Surge Regurge

General David "Dumbya's Man" Petraeus gave his testimony this morning to the Senate, and was generally cautious and mixed in his views on progress. No wonder. Despite attempts by war cheerleaders Sens. John Mc Same and Lindsay "It's A Guy's Name, Too" Graham to go the "rah rah" route, Petreaus played it as much down the middle as he could afford to. But, it's far from over. . .

In real-world Iraq, Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr is ready to call off the Mahdi Army cease fire, which has been a boon to the "surge" in that it's lessened violence among Iraqis. He's evidently pissed that the Maliki government is more concerned with self-preservation and with perpetual U.S. occupation. Going to be a bumpy ride if the Mahdi Army is unleashed.

Kicking The Can Down The Road

There was nothing new in Dumbya's speech last night defending the surge, asking for more time, and "accepting" the recommendations from Petraeus that Bush himself had pre-ordained. The troops coming home are ending their 15-month extended rotations, so there was no surprise in that. It's been clear for many months that this is all about handing off the mess he created to his successor. As the NY Times editorial today said, Bush "has no strategy to end his disastrous war and no strategy for containing the chaos he unleashed." Using false information and arguments to launch the war on Iraq, he now uses false arguments to ensure that it continues after his term mercifully ends.

In the past, Dumbya has always had his father and his father's friends to bail him out in business, so that he could avoid responsibility and accountability for his actions and decisions. This time, he wants the next President to make the tough decisions on Iraq that he won't make, and shamefully wants American soldiers to pay his debts.

Surge Regurge

Obsidian Wings' Hilzoy has a thorough look at the pro-surge arguments anticipated in the "Petraeus" report, and how they all have logical or factual flaws in one way or another. Good reading. Not that the mainstream media will pick up on the flaws in the argument and report them. Since Petraeus is expected to deliver "his" report (via the White House) to Congress on September 11, the media will be likely making a bogus connection between the al Qaeda attack on us 6 years ago, and the sectarian war in Iraq which we find ourselves in the middle of.

Meanwhile, al Qaeda regains strength in the mountain frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and prepares for the next strike.

GAO to Report Surge Failing

The AP is reporting that 13 of 18 Bush Assministration military and political benchmarks to measure the surge (escalation) in Baghdad have not been met. While the Assministration is asking for $50 billion more in Iraq funding, Dumbya is doing photo ops in Louisiana and Mississippi two years after Katrina, making sure to stand in front of the few facades that've been rebuilt and bypassing the blight that constitutes the areas most impacted by Katrina.

Not Buying It

Think Progress has an interesting post on the attitudes of non-commissioned soldiers in Iraq, who are not buying their senior commanders' or the White House's happy talk about surge "progress."

Remember this when the Bush Assministration releases it's "report" on the surge in September.

More Progress, cont'd.

The latest declassified version of the National Intelligence Report was issued today, and has dim hopes for the Maliki government ever leading a unified Iraq. Sectarian violence continues, al Qaeda is still launching high-profile attacks, regional governors have been assassinated, and necessary reforms have yet to be accomplished. The report says sectarian violence is expected to remain high, and that "Tet offensive" -like attacks are likely to occur in September - - when Petrae, uh we mean, the White House reports on the surge's inevitable progress. Which, of course, we're making. Despite a worsening political situation. Despite intense sectarian violence. Progress. Of course.

UPDATE: Prime Minister Maliki scolded his American critics for suggesting that he should step aside. On a trip to Syria, Maliki said that he could "find friends elsewhere" if he was abandoned by the U.S.

Translation: "Eat this, bitchez!"

Listening to the Generals, Dumbya Style

As noted by Think Progress, the LA Times reports that the upcoming Petraeus report on the surge will be written by the White House, with "inputs" from other government sources. Riiiiight. Ah'll be listnin' to mah Gen'ruls, says the Preznit. Would that be General Confusion, General Mess or Field Marshall Cheney? Wonder what the report will say? The suspense is killing us.

This, of course, contradicts what the White House has been saying, namely that Petraeus, with help from Ambassador "Crock" Crocker, will deliver their independent assessment. Anyone that really believed that Dumbya would allow a change of course at this point in his failed Assministration needs to check into adult day care. This mess is being handed off to his successor.

More Progress, cont'd.

Some recent reports from Iraq: a province governor and his police chief were killed by a road side bomb, the Mahdi army's growing stronger and bolder in incidents against government officials, and 3,684 of our soldiers have died in Iraq as of Friday, August 10.

And Dumbya seems to be having trouble keeping the Iraqi Prime Minister from visiting and talking nice about axis of evil member Iran.

But the surge is working.

Report Card

One of the failures noted in the Iraq report card yesterday was the failure of Iraq's security forces to set their sectarian differences aside, so that we can "stand down as they stand up." Today's item in the news underlines that this failure has fatal consequences for American troops. These were not "al Qaeda" forces killing our troops (heads up, Preznit Chimpy), but Iraqi police!!

Uh oh, what's this? A "Dear John" letter to Dumbya from a former supporter, Peggy "Piggy" Noonan no less. She says "Americans can't fire the President right now." Well, OK, Piggy if you say so. We should have done that in 2004.

Wee Willie's World

Think Progress has a telling side-by-side comparison of the "official" intelligence on how the surge is going in Iraq, compared to the "artificial" intelligence represented by neocon wingnut extraordinaire William "Wee Willie" Kristol. National Intelligence Office Deputy Director Thomas Fingar indicates that the most optimistic view is that the surge has not had a significant effect on reducing the violence in Iraq. Of course, the much better informed Wee Willie begs to differ. He thinks things are going much better that we expected. We're actually winning. Then that means that Wee Willie can visit Baghdad and stroll around for a few hours, without escort, to bask in the calm that the surge has brought, right? C'mon, Wee Willie, put your willie where your big mouth is.
(Photo: Wee Willie receiving the "Cream Pie Award" from a grateful public)

Update: Try to catch Wee Willie's self-delusional essay in the 7/15 WaPo explaining why he's betting Dumbya will be a successful preznit in the end. It's an extension of his dead-ender rationalization and cherry-picking noted above.

Progress, cont'd.

Fourteen U.S. soldiers have been killed in the last 2 days in and around Baghdad, as the NY Times reports. An additional 13 Iraqis died and 75 were injured in bombings near Kirkuk, north of Baghdad. This deadly game of "whack-a-mole" is expected to continue indefinitely, unbeknownst to the Bush Assministration.

Meanwhile, In Iraq

Nine weeks now into the "surge," and 183 people died Wednesday in Baghdad, as four bombs exploded in areas around the city. The highest death toll was in the Sadriyah market area, where 127 people died and scores more were wounded. Throughout Iraq Wednesday, 233 people were killed or were found dead, the second highest total since May 2005.