Catfish-and-Grits: (Post-Debate) No, The Surge Is Not Working CNN

catfish-and-grits | January 22, 2008 | 3:39 PM

(Post-Debate) No, The Surge Is Not Working CNN

Well, last night the Democrats had another debate. One that got particularly nasty, but it smoothed out later. As usual the media tried to make every question about race and gender. And for the most part both Hillary, and Obama handled it well. But one question that has always been looming in the background, was on Iraq. One of the moderators, did his best to word the narrative that:

The Surge is Working

IT IS NOT......

Here is today's news

Suicide Bomber Attacks Iraqi School (HuffPo)

BAGHDAD — A suicide bomber pushing an electric heater on top of a cart packed with explosives attacked a high school north of Baghdad on Tuesday, killing a bystander and injuring 21 people _ mainly youngsters and teachers.

The school attack and other recent bombings against funerals and social gatherings raised the possibility that al-Qaida in Iraq has shifted tactics to focus on so-called soft targets and undermine public confidence that security is improving in Iraq....

Sounds like the surge is working, it just that it is the enemy's surge that worked, not ours. But the media, wavering like leaves in the wind, has now chosen to go with meme that "The Surge Worked". And last night at the debate was no different. Just because the media isn't reporting as vigorous, doesn't mean things are going great over there. Here's how it was [ slipped in ] at the debate:

JOHNS: Senator Clinton, on the Iraq question, we're here in South Carolina. It's a big military state with a lot of military families. Last week, U.S. military commanders on the ground in Iraq said that Baghdad is now 75 percent secured. There's also important signs of political progress, including de-Baathification, which was basically long awaited. That, of course, was a big benchmark.

Last week, you said the next president will, quote, "have a war to end in Iraq." In light of the new military and political progress on the ground there in Iraq, are you looking to end this war or win it?

(emphasis mine)

I want to break-down that highlighted phrase into the following section:

U.S. military commanders on the ground in Iraq said that Baghdad is now 75 percent secured.
There's also important signs of political progress, including de-Baathification, which was basically long awaited. That, of course, was a big benchmark.
In light of the new military and political progress on the ground there in Iraq, are you looking to end this war or win it?

U.S. military commanders on the ground in Iraq said that Baghdad is now 75 percent secured.

First, we don't know what the U.S. military definition of "secured" is, which is different from the political definition of "secured". I'll take the military at it's word that Baghdad is 75% secured, however, that's tactical and does not infer anything else within Iraq. Yet, the way the CNN moderator phrased it, you would think Iraq consisted of only Baghdad.

Another aspect of this supposed "secured" situation is the returning of the troops. But from what I understand, some of the troops are being brought home, only to be sent off to Afghanistan, because of whacka-mole. The violence isn't decreasing, just rearing its' ugly head in Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Two places a majority of the media isn't covering. Thus, the media shows it's laziness, and Americans showcase their attention span. News Flash...we are in 2 wars and one gets almost no coverage, and one get a cheerleading squad. And I know we are all war-tired, but we should have thought about that before we gave this President great deference.

There's also important signs of political progress, including de-Baathification, which was basically long awaited. That, of course, was a big benchmark.

Yes, de-Baathification was a bench mark, but it not happening. There is so much strife between these "Awakening" sunni groups and the Shia controlled "government" (I used the term loosely) that the political goals will never be met. The iraqi government has voiced it's anger at the US for arming these militia groups. It likes arming the Bloods and the Cripts, then expecting them to play nice with law enforcement. Let the media tell it, benchmarks are being met, but [ they are not ].

In light of the new military and political progress on the ground there in Iraq, are you looking to end this war or win it?

The media has just as much to loose with the fake war in Iraq. If there is a silver lining, it is that the Iraq war exposed the neocon methodology as dangerously flawed, exposed right-wing stenographers posing as journalist like Judy Miller, and Michael Gordon, and exposed just how intertwined the two are, thus showcasing the need for true independent media. Fortunately, there are still some good journalist out there but as to the "...end this war or win it.." framing alot of journalist have been using lately, it is important for Democrats to articulate that the Surge is not working, but moreover that it was never intended to work, thus "winning" was never an objective. Take a look at the following articles over the last month and half and tell me the surge is working:

I think not.....

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