All those air strikes must really be part of the COIN strategy then. Nothing like dozens of dead families to punch a hole in the pretension that protecting civilians is the key of the strategy.
Like most things, strategy in Iraq is principally based around US domestic propaganda efforts rather then any sort of long-term security. Cordesman can go get his gun and go patrol outside the wire to continue this destructive occupation. If he doesn't than he is just another "foreign policy advisor" that is full of shit.
The surge is primarily a political program to create the appearance of progress, by re-framing the metric of success to a relative reduction in violence. So far, to about 2006 levels. And since nobody in 2006 thought we were winning, and now we do - it does represent a clever reversal of acknowledged failure into the currently acknowledged success. Considering that the numerical escalation of troops has had nothing to do with with the drop in violence - while the payoff of former insurgents, the Sadr standdown, the wall building, the massive increase in air strikes, and vehicle travel bans being largely responsible, still, its quite an accomplishment. Because it has achieved the primary objective; which is to stop in its tracks, the momentum for withdrawal and buy more time. You just watch, as this induced pressure cooker scenario begins too blow its lid, there will be another great white hope rising from the desert - as the Maliki government flickers and dissolves like a mirage, and then we'll need a couple more years for the newly installed secular government to straighten things out.
I also wonder if the recent talk about
bases being in Iraq for decades, if not centuries has also contributed to the uptick in violence. A reminder that,
"yes, we really do want you to leave".
Posts here by wengler and anna missed just nailed it.
Incredibly smart people on the net lately; the pundits on the idiot box should perhaps come to the blogs to get edumacated...
Naw, never happen.
All this to salt the earth for the bush successor. Trying to limit options, I can hear the noise machine now when the 44th announces the withdrawal. If anyone takes the path of least resistance laid down by bushco, they may be collared with the death of the American Empire.
Commenting by HaloScan
