(no subject)
Nov. 16th, 2007 07:36 amUS claims there are fewer roadside bombs in Iraq
There's been some buzz from the white house about decreases in coalition forces casualties and decreasing violence as a sign the surge worked. What they aren't saying is this - Since late August, Sadr has called for the Mahdi Army to lay down arms. So the decreased violence isn't due to the surge, but rather due to a reduction in the number of active insurgents. At any time he can change his mind and things will go back to how they've been (though, I'd say they still aren't great now). Just another sign that things in Iraq will go how Iraqis want them to, and our presence there likely only makes it worse. (Especially as long as forces like Blackwater refuse to recognize or respond to the Iraqi authorities).
There's been some buzz from the white house about decreases in coalition forces casualties and decreasing violence as a sign the surge worked. What they aren't saying is this - Since late August, Sadr has called for the Mahdi Army to lay down arms. So the decreased violence isn't due to the surge, but rather due to a reduction in the number of active insurgents. At any time he can change his mind and things will go back to how they've been (though, I'd say they still aren't great now). Just another sign that things in Iraq will go how Iraqis want them to, and our presence there likely only makes it worse. (Especially as long as forces like Blackwater refuse to recognize or respond to the Iraqi authorities).