For the first time in years, the Iraqi capital is showing signs of life. But the calm is all too fragile, and it's an opportunity the government cannot afford to miss.
Comment: The style of the author here perfectly depicts the whole... atmosphere in Iraq. No doubt, it is "some progress". An example, that again (yes, again) we made a mistake - one of many - and learnt nothing.
Comment: It is clear that in Iraq the influence of Iran is less important, so less attacks. Maybe, I hope so, that the fighting parties in Iraq have been able to uderstand that killing each other is not an option for the futere. But what about Afghanistan ? First the talibans were destroyed in 2003. Now, they detain half the country under their influence, especailly by night. The production and traffic in opium in Afghanistan is on its pre-war level of 2003. The traffic of opium is financing the talibans, that is not a secret I hope.
Comment: YES, Apachejock , PatriotAmerican32 YOU ARE 100% COORECT, KILL KILL AND KILL THESE MUSLIMS WHETHER SUNNI OR SHIA WHAT DOES IT MATTER NO COUNTRY IN THIS WORLD HAD THIS FREEDOM TO KILL AND KILL EXCEPT WE THE BLOOD HOUND AMERICANS BUSH PARTY . KILL THIESE MUSLIM BASTARDS AND TAKE THE POSSESSION OF THE SWEET OIL OF IRAQ WHY NOT KILL THIS BASTARD MALIKE TOO HE IS A SNAKE MAY ALSO BIT US. D C HAPPY
Comment: I love how they stick in "Iranian-Made Bombs" to brainwash us all. It's curious that Saudi Arabia is responsible for the majority of roadside bombs, and our own U.S. military is now saying 60% of foreign militants are from Libya and Saudi Arabia. Oh, oops, silly me, I forgot that Saudi Arabia is our ally, so how could that possibly be true?
Comment: Comment: LOL - cmicah6:8, your ignorance is underscored in that your name (Afraid to use your own?) uses a Biblical verse to hide behind. You and your Pusillanimous cohorts believe (along with Radical Islam) that America is the great Satan. True we have our problems and Sins- but generosity and the willingness of a small segment of our population to fight and die for the liberites of others is not one of them. As George Washington declared in our Nation's first Thanksgiving Proclamation, we as a Nation blessed exceedingly by God are expected to share our Blessings with the peoples of the world - not just our own. NO Nation in the history of mankind has given so generously, or sacrificed so many of our sons and daughters for the liberties and freedoms of other Nations and peoples than America. For that we will continue to be blessed by a merciful God who knows that while imperfect, we as a Nation are his favored agent for dispensing mercy, hope, and justice in this world. Pat Rourke , Soldier, Native of Hayfork California
Comment: LOL - cmicah6:8, your ignorance is underscored in that your name (Afraid to use your own?) uses a Biblical verse to hide behind. You and your Pusillanimous cohorts believe (along with Radical Islam) that America is the great Satan. True we have our problems and Sins- but generosity and the willingness of a small segment of our population to fight and die for the liberites of others is not one of them. As George Washington declared in our Nation's first Thanksgiving Proclamation, we as a Nation blessed exceedingly by God are expected to share our Blessings with the peoples of the world - not just our own. NO Nation in the history of mankind has given so generously, or sacrificed so many of our sons and daughters for the liberties and freedoms of other Nations and peoples than America. For that we will continue to be blessed by a merciful God who knows that while imperfect, we as a Nation are his favored agent for dispensing mercy, hope, and justice in this world. Pat Rourke , Soldier, Native of Hayfork California
Comment: cmicah6:8 do you at all care about the Iraqi people? Because I do and leaving them unprotected is 10 times worse than the invasion, no matter how illegal you think it is. It obviose you care nothing about long term goals. Please stop talking, you just another anti-conservative whos ony goal is to change everything this country is and was. Thankfully your hate torwards conservatives and Bush is stronger than your ability to get anything done.
Comment: What is the long term goal in Iraq?
Comment: To all Iraqi people, the advantage or disadvantage of the presence or absence of foreign troops in your country is a point of view. Only you can dictate your need for them. Their presence now can work to your advantage only if you would like to be helped. Please bear in mind that your total cooperation in directing your country to total freedom can spell a big difference in difusing the tension among yourselves. Please think hard. Only you can do it. Good luck!
