Bush's Shrinking Safety Zone

[lookout123]

tw- i don't necessarily disagree that we need more boots in the sand to bring this to a quick close... but have you read some of the independents, such as Michael Yon.

although the situation is far from good, it is necessarily as dire as we see on TV. i'm just sayin'.

[tw]

Originally Posted by lookout123

although the situation is far from good, it is necessarily as dire as we see on TV. i'm just sayin'.

Who is looking at TV? Do the numbers. Iraqi unemployment still remains just as high - well in excess of 50%. Why join the army? Army is one of the few jobs that actually pays. Now if that recruit can just stay out of combat - which is why so many Iraqi battalions disappear when the battle starts.

Where are these utilities that are provided how many years after "Mission Accomplished" was declared? Even Saigon had better electrical supply while we were losing the Vietnam War. Baghdad still has less electricity than when Saddam was in power. In Iraq, Americans don't leave the once called Green Zones. Even Vietnam was safer for Americans during that war.

American intelligence numbers say the insurgency is growing in numbers so large that they really are not sure how large the insurgency is. In only eight months, one insurgency group call Zarqawi could increase his numbers by a factor of ten! And new insurgency groups are appearing every month. This is widespread. So where is this victory?

The numbers say things completely different from what George Jr is preaching. For if things were getting better, then why is unemployment so high? Why have the number of battle ready Iraqi battalions only decreased - down to one. If things are getting better, then why have the military stopped talking about ongoing reconstruction? No sense talking about reconstruction when most projects were halted - some literally sabotaged. If things are getting better, then why does more than 25% of all reconstruction money, instead, go to security? Even in Vietnam, construction did not require so much security.

If this were Firestone, then we would all be blaming failures on someone else - ie Ford - and then claim the war against failing tires was being won. Then we could ignore the numbers of failed tires. If the war was being won, then Urbane Guerilla could post some facts demonstrating same. Well, maybe that is too much of a stretch.....

The facts stand sharply consistent with Vietnam of 30 years previous. Americans in Iraq must reside only in areas with multiple layers of security. There are few places outside of Kurdish and southern Iraq that is safe for any American without layers of protection. Even Fallujah, that was suppose to be a secured city instead saw multiple artillery shells maim 21 Marines. This in a city where those shells should have been detected by explosive sniffing machines. So how did all those bombs still get into Fallujah if we are winning this war? Deja vue Vietnam ... all over again. We won that war too? Yes, in the minds of those who denied reality of the numbers. Ie Willaim Westmoreland - may he also sizzle in hell and his own lies.

With current troop levels, we are losing the "Mission Accomplished" war. But the generals have always said we don't have enough troops. Who do you believe? Republican Party spin doctors who decided to "fix" Iraq and who now short the generals of needed troops? Or the generals who actually do the work? The generals say they don't have enough troops. Facts say that we are not winning "Mission Accomplished" - which is only consistent with what the generals are saying.

So how does George Jr win this war? He is currently on a propaganda campaign to 'win the war'. Clearly propaganda can win a war because the enemy is American minds. Does George Jr give the product people - the generals - what they need? Of course not. MBAs win by cutting costs - not solving problems. George Jr need only convince US that the war is being won. So again he can claim "Mission Accomplished". Deja vue Vietnam. The numbers say the "Mission Accomplished" war is being lost no matter how much propaganda George Jr spews.

The numbers are damning to any claim made by George Jr or President Cheney.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by lookout123

tw- i don't necessarily disagree that we need more boots in the sand to bring this to a quick close... but have you read some of the independents, such as Michael Yon.

although the situation is far from good, it is necessarily as dire as we see on TV. i'm just sayin'.

The Stryker Brigade that Mike Yon was with seems to be effective. But it looks to me it's like being the world champion at "Whack-A-Mole", they keep whacking but the "Mole" supply seems endless.

On another note....The Iraqui people have been so closely controlled, for so long, I wonder if they've lost all inititive to do anything but wait to see what they are given by the government?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

On another note....The Iraqui people have been so closely controlled, for so long, I wonder if they've lost all inititive to do anything but wait to see what they are given by the government?

It makes me wonder how fragile and complex voluntary associations between people are. As we in this country replace choices with mandates and interdependence with dependence, will we reach a tipping point?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Like in New Orleans?