Tuesday, March 27, 2007

We’re winning!

That's the report from a breathless Johnny Rocketseed today over at Powerline (no link):

March 27, 2007

It's Official, We're Winning

That's what Blog of the Week--rapidly turning into Blog of the Spring--Jules Crittenden says, anyway:

… we can win in Iraq, we are winning in Iraq, and George Bush's surge strategy is responsible for it. Not even the AP can ignore it* anymore:

The US military has captured the leaders of a car-bombing ring blamed for killing hundreds of Iraqis.

The news came as the departing US ambassador said Americans are in ongoing talks with insurgent representatives to try to persuade them to turn against al-Qaeda.

It is noteworthy, though the AP can't quite bring itself to note it, that the anti-al-Qaeda Sunni insurgents have advanced beyond the Democratic congressional leadership in their thinking:

Khalilzad said the talks have shifted from "unreasonable demands" by the groups for a US withdrawal to forming an alliance against al-Qaeda. He said the effort has gained support among tribal leaders and even some insurgents.

"Iraqis are uniting against al-Qaeda," he said.

It's been reported on and off for a long time that Sunni insurgents are turning against al Qaeda. Armed clashes between the two groups have been reported from time to time.

I do think the surge is showing results, but our concern, as always, is that the kind of violence that the terrorists in Iraq rely on--car bombs, etc.--is easy enough to carry out that if the standard of success in Iraq is an absence of violence, it may never be satisfied despite our best efforts. [italics are Spot's]

Posted by John at 10:24 AM

So now we win not if 1) Saddam is disarmed of WMD, 2) Iraq becomes a Jeffersonian democracy, or 3) we get electricity to Iraqis more than a few hours a day, but rather if the escalation shows results, even if Iraq remains violent? You guys are getting really easy to please! Spot has an idea, Johnny, why don't you just declare victory so we can come home?

Honestly, Johnny's grip on the real world seems so fragile that Spot cannot figure out how he ever makes a record in court.

Meanwhile, Iraq continues to go to hell in a handbasket:

Attacks Throughout Iraq Kill at Least 65

Baghdad's Green Zone hit by rocket

No comments: