"Winning" In Iraq

Over at Bob Cesca, Bob occasionally presents some e-mail that he receives from wingnuts who fall for the Bush propaganda hook, line and sinker. They want to believe (as any other well meaning American, I suppose) that we are in control, that America is the greatest, and that there is no way the U. S of A. can lose.

Here's part of an e-mail that Bob received:

George W. Bush's legacy: After 9-11, there has not been a single terroirist [sic] attack in the United States. As of today, that's more than 2,400 days and counting.

Oh, yeah, and crushing the Taliban in a matter of weeks, despite the whining defeatism of people like you.

Oh, yeah, and winning the war in Iraq when Leftist douches like you were advising surrender, and accepting defeat, and ridiculing his success even after it was acknowledged by the enemy.

Oh yeah, you're an idiot sheep that's going to be led to the Republican slaughterhouse.

The worst part of this whole thing is that after all that has happened these last 7½ years, idiots like this still believe what the administration and the talking heads at Fox have to say, no questions asked. NO QUESTIONS ASKED! How can that be? How can they compare their lives today totheir lives in 2000 and delude themselves to believe it's somehow better?

Here's what I wrote in the comments section of Bob's blog:

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Sad.

...there has not been a single terroirist attack in the United States.

Really? Doesn't anyone remember Capitol Hill? Whatever happened to ... the anthrax attacks?


...crushing the Taliban in a matter of weeks...

From Council on Foreign Relations website 5/30/2006:

Though the group has been out of power for several years, it remains a cultural force in the region while working to undermine President Hamid Karzai's U.S.-backed government. Violent clashes between Taliban and coalition forces have increased in recent months, underscoring the Taliban's resurgence.

This article was written over two years ago and judging be how badly the administration has ignored Afghanistan, you can probably guess what's happening there now.


...Oh, yeah, and winning the war in Iraq...

To which I reply, "Winning what?"

Some progress is being made not because the militias have been defeated or merged into Iraqi military and police forces but because of an Iranian-brokered truce and because the Iraqi Army allowed the militias to slip away without disarming or engaging them. Though two leaders surrendered on Friday, the militias' existence indicates how far Iraq still must go for political reconciliation.

No mistake, the Iraqi Army in particular has made progress. Negotiating with sheiks is better than warring with their followers. Yet Americans and Iraqis are still dying. The militias' decision not to fight might be because they are spent, are afraid or because they are keeping their powder dry.

And the popular resistance to a long-term U.S.-Iraqi security agreement remains deep in the country, indicating that we might not even be broadly wanted. Many Iraqis believe this accord will cement a U.S. occupation, a fear that militia instigator Iran shares.

Some will look at all these failings and see even more reason to stay, contradicting their simultaneous statements that recent developments mean the U.S. is "winning."

It took me about 5 minutes to look that up. Very sad indeed.

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When Army Generals were calling for a Democratic takeover in 2006 so that there would be some oversight, doesn't that tell you something? Yet here we are, two years after the 2006 elections, waiting out Mensa Man.