Comment: GWBasher, opinions are good to hear. But why do I keeping hearing people try to say "The only people out there with the big mouths and no balls are people [like t9900] who are cowards and are back seat warriors." So the only ones that can support the war effort are politicians and non-military?
I'm in and I think that the effort in Iraq is going good. Its benefitting the American people as it is the Iraqi people, in a positive way. I do agree, it was not handled in the best manner to start with, but little ever does work on the ground like it did on paper. Although, I will never call an American that wants the troops to come home no-patriotic. That is what I expect from the American people...that is what is has always been. Vietnam the exception, those rally cries for the trrops make them feel good stepping off the plane. But that doesn't mean what is being done in Iraq isn't succeeding.
Comment: I have a question fo ryou. How exactly is the war in Iraq benefitting the American people? Just curious.
Comment: Why does this war have to benefit America? Selfless sacrifice is why I, my brothers in Arms, and my own two sons serve - serving not just America, but all the oppressed of the world. We don't care about the political squabbles or motives involved by those selling their souls for seats in Congress. We care about Mercy, Hope, Liberty, and Justice for all. CW4 Pat Rourke
Comment: Hey Angelus
Is it possible that a free market and individual freedoms for the Iraqi people will make the entire region see what it is that makes America great? Japan, Germany, and others that have tasted freedom (provided by the lives of those in US uniforms) tend to be our friends. Listen, I don???t like war, but when we win, we always leave people free, and better off than they were before...
Comment: "When we win we always leave people free." Please! .
The Bush administration and the neo-conservative foreign policy is to use military force to project American hegemony around the world. Of course they use words like "political and economic freedom". Iraq was a good place to start. It was run by a rogue dictator, and it sits on one of the largest known oil reserves in the world. Read the White Paper named "Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources for a New Century" produced by the Project for the New American Century. In 1997, it was sent to Bill Clinton by the a bunch of neo-conservatists who believe the U.S. needs to establish a Pax-Americana in the world by using military as well as economic power. The 911 terrorist attack was the catalyst or excuse (the Pearl Harbor of our times) that allowed the neo-cons to set in motion their twisted foreign policy. One of the founding members was none other than Dick Cheney and a host of others associated with the current administration: Donal Rumsfeld, Paul Wolfowits, Jeb Bush, "Scooter" Libby, Norman Podhoretz, just to name a few. Their statement of principles focuses on the following:
1. we need to increase defense spending significantly if we are to carry out our global responsibilities today and modernize our armed forces fot the future
2. we need to strengthen our ties to democratic allies and to CHALLENGE REGIMES HOSTILE TO OUR INTEREST AND VALUES
3.WE NEED TO PROMOTE THE CAUSE OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC FREEDOM ABROAD
4.we need to accept responsibility for AMERICA'S UNIQUE ROLE IN PRESERVING AND EXTENDING AN INTERNATIONAL ORDER FRIENDLY TO OUR OWN SECURITY, OUR .PROSPERITY, AND OUR PRINCIPLES. (Compare these words to the stated goals of our forefathers in Preamble of the Constitution: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish jusice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America"
Rod Nordland describes how Iraqis can go to the market and buy and sell. The Iraqi people have been doing this for thousands of years. Before the first Gulf War, Iraq had one of the best medical and university systems in the Middle East. Yeh, we removed a bloody dicator but only because he no longer served his purpose. He didn't have weapons of mass destruction and he had nothing to do with 911. Saddam Hussein used to be our ally during the 1980s, just as Musharef of Pakistan is now. (He will also outlive his usefulness for our government). We are not bringing the Iraqis a free market and political freedom. We want their oil and we need a place for us to maintain a military presence in the Middle East. Oil is the lifeblood of our economy and our military machine.
Comment: Enter Your Comment
Comment: She may have been fat but at least it was a she.
Comment: irratical you fit your name perfictly. THE SURGE IS WORKING say that ten times till you finally get it.
Comment: 'Irratical', you need help. It appears you???re suffering from BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome). Perhaps you can get therapy. But I am proud that I served my country on active duty for 20 years to ensure that misguided souls like you have the right to speak their minds.
Comment: Well commander I'd say you're one of the few and proud who back this political war. Why does it bother me that you say you put in 20 years and sound like a jeep.
