Judging the surge
My friend Sasha (or, I suppose, Alexander M.) Belenky writes:
At the end of the day, the purpose of the surge was to facilitate withdrawal by helping the Iraqis stand on their own. So even if conditions in Iraq are improving, as Bush said, if they haven't improved enough to allow us to reduce the number of troops below the pre-surge levels, then the surge won't actually have accomplished anything.
That's basically right. It's important to remember, though, that the surge was about more than increasing total troop levels across the country. It was, more specifically, an increase in overall troop numbers meant to buttress a relatively larger increase in troop numbers in Baghdad. As Sasha points out, this didn't create anything like the temporary calm necessary to forge a lasting political settlement. Which is, if anything, evidence that if the surge was going to work, it would have required more--not fewer--troops than we added. Those troops didn't exist at the beginning of the surge, and the draw down is coming because our reserves ran out.
So it was a boondoggle. And what the draw down lays bare is the pathetic fact that--as many of us suspected--the surge was an act of unalloyed political theater--devoid of even a shred of strategic substance--to begin with.
Comments
Bush's plan to increase the number of American troops deployed to Iraq to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province was ill-conceived at best. You're right, the two operations in which these troops are participating, Operation Fardh al-Qanoon (otherwise known as the Baghdad Security Plan) and Operation Phantom Thunder, were political in nature and disastrous in outcome. How dare Huckabee appear on television last night and say that Dems are playing politics with the troops, as if Bush and his war is void of politics.
But you know Brian, this whole thing stinks. The concept of drawing down troops because we've run out of reserves is ridiculous. It doesn't even make sense! Bush and Petreaus know exactly how to get more troops, institute a military draft, something Bush would love to do if it wouldn't translate into an antiwar movement. It seems forcing the American people to do anything other than eating Cheetos, drinking sodas, and watching American Idol is the only thing that will force them to become true political activists.
On a side note, Bush nor Congress have any intention on leaving Iraq. As you noted a few posts ago, another base is being built along the Iran border. But in fact, there are three super bases in Iraq that have been in construction the last three years designed to host mini malls and resturaunts. I'm talking about large scale military cities, much like those in Germany, South Korea, Kosovo etc.
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