Scholarship

McClatchy and the GAO suggest that the surge isn't working at all, and have the numbers to back it up. The DoD says it isn't so. Brookings Scholar Michael O'Hanlon does a flying leap into the DoD camp and expresses his disappointment with the GAO for being obviously wrong.

The GAO... is apparently saying, “no documented change whatsoever in the secuity environment.”

I just don’t understand how that could be their conclusion. And I will look forward to their report. I hope it’s a flaw in the draft that will be improved in the final result.

Stay tuned for future O'Hanlon hits, including why newspaper reports about the military's handling of Afghanistan are unfair, and why newspaper reports about the Bush administration's push for war with Iran, while accurate, should be written with a slightly less unfriendly tone.

Via.

Comments

The report was leaked to preemptively avoid precisely the airbrushing that O'Hanlon seems to be pining for here.

Posted by: the blackbird is involved on August 31, 2007 03:07 PM

Greg Sargent reports at TPM that the State Dept reviewed the GAO report, made some suggestions but agreed with the essential conclusions.

No wonder that Bush, with his one-cycle mental engine, is having problems with Iraq (and Iran, likely as well). DoD says one thing, Petraeus/Crocker/WH Staff report will likely say another, GAO (with State, but not clear with Crocker) says yet a third. Cheney's sure aboard for as many FUs as they can arrange. Dems in disarray. Repubs in disarray. Propaganda from the Green Zone, including write-ups on any DC visitors ahead of time to separate those trusted with those not. Neo-Cons and pundits ready to enlist for the duration.

Are we having fun still in Iraq? You betcha.

Posted by: JimPortlandOR on August 31, 2007 06:20 PM

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