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A Season of Hope in Iraq
Washington Post ^ | August 31, 2007 | Michael Gearson

Posted on 08/31/2007 7:59:35 PM PDT by Kaslin

The season now ending with school bells and the return of Congress was supposed to be the "Iraq Summer." A coalition of antiwar groups promised 10 weeks of phone banks, billboards, petitions and protests targeted at 40 Republican members of Congress who support the war. "It's going to be like laying asphalt in August -- hot," boasted one organizer.

By this standard, August has been remarkably mild. It brings to mind a couplet by the poet Richard Wilbur: "What is the opposite of riot? It's lots of people keeping quiet."

During their summer vacation, Americans discovered that Gen. David Petraeus doesn't take one. And his energy and urgency have shifted the Iraq debate in some fundamental ways.

A few months ago, it was the received wisdom that Iraq was in the midst of a rapidly escalating civil war. That claim is no longer plausible.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: iraq; petraeus; progress

1 posted on 08/31/2007 7:59:36 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin
targeted at 40 Republican members of Congress who support the war.

Y'know guys, there are Dems who support the war too...
2 posted on 08/31/2007 8:04:54 PM PDT by G8 Diplomat (TERM LIMITS! NOW!)
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To: Kaslin
Much, of course, depends on the Iraqis themselves, because liberty is ultimately won, not given.

Somebody pinch me. This, in the Post?

There is deep despair in Baghdad tonight. Katie Couric's there. What did the Iraqis ever do to us to warrant that?

3 posted on 08/31/2007 8:08:17 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Billthedrill
Take it for context.

It's the Friday before Labor Day weekend.

4 posted on 08/31/2007 8:10:27 PM PDT by LdSentinal
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To: Billthedrill

It surprised me too. I am waiting for Katie Couric’s report. It will be interesting to see what she will eport


5 posted on 08/31/2007 8:15:46 PM PDT by Kaslin (The Surge is working and the li(e)berals know it)
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To: jveritas; FARS; Ernest_at_the_Beach; knighthawk; Marine_Uncle; SandRat; Steel Wolf; CAP; ...

Iraq ping.


6 posted on 08/31/2007 8:20:05 PM PDT by elhombrelibre (Democrats have plenty of patience for anti-American dictators but none for Iraqi democrats.)
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To: Kaslin

AWESOME commentary . . . thank you for posting it!


7 posted on 08/31/2007 8:24:09 PM PDT by DrDeb
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To: Kaslin
Katie's first report, a blog entry, of sorts, is here.

Don't read it if you've just eaten supper. Barf bag is necessary.

8 posted on 08/31/2007 8:26:06 PM PDT by tgslTakoma
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To: DrDeb

to democrats, “progress” and “victory” are the two dirtiest words in the english language.

The lieberals may have thought that the american people and the republicans in congress “including upstanding representatives like brian baird who seem to be laying off the kool-aid) would be pushovers, but when petraeus’ counter-insurgency strategy led to success after success, and “hope” in iraq reared it’s ugly head, they knew that they are going to have to go all in, up the rhetoric, and damn the troops if they want to surrender to the terrorists, before their mantra of defeat is proven to be a sham of political opportunism and “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”


9 posted on 08/31/2007 8:31:29 PM PDT by Tears of a Clown
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To: G8 Diplomat
"...Y'know guys, there are Dems who support the war too..."

Just not anywhere in the top leadership. And I don't count Lieberman...the last Democrat I remember who unconditionally supported the war was Zell Miller, and that was back in 2004-2005.

Since then, any supporters have been as vocal as moderate muslims. They may be (and are) there, but we sure don't hear them.

10 posted on 08/31/2007 9:14:07 PM PDT by rlmorel (Liberals: If the Truth would help them, they would use it.)
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To: rlmorel

Technically, Lieberman is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. So he doesn’t count, and isn’t an unconditional supporter in any case, which you hint at.


11 posted on 08/31/2007 9:21:50 PM PDT by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: rlmorel

I was thinking of Brian Baird, if you don’t count Lieberman.


12 posted on 09/01/2007 6:50:47 AM PDT by G8 Diplomat (TERM LIMITS! NOW!)
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