NYT: Surge "Fails To Meet US Goals"

The New York Times:

Seven months after the American-led troop "surge" began, Baghdad has experienced modest security gains that have neither reversed the city's underlying sectarian dynamic nor created a unified and trusted national government.

Improvements have been made. American military figures show that sectarian killings in Baghdad have decreased substantially. In many of Baghdad's most battle-scarred areas, including Mansour in the west and Ur in the east, markets and parks that were practically abandoned last year have begun to revive.

Read the whole story: The New York Times

Comments

[whathehell]

11:56 PM on 09/08/2007

I was just thinking that to achieve something as devious as the neocon or PNAC death squad agenda, Americans would have to be gullible in large numbers. Why else would they try to convince people that Arab extremists are "Evil", never mentioning the evil we impose on them? That explains the incredulous and totally out-of-touch views of the new "TIME" magazine chief editor, mr x. The only snag is that he lives on another planet, Neo-Earth, where everything is on fire, and WWIII is in full throttle……………..gotago

[TLV]

12:20 AM on 09/09/2007

The trauma of 9/11 brought many of us to the point of extreme gullibility.

However, now that most Americans have figured out that the largest number of terrorists are in Washington, we can work on stopping the surge of death the neo-cons desire for the people of the Middle East.

[whathehell]

08:24 AM on 09/09/2007

I think most Americans will, once again, bend to the will of "The man on the ground", or General Petraeus and his poker-face lying assessment. The media will harp on "leaving an Iraq vulnerable to terrorists" or "leaving just when things were getting better". Those damn democrats are cutting are running from a lost war, and that amounts to surrender. It should be an interesting week, culminating in Bush The Realist's interpretation of the assessment, or the assessment of the assessment. Watch for Bush's eyes to narrow, and his face contort into one of grave concern. The State of The Union face.

[TLV]

11:49 PM on 09/08/2007

"Many speculate Kerik is “mobbed up,” an interesting associate for Giuliani, a man who built his reputation prosecuting mob leaders, Wall Street swindlers and corrupt cops."

No wonder Bush thought he would be great as Homeland Security Director. Kerik was just the right kind of criminal for the job - until his multiple levels guilt were revealed.

[NewArtz]

11:47 PM on 09/08/2007

A surge that doesn't meet it's goal sounds like impotence to me. If Congress would stop perscribing Viagra, then the insatiable war drive of Dick Cheney wouldn't be supplied with any more blood.

[smartstuart]

11:43 PM on 09/08/2007

Those commie pinko-s at the NYT must have gotten it wrong...our Commander-in -thief ,Chimpy , told the Austrians at the OPEC meeting down under that "we're kickin' ass in Iraq"!!!...Then he went out the wrong door...probably on his way for more vacation time. Fucking it all up IS hard work, afterall! Just hanging on waiting for the NYT to publish a retracton!! Come on, Chimpy, kick some NYT ass...or get the traitor, Judy Miller to get it done for you!!! Anyone see or hear from Darth Cheney lately??

[MI6troll]

11:40 PM on 09/08/2007

BJ seems to be in a vile mood.

Someone must have let the air out of his date.

[PeacethroughStringTheory]

12:09 AM on 09/09/2007

Weak.

I guess that's as good of a concession as any to end on.

Didn't think you'd go out on such a weak note, but, oh well.

[MI6troll]

12:13 AM on 09/09/2007

concession?

Delusional and bushbotic is no way to go through life, Betty.

[WOLFWARRIOR]

11:27 PM on 09/08/2007

GIULIANI PARTNERS CLAIMS SHADY ASSOCIATIONS

By 9/11, New York City mayoral primaries were in full swing, but the primary election was delayed as a result of the attacks. Drawing further comparisons to a banana-republic dictator, Giuliani lobbied to circumvent the New York Constitution in order to reign a third term. His argument: New York needed him more than ever, although just one percent of New Yorkers were displaced by the attacks and the city never truly “shut down.” When the third term didn’t fly, Giuliani sought an additional three months. No dice.

Meanwhile, he was organizing Giuliani Partners, a security consulting company. In the spirit of the true cronyism he is known for, Giuliani enlisted his close associates. One of them was Bernard Kerik. Starting out as a driver for Giuliani before advancing to commissioner of police — replacing a commissioner who was allegedly fired for taking too much credit for the decrease in crime rates — Kerik was recommended by Giuliani to serve as head of Homeland Security. But during the vetting process for that position, Kerik’s shady dealings became apparent. Kerik later pled guilty to accepting bribes and loans from developers with mob ties. Many speculate Kerik is “mobbed up,” an interesting associate for Giuliani, a man who built his reputation prosecuting mob leaders, Wall Street swindlers and corrupt cops.

