Yesterday, I wrote that, when assessing the surge, it’s important to look at the financial and other costs incurred when the Bushists rejected the recommendations of the ISG (Baker-Hamilton) report and embarked instead on the military surge in Iraq.
Today, Juan Cole does a great job of providing a social history of the surge— from the internal, Iraqi viewpoint. He pulls together material from a lot of sources and does agood job of reminding us that, despite the Bushists’ claims, the results of the surge– for Iraqis– are far, far less rosy than depicted. (Which I also noted in my post.) Juan also concludes, rightly imho, that the intra-Iraqi ‘political’ gains claimed by the Bushists for the surge are far more tenuous than claimed.
His whole post is certainly worth reading. I do think it’s worth adding in the point about the costs— human and financial– of Bush having taken that anti-ISG decision back in December 2006.
4 thoughts on “Assessing the ‘surge’ in Iraq (contd.)”
Comments are closed.
Yes, you are right to concentrate on the financial cost of the occupation, Helena. I do not believe it can be supported at the present rate for much longer, in view of the economic downturn.
the results of the surge– for Iraqis– are far, far less rosy?
I don’t know Helena telling this term ROSY here what she meant here?
Is this war as if picking ROSE from the Hanging Gardens in Babylon?
Is it this war brings people in Iraq the Milk & Honey they promised by empire of lairs?
Now all knew this war by empire of liars rushed on illegal ground to invade a state and to take it of that it, whatever talks about all issue here this war is very different in all aspects from start till the end which will be no end here…
After five years recent from Baghdad US/Iraq, Iraqi was given them some jobs (not employee in offices and according to their level of educations) when their loved ones killed or are in US detaining centres for no reasons just because are young and youth that enough to detains them this happened when the surge started so these families now they send there smaller loved ones to work in building or some places and repairing building (like Baghdad Airport…!!!) imagine how much they paid? ONE US DOLLAR AN ADAY?
This like those adds by Tear Fund and WorldVsion aid agencies who putting ads on TV asking to sponger kids in Africa and India by ONE DOLLAR/DAY….
When Saddam used Iraqis under sanction paid those TWO Dollars/DAY to build his castles that was in top of head of former State Madeline Albright…
So imagine those USD70.0 Billions just from Iraqi oil and more from other resources like 550 Tone of natural uranium given to Canada no one knows where the money and why that done even Iraqi government have no aide what’s going on from their reactions in the news.
Your media telling about the construction in Iraq with Iraqi construction head sitting in Amman telling your congressmen that billions went to the constructions in Iraq Iraqi new without electricity, without water, their roads and services are demolished by this war and every official from small US solder to high official the telling its ROSY Future for Iraqis?
Any ROSE they talking about if the Thieves and Thugs on the land of Babylonians?
Almost every time I talk to an American here in the States, I hear the same question: “What do you think about pulling our troops from Iraq?” I always answer with another question: “What should the Americans do before leaving Iraq? Iraq has been destroyed by your army, so what should you do before leaving? You broke it and you have to fix it.”
http://baghdadbureau.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/leaving-baghdad-what-should-the-americans-do/
Still dead bodies every day found in Iraq cities…….
ذكرت منظمة حقوقية عراقية، الخميس، بأن نسب أعداد الجثث التي تم العثور عليها في مناطق متفرقة من البلاد إنخفضت خلال شهر تموز/ يوليو الجاري، مقارنة بالشهور التي سبقته من العام الجاري. فيما بلغ إجمالي حصيلتها نحو (1538) جثة منذ مطلع العام.
http://www.sotaliraq.com/iraqnews.php?id=23016
“You broke it and you have to fix it.”
The United States is exactly as suited to fix Iraq as a rapist-murderer is suited to fix his victims.