Iraq, Sucess or Succeeding? The Surge, Worked or Working?

Image from MSNBC

The whole subject of Iraq is confusing to me. Is it still a war that we need to win? Did we already win, and now we're keeping the peace? Are we peacekeepers or occupiers? And then there's the surge. Is the surge working? Has the surge already worked? Or is the surge over with? I'm not the only one confused, as evidenced by John McCain's own statements.

In a USA Today article on June 17th, McCain is quoted as saying, "The situation on the ground is that we have made enormous success and the surge has worked." But the phrase is alternated with claims that "The surge is working," by McCain, Bush and others.

CNN reported that on Sept. 5, McCain's--ahem--buddy, Sen. Lindsey Graham said, "America is safer because we're winning in Iraq." But I've also heard that we've won in Iraq. Either way, what winning is, is never defined. Even what losing is, is never defined. McCain says if Barack Obama had his way, we would have already pulled out, and that would have been in defeat.

But what is defeat? Getting out without more US service members dying? What is victory? Sticking around, but nobody's dying? Before we ever went in, no US service members were dying in Iraq. Would we have won if we'd never gone?

Not surprisingly, whenever a Republican is asked point blank what "victory" or "winning" is, they duck the question. Nobody, it would seem, has any idea. What we do know, is that Iraq is not a liberated, free wonderful little democratic society. Bad stuff is still happening there. So did the surge work? I have no idea.

[Excerpt]

Monday: 26 Iraqis Killed, 52 Wounded

A significant number of attacks occurred across Iraq today. Almost all of them caused very few casualties though, keeping the figures deceptively low. At least 26 Iraqis were killed and 52 more were wounded. . .

Read more at: Antiwar.com

[Excerpt]

U.S. soldiers kill physician in Diala by mistake – police

A physician was accidentally killed by U.S. forces in central Baaquba district on Monday, a police source in Diala said. . .

Read more at: Aswataliraq

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