Iraq Going Well (Bush Right Again!!!)

“Pentagon begins to see Iraq momentum shift


By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES




In the privacy of their E-ring offices, senior Pentagon officials have begun to entertain thoughts that were unimaginable a year ago: Iraq is turning the corner.
Military officials and analysts say the clearing out of enemy-infested Fallujah in November, the Jan. 30 elections and the increasing willingness of Iraqis to fight and die for a democratic country are contributing to the momentum.
"This is still a tough fight. We don't want anyone to think that it is not," said retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas McInerney, a military analyst who strongly supports Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. "But the momentum is in our direction."
A military officer said big problems remain. Sunnis remain reluctant to join the Iraqi security forces. The Marines need more armored vehicles to fight in the Al Anbar province, one of the deadliest sectors. And the Baghdad command inside the green zone has been spotty on providing actionable intelligence.
A military source in Iraq declined to give raw number of attacks, but said, "There has been a decided downward trend in the number and lethality of attacks since the January 30 elections."
A Pentagon official said the more that intelligence agencies analyze the insurgency, the clearer it becomes that a large part is criminal, not nationalistic.
Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein released tens of thousands of hardened criminals, including murderers, before the March 2003 invasion, meaning that as the ex-convicts are recaptured, insurgent leaders might have an increasingly smaller pool from which to recruit attackers.
"We have always realized there was a criminal element in the insurgency that wasn't driven by devotion to Saddam. The numbers may be higher than we first estimated," the official said.
An analysis by Reuters shows that U.S. combat deaths in March so far have averaged barely one per day, the lowest figure since February 2004. All told, 1,520 U.S. personnel have died in Iraq, including 1,164 killed in action.
"They're clearly going after Iraqi security forces more," Army Gen. George Casey, the top commander in Iraq, said earlier this month. "That's kind of a steady thing. And the attacks against coalition actually have dropped off."
The favorable trends do not mean that insurgents cannot pull off spectacularly deadly attacks on U.S. and Iraqi forces.
On Thursday, 11 Iraqi policemen were killed by a single suicide bomber, most likely a terrorist in the employ of Jordanian-born Abu Musab Zarqawi.
But Iraqis continue to sign up. After an even bloodier attack in January against Iraqis in line to apply for police jobs, a still-longer line formed the next day at the same spot, said a U.S. Army officer in Iraq.
And last week, merchants and residents on one of Baghdad's main streets joined the fight by using their own guns to kill three terrorists, who were firing on passers-by.
Maj. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, who commands the Army's 1st Cavalry Division and just returned from a year-plus tour overseeing Baghdad, is telling audiences that Osama bin Laden made a crucial mistake when he publicly encouraged Zarqawi.
It meant that the Saudi bin Laden was telling the Jordanian Zarqawi to slaughter Iraqis.
"Zarqawi is weaker," Gen. McInerney said. "The Iraqi people defied him and went out and voted. He is spending more time killing Iraqis than he is Americans. He's losing support among the Iraqi people."
Lt. Col. James Hutton, Gen. Chiarelli's spokesman, said another promising development is the proliferation of Iraqi newspapers and radio and TV stations that avoid the anti-U.S. propaganda viewed on Al Jazeera.
"The Iraqi media is really thirsty for facts out on the street," said Col. Hutton, who made it a point to offer a weekly briefing to the Iraqi press that sometimes featured Gen. Chiarelli. "They want to expose corruption."
Gen. Chiarelli is also touting the carrot and stick. Attacks in the Shi'ite Baghdad slum Sadr City fell to nearly zero after Army units crushed insurgents and then quickly put hundreds of dwellers to work building basic comforts of home: water, sewer and electric service.”

“the charge is set. The fuse is lit. RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!”

“Jesus Christ. How many AP reports did you have to read to finally find a POSITIVE report?

I've been reading for weeks on every news service what a disaster it is. In fact, last night -- even FOX NEWS confirmed that Michael Moore's comments in F911 regarding the preferential treatment of the IRAQIs after 911 was indeed -- TRUE.”

