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Leading lawmaker dismisses US scholars' upbeat report on Iraq Jul 31 01:18 PM US/Eastern A top Democratic lawmaker Tuesday dismissed the findings of two longtime Iraq war critics, who cited a dramatic improvement in the situation there following the infusion of thousands of additional US troops. "I dismiss it at as rhetoric," said US Representative John Murtha, a former marine, congressional heavyweight on military matters, and outspoken Iraq War critic. "I don't know where they were staying. I don't know what they saw. But I know this: that it's not getting better," Murtha said on CNN television. "It's over-optimist. It's...

On Sunday, NewsBusters reported a shocking discussion that ensued on "The Chris Matthews Show" wherein five liberal media members actually debated why America shouldn't withdraw its troops from Iraq. Maybe more shocking, the following day, an op-ed was published in the New York Times claiming that "We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, "morale is high," and, as a result, this is "a war we just might win." Adding to the shock is that this piece was written by two members of the Brookings Institution, which even Wikipedia acknowledges is "widely regarded as being politically liberal." The authors - Michael...

Victor Davis Hanson once opined that the war in Iraq could be won in 30 days if all media coverage were banned. The chance of that happening is pretty close to zero (unless, of course, Hillary gets elected). But there are curious rumblings in the mainstream media. After five years of relentless antiwar reporting, after five years of headlining the mistakes and miscalculations of the Bush administrations, two events last Sunday signalled a possible turnaround in the way the 'mainstream media' covers the war.

VIEWED from Iraq, where we just spent eight days meeting with American and Iraqi military and civilian personnel, the political debate in Washington is surreal. The Bush administration has over four years lost essentially all credibility. Yet now the administration’s critics, in part as a result, seem unaware of the significant changes taking place. Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms. As two analysts who have harshly criticized the Bush administration’s miserable handling of Iraq, we were surprised by the gains we saw and the...

Just in time for the November elections, a new MSM theme is emerging: Iraq's not the only mess - Afghanistan's in trouble too. Just a couple days I described the way the Pentagon had systematically rebutted Newsweek hyper-negative portrayal of the situation in Afghanistan in its article "The Rise of Jihadistan." One of Newsweek's "news partners" just happens to be NBC, and sure enough, NBC's 'Today' show ran a segment this morning recycling many of the charges contained in the Newsweek piece. The Taliban and Al-Qaeda were depicted as resurgent, with violence up, the opium trade flourishing, and President Karzai's...

I could use a bit of help ! NBC is running another "Bush-bash" this weekend:the claim being the President thrice refused to act against Abu Musab Zarqawi in June 2002 "when he was vulnerable". NBC is relying on Michael O'Hanlon of the (liberal Democrat) Brookings Institution,and ROGER CRESSY , their Counter-terrorism "expert". I know Cressy once worked with Richard Clarke,on the Critical infrastructure protection board (computer security),and is said to have been a member of the National Security Council. I'm interested in learning when Cressy last worked for the gov't,and anything anyone knows about O'Hanlon. Thanks !

by Mark Finkelstein April 10, 2006 Reminds me of the old joke: "The food at that restaurant is absolutely terrible." "Yeah. And the portions are so small!" This morning's 'Today' generally offered criticism of a potential attack on Iran designed to disable its nuclear program, but at the same time complained we didn't have the means to carry out such a strike. UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw was shown stating that the idea of a [tactical] nuclear strike on Iran "is completely nuts." NBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell reported the skepticism of military experts who say "air strikes could slow Iran's...

Richard A. Clarke's book-peddling accusations President Bush ignored the al Qaeda threat before September 11, 2001, attacks dominated the news last week. But at least one Bush critic on this score says Mr. Clarke's election-timed charges may not amount to much. "It will not have much traction because what he's charging is not that new and not that specific," says Michael O'Hanlon, a national security analyst at the Brookings Institution. The fierce White House counterattack showed the well-oiled Bush campaign is now running at full throttle — raising enough questions about Mr. Clarke's ulterior political motives to blunt the potency...

<p>Criticism of Howard Dean's views on Iraq, North Korea and other defense issues is coming from corners of the liberal establishment, with analysts saying many of his campaign positions are confused, dangerous and border on appeasement.</p> <p>The Democratic presidential front-runner's opposition to the war that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime, and his present view that Saddam's capture will have no effect on U.S. national security, has infuriated his chief rivals for the nomination, who have been attacking his national security views with increasing ferocity in recent weeks.</p>

WASHINGTON — U.S. commanders like to boast that America has the best-trained, best-equipped and most disciplined military in the world. And in the march to and occupation of Baghdad, its skills have been on full display. But in the pre-dawn darkness and fog of Nasiriyah, at some Patriot missile batteries, on a highway with Kurdish forces in northern Iraq and at other places as yet unknown, the Americans’ training and equipment have deserted or betrayed them. At least a dozen U.S. and British troops have been killed and many more wounded by "friendly fire." In one firefight between groups of...

WASHINGTON — Last week's euphoria over a quick start to the invasion of Iraq has now been almost entirely overtaken by gloom. Pentagon officials are on the defensive when discussing their war plan; images of sandstorms and black-masked Iraqi irregulars and American prisoners of war fill TV screens here and abroad; the looming battle for Baghdad has made many feel a deep sense of foreboding. Perhaps the Bush administration deserves it. It did not begin to emphasize the potential for a difficult war until hostilities began. Pentagon advisers like Richard Perle and Kenneth Adelman have been promising a cakewalk to...