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About that Surge Success

By Larry Johnson on January 12, 2008 at 9:16 PM in Uncategorized

A letter from Ray Close, a retired CIA officer.

Dear Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman:

Subject:

Your January 10, 2008 Wall Street Journal op-ed entitled The Surge Worked, in which you stated confidently and forcefully that finally, almost five long years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in March, 2003:

Quotes:

(1) Conditions (in Iraq) have been utterly transformed from those of a year ago;
(2) Violence across the country has dropped dramatically;
(3) We have at last begun to see the contours of what must remain our objective in this long, hard and absolutely necessary war — victory.

Apparently the U. S. State Department has a slightly different view of the situation.

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520

This information is current as of today, Sat Jan 12 00:45:45 2008.

IRAQ

This Travel Warning updates the current security situation and reiterates the dangers of the use of civilian aircraft and road travel within Iraq. This supersedes the Travel Warning of August 28, 2006.

The Department of State continues to strongly warn U.S. citizens against travel to Iraq, which remains very dangerous. Remnants of the former Ba’ath regime, transnational terrorists, criminal elements and numerous insurgent groups remain active. Attacks against military and civilian targets throughout Iraq continue, including in the International (or “Green”) Zone. Targets include convoys en-route to venues, hotels, restaurants, police stations, checkpoints, foreign diplomatic missions, international organizations and other locations with expatriate personnel. These attacks have resulted in deaths and injuries of American citizens, including those doing humanitarian work. In addition, there have been planned and random killings, as well as extortions and kidnappings. Several U.S. citizens subsequently were murdered by terrorists. U.S. citizens and other foreigners are targeted by insurgent groups and criminals for kidnapping and murder. Military operations continue. There are daily attacks against Multinational Forces – Iraq (MNF-I) and Iraqi Security Forces throughout the country.

There is credible information that terrorists are targeting civil aviation. Civilian and military aircraft arriving at and departing from Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) for other major cities in Iraq have been subjected to small arms and missiles. Civilian aircraft generally lack defense systems capable of defeating man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). As a result of a security incident at the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP), the U.S. Embassy has prohibited all U.S. government employees from departing BIAP on commercial airlines until further notice.

All vehicular travel in Iraq is extremely dangerous. There have been numerous attacks on civilian vehicles, as well as military convoys. Attacks occur throughout the day, but travel at night is exceptionally dangerous. Travel in or through Ramadi and Fallujah; in and between al-Hillah, al-Basrah, Kirkuk, Baqubah (Diyala Province), and Baghdad; between the International Zone and Baghdad International Airport; and from Baghdad to Mosul is particularly dangerous.

Occasionally, U.S. Government personnel are prohibited from traveling to certain areas depending on prevailing security conditions. Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFPs), and mines often are placed on roads, concealed in plastic bags, boxes, soda cans, dead animals, and in other ways to blend with the road. Grenades and explosives have been thrown into vehicles from overpasses, particularly in crowded areas. Overland travel should be undertaken only when absolutely necessary and with the appropriate security.

shirin

The State Department failed to mention the extreme dangers posed to anyone entering Iraq by occupation forces and their Iraqi proxies, and mercenary forces working on behalf of the United States government.

The State Department also fails to mention that in addition to the direct threat posed by the above, there is the threat from resistance attacks should one be anywhere in their vicinity. The State Department does not mention, for example, that approximately 75% of insurgent (sic) attacks are against occupation forces.

Of course, the State Department is not going to admit that Iraq was a very safe place prior to the United States’ forced entry by means of shock and awe.
TeakWoodKite

And one of these cats is running for squatters rights at 1600. Talk about that Rumsfield screwdriver!!! Freakin X Files episodes write themselves.
shirin

Clarification:

In “anywhere in their vicinity” “their” refers to the occupation forces, not the resistance. The point, which I believe was completely lost in my bad writing, was that it is most dangerous in the vicinity of occupation forces because 75% of insurgent (sic) attacks are against those forces. I did not mention that there is added danger from the occupation forces who tend to react by going berzerkers and shooting wildly in all directions and at anything that moves.
Mr.Murder

John McCain has other issues that could possibly be part of a continued campaign.

When a pilot, his plane had a missile go off aboard the Forrestal, the resulting fire did result in collateral fatalaties.

When will he release the full record of his service, like the Swift Boaters demanded of John Kerry? Why have these sojourners not demanded the same level of accountability from the Republican front runner?

It hearkens back to competence threshold. If John McCain is calling the surge a success he should have his standing to serve office come under scrutiny.

Oh, that’s right, he a Senator. Strom Thurmond crossed that bridge a looooong time ago.

Still, John McCain’s ability to get it right on the war is a major issue, he’s yet to do so.

As for Joe Lieberman, he did mentor Barack Obama.
Mr.Murder

“Research by The Nation into Federal Election Commission records of the group’s top twenty donors reveals that they’ve been remarkably active in this cycle, contributing and bundling nearly $200,000 to presidential candidates. This does not bode well. During the last presidential campaign, the wealthy backers of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth–now rebranded as Swift Vets and POWs for Truth–didn’t do their real dirty work until the general election, where as a tax-exempt 527 group they operated outside the restraints of direct campaign contributions.” http://www.nationinstitute.org/ifunds/47/return_of_the_swift_boaters
h/t wren
Mr.Murder

The accounts I can get online say McCain’s plane was struck by a rocket from another plane that inadvertantly went off, his plane was surrounded by fire before he escaped…
Mr.Murder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chuiyXQKw3I
CK

McCain’s father had ol John transferred to another aircraft carrier tout de suite.
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

The purpose of the surge was to create enough stability and security in Baghdad for the Iraqi political process to move forward. While increased troop levels did provide increased security, there’s been little political progress in terms of cooperation and power-sharing between Sunnis, Shias and Kurds. By Bush’s own definition, the surge has not been a success.
twogunsid

The stated purpose of “The Surge” was not victory in a war that Bush claimed we have already won i.e. ‘Mission Accomplished’. It’s purpose was to tamp down the violence in Iraq so that a political settlement could be reached between all the different Iraqi parties. Violence may be down but, I still don’t see anything that would lead me to believe we are anywhere near forming a stable and secure government.

The truth is: Iraq and Afghanistan are a mess.

McCain and Lieberman are either idiots or liars. Or maybe both.
http://www.earnedwealth.com Earned Wealth

Great information! Thanks for writing this. It is an honor to participate in the discussion.