Violence down in Iraq: No, really, says Ambassador Crocker!
I don't know how Ambassador Crocker, U.S. Envoy to Iraq, can claim that given that so far, this month, U.S. fatalities in Iraq total 66 compared to only 43 for the same month last year. But here, in part, is what was reported this morning by STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer:
BAGHDAD - Washington's top diplomat in Iraq said Thursday that increased U.S. troop strength had brought down violence, but it was impossible to rush political reconciliation or to predict when conditions would allow the United States to begin reducing its involvement.
With less than two months remaining before Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, were to report to Congress about progress in Iraq, the top envoy also told The Associated Press that political reconciliation was going to be "a long, hard pull."
"The surge (increase of 30,000 American troops) has done very well indeed in making a difference in security conditions. There's no question, in the Anbar (province) and Baghdad area. But it's not a light switch. You don't just flip something up and everyone is reconciled," Crocker said in an interview in his office in Saddam Hussein's Republican Palace.
Pressed repeatedly on when he thought U.S. troop levels could be reduced and other American involvement might be scaled back, Crocker said: "It's going to take longer than September."
The metric is wrong here. It's more of wishful thinking and propaganda from the Administration for the war. I think the Administration would be well served if they dealt more with where the public is on this topic. They have used up any credibility they had and so even if it were true, many, including myself, won't believe it. Facts don't lie. Check the numbers below for US Fatalities:
July 2006 43, July 2007 66 (so far!)
June 2006 61, June 2007 101
May 2006 69, May 2007 128
April 2006 76, April 2007 104
March 2006 31, March 2007 82
February 2006 55, February 2007 78
January 2006 62, January 2007 83
The "surge" started to be implemented in February and so the net affect is that more U.S. soldiers are dying every day than any way you measure it. If that is a reduction in violence Ambassador Crocker needs to go back to school and study up on basic math.
BAGHDAD - Washington's top diplomat in Iraq said Thursday that increased U.S. troop strength had brought down violence, but it was impossible to rush political reconciliation or to predict when conditions would allow the United States to begin reducing its involvement.
With less than two months remaining before Ambassador Ryan Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, were to report to Congress about progress in Iraq, the top envoy also told The Associated Press that political reconciliation was going to be "a long, hard pull."
"The surge (increase of 30,000 American troops) has done very well indeed in making a difference in security conditions. There's no question, in the Anbar (province) and Baghdad area. But it's not a light switch. You don't just flip something up and everyone is reconciled," Crocker said in an interview in his office in Saddam Hussein's Republican Palace.
Pressed repeatedly on when he thought U.S. troop levels could be reduced and other American involvement might be scaled back, Crocker said: "It's going to take longer than September."
The metric is wrong here. It's more of wishful thinking and propaganda from the Administration for the war. I think the Administration would be well served if they dealt more with where the public is on this topic. They have used up any credibility they had and so even if it were true, many, including myself, won't believe it. Facts don't lie. Check the numbers below for US Fatalities:
July 2006 43, July 2007 66 (so far!)
June 2006 61, June 2007 101
May 2006 69, May 2007 128
April 2006 76, April 2007 104
March 2006 31, March 2007 82
February 2006 55, February 2007 78
January 2006 62, January 2007 83
The "surge" started to be implemented in February and so the net affect is that more U.S. soldiers are dying every day than any way you measure it. If that is a reduction in violence Ambassador Crocker needs to go back to school and study up on basic math.
Labels: Ambassador Crocker, Iraq, U.S. Fatalities, violence
posted by Charles Amico at 10:55 AM
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