More on The Iraq Debate

Link provided by Victory Caucus to a post up at Prospect (UK) called Mission Accomplished.

• The question of what to do in Iraq today must be separated from the decision to topple Saddam Hussein four and a half years ago. That decision is a matter for historians. By any normal ethical standard, the coalition's current project in Iraq is a just one. Britain, America and Iraq's other allies are there as the guests of an elected government given a huge mandate by Iraqi voters under a legitimate constitution. The UN approved the coalition's role in May 2003, and the mandate has been renewed annually since then, most recently this August. Meanwhile, the other side in this war are among the worst people in global politics: Baathists, the Nazis of the middle east; Sunni fundamentalists, the chief opponents of progress in Islam's struggle with modernity; and the government of Iran. Ethically, causes do not come much clearer than this one.

This is an excellent, in depth look at the current situation. Recommended reading to all. Required reading for Daughter. Well, as long as she lets me get away with that crack anyway.

* * UPDATE * *

Greyhawk over at The Mudville Gazette has an analysis of this analysis you also need to read called Mission Accomplished?

• No - not yet.
  But I believe this article is the most accurate, fact-based, and level headed assessment of the situation - both current and historical - in Iraq as I've ever read.

The Iraq debate

Just a quick post to point you to another good read. This from spree over at Wake Up America called The Debate on Iraq Shifts

• Despite earlier reports, and despite the far left liberal unhinged (Daily Kos) trying to "advise" Pelosi and Hoyer to sign on to the ridiculously obvious last ditch desperate attempt from Obey, who proposed a non stater idea of a "war tax", which Pelosi and Reid promptly dismissed, the debate has shifted as the out of Iraq caucus realizes finally that no bill that includes timelines or withdrawal dates will get through the Senate, especially with the success and progress being seen in Iraq.
  

Iraq update October 2, 2007

As the bad news out of Iraq begins to dry up, so does the coverage by the mainstream media. So much for the theory that the bad news reports were caused by that being a bigger story than the good news stories, so they had priority. The MSM is merely reporting less now, not reporting more of the good as the bad goes down. That should pretty much describe to you what the MSM motivation is. I've decided that, even though it probably gets somewhat mundane to read, I'll continue with the Iraq updates for awhile longer. I'll try to mix in some writing so you're not just stuck with the links to Iraq stories, though.

On the menu today:

Uncle Jimbo over at BlackFive has President Gore Invades Iraq?

• I don't think so. But Roger L. Simon does:

  So back to the post-9/11 “President Gore” at the critical juncture of late 2002, when the US was taking aim at the brutal Iraqi dictator. What would Al have done? Most leaders of his own party – although they do their best to deny it now – were primed to take out Saddam. Would Al have been among them, leading the charge?...

Bill Roggio over at The Long War Journal has Captured Iranian agent identified, 15 Special Groups operatives captured in Iraq

• Task Force 88 captured 15 Special Groups operatives, as Multinational Forces Iraq names the Iranian Qods Force officer captured in northern Iraq. Multinational Forces Iraq also states Iran is providing shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles to insurgents.
  

Task Force 88 is the one that was the hunter/killer teams that consisted of Seals, Delta Force, British SAS, and other "unnamed affiliation" groups. Iraqi special forces would most likely have a part, too.

From The Thunder Run is Good News From Iraq

• What’s happening in Iraq that isn’t being reported by the MSM?
  
  First up we learn that Ameriya is stepping up and beginning to provide for their own security as they conduct an Iraqi Police recruiting drive:

Okay, this isn't Iraq, but still it's a must read, also from The Thunder Run called A Stunning Senior Moment

• Found in my inbox when I returned from the gym.... (H/T: FP)
  
  A very self-important college freshman attending a recent football game, took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation.
  

Now THAT'S gun control

B Huessien Obama today said if elected president he would pursue a global ban on nuclear weapons. Well, that would certainly solidify his liberal credentials. Only liberals believe if you take weapons away from people that you would somehow take them away from everybody. Never sinks in to them that the only people you take them away from are the good guys. The bad guys don't really care what your gun control laws are. Posting signs that state "Gun Free Zone" is going to scare away the bad guys? I need to talk to you about this bridge I have for sale...

