Good summary. The Albany paper (NYT owned) is still running editorials saying the surge is a failure. So the left hasn't totally abandoned that strategy. Interesting to see how they'll spin it when even their shining leaders seem to be disagreeing with the media message.

Don't worry dudes. For all liberals, their utmost goal is power. If it means admitting success in Iraq (which there is a ton of, but we're not hearing it), they will in order to get ahead. But don't for a minute think that these blatant traitors care for a positive outcome -- just the opposite. ALL liberals want America to perish and for us to become France.

"she's basically come out "Pro-genocide.""

Bill's wife has never not been "pro-genocide", albeit a different and much larger (50 million and counting) genocide than the potential one in Iraq would be.

Ouch P. Bunyan... that was well said.

Civilian deaths in Iraq hit 1,641 last month, the highest number ever, and a full third higher than only scant months ago. If the surge was really working shouldn't civilian deaths in Iraq be declining instead of increasing?

Democratic positions on Iraq have fluttered about. They fell all over themselves to authorize the war in 2002, as polls showed 90% or so of the public favored that approach. (Give the radical left credit for consistency on opposing any war to defend American interests, if not accuracy in their predictions: remember they claimed Americans would be coming back in "tens of thousands of body bags" from Afghanistan - "where empires go to die" - and Iraq, due precisely to Saddam's readiness to use WMDs).

Then, after Saddam was deposed, they adopted a middle ground, criticizing the conduct of the occupation. Now, there were any number of legitimate critics of that period, such as John McCain. Democrats didn't offer specific solutions, though, they were just seeking a way to balance their anti-war left with the segment of the Party which still loves America. Hence, John Kerry.

As casualties mounted (although strikingly lower than the rate in previous wars), the radicals took over and elected Democrats became wholly anti-war, just after winning the 2006 midterms by assuring the voters they did NOT plan to cut and run. So they tried to cut and run, but were afraid once more of public opinion, so gave Bush a temporary authorization and allowed the surge strategy which, as Paul notes above, they immediately begin bad-mouthing.

Success has scared them again, hence the hedging from the congress-critters and candidates who were 100% pro-surrender only a few weeks ago.

Such constant gyrations are the result of having no true guiding principles. They want to appease their anti-American radical left "nutroots" base without offending the public at large - which is impossible, since the left hates everything that might be good for American or about America.

If our national security were not at stake in all this, watching the spineless fair-weather patriots flip and spin would be entertaining. As it is, it merely disgusts.

Hooson,

Were you keeping up with Iraqui civilian death numbers when Hussein was dictator? Just asking to see how consistent you are in your concern for humanity.

Bush Speaks.
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Woohoo! I couldn't comment earlier; the spam filter is smarter than I am.
=============================

Hooson, you're not getting your talking points out of comic books again are you?

Nehemiah, certainly the civilian deaths by Saddam Hussein or any other world dictator are a serious concern of mine, and unacceptable. But only American deaths have declined in Iraq since March, not the Iraqi civilian deaths, which have only increased by at least a third. How can the "surge" be claimed as a success when only a few less Americans are being killed, but more Iraqis are losing their lives to violence.

The idea of this "surge" was to provide better security for Iraq's civilians. But the violence only contines, or moves around to new civilian areas. In that important regard this "surge" has yet to prove any real success.

Paul, your definition of the "surge" working should also include a decline in Iraqi civilian deaths as well. The main reason the U.S. is in Iraq is "for the people of Iraq", right?

Keep living in denial Hooson. The previous month, the civilian deaths where at a low.... Where you jumping up and down declaring the surge a success then...

No back then you wanted to talk about the oil.

Face it Hooson, you're a worthless political hack, incapable of making a consistent argument.

No matter the topic, you'll just try to make it look like we're losing the war.

Paul, your definition of the "surge" working should also include a decline in Iraqi civilian deaths as well.
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Paul,
Looks like the terrorists are killing (more women/children) in Iraq for Congress and people like you to proclaim that the surge has failed. Looks like the terrorists are reduced to blowing up defenseless civilians as a propaganda tactic. Unfortunately, your rhetoric seems to fit in with their strategy.

Paul, documented civilian incidents in Iraq from just June 28- July 3:

June 28, car bomb at petrol station in Mansour, 3 dead.

June 28. 15 civilian bodies found executed in Baghdad.

June 28. Shorja Market mortar attack. 2 dead.

June 28. Fadhl, Baghdad motrar attack. 4 dead.

June 28. New Baghdad mortar attack. 2 dead.

June 28. 20 bodies of men founded beheaded in Um al Abeed.

June 29. Baghdad University professor murdered.

June 29. Al-Sittin Street, Baghdad. 10 civilians in their homes murdered then set on fire.

June 29. Bodies found executed. 7 dead.

June 29. Tarrniya, Iraq military checkpoint suicide bombing. 2 dead.

June 29. Atila Street, Haweeja gunfire attack. 1 dead.

June 29. Mosul. 3 sisters killed by gunfire.

June 30. Iraqi government official assasinated by drive-by shooting and hand grenade.

June 30. Baghdad. 16 bodies found executed.

June 30. Muqdidiya. 23 police recruits killed by suicide bomber.

June 30. Ferris, near Falluja. 40 executed bodies found dead from gunshots.

July 1. Suicide bombing Baghdad near a bridge. 1 dead.

July 1. Car bomb in busy Baghdad intersection. 1 dead.

July 1. Saidiya, Baghdad outbreak of random gunfire. 2 dead.

July 1. Al Waljihiyah. 2 men executed by gunfire after kidnapping.

July 1. Khalis. 2 executed bodies found.

July 1. Attack on minivan carrying government officials leaves 2 dead on Baghdad to Kirkuk road.

July 1. Lawyer assasinated by gunfire in Kirkuk.

July 1. Huwaija gunfire killing of 1 Iraqi soldier guarding an oil facility.

July 1. 14 more bodies of executed civilians found in Baghdad.

July 1. Malih River. 2 bodies found executed.

July 1. East Ramadi. 5 Iraqi police killed at checkpoint by suicide bomber.

July 1. Police Colonel tortured and murdered near Basra.

July 1. Falluja suicide bombing. 1 dead.

July 1. Mosul River policeman murdered.

July 1. Police Colonel and driver ambushed and killed in Mosul.

July 1. Iraqi police patrol near a Baghdad market. 2 killed by a roadside bomb and drive by shooting.

July 2. Baghdad. 17 executed bodies found.

July 2. Karrada, Baghdad. Policeman killed by sniper.

July 2. Mosul. 1 policeman killed by roadside bomb.

July 2. Baghdad drive by shooting. 2 dead.

July 2. Hay Saddam, Baghdad. 1 killed on mortar attack on home.

July 2. Diwaniya. 1 Political protestor shot and killed by police for political expression at a city hall building.

July 2. Nadawi Market, Baghdad car bombing. 9 dead.

July 2. Family of Shiek from Falluja targeted by suicide bomber.

July 3. Iraqi police intelligence officer killed by drive by shooting at bustop in central Baghdad.

July 3. 18 bodies found executed in Baghdad.

July 3, Shalal Market, Baghdad. 18 persons killed by suicide bomber.

July 3. Kirkuk. Police chief's motorcade attacked by car bomb.

Where is this "surge" working, Paul? Civilian deaths are clearly worsening in Iraq according to any honest statistics count.

Civilian deaths in (Germany) hit (X) last month, the (X) number ever, and a full (X)higher than only scant months ago. If the (Battle of the Bulge) was really working shouldn't civilian deaths in (Germany) be declining instead of increasing?

Thanks for supporting the war effort, Hooson.

P. Hooson,
More along the same line here

A KEY ATTRIBUTE of the enemy in Iraq for the past few years has been his unwillingness to directly engage Coalition forces in armed combat. Whether this is a result of the enemy's good sense or his cowardice (or some combination of the two), insurgents and sectarians from al Qaeda in Iraq to the Jaisch al Mahdi have almost entirely avoided direct confrontation with the Coalition, instead choosing to target soldiers with IEDs and snipers, while saving more aggressive attacks for soft targets like the Iraqi National Police (NP) and surrounding civilian populations.

"It's very clear that they want nothing to do with us directly," said Captain Rich Thompson, a former enlisted Ranger and currently the commander of Baker Company...

It's very clear that our enemies are hoping to win the war by influencing Congress. How unfortunate that our Democratic leadership is so happy to oblige them. Their insistence that the war in Iraq is a failed policy guarantees that there will be more bombings like the one against the Yazidis and more attacks like the one on Wuerdiya.

Excuse me if I don't put a whole lot of faith in the "death counts". As long as these numbers are gathered from news reports, in which they often count dead terrorists as part of the count, or automatically assume they're simply innocent civilians, I won't have faith in them any time soon either.

Paul,

You are showing a fallacy when you are comparing civilian deaths from after the war. To any logical person, to determine if U.S. intervention in Iraq is successful, you compare civilian casualties before and after U.S. intervention (this is first grade stuff).

Again, if someone asks if the U.S. intervention has been successful, you compare pre and post numbers, not June 28th to July 3rd, which is frankly, idiotic.

One may choose to undergo an operation which risks several casualties in order to win a war. To cite numbers from 5 days and try to determine if something is successful is again, as I said, idiotic. IDIOTic, Paul Hooson.

Hooson, then why wasn't it a sign the surge was working last month?

Nehemiah, for the sake of space I only cited just five recent typical days in Iraq during the "surge". But everyday in Iraq has similiar attacks on civilians in a marketplace, murders of government officials or wealthy family members, lawless attacks on police officers, etc.