Along with Kerik, Alan Placa, a former Catholic priest excommunicated from the church for accusations of sexual abuse as well as covering up the abuse of other priests, is a partner at Giuliani Partners.  Recently, Giuliani stated that Placa will not be fired as a result of the coverups. Petty in comparison but still worth noting is Pasquale J. D’Amuro, a former FBI administrator and Giuliani Partners partner who has admitted to stealing artifacts from Ground Zero.

http://www.rmchronicle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1138

[TLV]

12:06 AM on 09/09/2007

Did you ever see the video of Giuliani and Kerik when the stash of gold is found at Ground Zero? They are absolutely as giddy as little school boys.

After that, he stopped the firemen from working on "the pile" until they protested so much he was forced to allow them back there again to find the remains of those lost. Think how many more bodies would still be mixed with dirt, as many are, if the firemen had been prevented from working as Giuliani wanted.

[WOLFWARRIOR]

11:20 PM on 09/08/2007

You boy's and girl's think good old rudy - support's the surge of bathroom republican's???

[WOLFWARRIOR]

11:19 PM on 09/08/2007

New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, right, dressed in drag as a role in “Victor/Victoria,” sings with Julie Andrews at the New York Hilton in this March 1, 1997 file photo, during an event presented by the Inner Circle. Shocking New Yorkers is difficult, yet Giuliani teetered close to the line when he sauntered on stage wearing a platinum blond wig, a face full of makeup, dainty white gloves and a frilly pink gown filled out in all the right places. Dressing in drag is de rigeuer for New York mayors at the city’s annual Inner Circle dinner - but how it will play with conservative voters in the Republican presidential primaries is unknown. (AP Photo/Joe DeMaria, File)


http://evilqueen.demesnes.net/2007/04/14/rudy-giuliani-in-drag-1997/

[WOLFWARRIOR]

11:17 PM on 09/08/2007

............
RUDY GIULIANI, IN DRAG: HE'S DA MAN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb2y1IM17sM

.

[TLV]

11:16 PM on 09/08/2007

Look at this video from 2004 of bin Laden. It looks like the same fake and the same backdrop and the same clothing as the fake they have in what they call the "new" bin Laden tape!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3966741.stm

Not the same fake they used right after 9/11, though:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a321/bogumilo/5420-20fake_osama.jpg

Here "he" is in the new one:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/09/08/terror/main3244193.shtml

[WOLFWARRIOR]

11:14 PM on 09/08/2007

Robert Greenwald
My Response to Rudy Giuliani's Attacks


Just don't ever say Rudy was in drag ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IrE6FMpai8

[darker]

10:56 PM on 09/08/2007

Surge surprise! NOT.
Every Bush-Cheney comment and "action of INACTION" is to STALL STALL STALL on Iraq invasion, drag it out as long as possible, to SHOVEL TAXPAYER DOLLARS into pockets of rich pal CORPORATE WELFARE QUEENS profiteering from all wars.

Watch for more fun & games with frat-brats Bush-Cheney as this administration continues its destruction of America, the american dream, your kids' future, and then some.

[zephyrus]

10:25 PM on 09/08/2007

Real efforts on the behalf of the NYT like this are heartening. Most "journalists" are only scribes. I've become so cynical about this Goddamn war, and I still won't be surprised if the entire Congress starts crowing a chorus of "it's working, it's working!" later this month. I'm grateful that some in government had the courage to come forward regarding the NIE "softened" language too.

Now if we could just have a "surge" of new representatives and put all of these bums out to pasture in the next few years.....

[wars4profit]

10:24 PM on 09/08/2007

Female troops harassed by male troops in Iraq


"[Sara Rich reports that her daughter Suzanne Swift couldn’t] handle another deployment, dealing with the daily hour-to-hour sexual harassment that she endured from 99% of her male officers and fellow soldiers. The isolation and fear of being attacked, harassed, molested and raped was a huge part of her life in Iraq. She was always full of anxiety and stress just keeping herself safe when her commanding officers would show up banging on her door in the middle of the night, intoxicated and wanting to have sex with her. The intimidation and sexual harassment that our female soldiers are enduring is leading to massive stress and in some cases even death for our military women in Iraq.”

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/090707A.shtml

--Sara Rich, “A Moment of Silence Is Not Enough”


(Note for trolls only: I'm aware that the slightest mention of female troops enrages you. However, there is no notice on Huffpo advising that female troops are always "off-topic." Females are half the population. You've had at least a week to devote to Sen. Craig's man-on-man peccadillos. If a single post referring to females upsets you, just press the little triangle or use your scroll bar.)
.

[MI6troll]

10:37 PM on 09/08/2007

And look what raise had to say in defense of PaulRevere:

wars4profit (See profile | I'm a fan of wars4profit)

innerpeace

If you are against the war, you should appreciate the fact that Paul is vehemently opposed to it. I've found he's amenable to discussion. Why not show that you're not the "dumb" one by meeting him halfway?

