An interim report on progress of events in Iraq as a result of “The Surge” of troops to Iraq this year is due next week. All you have to do is read the newspapers and news reports on the television to come to the conclusion that the report will not have in it any of the good news that were promised from escalation of the war.
Perhaps in preparation for the bad news we have Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zabari warning anyone who will listen in Washington that premature withdrawal of US troops before Iraq is ready will result in fractionation of the country and governmental collapse.
Progress in Iraq will be measured by benchmarks set by congress.
Just about the only good news to be included in the report is that Sunni tribal leaders have become disaffected by al-Qaeda in Iraq, and that sectarian killings are down in June. Well scratch that second one. The market suicide truck bomb blast that killed 150 shoppers in the village of Amerli, arguably the deadliest attack of the war, pretty much makes June the bloodiest month since the surge began.
With no progress, and arguably some evidence of regression, it will be very difficult for Bush to staunch the hemorrhage in the Republican Party as more and more Senators and Congressmen rise to criticize the way Bush is conducting this war.
If the trend in Washington continues, the final report on “The Surge”, to be delivered by General Petraeus on September 15th, may come too late.
It could all be a moot point by then.
Perhaps in preparation for the bad news we have Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zabari warning anyone who will listen in Washington that premature withdrawal of US troops before Iraq is ready will result in fractionation of the country and governmental collapse.
Progress in Iraq will be measured by benchmarks set by congress.
Just about the only good news to be included in the report is that Sunni tribal leaders have become disaffected by al-Qaeda in Iraq, and that sectarian killings are down in June. Well scratch that second one. The market suicide truck bomb blast that killed 150 shoppers in the village of Amerli, arguably the deadliest attack of the war, pretty much makes June the bloodiest month since the surge began.
With no progress, and arguably some evidence of regression, it will be very difficult for Bush to staunch the hemorrhage in the Republican Party as more and more Senators and Congressmen rise to criticize the way Bush is conducting this war.
If the trend in Washington continues, the final report on “The Surge”, to be delivered by General Petraeus on September 15th, may come too late.
It could all be a moot point by then.
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