In last night's presidential debate Senator John McCain continued to hit on the theme that the so-called "Surge" in Iraq has been a remarkable success. The reason for the recent fall in violence is an open question, but some of it is surely due to the "Surge", that is more boots on the ground, but there are other reasons for the decline in violence, namely, the bribes we've been paying to the Sunni insurgents, and the ethnic cleansing in Baghdad. Also, there is the more important question of how much progress has been made in reconciling Iraq's warring factions. Moreover, if we are "winning," in Iraq, as Senator McCain, never fails to remind us, then when can we expect the Iraqi government to be able to govern on its own? Sadly, Senator McCain didn't have answer.
What kind of success is the "Surge?" Was it a brilliant tactic that won the war for us, and turned Iraq away from the brink of a full-scale civil war and onto the path of liberal democracy and economic prosperity?
Here is a telling video shot by an Iraqi journalist who witnessed the "success" of the Surge first hand. He now calls Baghdad a "city of walls." As you watch the video ask yourself if you think that Baghdad looks like a city that is prosperous and open, that has a well-developed civic ethic, that is strong and united, and that possesses all the spontaneous delights of a happy community?
The "success" of the Surge in color:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment