Michael Yon writes a article filled with common sense on why there was an uptick in causalities in Iraq recently and the left responds by making snide comments such as this headline from Firedoglake: “Michael Yon: More Americans Getting Killed In Iraq Means We’re Winning.”
Puhlease.
Is it really that hard to understand? Or do they, as I suspect, just ignore the common sense so they can wail and gnash their teeth at Bushitler and “his war?”
Yon:
April saw 49 U.S. casualties in Iraq, the highest total in seven months. Does this mean, as some insist, that the enormous progress we have made since the start of the military surge is being lost?
As one who has spent nearly two years with American soldiers and Marines and British Army troops in Iraq – having returned from my last trip a month ago – here’s my short answer: no.
We are taking more casualties now, just as we did in the first part of 2007, because we have taken up the next crucial challenge of this war: confronting the Shia militias.
In early 2007, under the leadership of Gen. David Petraeus, we began to wage an effective counterinsurgency campaign against the reign of terror Al Qaeda in Iraq had established over much of the midsection of the country. That campaign, which moved many of our troops off of big centralized bases and out into small neighborhood outposts, carried real risks.
In every one of the first eight months of 2007, we lost more soldiers than we had the previous year. Only as the campaign bore fruit – in the form of Iraqi citizens working with American soldiers on a daily basis, helping uncover terrorist hideouts together – did the casualty numbers begin to improve.
Now we are helping the Iraqis deal with a much different problem: the Shia militias, the most well-known of which is “Jaysh al-Mahdi,” known as JAM, largely controlled by Moqtada al-Sadr.
Just not that hard to understand and any honest observer understands that things ARE going better in Iraq. Pure partisan observers, such as the Firedoglake poster above, resort to this kind of analysis: “There is literally no way to parody these morons anymore.”
(Makes more sense why these nutjobs are backing Obama huh? Lack of braincells)
Yon goes on to explain the difference between the two enemies. al-Qaeda wanted to destroy Iraq and then rebuild it in their fanatical Islam paradise. They didn’t hold back as they raped and pillaged which turned their hosts against them. The militias, on the other hand, want a piece of the power pie.
In contrast, JAM and the other Shia militias do not want to destroy Iraq; they want power in the new Iraq. They did not, for the most part, start out as criminal gangs, but as self-defense organizations protecting Shia neighborhoods from the chaos of post-invasion Iraq, including Al Qaeda.
~~~These critics miss a crucial on-the-ground reality: Virtually all insurgencies, however noble their original purpose, eventually degenerate into criminal organizations, classic Mafia-like protection rackets, especially as they achieve their original goals.
With Al Qaeda mostly wiped out of Baghdad, the militias that once defended Shia neighborhoods now prey on them. In Basra to the south, where al Qaeda always feared to tread, the situation is even worse. Practically speaking, that city has been ruled by an uneasy coalition of rival Shia gangs for years.
And why did we finally get in gear to go after the Shiite gangs?
The great victory of the past year and a half has been the decision of Sunni citizens to turn against Sunni outlaws. Now, neither we nor the Iraqi government can maintain our credibility with the Sunni if the Shia militias are allowed to remain outside the law.
And thats already bearing fruit as evidenced by the fact that a Sunni bloc which had boycotted the Iraqi cabinet has rejoined the government. Not to mention the fact that many of the gangmembers have been killed.
Michael ends his piece with a warning that there maybe more bloodshed in the months to come as the Shiite gang problem is worked out, but rest assured. It’s being worked out and its a sign of progress.
See author page
Another excellent dispatch from Michael Yon as always.
Curt, have you read Yon’s book “Moment of Truth in Iraq”?
I am 2/3 through it and it is excellent.
Yeah, Boot ended his the same way; they all are being careful this time.
Perhaps they are correct and there will finally be a stability, but the evidence doesn’t fit the facts. Sadr’s organization will simply splinter in the least uncomfortable scenario.
Additionally, I’m not in the minority in this thinking. How many times have we been hearing “just a few more months, just another ‘Friedman unit’.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedman_(unit)
This time you have a national election to end this endless cycle of just one more ‘unit.’
“When the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down”
G. Bush Jun 28th 2005 (that was almost 3 years ago)
Why does the USA have to take the lead in Sadr City ?
Do the Iraqis not want to fight against Sadr ? Why should we ?
Doug: We had a national election to end this cycle. In 2006 Dems promised if voters gave them the House and Senate they would end the war.
When you talk about a quagmire. Think of Dems in control of congress. Nothing but hot air and empty promises. But that won’t stop you from voting for false hopes again will it?
I can’t believe how reductive and absurd the site Firedoglake is…that particular headline is so pathetic that it actually makes me sad.
What a world.
No critical thinking, no military analysis going on over at Firedoglake. If you don’t feel like using your brain, that’s your address!
The more successful Yon gets – the more respect Yon earns, the more jealous and angry Blue Texan gets – (Blue Texan wrote that drivel ) – he has a hard-on for Mike. He spends his days googling his name to find every piece Mike writes & every blog that writes about Mike, then he writes some boring bullshit over at Instsputz that NO one reads or cares about and when that doesn’t get him attention– he reprints it over at Fire-tramp-lake where like minded losers hang out.
The left ignore common sense on everything they do. If it feels good or sounds good they go for it. Never mind the repercussions of their actions. Never mind the harm they do people. And they never change their minds. You can hammer them with facts and they ignore you. It is like taling to a brick wall. Notice how the left media has never reported anything good going on in Ieaq and now they rarely mention it except to count bodies. It will be interesting to see how they handle victory.