Comments on: Patrick Ruffini: Surge Off To A Good Start

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:26:26 +0000

Oh, I see Ruffini said murders down 70%, attacks down 80%, so he probably was referring to the same article from Iraq the Model, which unfortunately referenced a source in Arabic…

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:19:40 +0000

too many steves, it’s quite possible (even probable) that something similar to that is happening..but the problem is infrastructure and ammunition. The insurgents and the militias both are losing a lot of weaponry and safe houses, so even if that is the plan, we’ll still come out better than before…

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:16:33 +0000

Well, it may not be the most objective source, but the original claim that I saw was from the Iraqi defense ministry, and it said attacks in Baghdad were down 80%, not 70%...

By: d

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:13:44 +0000

Yes, I’m eager to find out what the “source” for this 70% figure might be — aside from the former webmaster for the Bush-Cheney campaign. It’s being cited all over the place, but it appears to be . . . um . . . not reliable. Not only isn’t it being “widely reported,” but it isn’t being reported AT ALL.

Other things not being reported:

(1) Bin Laden has been captured;
(2) A missile took down the twin towers;
(3) Scarlett Johansson is a man;
(4) The moon, after careful study, appears to be made of some sort of green cheese.

By: too many steves

too many steves — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 12:00:26 +0000

Just speculating here, but isn’t it possible that the insurgent’s strategy might look something like this:

1. Raise havoc by blowing people and stuff up in order to exacerbate and take advantage of declining support for the War among the US populace.

2. Lay low upon the commencement of the surge – a few biggish attacks are ok – to give the US the feeling that it is working and, besides, we can’t defeat them in a direct combat.

3. Hope that what appears to be success of the surge results in the American’s (and Iraqi government) thinking Iraq is stable and they can afford to go home.

4. Once the Americans are gone, topel the Iraqi government.

Too cute, too clever, too risky?

By: Mark

Mark — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 01:47:42 +0000

Good point…

By: Paul Dirks

Paul Dirks — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:30:25 +0000

It hasn’t been reported on widely, but murders in Baghdad are down 70%, attacks are down 80%,

Of course such statments carry no meaning whatsoever unless they carry phrases like “compared to the prior month” or compared to 3 years ago. That’s why actual reporting is so difficult.

By: jpe

jpe — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 23:20:43 +0000

Good news and bad news will happen. All that counts is if a space is opened up for the Iraqis to take over their own country within a reasonable time.