On the Ground, Straight From the Top (Commanders Say U.S. Is Winning)

Washington Post ^ | 12/07/03 | many

[Pokey78]

U.S. military commanders throughout Iraq have been saying for months -- almost unequivocally -- that they are winning the war against Iraqi insurgents, religious extremists and foreign terrorists in their sectors. This, even as attacks against U.S. forces increased across the country and a series of high-profile bombings and helicopter shoot-downs helped create the impression in the world media that the insurgents were gaining ground. Vernon Loeb, defense correspondent for The Post, asked commanders from the four major U.S. Army divisions in Iraq why they thought they were winning, and what they used as measures of success. Responding via e-mail, they had plenty to say. Excerpts:

[Cobra64]

On the Ground, Straight From the Top (Commanders Say U.S. Is Winning)

Tom Daschle, "I am saddened. Deeply saddened."

[SandRat]

WOT A Win underway - PING!

[xzins]

Click on the excerpt link.

The comments from the on-ground commanders are very informative.

RC, this is definite: good news from iraq.

[Hill-William]

Just think how Howie Dean and the rest of the 'rat pack must feel. Day after day more good news on Iraq and the economy.

What is a 'rat to do? I suspect they will dig deep in the 'rat play book and pull out "class warfare."

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

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[Prodigal Son]

Good read. It's always good to get the real poop from the commanders on the ground.

[Dark Wing]

fyi

[demlosers]

A good read.

[demlosers]

A good read.

[LoudRepublicangirl]

What is a 'rat to do? I suspect they will dig deep in the 'rat play book and pull out "class warfare."

Hence, the babes against Bush campaign. They will show us just how low-class they are.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I'll post it for the title ~ with your word that it's worthy of our troops, SandRat, xzins.

Won't register at WP, though. (^:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
U.S. military commanders throughout Iraq have been saying for months -- almost unequivocally -- that they are winning the war against Iraqi insurgents, religious extremists and foreign terrorists in their sectors. This, even as attacks against U.S. forces increased across the country and a series of high-profile bombings and helicopter shoot-downs helped create the impression in the world media that the insurgents were gaining ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The impression was created. This author/creator is right about that.

[aposiopetic]

Thanks for the post: good news straight from the source and without a lot of the usual mainstream media spin.

[windchime]

Bump!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Criminal Number 18F]

I have a library filled with books on war, none of which Vernon Loeb appears to have read, and a couple dozen years of relevant experience, any part of which also seems to have escaped him.

So it's a little peculiar to see him actually doing something smart -- shutting up and letting the on-the-ground commanders speak. Unfortunately, he doesn't explain, which he probably shoud, the difference between a division and a battalion (the former is 20-plus times larger). Then again, based on the other stuff he's typed in this war, he might not know that himself.

I enjoyed the different styles of the different officers. Steve Russell "gets it," and I laughed at his coinage, "Mathematactics." Look for him to show up at progressively more responsible Army jobs over the next ten or fifteen years (assuming, of course, that neither the Hadjis nor the Democrats win). Henry Arnold, on the other hand, comes across as whiner (but is whining about things that are important). Russell clearly thinks about the way every word he writes is liable to be made a headline; that is evident even in his excellent website for his battalion.

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[blackie]

U.S. military commanders throughout Iraq have been saying for months -- almost unequivocally -- that they are winning the war against Iraqi insurgents, religious extremists and foreign terrorists in their sectors. This, even as attacks against U.S. forces increased across the country and a series of high-profile bombings and helicopter shoot-downs helped create the impression in the world media that the insurgents were gaining ground ~ Big Bump!

[Coop]

Bump for our fine fighting forces!