The usual suspects are out there softening up the ground for next month when CENTCOM is expected to report on the success of the surge. All around the MSM and the right wing blogosphere we are getting the same old synchronized swimming exercises from the asshats on the right.
It sort of started with O'Hanlan, and Pollack's recent trip to Iraq and their pollyanna New York Times piece. Then you have the AP's Robert Burns' Analysis: Military Shows Gains in Iraq not to be confused with the drunkard Scottish poet. The AP's man is not a poet nor is he Scottish. Please note the word 'Analysis:' in his title. Lets not forget the bloodthirsty lunkhead Max Boot and his piece Irrational OptimismRational Optimism on Iraq. Also note Boots' first sentence The evidence of gains being made on the ground in Iraq continues to pile up.
You can read all of these pieces of dreck and you would learn absolutely nothing about WHY the surge is supposedly working. Oh you will hear about how morale is high! and comments from various military officials and 'two analysts' (presumably we dont get their names because is TOP SECRET, sshhhhh!). I guess my favorite bit from the OHanlon/Pollack piece has to be this:
The Sunni residents were unhappy with the nearby police checkpoint, where Shiite officers reportedly abused them, but they seemed genuinely happy with the American soldiers
The heavily armed American soldiers standing there 'protecting' the two NYTimes reporters from being murdered. I'll bet the Sunni's seemed genuinely happy indeed, at least if they know whats good for them.
You can sift through all of of these pieces and you wont find any piles of evidence, or even a single piece of evidence. You can hear the piles of bullshit and silly anecdotal stories with ham handed adjectives oddly prefixed to things. for instance: superb commander;Reliable police officers;Outstanding Marine captain;Highly effective Third Infantry Division;Sustainable stability. I suppose they had the boys in marketing punch it up for them. "How about this J.G! They arent just police officers, theyre 'Reliable Police Officers'., Thanks boys!"
What you wont hear from them is it is very, very HOT in Iraq right now as Juan Cole points out. The wingnuts ability to march in lockstep is not to be underestimated. OHanlon, to Boot, to Reynolds. Just like clockwork. Do these lickspittle syncophants ever get tired of advocating more death?
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