Posted on 08/25/2007 9:02:26 AM PDT by tentmaker
How can one gather and assess information about Iraq -- collected on a trip or from any other source? Information from a war zone is difficult to attain and interpretation is open to many views.
Unfortunately, much of the blogosphere and other media outlets have emphasized the wrong question, challenging the integrity of anyone who dares to express politically incorrect views about Iraq. Last week, Jonathan Finer criticized on this page [" Green Zone Blinders," Aug. 18] a New York Times essay that Ken Pollack and I wrote, as well as the comments of several senators, for claiming too much insight based on short trips to Iraq. Finer suggested that we did not leave the Green Zone, although we frequently did, on this and other trips, and he ignored how critical Pollack and I have been of administration policy in the past.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The Bolsheviks are re-educating the Mensheviks.
Our assessments are based on our observations as well as on years of study. That experience creates networks of colleagues such as military officers whose off-the-record insights can inform ours and who in the past have often told us when they did not think their strategies were working or could work.
Iraqi civilian fatality rates are down.
Counterinsurgency tactics are much better
Iraqi forces are improving
Economic reconstruction is improving
Iraqi resources are starting to flow from Baghdad to at least some provincial governments, fostering reconstruction and helping local politicians work together for the good of their constituents.
That said, Iraq's economy remains fairly flat, with utility performance no better than in Saddam Hussein's day and job creation weak
In the end, even if Iraqis cooperate more at the local level, our strategy for Iraq probably cannot work absent major national political cooperation across sectarian lines.
There is nothing more vicious than one Lefty attacking another Lefty for venturing (mildly) off the acceptable party orthodoxy.
They claim to be free and independent thinkers but suppress any attempts at really independent thought.
Typical of the Leftist fantatics behavior. When they cannot refute the facts, they merely scream hate at the truth tellers.
There already is a huge “depression era jobs program” in place, its called the war. I am sure more Iraqis are employed in this program than any other jobs programming taking place.
Ping
Unless it's an FR Giuliani thread.
LOL!
The Democrats have been polluted with lunatics for over 40 years.
It does not diminish their support among the public that is becoming increasingly polluted with lunatics.
I do agree that the Democratic Party will not exist in a few years. Unfortunately, it will be replaced by an even more extreme green/socialist party.
Hopefully it will be sooner then that
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