a neither party type person, why don't you find some core values to adopt and then support the party that most closely reflects those rather than just wishy wash through life?
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
The difference is that they are fools by definition and so what they think is, of course, wrong.
Yes, yes. Now, where have I heard that before? This is why I don't read DailyKos comments; it's all repeated practically verbatim right here on RedState.
As for a neither party type person, why don't you find some core values to adopt and then support the party that most closely reflects those rather than just wishy wash through life?
You think I wishy-wash through life because I haven't chosen a political party? Very interesting. I'm not personally worried about it, but the idea of being "wishy-washy" is actually quite unsettling to many people, including, I suspect, yourself.
Most people like to feel like they have all their ducks in a row when it comes to their core values. Merely thinking about value-bending situations can be so uncomfortable, some people simply turn their backs and refuse.
I'm not like this at all. I am not afraid of my core value foundations being shaken, and welcome all comers. If you tell me it's Right for the US to kill babies in Iraq via collateral damage, I'll hear you out and even entertain the notion that you might be correct.
Also, people like to feel they're part of a large group, which is why these parties are so popular. It can be uncomfortable if you don't fit in, to be sure, but it's also powerful to have your perspective represented by so many others.
But although this is the way things tend to work (the big get bigger since people see everyone else joining, they feel they must join too or risk being left out of the herd) it's not what's best. The party line is what people defend instead of their values. This is a weakness.
They say, "The Party speaks for me!" I reject this. I speak! The party is a tool, only! When it agrees with me, great. When it doesn't, it's time for the party to change.
Must I choose between Big Brother Republican federal government and Big Taxing Democrat federal government? Must I vote for one party only, through all levels of government?
To answer your question, I don't adopt one party because it's better to vote for the best candidate for the position. I would feel lame blindly following a party which claimed a set of values instead of following my own.
And it doesn't bother me if you disagree with that.
I have three US Marines....whom I am very very proud of as you can only imagine. When I read this..
"So yes, dear reader, if you voted for a Democrat I view you as an enemy of America at worst and a fool at best"
I wonder, will my Marines be court martialed? Are they "enemy"combatants now? Were they a "fool" for enlisting?
Do you think that our military are all Republican??
Come on.....
How about growing up a tad, raising yourself above your deep
anger and for the sake of this country and these kids, pulling together, not as Republicans or Democrats, but
Americans.
And your wrong the surge is just not starting.....
Lt. Col. Garver. He said that the surge was starting.
Your sons are brave Americans to whom we all owe a debt. They are not fools. Harry Reid, however, thinks that they are fools being manipulated by a moronic and treacherous commander.
I thank your sons; I thank you; and I thank their families. While they are doing the nations work abroad, I'll try my best to defend them from ignorant politicians at home.
The "getting troops in place" portion has just been completed. Now, the surrounding strategy - which has been gradually implemented as troop levels gradually rose - can begin to be fully implemented, as the troops are all finally in place.
That's "just starting," by most definitions.
Thanks to your sons for their service.
by the Democrats, they should return the favor. The anti-war Left, just as in Viet Nam, will be responsible for getting the majority of American soldiers wounded and killed because of its encouragement of the enemy.
Aside from Joe Lieberman, I see no Democrats willing to be Americans first and Democrats second.
Envisioning when all that is Left is the Right.
Harry's cowardly treasonous words are a pre emptive strike on America trying to kill the surge before it happens.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. Washington Elected Elite
1)preemptively declare defeat. The surge is just starting now (and it's pretty obvious the Dems and their media shills are terrified it will succeed)
2) change the goalposts. Everyone agreed back in 2006 the problem was the violence in Baghdad (correctly pointing out that the capital had to be reasonably secure before victory could be achieved). Now the security in Baghdad is, demonstrably, much better, so the media complains that sure, Baghdad is OK now but the rest of the country is worse...
3) attack the generals by calling them liars. But I don't think PetraeusLied is going to have the impact that BushLied does.
It's simply outrageous that reid called Gen Petraeus a liar in responding to the General's remarks in USAT on the improvements in Baghdad.
And incidentally -- publicly calling someone a liar could, in an earlier and better day in our nation, get you face to face with your adversary in a duel. Of course, duelling was reserved for gentlemen, and hence no gentleman would ever call out a low, skulking cur like Harry Reid.
No, Harry would be dragged to a public place, summarily horsewhipped, and ridden out of town on a rail for his disgusting temerity and appalling effrontery.
Here's the link to my post that challenges Reid's & Pelosi's claim that the surge has failed.
I'd love seeing Joe Lieberman caucus with Republicans. I don't think he's that far away from it. Has anyone heard if he's leaning that direction?
We are playing into their hands, and eventually we will have to leave
due to a no win situation.
The problems:
1. Surrounding countries are supplying weapons.
2. Our troops are getting killed trying to protect law and order in a
lawless country.
The solution to both problems is to move all our troops to guard the borders. Create a kill zone around our troops. We have the technology to do interdiction.
No Patrols, no IED's to worry about. No snipers can get close enough. Troops safe as can be in a war zone.
Let all the people that want to kill each other, do so. If the
government in place can't stop them, so be it. Sink or swim. Let them work it out themselves. Eventually one side will win.
Let all the killers kill themselves. It's like they are doing it for us!
If we don't like the outcome, we still have all our troops in place to adjust things to our liking.
Everybody happy!
Back in March and April, there were all kinds of press releases, photo ops & stories talking about the early success of the surge. McCain, for example, had his very visible trip to a market.
The surge was proclaimed to be working and a corner was proclaimed to have been turned.
Now when it appears the terrorists have adjusted their tactics to our changing tactics and violence levels in Iraq haven't changed (violent death up 70% from April to May), it's not surprising people are going to question the "surge just started" argument.
You can't have it both ways.
Can you cite one report that says the "surge just started"? What people have reported is that the buildup has just recently arrived at full strength. That is a good starting point to measure results from here to the future because now nobody can give the excuse that the surge is not at full strength. There is nothing to your argument about having it both ways because you are starting with a false premise.
"We should scrap this “comprehensive” immigration bill and the whole debate until the government can show the American people that we have secured the borders -- or at least made great headway."
Fred Thompson
It's that the surge is just starting at full strength - I was wrong.
Please explain why that wasn't mentioned in all the early reports that touted the successful signs of the surge?
The cold political reality is that what is required is a home run. Something that succeeds so brilliantly that no-one can deny that we are on the path to certain victory.
The 21st century version of the fall of Atlanta, Bragg's defeat at lookout mountain and Grant's iron grip on Richmond.
While we are just now at full strength, I doubt we will see that. I pray I am wrong.
You asked "Can you cite one report that says the "surge just started"?"
Well, pilgrim, the title of this thread is:
"Ladies and Gentlemen, the surge is just starting"
who was probably responding to Reid and Pelosi.
Look, the line has always been that it would take time to deploy the troops, to implement the surge. That has been done, so now that the troops are in place, the strategy we call "the surge" can begin.
If you had paid attention to the White House and others, they never said that the surge was working. They said that the additional troops seemed to be helping so far, but there would be setbacks.
The troops are in place, ergo the surge is starting.
"I have not yet begun to fight"
"Retreat? Heck, we just got here"
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill