Al Qaeda in Iraq on the Run

National Review Online ^ | 10/18/07 | Clifford May

[uncbob]

That is why he was fired

[madvlad]

Naaaa, they are coming over to your house for football and chips!

MV

[agere_contra]

I think there was the longest period when the Iraqis (case in point: the residents of Ramadi) just didn’t realise what the fanatics of Al-Queda were like.

During that period I’m not sure it would have been helpful having more troops around. Maybe it was better that people had the animal brutality of Al-Queda shoved in their faces, so that they could compare and contrast with the Coalition forces. After all the horror they went through few in Anbar province would want Al-Queda back.

Strictly armchair general here though. I’m ready to be contradicted. An immediate 1 to 10 ratio of troops to citizens (as in post-war Germany) obviously worked there.

[eastsider]

Last month, some 30 of its senior leaders in Iraq were killed or captured

Hooah! Get some more, boys!

[vbmoneyspender]

Why not 1,000 days ago ?

[Petraeus] then reflected on the past strategy. “For a variety of reasons, some pretty good reasons, we were gradually consolidating in larger bases and handing off to the Iraqis. The transition to Iraqi Security Forces, Iraqi control and local control was emphasized heavily. That was sort of moving along reasonably well until it was really undone by the bombing of that mosque and the resulting sectarian violence.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

‘zackly.

[jveritas]

The war is basically won against Al Qaeda in Iraq, some field commanders in Iraq are calling for the declaration of Victory.

[vbmoneyspender]

Would it have been a better idea to have doubled the force in the first place ?

I'm just wondering. Who do you think is fighting us in Iraq? And why do you think they are fighting us? What is their goal?

[jveritas]

Excellent post.

[madvlad]

Ahhhh, back from the first manned mission to Jupiter I see!

MV

[avacado]

The libs and Dems fear a Summer of 2008 across American cities, large and small, that looks like this.

[DGHoodini]

CNN/NYTs and the rest of the backstabbing skunk liberal “Press”...are LIARS.

[petercooper]

bttt

[Eric in the Ozarks]

1. Muslim fanatics.
2. Run out the clock.

[NEMDF]

Ye, 15 months IS a long time. Look at the huge turnarounds in Anbar and Ramadi in just 6-8 months. W just needs to “stay the course” now...

[Rocko]

Bump.

[karnage]

I like your summary. Well done.

[Jocko from Canada]

The surge is at most two months into a full force mode!

What do you think can be accomplished in say the next six months of surge?

Rummy and company did not realize, at first, what developed after they dethroned Saddam. AQ made it the front to kill Americans in the Middle East and Iran jumped in with cash and technology. They, Iran, have over 25 years of practice at sponsoring the killing of Americans and or doing it themselves.

And the democratic front runner proposes to sit down, talk and negotiate with the Iranian Leaders? What side of stupid is she stuck on?

Finally, from our vantage point MSM has done more harm to America’s safety than Al Qaeda!

[karnage]

Hindsight is always 20-20.

Although one may criticize how long it took the President to dramatically change strategy in Iraq, it is more impressive that he: a) never panicked, even when things weren’t going well; b) was steadfast enough to stick with his original plan, despite criticism, backing his military leaders, rather than second-guessing and micro-managing them.

That’s leadership.

I think GWB will be regarded by history as one of our greatest presidents. I’ve said it many times over the years, and I say it again today.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I don’t think the surge was part of the original plan. We kept hearing how there were plenty of troops to do the job for several years.