[Grovenet] What happened to the "Surge"

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

...that was supposed to pacify Baghdad? 

The reports I see say it has not happened yet! The N.Y. Times reports,
"...just more than half of the so-called surge of nearly 30,000 additional
troops into the country have arrived."

The article goes says, "For American troops, Baghdad has become a deadlier
battleground as they have poured into the capital to confront Sunni and
Shiite militias on their home streets. The rate of American deaths in the
city over the first seven weeks of the security plan has nearly doubled from
the previous period..."*

It's amazing how things drop from public view so easily and quickly.
Although I think the mess there is OUR mess, I have no illusions that we'll
do anything useful for the Iraqi people. I notice that those yellow "Support
the Troops" stick-on plastic ribbons on cars (the ones made in China to show
folks support the troops) are now giving way to black signs that say, "Out
of Iraq, NOW!" I haven't gotten a close look at one yet, but I suspect
they're made in China too. 

It seems like the Chinese making stick-on signs for Americans may be the
real winners in this war. 

In the meantime, it looks like it's time for America to chalk up another
loss in battle and in international relations and start our colors running
for home. What the insurgents didn't accomplish the world community - Muslim
and non-Muslim alike - has. They've started their own process of rebuilding
the middle east and world alliances - without the USA. 

We're definitely superfluous. Dangerous, but not very useful to other
nations who want to live in peace and prosperity. 

I'm not happy about that role for the USA - schoolyard bully who threatens
people - but it seems that a lot of Americans accept it. 

I'm not holding out much hope that we'll impeach the President. 

I suspect most people simply want to pretend it never happened. 

Like Vietnam. 

Ron D'Eau Claire 

* http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/world/middleeast/09surge.html