So, that means that when he is President, and he gets together with (according to him) our two best allies, China and the EU, to attack a nuclear Pakistan he won't be using nukes. Let us know how that works out for you, Obama...

The Rush hubbub

Ann Coulter has it right. If Democrats had any brains they'd be Republicans.

To get you up to date with the latest attack by the left on Rush Limbaugh. Rush, in an interview about the Iraq war, was discussing some of the anti-war crowd, and more specifically, the various soldiers that have anti-war sentiment and have "created" a military career in order to bad mouth the military and the Bush administration. They have had several, similar tacks. Usually, atrocities by our troops that they were supposedly witness to. Scott Beauchamp was a typical one, but I believe Rush was talking about another one named Jesse McBeth. He referred to them as "phony soldiers". The nerve of him calling those phony soldiers, "phony soldiers".

Harry Reid took the ball and ran with it. Once again though, he ran to the wrong goal line. Scored for the other team...

McBeth is preparing for jail time for his lies and Beauchamp was investigated by the military. They automatically do that when things like what Beauchamp reported might have happened. The investigation found that Beauchamps "stories" were false. The didn't find that they couldn't substantiate his stories, they determined that they, in fact, did not happen.

Hey Baghdad Harry, remember this? You should maybe get this guy for not being a patriot.

“You know, education, if you make the most of it, if you study hard and you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, uh, you, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq.” - John Kerry

Iraq update October 1, 2007

So, that surge in troop levels that the left claims "has accomplished nothing" appears to really be doing the trick in gaining a good level of security.

From Pat Dollard yesterday is US Military Deaths In Iraq At 14-Month Low - Iranian SAMs Found

• US military deaths in Iraq stood at a 14-month low on Sunday and Ramadan attacks were sharply down from the last several years, US commanders said.

  As September drew to a close, US military losses for the month stood at 71, the lowest monthly figure since July last year, according to an AFP tally based on Pentagon figures.

  The figure marks the fourth consecutive drop in the monthly death toll.

And then from Pat Dollard today is Iraqi Civilian Deaths Down Fifty Percent

• BAGHDAD (AP) - Deaths among American forces and Iraqi civilians fell dramatically last month to their lowest levels in more than a year, according to figures compiled by the U.S. military, the Iraqi government and The Associated Press.

  The decline signaled a U.S. success in bringing down violence in Baghdad and surrounding regions since Washington completed its infusion of 30,000 more troops on June 15.

The next issue is that of partitioning Iraq into three sections. This has never seemed like a good idea to me. It was wrong when a Republican brought it forward (Brownback), and it's just as wrong with the Democrats bringing it forward as the Senate did late last week. When I wrap my tiny little pea sized brain around that concept it appears to me that it would increase the likelihood of Iraq moving into civil war. It's that same old bad idea of classifying people then explaining how different they are then the other people. It hasn't worked for racial or gender issues, and it certainly doesn't look to me like it would work for sectarian issues.

Luckily, the Iraq parliament is trying to 'splain it to our Congressional idiots. Another post from Pat Dollards site today called Iraqi Parliament To Debate Reply To U.S. Congress On Tuesday

• Qadou noted that the Iraqi constitution guarantees the country’s “territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” adding the Congress’ resolution “can never change Iraq’s settled national principles.”

  He said the U.S. resolution “only aimed to cause Iraq to slide into the pits of a civil war only God knows when it will end.”

  “It is the duty of all the national powers (in Iraq) to reject such an insolent resolution and to quickly announce their positions in the face of this trivializing with the sovereignty of Iraq,” he said.

Well, they can a least use this to their advantage. They seem to be uniting into some form of reconciliation nationally in response to the pompous asses in our Congress. Cool, we share a common enemy with the Iraqi people.

Politics in Iraq

Had to add another read for ya. Charles Bird over at Redstate has The environment is there for political reform in Iraq

• But first, let's start with the title of this recent Los Angeles Times article: Petraeus admits to rise in Iraq violence. The message that the reporter and her editors are sending to their readers is that they know the "truth", and Petraeus was finally cornered in Baghdad and had to 'fess up.

  Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, acknowledged today that violence had increased since Sunni Arab militants declared an offensive during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.