Bush Administration Wants It Both Ways
Posted by Michael Link on June 4, 2007 at 12:12 PM
How can the Bush administration say that the surge has been a success, while still saying it's early to tell if it's working? Compare these two statements:
"And I think what the President is saying is that what David Petraeus has said, it's going to take until the fall to see if this Baghdad security plan is working before we can evaluate."
- Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino
"The senior U.S. commanders in Iraq -- Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno and Gen. David Petraeus -- want the surge to continue until at least December and expect to report enough progress in Iraq by September to justify it..."
- ABC News
As John Arivosis pointed out, the Bush administration has repeatedly made the point that despite the rising death toll, it's far too early to declare the escalation of troops in Iraq a failed strategy.
It's an attempt to avoid holding themselves accountable in the present as we receive more and more bad news. Just today we found out a recent American assessment "found that American and Iraqi forces were able to 'protect the population' and 'maintain physical influence over' only 146 of the 457 Baghdad neighborhoods." The same NY Times article also reports a cautioning tale about the Iraqi Police:
A few weeks earlier, angered by the attacks on his soldiers, Colonel Frank ordered a video camera hidden near an abandoned swimming pool along a main road in Ameel, near a police checkpoint, where patrols had been hit repeatedly.
When the video was examined after another attack, it showed two Iraqi policemen talking with companions, who were heard off-camera, apparently laying an explosive device. Minutes after the policemen were seen driving away, the camera showed a powerful bomb detonating as an American Humvee came into view.
The bad news doesn't end there. The number of unidentified bodies found in Baghdad rose sharply last month. A surge in the number of civilians killed. An increase in the complexity and lethality of attacks.
Yet somehow the administration is planning to report everything's dandy? And they're planning it while saying -- at the same time -- that it's too early to tell whether or not it's working?
It should go without saying that the administration no longer has any credibility. This is just another reminder of why that is.
Comments (7) «
I feel so helpless to stop the killing of our brave, selfless troops. What can the people do now? No matter what we say or do Bush has dug his heels in and will excuss every death as a noble cause. I have prayed my heart out for the troops to come home to no avail thus far! I know God is not pleased with this war. When God approved the War of the Children of Israel, not one single man,woman or child of Israel died because of War. That is how you know whether God approves of our so call "Christian wars." Please give me hope if you can?
Hillary's Democratic Party (Not she has to earn that right)
The Democratic Party is not Hillary’s Bush Republican Party. There are serious issues that need debate and addressed in open air Main Street Barber Shop dialogs. The Old Guard of Bush, Clinton, and political royalty must be expunged with a change back to good ole Constitutional Patriotic Freedom and Democracy. The idea of one person controlling the flow of Democratic dialog of a complete political party is treason to her Executive Privilege White House power play. It is reminiscent of Bush’s Texas style of dirty politics of anything goes to smear a win by damn intimidation, Hillary please do not intimidate the public, reason with them instead.
There are serious issues that must be solved, like why didn’t Washington do its homework on the Iraq War, thereby earning them a failing grade in history. This black mark has their vote on it and cannot be erased. Like the Germans, who allowed the Holocaust to happen, they cannot reinvent their vote, you are a part of the Mission Accomplished image. It is where they need to make their dissertation as to what went wrong, to accept blame, and not bury it. We elected Congress as caretakers of concrete accountability, so the blame must be shared in your hearts, and to those you failed. Will George W Bush be treated as Kenneth Lay, pushed aside without accountability for his actions to a Texas Ranch of seclusion of wealthy comfort?
Sorry, about the test the Internet was giving me a rebuild fault code, and not posting anything.
Yet somehow the administration is planning to report everything's dandy? And they're planning it while saying -- at the same time -- that it's too early to tell whether or not it's working?
It should go without saying that the administration no longer has any credibility. This is just another reminder of why that is.
I still remember when Gale Norton of the DoI insisted we weren't losing any wetlands by including cow ponds and golf course water hazards in their figures.
The September brief will urgently point out that each bombed schoolhouse had a fresh coat of paint. Oil-based even.
It appears the Republicans are awake and writing well against the Democrats in this the Democrats Blog. Hillary is all the best about wise Governing! There isn't a single Democratic Campaigner that isn't better than "ANY" Republican. Let us all insult and embarrass these intruders until they leave off advertising on the Democrats nickle. What low life would do that?
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