Where is this "surge" working for the average person living in Iraq? Only a few less American deaths have been noted since March. But deaths for persons living in Iraq are clearly worsening.

Hooson,

I wonder:

(1) If you realize that the terrorist attacks on the Iraqi civilian population serve only one purpose? That purpose is so that you, likeminded bloggers, the left media, and left politicians can use those attacks to demoralize the American public and increase support for pulling out and letting the terrorists claim victory. Were it not for the support* of the leftist forces in America, terrorist attacks on civilians would be pointless?

And (2) Do you think if we did as you leftists wish and pulled out and let the terrorists claim victory and take over in Iraq, that the numbers of deaths in Iraq (and worldwide for that matter) would increase or decrease?

*maybe not willing, intentional, or even acknowledged support, but support nonetheless.

Where is this "surge" working for the average person living in Iraq? Only a few less American deaths have been noted since March. But deaths for persons living in Iraq are clearly worsening.
-------------------------------------
Paul,
This is the evidence of the surge working. From the links I gave you. AlQ terrorists are reduced to blowing up women/children now so that people in the West like you can claim that the surge has failed. So this kind of rhetoric, esp when it comes from people like Reid/Pelosi, tends to encourage more massacres like this. I wonder what a strong and wide condemnation of the barbaric actions coupled with a determination to continue the fight will do the enemies.

Now, AlQ tactic to win is to kill more civilians. ANd the left seems willing to help them along.

Oyster said with good reason:

Excuse me if I don't put a whole lot of faith in the "death counts".

July 2. Baghdad. 17 executed bodies found.

July 3. 18 bodies found executed in Baghdad.

I'd bet five bucks this is the same report twice and that it is the report that Rusty later proved never happened. (Rusty's report was 20 bodies but the date is about the same as I recall)

Hooson and his type are just full of shit. They want the US troops to lose just so Democrats can gain power. They are sick twisted pathetic idiots.

Paul
Master of the understatement.

>This is the evidence of the surge working. From the links I gave you. AlQ terrorists are reduced to blowing up women/children now so that people in the West like you can claim that the surge has failed.

and the little sniveling punk does AQ's work for them.

okay, who's messing with the post ratings? i find it hard to believe that Paul Hoosan has the highest rated posts considering that almost everyone else is bashing his weak arguements. it's happening on other threads as well.

and leftists claim that republicans and conservatives are the dirty tricks specialists.

Hooson, since you are too stupid to figure this out, I'll explain it to you.

You're pulling a Leeward and setting your self up for a colossal ass kicking. When next month civilian deaths fall, I'll link this and make you look like the asshole you are.

Remember Leeward and the Dixie Chicks? I have a long memory and I know how to use a search tool. You'll just make an ass out of yourself later.

But go ahead and make the case that civilian deaths are the measure by which we should judge the surge. Go ahead, set yourself for being made an ass later. I won't stop you.

And goodness knows you're too stupid to stop yourself.

Paul, these are all different official reports by Iraqi police patrols, Iraqi or U.S. military units cleared by the Iraqi Interior Ministry, which tends to understate much of the violence, especially against the Sunni community. No incident was reported twice here. And some spectacular serious car bomb attacks such as against the Kurdish villagers in the North that took hundreds of lives recently were not used here either. Just the common day to violence that is clearly not declining in Iraq as a result of the "surge".

Your premise that the "surge is working" is clearly not true for Iraqi civilians, otherwise the violence against them would be decreasing, right? Only some American deaths have declined since March, right?

The surge is definitely working! 8 out of 18 requirements have been met.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2125768,00.html

That means that 10 of 18 requirements have *not* been met, which would ordinarily be a failing grade; but no matter.

I'm sure we can expect a nonpartisan, clear-eyed, wholly objective report from General Petraus...that's being written by the White House

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-pullback15aug15,0,4840766.story?page=1&coll=la-home-center

and will be delivered on September 11th.

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2029117920070820

In related news, the Bush Administration is building a bridge to the 21st Century. It's located in Brooklyn. Would you like to buy it? Just sign here. Trust me, I work for the Bush administration.

Hooson,

Again, let me repeat myself. Do you have pre-U.S. intervention numbers to compare?

That's what you need to compare. Pre and post.

It's like this. If Bill Clinton claimed he were getting more blowjobs now than before he was married, you don't ask how many blow jobs he has had since March (if you wanted to verify). You ask how much action he was getting before marriage, and how many now. Do you understand this basic logic of comparing before and after?

Paul, if civilian would deaths drop in the next monthly count, then that would indeed be progress. But civilian deaths have so far only worsened since the surge, right?

#1 observation: There are too many Pauls in here!

#2 observation: Paul H. is pissed the surge is working.

Paul Hooson,

"this "surge" has yet to prove any real success."

Thanks for the enemy point of view, Ms.Thomas.