Comment: 'Irratical', you need help. It appears you???re suffering from BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome). Perhaps you can get therapy. But I am proud that I served my country on active duty for 20 years to ensure that misguided souls like you have the right to speak their minds.
Comment: The real rationale behind the Surge was to tamp down violence just enough so that Bush could resist the pressure to withdraw and shore up the wavering support of his Republican base, the hope being he could buy enough time to ride out the next twelve months and hand his Iraq mess over to the next president, which in all likelihood will be a Democrat. This in turn would give Republicans a chance to salvage whatever credibility they have left by blaming America???s ultimate failure in Iraq on a Democratic administration and congress. This is why the soldiers in Iraq today are fighting and dying for the Republican party, whether they know it or not. Or do you think this too cyncial a calculation for the likes of Karl Rove and Dick Cheyney?
Comment: 'Irratical', you poor thing! It appears you???re suffering from BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome). Perhaps you can get therapy. But I am proud that I served my country on active duty for 20 years to ensure that misguided souls like you have the right to speak their minds. Sincerely, Conservative Commander
Comment: Conservative Commander, youn mark Irratical's words. The White House the GOP political operatives are already planting the seeds of a "stab in the back" theory. They will blame the Democratic leadership, the so-called liberal mainstream media (which more and more serves corporate interest), and the American people. Yes, they will say that we, the majority of Americans, did not have the patience, the will, the fortitude, the whatever, to win this ill-conceived folly we call a war. Just remember, George Bush asked no one to make any sacrifices after 911. He told us to go shopping, go to Disney World. He also cut taxes during a time of war, the greatest challeng to our civilization and way of life, he called. Never in our history has the American government cut taxes during wartime. No, the only sacrifices being made are by our military mend and women and their families. But none of this preaching matters because our invasion of Iraq is an overt act of aggression, immoral and illegal.
Comment: Newsflash. The invasion ended in 2003. And its 2007. Now its time to give the Iraqi people peace and freedom. New mission new goals. Personaly if we get oil and the iraqi people get freedom and a stable democracy I'd be fine.
Comment: You're absolutely correct. The mission was completed, Sadam Hussein was removed from power, we discovered they didn't have WMDs, and they had democratic election. But you, like Bush, are moving the goal posts. Moverover, the Iraqi people's freedom has nothing to do with our presence in Iraq. If our foreign policy was so high-minded, why don't we do something about Darfur, Pakistan, China? Wake up and start thinking for yourself. "Pastriotrism" is a bastion for rascals.
Comment: So you think we should just leave and leave a power vacuum for our enemies to fill? The freedom of the Iraqi people is now the other reason why we are staying in Iraq. If you believe otherwise then I feal sorry for the Iraqi people even more. And i think we should do something about Pakistan, China, and Darfur. We can't do anything about them though. China's too powerful, Pakistan will turn to the Taliban if we turn agianst them, and Darfur, well you all remember Black Hawk Down. I do think for myself. Not many people think like this anymore. If someone isn't thinking for themself here, it would be you.BTW, patriotism is what keeps us united and our troops moral high.
Comment: The freedom of the Iraqi people has nothing to do with this. Please read my response above to NWuser.
Comment: If thats what you want to believe then so be it. If this was only about oil, then why are we protecting civilians and not just protecting the oil drills and refineries.
Comment: The real rationale behind the Surge was to tamp down violence just enough so that Bush could resist the pressure to withdraw and shore up the wavering support of his Republican base, the hope being he could buy enough time to ride out the next twelve months and hand his Iraq mess over to the next president, which in all likelihood will be a Democrat. This in turn would give Republicans a chance to salvage whatever credibility they have left by blaming America???s ultimate failure in Iraq on a Democratic administration and congress. This is why the soldiers in Iraq today are fighting and dying for the Republican party, whether they know it or not. Or do you think this too cyncial a calculation for the likes of Karl Rove and Dick Cheyney?
Comment: Irratical - I guess then that the real rational behind Bill Clinton's cruise missile attacks on the Sudan in Afghanistan after the bombing of the USS Cole was to divert attention from the fact that he was getting head from a fat chick, right?