“The Washington Times even. Not exactly conservative friendly.”

“The Washington Times is owned by Rev. Sun Myung Moon. It was Saint Ronnie's favorite paper.

Get your media bias straight Nigal.”

“How many AP reports did you have to read to finally find a POSITIVE report?

I know! With the liberal media trying to suppress any good news coming out of Iraq, it is difficult to find the truth!

But the truth *does* prevail: Bush right again!!!”

“Whatever. Keep on drinking the purple kool-aid.”

“The Libs fear truth.
LOLOLOLOLOL”

““The Washington Times is owned by Rev. Sun Myung Moon."

Hey man, how are ya gonna argue with the frickin' Messiah man?”

“SS - Are you a member of the Unification Church (often refered to as a Moonie)?

Do you really think Rev. Moon is God?

I'm afraid your "truth" and my "truth" are a little different.”

“Yeah, there your truth and then there's reality. LOL!”

“Violin is such a silly person.”

“Ha! I googled Moonies and came up with this!!!


”

“Hey fatso! Nice purse!”

“From the horse's mouth: "We invest millions of dollars a month in The Washington Times to bring the right perspective to America."


Believe what you like but don't confuse it with truth.”

“Ya, Salon.com and it's ilk are much more credible.”

““The Washington Times even. Not exactly conservative friendly.”
Nigal
12:42:46 PM
3/29/05

Haahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!!!!!!!



“The Washington Times is owned by Rev. Sun Myung Moon. It was Saint Ronnie's favorite paper.

Get your media bias straight Nigal.”
vioLIN
12:47:31 PM
3/29/05

NO SCHIT!!!!!!”

“The Brain-Washington Times would be a more appropriate name.”

“LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
The Liberals are so cute when they think they have found conservative bias in the media.
....and yet, they scream bloody murder that NO liberal bias exists.
LOLOLOLOLOLOL”

“Did you like the fat, drunk moonies?”

“(Cue Stovie)

Jerry, ...

C'mon Stovie, get with it!”

“2 years after war, protests planned on spot where Saddam statue was toppled

By MARIAM FAM
Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Images of jubilant Iraqis toppling a 40-foot statue of Saddam Hussein and pelting it with garbage and shoes in Firdos Square defined the moment Baghdad fell to U.S. troops two years ago, a prelude to what many hoped would be democracy and freedom in a new Iraq.

Now radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is urging his supporters to mass at the square Saturday and mark the anniversary by directing anger at the U.S.-led coalition.

"The occupation forces started with this place, and now from this same place we want them to leave Iraq," said Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Daraji, a spokesman for al-Sadr, who led uprisings against coalition forces last year.

"They have toppled Saddam and now we want them out. The situation in Iraq is going from bad to worse. The Iraqis saw no good during these two years of occupation."

Sheik Hareth al-Dhari, the leader of the Association of Muslim Scholars, an influential group of hard-line Sunni Muslim clerics suspected of having ties to the Iraqi insurgency, also urged people to take to the streets Saturday.

"We call on all Iraqis to demonstrate tomorrow in all of Iraq's cities against the occupation," al-Dhari told worshippers during his Friday sermon.

Al-Daraji said al-Sadr's supporters will demand that foreign troops leave or at least set a timetable for withdrawal. They will also call for putting Saddam on trial and freeing prisoners held in "occupation prisons," he said.

A year ago, U.S. soldiers tore down al-Sadr posters in an otherwise almost empty Firdos Square because of a curfew imposed to prevent any gatherings on the anniversary.

This year, news of the planned protest brought a Friday attack by gunmen on al-Sadr supporters in Baghdad, killing one official and wounding two, al-Daraji said. He said al-Sadr's office had asked Iraqi police and army to protect Saturday's gathering.

The planned protests are a sharp contrast from two years ago, when Iraqis pulled down Saddam's statue with the help of U.S. Marines and a small group from the Shiite majority, which was oppressed under Saddam's Sunni-dominated regime, triumphantly chanted "There is a burning in our hearts" and beat their chests with their fists.

