Strolling the Surge
Surfing through Right Blogistan over the past few weeks since Georgie's Mighty Surge began, I occasionally see these breathless little posts that say: "The Surge is working!". It's odd, because when I read the news, all I see is stuff like this:
"BAGHDAD (AFP) - At least 2,078 people died in Iraq last month, 15 percent more than in February despite a massive security crackdown in Baghdad, the epicentre of violence, a security official said on Sunday."
But but "the Surge is working! McCain and Graham went for a stroll!" The reality-challenged cheerleading from the right is most definitely instigated by things like the news of Senator McCain and Senator "5 Rugs" Graham going for a "stroll through Baghdad" without getting blown to bits. That is, if one can "stroll" with an entourage of 3 blackhawk helicopters, 2 apache gunships and 100 soldiers. And wearing body armour. The "stroll through Baghdad" was designed to shore up support for a "surge" that, 3 months down the road, isn't doing a goddamn thing except feeding more soldiers into this middle eastern meat grinder.
Just another in a long line of PR events in a PR-driven war. Like the toppling of the statue, the plastic turkey dinner and the "mission accomplished" banner, the "stroll through Baghdad" is just another coat of paint on a crumbling, termite-ridden, mold-encrusted wall, slapped on by an incompetent contractor.
"BAGHDAD (AFP) - At least 2,078 people died in Iraq last month, 15 percent more than in February despite a massive security crackdown in Baghdad, the epicentre of violence, a security official said on Sunday."
But but "the Surge is working! McCain and Graham went for a stroll!" The reality-challenged cheerleading from the right is most definitely instigated by things like the news of Senator McCain and Senator "5 Rugs" Graham going for a "stroll through Baghdad" without getting blown to bits. That is, if one can "stroll" with an entourage of 3 blackhawk helicopters, 2 apache gunships and 100 soldiers. And wearing body armour. The "stroll through Baghdad" was designed to shore up support for a "surge" that, 3 months down the road, isn't doing a goddamn thing except feeding more soldiers into this middle eastern meat grinder.
Just another in a long line of PR events in a PR-driven war. Like the toppling of the statue, the plastic turkey dinner and the "mission accomplished" banner, the "stroll through Baghdad" is just another coat of paint on a crumbling, termite-ridden, mold-encrusted wall, slapped on by an incompetent contractor.
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