Posted on 07/14/2008 5:33:21 PM PDT by Tennessean4Bush
14 July 2008
The war continues to abate in Iraq. Violence is still present, but, of course, Iraq was a relatively violent place long before Coalition forces moved in. I would go so far as to say that barring any major and unexpected developments (like an Israeli air strike on Iran and the retaliations that would follow), a fair-minded person could say with reasonable certainty that the war has ended. A new and better nation is growing legs. What's left is messy politics that likely will be punctuated by low-level violence and the occasional spectacular attack. Yet, the will of the Iraqi people has changed, and the Iraqi military has dramatically improved, so those spectacular attacks are diminishing along with the regular violence. Now it's time to rebuild the country, and create a pluralistic, stable and peaceful Iraq. That will be long, hard work. But by my estimation, the Iraq War is over. We won. Which means the Iraqi people won.
I wish I could say the same for Afghanistan. But that war we clearly are losing: I am preparing to go there and see the situation for myself. My friends and contacts who have a good understanding of Afghanistan are, to a man, pessimistic about the current situation. Interestingly, however, every one of them believes that Afghanistan can be turned into a success. They all say we need to change our approach, but in the long-term Afghanistan can stand on its own. The sources range from four-stars to civilians from the United States, Great Britain and other places. A couple years ago, some of these sources believed that defeat was imminent in Iraq. They were nearly right about Iraq, although some of them knew far less about Iraq than they do about Afghanistan. But it's clear that hard days are ahead in Afghanistan. We just lost nine of our soldiers in a single firefight, where the enemy entered a base and nearly overran it.
The news from Afghanistan is reason for pessimism. For some more optimistic news, please look at these statistics from Iraq, and remember that if we could turn things around in that country, we might be able to do the same in Afghanistan.
You called it long before Yon, and long before virtually anyone else on this board. Everytime I see an article like this I think of you.
Michael Yon ping.
BTTT
I have a buddy that is a MstSgt in th eMarines. he told me that his marines are bored in Iraq because they have nothing left to shoot at. They want to get over to Afghanastan to finish the bad guys off over there.
Very strong leadership by President Bush.
The incredible professionalism and bravery of our military which is without any doubt the most powerful and the most formidable fighting force in history of mankind.
God Bless President Bush and our brave troops.
Yes, there is still much hard fighting to be done...and yes, that means dealing with the Pak border regions (to some extent.....and that depends on them...not us).....but we are winning and the Taliban have already LOST in Stan.
Thanks Tennessean4Bush.
Good news. I never thought we were losing. The American left thought we were losing from the moment we hit the ground. I remember them immediately shifting from whining about Afghanistan to whining about Iraq. Bad management and the constant spread of terrorists propaganda by leftist media nearly turned Iraq into a disaster. Now it will shift back to Afghanistan which we are not losing though it is probably prudent to redouble efforts there. As for Iran if we want long term stability in the MiddleEast then we need to finish the job. Once Iran is eliminated as a threat to the Peace then the MiddleEast will finally have a chance at Peace.
If we want to pretend that things will just take care of themselves with Iran then we can welcome constant problems in Iraq and Syria as Iran continues to stir things up. Also too much of the Islamic world things America as been neutered by being bogged down in an unpopular war in Iraq. That is exactly the wrong message they should be getting. The message that should be sent is that America is even more committed to winning the War on Terror.
I'll add a third reason for victory....the people of Iraq.
There are several differences between Iraq and Afghanistan, the most significant one being the heavy attrition of fighters in Iraq. In Afghanistan the Taliban has taken even heavier losses, but they have an almost inexhaustible supply of madrasa graduates from Pakistan to throw at us.
As long as Pakistan remains the mess it is, then the war will continue.
Agree.
ping
It sure would be nice it you’d quite spamming all the threads with this pic. We may be stuck with McCain, and a Benjamin Martin he most certainly isn’t. He is, at best, a moderate who the country clubers can be comfortable with.
Yon’s book, Moment of Truth in Iraq, is a good one and this result is predicted. Afghanistan will be the same, despite the current pessimism. Thanks, as always, for the good news ping.
There are more than just several differences between Iraq and Stan.......With that said.....Any notion that we are losing in Stan (or Iraq) is absolutely BS by any reasonable measures.....Complete and utter BS.
Actually in most of that country we've done well. The challenge is in those areas closest to the sanctuaries over the Pakistan border. What the Taliban and their erstwhile guests al-Qaeda have there is the sine qua non of modern terrorism - a base that is protected by the "inviolability" (at least ostensibly in one direction) of the borders of a sovereign nation that cannot or will not keep its own territory from becoming a staging area for covert warfare.
That needs to change or there is nothing lasting that we can accomplish in a neighbor laid open to attack. The difficulty is that it is a formidable military challenge to be addressed by an upcoming administration that may well lack the experience, ability, and determination to carry the fight to the enemy, and who will have precious little in the way of allied assets capable of exerting themselves in that arena. Highest regard to the Brits, Poles, Canucks, and all of our other NATO partners, but that's the cold truth - this showdown will take place on the territory of a putative ally with nuclear arms who does not wish it to, and who will have the diplomatic backing of Russia and China, whose own foreign policies hope to achieve a cheap victory in an American defeat.
Frankly I am not optimistic. I don't think what needs to be done in the northeast of Pakistan will be, and if it is not, in a worst-case scenario, we could have the quagmire the Democrats have been praying for under a Democratic administration who will happily cede the field to the enemy in the midst of pious proclamations that it is, after all, the side of peace. And peace is the very last thing that will result.
The war in Iraq is won. Trashcanistan needs a surge of Marines.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
And no doubt, your buddy will get his wish soon enough and to your friend say a big THANK YOU and shoot straight :)
Every time I see this graphic, it brings a smile to my lips.
I just finished Mister Yon’s new book a few weeks ago. If there isn’t a pulitzer prize in his future then there is no justice in the world.
That things are getting more difficult in Afghanistan is true... and also very interesting from a global strategy point of view. The enemy is moving to a new battleground, and just were we’d like them to be, IMHO. Sun Tsu would be proud of Gen. Petraeus. I think things on the ground there are about to change, vis-a-vis the change in Iraq. Mister Yon’s dispatches from Afghanistan, should he be willing to keep up the tempo, will be required reading.
Thanks, Mike. Your stuff is the best there is.
He is so close to retirement I don’t think he will get deployed again.
I think, however, if they asked him, he would go.
I called it on here starting in 2004 - many times. Caught snotty derision from a lot of people for it, but I never wavered.
Well I wish him well then and thank him endlessly for serving. I am waging my own little war called media and data :) I took the ASVAB and almost became a Marine when I was 20. Now I will serve America in other ways as best as I can.
We would had lost the war if Al-Qaeda never went after the Sunni community.
Actually, the Sunnis went after al Qaeda. And the persistence, patience and hard work of our troops were key in bringing that about.
It would be appreciated if you would, at least, keep it to threads regarding John McCain specifically.
Yes, that's why you and jveritas are two of the posters I have bookmarked. I care about your opinion.
Are you in Baghdad?
Click on Allegra’s profile.
Thanks, but I wasn't wondering whether she has been there over the past few years including this year. And I know she plans to be there for the duration. What I was asking was whether or not she made it back in one piece because her flight back from her month-long or so vacation here was due to arrive in Baghdad any day now.
Yep. Arrived back on Friday. I'm in the Green Zone this time around.
It's been very quiet. :-)
Oh, sorry.
I imagine everyone is more optimistic now. I had read where Maliki is really popular now that it is perceived he has done something about the extremists on both sides.
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