Comment: No, the cruise missile attacks were ordered after the terrorist attacks on our embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. Sure they could have been to divert attention from the Lewinsky scandal. But if the Repbulicans would have just let him do his job and not worry about his sex life, Whitewater, troopergate, travelgate, and all the other B.S., to try to bring him down, he could have really done his job. Did you know that the Clinton administration warned the Bush administration about Bin Laden during the transition in 2000-2001? They told the Bushites that terrorism would probably be their largest foreign policy concern. You won't hear that on FOX. Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity won't tell you that. No, you guys just keep blaming Clinton because he was such an immoral, deceitful womanizer. Wintson Churchill was a heavy drinker. Franklin Roosevelt was a heavy smoker, loved martinis, and had a mistress. Adolf Hitler did not drink, did not smoke, and did not eat meat. How would you rate their political careers and impact on world history?
Comment: Republicans didn't stop Clinton from launhing that cruise missle. He didn't want to kill princes from Saudi Arabia/Qatar, our terrorist supporting allies. Yes, they were Clintons allies too, not just conservatives and oil companies allies. Surprise to learn something new isn't it.
And smoking and drinking is a lot different than cheating on your wife. Its a lot worse if you are the President of the most powerful nation on Earth.
Comment: I'm sorry, T9900, but you still don't get it. Our Republican leaders are no more moral than the our Democratic leaders.
Comment: What does that have to do with anything? Every single time Repubs get backed into a corner of some kind they bring out the "Well, Clinton had sex while he was President!" and it usually doesn't have a thing in the world to do with the topic at hand. Fact is, Bush, Cheney and company lied us into a war we had no business launching and now we cannot in good conscience just leave. We are stuck there and Bush is going to do his best to stick the next President with the problem!
Comment: to commentator angelus1967: The point is that Irratical was ascribing ridiculously sinister motives to George Bush, eerily similar to the accusations against Clinton during his sex, lies, and interngate scandal. Both accusations are stupid. Now I would think that a rabid left-winger would have a good enough memory to have learned from that incident.
Comment: No, the motives Irractical ascribes to Bush are not sinister, they are cynical. Irratical has every reason to be cynical, because this administration has lied repeatedly to the American people. Scott McClellan, the former White House Press Secretary, said he lied for the administration. At Public Affairs, a publishing company, I read this excerpt from his upcoming book:
"The most powerful leader in the world had called upon me to speak on his behalf and help restore credibility he lost amid the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. So I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the senior-most aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby.
There was one problem. It was not true.
I had unknowingly passed along false information. And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice President, the President's chief of staff, and the President himself."
How will Bush and his advisers spin this one?
Comment: And the democrats, want to cut funds for the troops to further thier own gains. Please shut up unless you know what your talking about. Your the kind of person who does absolutly nothing but blames Republicans or hates them, which causes more division. You hate Republicans more than you care for this country. Us patroits are what is kepping our soldiers moral up. Please compare the home fronts and battle fronts of WWII and Vietnam. Ignorant fool.
Comment: And so the Karl Rove experience continues. If anyone out there wants our troops home you're not a patriot. So says the Neonazicons of the American World. I bet you were never in the military? The only people out there with the big mouths and no balls are people like t9900 who are cowards and are back seat warriors. Someone should take a survey of Vietnam Veterans against this war. You see a lot of the old has become the new. Whatever was felt back in the 60's and 70's now has hit the fan. You see most of the people who are against this kind of war may be like me. Vietnam Veterans with kids and not wanting to lose them in George Bush's egotisticle, put me down as a war president, history of himself to put himself one step up from his father. Don't you see. The world and not just America is tired of your justifications for Iraq. We will never be given the truth because people like you "CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH".
Comment: "Neonazicons". That (and your name) proves who you really are. One of those liberal bush/conservative bashers. You do nothing but spread hate for anybody on the right side. Your not patriotic if you want our troops and protest against what they are doing to come home before Iraq is stabalized. You are a coward. You think we should lose, give up. Of course soldiers don't want to fight wars, no one does, but at least give them some support from home. Not protest to get them to give up.
Intersting you call me that though, considering your the kind that says if you want the troops to stay you don't care about them. You are exactly whats wrong with this country. Your hatred of the right overpowers your ability to do things right or think.
Comment: Chalk me up as an unpatriotic traitor and coward, too. I strongly disagree with George Bush, Dick Cheney, and all those who took us to war agains a nation that did not attack us. Are you willing to go to Iraq and fight for what you believe? Seems GW Basher, as a Vietnam Vet, has earned the right to protest a policy that is immoral. It is our right and duty as goog citizens to speak up when against injustice and bad governmernt. Haven't you heard "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. ??? That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the CONSENT OF THE GOVNERNED, ??? That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." I pray for justice!
