17 September 2007
It looks like hard headed Bush will keep all our troops in Iraq until March. Once again we look at collateral loss for this decision. Patraeus tells us that we’ll see an average of 2 military killed and 10 billion dollars a week to finance the war until March, for this decision. I find that totally unacceptable. The money is minor compared to the loss of life. Haven’t enough brave military died already?
While al-Qaeda is overwhelmingly unpopular in Anbar, the place where we are supposed to have made so many gains with the surge, the US is equally unpopular there too. In a national survey among Iraqis in Anbar, 76 % said that the US should withdraw now. Who is listening to what the Iraqis want? While there are some imrovements in Anbar, mainly for confidence in the Iraqi Army and police, ratings of living conditions are dismal. While violence is down it has not ended.
It is said that tribal leaders have been given arms, materiel and money for their help fighting insurgents. Confidence in local leaders, is lower only in Diyala — the other province mentioned as a place of surge progress.
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