The Surge
The Democrats won the 2006 elections by running on a platform of “change”. Luckily for them, no one asked what specific change they had in mind. Actually, no one has asked them that yet. However, President Bush heard the message and did indeed make a change in strategy.
Bush fired Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and replaced the top commander in Iraq. He promoted 4-Star General David Petreaus to lead the MNF-I or multi-national forces in Iraq. General Petreaus literally wrote the book on counter-insurgency operations for the US military. He successfully secured his area of operations in northern Iraq before his promotion. David Petreaus is the architect of “the surge” .
General Petreaus was confirmed by a unanimous vote in the Senate (81-0) for his position. He told the Senators that his plan would require 5 additional combat battalions (approximately 22k troops) that would be fully deployed by June 2007. He further stated that it would take at least 3 months to measure the results of the “surge”.
The 5th battalion arrived in Iraq mid-June of this year and Operation Phantom Thunder began almost instantaneously. The results have been staggering.
The Sunni tribes of Anbar, which had been the base for al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) for years have turned against al-Qaeda. Fourteen of the eighteen Anbar tribes have officially switched sides. The 1920’s Revolutionary Brigade, which has been one of the most ferocious fighters against US forces, now fights alongside the US against al-Qaeda. Tips to US intelligence about AQI hideouts and bomb-making factories have increased 10 times. Violence in Baghdad has decreased by 80% in some areas.
There is a lot of work to be done, but the surge has produced results. al-Qaeda is on the run and the insurgency is waning. There are several factions of Iraqis that want US forces to leave, but not before defeating AQI. al-Qaeda has worn out its welcome everywhere it has been.
General Petreaus was tasked with reporting on the results of his plan, 3 months after its implementation. Before he said a word in his September 11th testimony, some Democrats called him a liar. It is disgraceful that the New York Times ran an ad from MoveOn.org that called the top military commander in the theater “General Betray Us” instead of Petreaus. Hillary said his report called for a “suspension of disbelief”. None of the Democrat candidates running for President have denounced the insult to a career military professional who has served under multiple Presidents, including Bill Clinton.
No one has yet heard a Democrat speak about the benefits to the United States of a precipitous withdrawal or a formal timeline for withdrawing troops. However, that is all the Democrat candidates for Commander-in-Chief call for. None are asked specific questions about what their proposed policies will cost.
The Democrats are allowed easy talking points while the Republicans are blamed for every tragedy that war ultimately brings. The candidates who speak about victory are treated like wishful thinkers, while the candidates who talk about defeat are treated as patriots. Is the greatest country in the history of the world about to surrender to a group of suicidal camel jockeys?
The Democrats are right that a change in leadership is required. However, is the change needed to come from those who support winning against a ferocious enemy motivated to kill Americans anywhere it can find them, or against politicians willing to sacrifice a few fellow countrymen for political gain? Is this country really as great as I think it is, or is it doomed to fail as the greatest hope to mankind, because too many are willing to sell out for short term benefits?
We deserve the answer that reality gives us.
.
Bush fired Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and replaced the top commander in Iraq. He promoted 4-Star General David Petreaus to lead the MNF-I or multi-national forces in Iraq. General Petreaus literally wrote the book on counter-insurgency operations for the US military. He successfully secured his area of operations in northern Iraq before his promotion. David Petreaus is the architect of “the surge” .
General Petreaus was confirmed by a unanimous vote in the Senate (81-0) for his position. He told the Senators that his plan would require 5 additional combat battalions (approximately 22k troops) that would be fully deployed by June 2007. He further stated that it would take at least 3 months to measure the results of the “surge”.
The 5th battalion arrived in Iraq mid-June of this year and Operation Phantom Thunder began almost instantaneously. The results have been staggering.
The Sunni tribes of Anbar, which had been the base for al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) for years have turned against al-Qaeda. Fourteen of the eighteen Anbar tribes have officially switched sides. The 1920’s Revolutionary Brigade, which has been one of the most ferocious fighters against US forces, now fights alongside the US against al-Qaeda. Tips to US intelligence about AQI hideouts and bomb-making factories have increased 10 times. Violence in Baghdad has decreased by 80% in some areas.
There is a lot of work to be done, but the surge has produced results. al-Qaeda is on the run and the insurgency is waning. There are several factions of Iraqis that want US forces to leave, but not before defeating AQI. al-Qaeda has worn out its welcome everywhere it has been.
General Petreaus was tasked with reporting on the results of his plan, 3 months after its implementation. Before he said a word in his September 11th testimony, some Democrats called him a liar. It is disgraceful that the New York Times ran an ad from MoveOn.org that called the top military commander in the theater “General Betray Us” instead of Petreaus. Hillary said his report called for a “suspension of disbelief”. None of the Democrat candidates running for President have denounced the insult to a career military professional who has served under multiple Presidents, including Bill Clinton.
No one has yet heard a Democrat speak about the benefits to the United States of a precipitous withdrawal or a formal timeline for withdrawing troops. However, that is all the Democrat candidates for Commander-in-Chief call for. None are asked specific questions about what their proposed policies will cost.
The Democrats are allowed easy talking points while the Republicans are blamed for every tragedy that war ultimately brings. The candidates who speak about victory are treated like wishful thinkers, while the candidates who talk about defeat are treated as patriots. Is the greatest country in the history of the world about to surrender to a group of suicidal camel jockeys?
The Democrats are right that a change in leadership is required. However, is the change needed to come from those who support winning against a ferocious enemy motivated to kill Americans anywhere it can find them, or against politicians willing to sacrifice a few fellow countrymen for political gain? Is this country really as great as I think it is, or is it doomed to fail as the greatest hope to mankind, because too many are willing to sell out for short term benefits?
We deserve the answer that reality gives us.
.
posted by BoiseJag at 7:31 PM
0 comments