Comment: Republicans have used the war as one of their divisive wedge issues from Day One, and reading the posts of this board it???s clear they want to keep spinning it in terms of Patriots vs. Traitors, i.e., Republicans vs. Democrats. Remember that Bush endorsed Rumsfeld???s conduct of the war right up to the 2006 election and then had him replaced the very next day. Why the sudden turn around? Because to have done so sooner would have been to admit mistakes leading up to the election. And the Republicans say they support the troops. Tell that to the families of troops who died pursing a strategy that the Bush administration knew had failed but was too politically calculating to change.
Comment: While I am neither Democrat, nor Repulican, I can assure you claiming victory in Iraq is at best premature, and at worst ignorant of all the lessons of history. We will be seeing soldiers die in the middle east for the rest of most of our lives. Hopefully, when it is all said and done some good may be claimed, but that is not for out generations to decide because it is in fact the domain of future historians.
Comment: I fear you may be right. We have built and are building military bases near oil major oil platforms and major oil reserves and pipelines in Iraq. We are also building embassy in world in Iraq. Sad thing, Bush declared "mission accomplished" in 2003.
Comment: Even the NYT is now admitting we won in Iraq. I guess the Dems should start appologizing for their treasonous attempts to get us to lose there.
Comment: Does NYT stand for the "New York Times" or "Next Years Tall-tale"?
Comment: Even the NYT is now admitting we won in Iraq. I guess the Dems should start appologizing for their deliberate attempts to get us to lose in Iraq.
Comment: Even the NYT is now admitting we won in Iraq. I guess the Dems should start appologizing for their deliberate attempts to get us to lose in Iraq.
Comment: Irratical would be wise to remember that when accusing another party (e.g. the Republicans) of selfish, evil motives, he cannot help exposing his own. Being a leftist, how can he possible know what those on the right are thinking? He cannot. He can only tell us why he himself would act. As a conservative, I know, and all the angels in heaven and all the devils in hell know, that we are IN TRUTH deeply concerned forthe peace and prosperity of the people of Iraq and the rest of the world. Those inspired volunteer servicemen and women who are giving their blood for Iraqi freedom are not fighting and dying for the Republican Party. Only a left-wing radical like Irratical could be so small-minded to think so.
Comment: You, the conservatives, are "IN TRUTH". That is a mighty bold assertion. It is akin to making one of the greatest theological declaration of all time. Remember this one: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." If you want to be IN TRUTH, you better start learning the truth, for "he who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword", to once again qoute Jesus, whom Bush the compassionate conservative, no health care for middle class kids, tax cuts for the rich, no increased money for education and healthcare, 200 billion more dollars for war, "bring 'em on", cut funding for the Boy Scouts, "mission accoplished' president said was his favorite philospher.
Comment: Health care for the middle class? You kidding me right. Health care for lower-class kids is one thing but come on. Do you know what a free-market economy even is? Whats next, a maximum rage?
Comment: It looks like the battle for Baghdad has been won, although we will have to wait and see what happens after the surge gets reduced. Although I think this war was unnecessary, I think it is totally cool that we were able to win without using the draft. Those that love the war have the opportunity to enlist and fight, those that don't have the right to stay right here at home. So both sides win. What more can we ask?
The war lovers can go after Iran next. All I ask is that they do it without the draft. And please try to keep the cost below $10 trillion.
Comment: Four and half years ago victory in Iraq meant the creation of a stable, pro-American democracy flourishing in the heart of the Middle East, at peace with it's neighbors. Now victory means finding just 20 decapitated corpses each day instead of 40. All the rightwing 'patriots' posting on this board understand it's not so much the fate of the Iraqi people that's at stake in this conflict -- it's the long term political prospects of the Republican party here at home. This is why they trumpet any reduction in violence as a complete vindication of George Bush. Trouble is, most Americans remember how this war was sold to them in the beginning, and now after years of chaos, thousands of dead soldiers, and half a trillion dollars, they see this stupendously mismamanged and unnecessary war for it was and still is: a lost Republican cause.
