Better Than A Bloodbath
Turn on your television and tune into an American news channel and you will most assuredly be confronted, at some point, with the fact that The Surge implemented last year in Iraq has been a success. Of course, to what extent is rarely examined or disseminated, leaving only the blanket assumption that it has been successful with regards to American domestic perceptions. That, like most things to do with the war in Iraq, was most certainly one of its goals.
The truth is, while violence is down, Iraq remains the world’s most dangerous country in which to live, which is something that has been wholly overshadowed by claims that The Surge has made an immense impact on the state of security in the country.
More from The Independent’s Baghdad correspondent, Patrick Cockburn…
“Iraq is less violent than a year ago, but the country is still the most dangerous in the world. So it was no surprise to anyone in Baghdad, where people have long dreaded a renewal of al-Qa’ida’s savage bombing campaign directed at Shia civilians, that there should be suicide attacks on two bird markets, killing 92 people on Friday.
For all President George Bush’s claims of progress, cited in his final State of the Union address last week, Baghdad looks like a city out of the Middle Ages, divided into hostile townships. Districts have been turned into fortresses, encircled by walls made out of concrete slabs. Police and soldiers check all identities at the entrances and exits.
“People say things are better than they were,” says Zainab Jafar, a well-educated Shia woman, “but what they mean is that they are better than the bloodbath of 2006. The situation is still terrible.”
Like it or not, you can’t turn shit into a sundae, no matter how much you wish it to appear possible. Putting a cherry on top of it doesn’t alter the fact that it’s still shit, it just means that there are those that will focus on the cherry because it’s entirely less offensive to their sensibilities.
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February 3rd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Yep. The surge worked. Until you take into account that even with the great troop withdrawls they are now pointing to, there will still be more troops than the pre-surge number.
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I can’t watch American news anymore, I get all worked up about it and then don’t get any studying done. So I just get news updates from you instead!
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:00 pm
You’re absolutely right!
The “cherry” just makes us feel better about what we’re doing to “help” the situation. Now we can all go on with our lives feeling like we’ve made a difference. Thank God!
“Putting a cherry on top of it doesn’t alter the fact that it’s still shit”
– That stands true for so many things! Great way of putting it into words :-)
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
[...] revbill wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptTurn on your television and tune into an American news channel and you will most assuredly be confronted, at some point, with the fact that The Surge implemented last year in Iraq has been a success. Of course, to what extent is rarely … [...]
February 3rd, 2008 at 2:25 pm
It’s incredibly disheartening. With things as bad as they are, it makes you wonder if things will ever get better– not just better than a bloodbath. And it makes you wonder where on earth to start.
The two latest “suicide” attacks are phenomenally disgusting, even moreso than usual, if it’s true those two women were mentally disabled.
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Regarding the whole American news situation, I hear you. I just watched some of the Superbowl pregame stuff on FOX and they had these guys dressed up like Thomas Jefferson reciting the Declaration of Independence. It’s football, for crying out loud!
I had no idea that Iraq was the world’s most dangerous country to live in. Judging by the news reports, I would have thought it was maybe in the top 10.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
And now the weather with Ollie Williams..Ollie?
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
‘can’t turn shit into a sunday’ … that sounds like a Mr. Lahey quote from Trailer Park Boys.
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:56 pm
“The two latest “suicide” attacks are phenomenally disgusting, even moreso than usual, if it’s true those two women were mentally disabled.”
What makes you think that the reports that the girls suffered from Down’s Syndrome is a lie?
It’s just indicative of al-Qa’ida’s thinking. That is what the people of Iraq have to worry about; not dairy products.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:01 pm
ugh matt. nice metaphor choice. i was eating a sandwich when i read that.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Nicely chosen analogy.
Shit sundaes pretty much sum it all up.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:23 pm
[quote comment="40696"]“The two latest “suicide” attacks are phenomenally disgusting, even moreso than usual, if it’s true those two women were mentally disabled.”
What makes you think that the reports that the girls suffered from Down’s Syndrome is a lie?
It’s just indicative of al-Qa’ida’s thinking. That is what the people of Iraq have to worry about; not dairy products.[/quote]
I didn’t say it was a lie. I said “if it’s true” because I was being cautious. All the reports I had heard were just that– reports– nothing confirmed.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:25 pm
[quote comment="40688"]‘can’t turn shit into a sunday’ … that sounds like a Mr. Lahey quote from Trailer Park Boys.[/quote]
He may as well be in charge.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 pm
QUOTE:
Like it or not, you can’t turn shit into a sundae, no matter how much you wish it to appear possible. Putting a cherry on top of it doesn’t alter the fact that it’s still shit, it just means that there are those that will focus on the cherry because it’s entirely less offensive to their sensibilities.