Since then, Iraqis have lived moments of despair and others of triumph as the country witnessed a wave of crime, the bloody insurgency and the first free elections in a half-century.

While some in Baghdad plan to mark the second anniversary of the city's fall with protests, others say the Jan. 30 parliamentary elections have made them optimistic better days may come.

"Baghdad is beautiful with its people," said Safa Adnan, 40. "What's important now is that we rebuild the Iraqi citizen. We want a new generation that is raised well, cultured and open to the rest of the world."

The anniversary comes only days after legislators named an ethnic Kurd as Iraq's interim president and a Shiite Arab as prime minister. Both men spent years fighting Saddam's regime.

As the lawmakers met to shape Iraq's democratic transformation, the streets and bridges that were blocked to guard the meeting served as a reminder of the perilous security situation.

Aziz Hammoud, a jewelry store owner, said the closed streets added about four extra hours to his commute. But, he added, as long as the legislative meetings give his country a new government that achieves security, he doesn't mind the delay.

"I think the sacrifice is worth it," he said. "We're living in unusual circumstances now. God willing, next year things will be better."

Zaid Baqer, 26, remembers thinking that things would get better as he watched the crowds haul down Saddam's statue two years ago. And, to a certain extent, they did, he said.

Activities such as traveling abroad were nearly impossible for many during Saddam's reign, Baqer said, and after the war he visited Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

"The real problem now is the security situation," he said.

Like many in Baghdad, Baqer doesn't stay out long after dark, in part because of an 11 p.m. curfew and also because many feel the streets are unsafe after sundown.

At Firdos Square, a green, abstract sculpture said to symbolize freedom sits where Saddam's statue once stood, but concrete barriers topped with barbed wire guard the nearby Palestine and Sheraton hotels, home to foreigners. U.S. Humvees and Bradley armored vehicles sit inside the hotel compound.

At night, only stray dogs venture out, barking at the rattle of gunfire or the thud of a distant explosion. The only traffic is police cars passing by with lights flashing. At times, floodlights are turned on at the square, creating one of the few oases of light in a darkened city.”

“The anniversary comes only days after legislators named an ethnic Kurd as Iraq's interim president and a Shiite Arab as prime minister. Both men spent years fighting Saddam's regime.


More about that new prime minister:

Dawa was accused of carrying out several terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings in Baghdad and trying to blow up the U.S. and French embassies in Kuwait in 1983.”

“Democracy In Action, warts and all.
This is good news.”

“September 14, 2003......

MR. RUSSERT: Let me turn to one of the most quoted passages from MEET THE PRESS when you were on in March, and that was trying to anticipate the reaction we would receive from the Iraqi people. Let’s watch:

(Videotape, March 16, 2003):

VICE PRES. CHENEY: I think things have gotten so bad inside Iraq from the standpoint of the Iraqi people, my belief is we will, in fact, be greeted as liberators.

MR. RUSSERT: If your analysis is not correct and we’re not treated as liberators but as conquerors and the Iraqis begin to resist particularly in Baghdad, do you think the American people are prepared for a long, costly and bloody battle with significant American casualties?

VICE PRES. CHENEY: Well, I don’t think it’s unlikely to unfold that way, Tim, because I really do believe we will be greeted as liberators. I’ve talked with a lot of Iraqis in the last several months myself, had them to the White House. The president and I have met with various groups and individuals, people who’ve devoted their lives from the outside to try and change things inside of Iraq.

The read we get on the people of Iraq is there’s no question but what they want to get rid of Saddam Hussein and they will welcome as liberators the United States when we come to do that. "

MEET the PRESS

Today.........

"BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Crowds of Iraqis attacked British troops with rocks and at least one flaming Molotov cocktail on Saturday after a military helicopter crashed in the southern city of Basra.

Hospital officials said at least four Iraqis were killed and 29 others were injured in prolonged clashes with British soldiers after the crash."


--CNN


Incompetance in its' purest form.”

“No Buddah....CNN is just the usual slanted dipship sort of leftist reporting we have come to expect from a second rate media.”

