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Don’t Believe the Hype |
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“There are neighborhoods in Baghdad where you and I could walk through those neighborhoods today, the U.S. is beginning to succeed in Iraq.” This quote comes from John McCain, in his recent appearance on Wolf Blitzer’s The Situation Room. Despite this self-assured attitude, his statements are wholly inconsistent with reality.
When Wolf Blitzer proceeded to raise this incongruity, McCain snidely accused him of “giving the old line of three months ago.” Wolf takes it in stride, moving on to the next guest, Michael Ware, who has been on the ground in Baghdad for roughly four years. He immediately and summarily dismisses McCain’s statements as rubbish; “to suggest that there’s any neighborhood in this city where an American can walk freely is beyond ludicrous. I’d love Senator McCain to tell me where that neighborhood is and he and I can go for a stroll… I don’t know what part of Never-land Senator McCain is talking about when he says we can go strolling in Baghdad.”
Ware then answers McCain’s claim that General Petraeus travels freely about the country in an unarmed humvee, saying “within the hour since Senator McCain has said this I’ve spoken to some military sources and there was laughter down the line.”
Republican Chuck Hagel has similarly seen fault in the administration’s claims that the surge has been so far effective, saying “in fact, there are more incidents, not less. Sure, in parts of Baghdad, in overall Baghdad, over the last two or three weeks, we have seen some fewer, but not around the country. Look at what happened two days ago, one of the two vice presidents of Iraq was attacked there at his own compound and is lying mortally wounded in a hospital.”
No doubt claims that the surge is working, that it only requires more time before it brings us uncompromised victory, will be amplified in the wake of the recent Senate vote. Bush already declared this morning to the Cattlemen’s Beef Association that Petraeus’ new plan “is beginning to show signs of success” and denounced efforts that “undercuts him and the troops at his command.” It’s essential any such claims are discredited as loudly and clearly as possible.