END QUOTE
As much as you want to disgree with what has happened in Iraq the fact of the matter is, this quote “shit” still needs to be cleaned up. Putting a cherry ontop and sugar coating everything in the news doesn’t do much to show the truth. Fact of the matter is the us press doesn’t show everything as fine as much as they use too. The US population is tired of the war and the effects it has on its economy. My wife is american, and when she first moved to Canada she couldn’t understand why Canadians were so hostile towards the US and its people. She now, after living here for over 3 years understands that the US looks out for its self. Sad thing is, broadcasts like CNN do now show the good that the troops are doing over there. Everyone has this misconception that they are over there only shooting and asking questions after. My wife has friends over there doing a job that they have too and she is contact with them via email on occasion when they have a few minutes to contact family and friends and they are talking about all the construction they are having to do with building safe houses and shelters and trying to supply water to people. There is some good coming out of it, but i know most will rebut this and say well the only reason its like this is cus of them….so be it ….its a loosing battle no matter what side you take.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:47 pm
I like the way Barack Obama has summed up the success of the troop surge during his campaign. Here’s what Obama said about it during the CNN Democratic debate on Jan. 31:
[quote]“…But the notion that somehow we have succeeded as a consequence of the recent reductions in violence means that we have set the bar so low it’s buried in the sand at this point.
And I’ve said this before. We went from intolerable levels of violence and a dysfunctional government to spikes and horrific levels of violence and a dysfunctional government. And now, two years later, we’re back to intolerable levels of violence and a dysfunctional government.
And in the meantime, we have spent billions of dollars, lost thousands of lives. Thousands more have been maimed and injured as a consequence and are going to have difficulty putting their lives back together again.”[/quote]
transcript: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/31/dem.debate.transcript/
February 3rd, 2008 at 9:22 pm
No matter how you sugar coat it….it is still a loss of lives and money.
We are so screwed down here. I don’t think electing a new president is going to help.
We are in for a long and bumpy ride.
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Matt,
I would be curious what you think the solution to Iraq is. Do you think the US should pull out? They had no business going in to begin with, but as the saying goes “you broke it, you bought it”. Is there any value at all to the current US presence in Iraq? Is it at all realistic to think that Iraq can become a unified, self governing, state in the future? Could a greater US military presence achieve such a state? or should the US just pull out and allow the Iraqis to solve their own problems?
February 4th, 2008 at 5:37 am
Unfortunately its all about manipulating the general population. Those who do not take the time to look elsewhere for their news and rely entirely on CNN or FOX for their current events will only believe the propoganda they are fed. I agree with webber39 in that Americans (alongwith everyone else) are tired of this war. I think that is a really sad representation of humanity when we are “tired” of a war. I hear people saying that. And its true, we are all exhausted from the situation. But the war isnt a pair of shoes that we tired of. I’ve heard people say “I don’t want to talk about it anymore, I’m sick of the war”. To which my response is, “You’re tired? Imagine how the people who actually have to suffer through it feel”
The pathetic part of it all is that the solution offered up by mainstream media appears to be, if people are tired of the war, change the news. So instead of showing all the horrors that are unfolding in Iraq, keep selling that the surge is working. Puff up that good old American pride. “Look everyone, look at our success - no, no no, don’t look over there where you hear about what it’s really like, look over here at our pretty pictures. The surge worked!”. ‘
February 4th, 2008 at 10:57 am
sotiredithurts and others, Matt did outline a possible solution and recommendations for the Iraq situation. He posted it about 2 years ago. It’s too long for me to paste here. You can probably find it in the Archives. It’s a good read.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:25 am
[quote comment="40751"]sotiredithurts and others, Matt did outline a possible solution and recommendations for the Iraq situation. He posted it about 2 years ago. It’s too long for me to paste here. You can probably find it in the Archives. It’s a good read.[/quote]
Yeah. The Archives. Archives Archives Archives.
Also, the “Search” box.
Even without the drag’n'drop functionality, both are pretty great if people would use them.
;)
February 4th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
” If you’re good at the art of war, chances are you’re not great at the art of peace.”
Like Ike?
February 4th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
[quote comment="40773"]” If you’re good at the art of war, chances are you’re not great at the art of peace.”
Like Ike?[/quote]
Well, Eisenhower certainly set the precedent for the US intervening in Middle Eastern affairs…
February 4th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
[quote comment="40786"][quote comment="40773"]” If you’re good at the art of war, chances are you’re not great at the art of peace.”
Like Ike?[/quote]
Well, Eisenhower certainly set the precedent for the US intervening in Middle Eastern affairs…[/quote]
Jesus, you’re picky!
George Washington?
February 6th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Why did a whole bunch of comments disappear from here? Will this disappear?