Is the surge “working”? Did it work?
Is the Surge “a means to an end” or “end to a means”? Yesterday’s LTE got me thinking.
Seems to me there is misplaced focus on the surge. Did it work? Did it not work? Whether or not it did depends on what its purpose was. Reduce American combat deaths? Reduce Iraqi civilian deaths? Allow breathing space for the Iraqi government to actually govern and “stand up so we can stand down” so to speak.
So in the end, the surge, or we really need to call it - the troop escalation, is a tactic. A tool that is supposed to do something.
Well, what did it do?
I recall it was supposed to allow breathing space for the Iraqi government to take over its own affairs.
Early reports from foxnews says Iraqi control of all 18 provinces by November 2007, Christian Science Monitor discusses that is should be links to a specific mission. What what was that mission?
Well listen to President Bush in January 2007 SOTU speech
We’re carrying out a new strategy in Iraq — a plan that demands more from Iraq’s elected government, and gives our forces in Iraq the reinforcements they need to complete their mission. Our goal is a democratic Iraq that upholds the rule of law, respects the rights of its people, provides them security, and is an ally in the war on terror.
In order to make progress toward this goal, the Iraqi government must stop the sectarian violence in its capital. But the Iraqis are not yet ready to do this on their own. So we’re deploying reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The vast majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and serve as advisers embedded in Iraqi Army units. With Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and the roaming death squads.
So has violence in Baghdad faded? Across Iraq? Might be time to revisit news about Iraqi Casualties.
What do you think?
[...] Schumer suggests to Obama to hit McCain back harder. We discuss the Surge. Did it work? [...]