“So XL - there wasn't rioting in Basra after the chopper went down then? They were expressing support for the liberators by throwing rocks, and molatov cocktails and by shooting at them?”

“Shhhhhhhhhhhhh

Let them think everything is going great. The rest of the country and many in their own party are waking up....let those in denial sleep.
last edited: 5/06/06 8:05:07 PM”

“LOL...Steve....just spoke with a bud of mine who has returned home...HE ACTUALLY WAS THERE....CNN is as respected as the Democrat party.”

“Keep repeating after me....

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.


Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

LOL”

“War mongers don't like CNN, that's just fine they can spin around on the FOXed UP news.”

“Steve....I have posted on other threads.....the truth that the Mainstream (think urine) media follows or lack there of.
THe alternate media does an admirable job...there are Blogs FROM IRAQ and letters from heroes. But then like the little lost souls who wave the red flag on May 1 you will believe what you believe....(LOL)”

“Please excuse my brother.
He is drunk as usual.”

“I know several guys still in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a couple that are back. I supply Special Ops teams, DOD and a couple other organizations with specialized equipment for doing their jobs. I worked with law enforcement for 22 years. I get my information from many sources. Most, oddly enough, are definitely right leaning.

I will believe what I believe...believe me, LOL

Now keep repeating after me....

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.


Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.
last edited: 5/06/06 9:59:25 PM”

“Those Taliban loving bastuds on CNN would have us believe hundreds, even thousands of US soldiers have been killed or wounded in Iraq since the invasion.

Plug your ears and pay no attention to the news. Believe in the Bush administration.”

“the media loves america and would never lie to damage it”

“Ped-turn off the TV and open the bible? No, just stop paying taxes and it will all go away. Starve them with disregard to their party-the enemy is you big fat s$$ government.Most important is to stop your filtered thinking.”

“The Iraq solution...



+



=

”

“Hey Buddha Bear, knock it off!!

The Boodthirsty Warmongers are enjoying this one.

Don't knock it, its the only war we've got!!
(That's what the kids in high school were saying when I was a lad.....class of '70).

Well, there is that little un-finished mess in Afghanistan that is headed south.

If ya don't like it, buy stock in one of the Blood-Stained Bandit Corporations.”

“STOP!!!!!have you kicked your dog today?”

“Ooops, I don't have a dog but my neighbor has five.

My boys and I usually play with them, maybe we should kick 'em.”

“The Doofus Motto: Never Lose Faith In Someone Who Tells You What You Want To Hear”

“What you say does not hear me.”

“I always wonder how long World War II would have lasted if the media and the opposition in this country acted the same way? I mean after Normandy...the battle of the hedgerows in France....and the Bulge? Hell Maybe the war would have ended with the Soviets occupying everything up to the Channel.”

“The really scary thought is what would have happened to WWII if BushII and Rummy had been running the war.”

“Kill the messenger!

Kill the messenger!

Kill the messenger!

Kill the messenger!

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.


Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.

Everything is going wonderful, Bush is great.

Everything is going to be fine.


Kill the messenger!

Kill the messenger!”

“Ped...have you even read ONE of the historical references of HORRIBLE losses in WWII I have posted here?

Tarawa was due PRIMARILY to poor information on the surrounding reefs. This is an island you can SEE across, we lost more in 72 hours than the first TWO years on the War on Terrorisim.”

““The really scary thought is what would have happened to WWII if BushII and Rummy had been running the war.”

Yeah! We'd probably still be in Germany and Japan.”

““Ped...have you even read ONE of the historical references of HORRIBLE losses in WWII I have posted here?"

Going from losing thousands in a week to losing 40 a month (within 60 years) is what I call unbelievable progress. While every life is precious and every death a loss I think it’s important to see it also as how we are keeping thousands alive.

It’s a messed up war we shouldn’t have gotten into but we’re there and we should finish or leave when they say to.”

“DNB that last sentence is the only thing that makes sense along this winding thread. Of course, I'm still listening to 'Miles Davis' this morning, tells you where I've been.”