People who post here have different backgrounds and experiences in life. For all we know, he could be a veteran who spent time in Iraq. For all we know, he may suffer from post traumatic stress response.

Try answering his question, "What gives you the right to invade a sovereign country for no cause, to remain a war criminal and genocidal occupying force, etc.?"
.(Psychodot)
Reply | Parent | Favorite | Flagged | posted 06:10 pm on 09/08/2007

wars4profit (See profile | I'm a fan of wars4profit)

PaulRevere101

Paul's right. Anyone who hates wars has had the experience of disproving the warmongering assertions of the Pentagon's minions only to come back in an hour, a day, or a week to find them making the very same assertions over and over and over.

No wonder Paul repeats the same posts.
.(Psychodot)

Reply | Parent | Favorite | Flagged | posted 03:11 pm on 09/08/2007


raise is saying this in support of the VILE posts of PaulRevere101.

raise is the troll.

[JaneC]

10:43 PM on 09/08/2007

Wow a paulrevere fan? ICK.

[JaneC]

10:38 PM on 09/08/2007

It's way bigger than that. Last year alone, almost 3,000 soldiers reported sexual assault and rape by other soldiers.

The shocking phenomenon has a label: military sexual trauma, or MST. NOW meets women courageously battling to overcome their MST, bringing light to an issue that's putting the Army in shame.

And it's not all women who are sexually assaulted.

* 27% of men have experienced military sexual trauma
* 60% of women have experienced military sexual trauma
* 3.5% of men have experienced military sexual assault
* 23% of women have experienced military sexual assault
* 11% of women have experienced rape
* 1.2% of men have experienced rape
* Service branch with the highest percentage of women reporting sexual trauma: Marine Corps
* 20% of women seeking care VA facilities have experienced sexual trauma
* 1% of men seeking care for sexual trauma at VA facilities have experienced sexual trauma
* 8.3 percentage of women report lifetime PTSD related to MST
* More than half of the incidents took place at a military work site and during duty hours
* The majority of the offenders in these cases were military personnel
* Factors that increase risk of sexual assault for active duty females include presence of officers who condone or allow sexual harassment and unwanted sexual attention

[PeacethroughStringTheory]

10:51 PM on 09/08/2007

Not content only to accuse them of being "cold blooded murderers", falsely, in Hadditha, now the left attempts to impugn our troops, the ones they "support", as rapists?

When do we hear the chants of "baby killer", Jane?

NOW? The same organization that thought sex in the workplace between a male supervisor and a female subordinate was, by definition, sexual harassment, but rolled over for Bill Clinton? That NOW?

Really, Jane, you're such a funny person...

[PeacethroughStringTheory]

10:21 PM on 09/08/2007

"WASHINGTON - Just in time for next week's Bush administration report to Congress on Iraq, most of the top leadership council in Iraq has reached a breakthrough agreement on a new oil law - the thorniest of the political issues blocking compromise in that cauldron of a country.

A Kurdish official predicted Friday to Newsday that if a final agreement can be announced to coincide with Army Gen. David Petraeus' testimony to Congress on Monday, it would be a major boon to President George W. Bush's argument that progress is being made in Iraq."


Hey, you like apples?

How do you like those apples?

[MI6troll]

10:32 PM on 09/08/2007

See your article and raise you one:

Republican Forecast: Cloudy
Party's Woes Go Beyond Bush as It
Bleeds Support Among Key Groups
By JACKIE CALMES
September 5, 2007; Page A8

WASHINGTON -- For Republicans hoping the 2008 campaign will bring a fresh start after the troubled tenure of President Bush, there are sobering signs: Evidence indicates that the party's problems with the American electorate are much bigger than the president and won't go away when he leaves office.

Recent voter surveys, including private polling done by a leading Republican strategist, suggest a broader erosion of Republicans' appeal. In particular, three groups crucial to Mr. Bush's goal of a "permanent Republican majority" are drifting away: younger voters, Hispanics and independents.

The reasons include the Iraq war, conservatives' emphasis on social issues such as gay marriage, abortion and stem-cell research, and a party-led backlash against illegal immigrants that has left many Hispanic and Asian-American citizens feeling unwelcome. The upshot is that Republicans face structural problems that stem from generational, demographic and societal changes and aren't easily overcome without changing fundamental party positions.

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118895742058917747.html?mod=blog

[PeacethroughStringTheory]

10:37 PM on 09/08/2007

Okay, that's seven times now, unless you posted it again since I pointed out the sixth time.

Desperate for a bit of good news, are we? Like a drowning man grasping at anything that floats, as I pointed out earlier.

Good for you, RR, find an opinion piece that makes you feel better about your chances.

[zephyrus]

10:32 PM on 09/08/2007

Works out rather nicely for US/Western petroleum companies too, don't you think?