Comment: While there are cynics posting blogs, let me say this. The Iraqi people are tired of being scared and killed blindly by Al Quaida, thye have truned on Al Quiada and are killing them and turning them in. We will win this awful war, due to the many sacrifices of our patriotic Am,ercian troops, with the help of the Iraqis. The nearly traitorus liberl media must really hate this story because it proves they were WRONG! We aer wiing, God Bless our troops from every branch of the armed forces, Thanks for keeping Amercia safe and don't lsiten to the negative SOB's who care more about a gory story than us winning this war. Win this war and come home safe. You are all truly heroic people, you are all our heroes. Remember, most Americans are behind you, 100%. You brought this to pass, with your courage and your lives. Again, God bless each and every one of you. D OKC
Comment: Define victory. I see you are already blaming the media for a failed Bush policy. Most Americans are against this war. They want the troops home. We already won the war back in 2003. We took Baghdad in thirty days. But we lost the peace. Let's end it before we have more blood on our hands.
Comment: The liberal media must hate this report. They havee been telling us for four years that this war is lost. Well, guess what? it isn't, we are winning the "hearts and minds" of the iraqi people, in general. They are turning on Al Quaida, turning them in, and killing them, all by themselves. If this keeps up, the media will look extremely foolish for their mantra "we have lost the war, bring our boys home" To all you troops that have gone over there to fight for our right to be free of terror, God Bless each and every one of you, please ignore our nearly traitorious media, you are winning, most reasonable people understand this and why it is happening, it is due to the fact that any sane Iraqi person would, after their fear has been conquered, kill these mostly foreign radical bastards, Al Quaida. Finally, most knowlegable Americans are behind you all the way. Finish this war, then come home., . Again God Bless you all, Troops. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten by patriotic Americans. You are all heroes. D OKC
Comment: Hey Newsweek and all other MSM- I thought according to you guys the war was already lost. What happened? Still trying to work out that "Ice Age is Coming" prediction? Hee Haw!
Comment: you are so full of crap that things only get worse in bagdad.Since the troop surge thing have gotten better.I'm so sick of you liberal pukes bashing mr. bush and the USA.You are doing so much damage to this country.
Comment: Wow, there are inteliigent people finally commenting on Newsweek. And I don't mean you non-Americans that hate us or the ignorant fools who don't care about our troops. I mean the people who support our troops and want to win, rether they agree with why we went in or not. Those who realize congress or Hollywood doesn't care about our troops. They use our troops to blackmail Bush to further thier own selfish agenda. They care more about hurting Bush and Republicans than they do about suceeding.
disenfranchised, your an idiot and you most likley started shooting AKs into the air on 9/11. And if you think we can't win, then you will never win.
Kepp up the intelligent comment. Hopefully it spreads and reaches the ears/eyes of our soldiers
Comment: I have less then no respect for pelosi who is way out of touch with what americans want or need. Is it so hard to believe that we believe in our soldiers. Is it so hard to believe that most americans think bush is doing the right thing after all the democrats did nothing to protect us but botch things up and lead us to 9-11 with their do nothing polacies. Bush actually acted on it with expediance thats alot more then i can say for clinton who was to busy with his sexual antics to care.
Comment: A big thank you to our troops for all thier hard work. To all you negetive people who suposedly represent the usa be silent youre stinking the world up and we dont need your two cents if its even worth that much.
Comment: Gommy goomy, boy, have you hit the nail on the head. If Newsweek and NBC/MSNBC are reporting good news out of Iraq, then things have "really" improved and this war is winding down faster than anyone realizes. News flash to the woman who's son has been wearing the same underwear for 14 days: he's a slob! I spent 24 years in military service and there is no way a soldier/marine/sailor (other than SpecialOps) goes that long without having an opportunity to shower and change clothes for that amount of time. For the most part, our fighting men and women in Iraq sleep in clean comfortable beds, have nutritious warm meals, as well as warm showers and other comforts. There are exceptions; but for the most part, those are the living conditions for our military in theater. Word of advice: get your news from multiple sources, not just the left leaning media.
Comment: First of all;who gets their information from the BBC? What's the matter,you couldn't find Al Jazeera? The news is what it is. I know some of you are still confused over "what the meaning of is, is, but I've got a feeling that if a reputable Dental Office waiting room standby, like Newsweek, who's done everything in its' power to shine a bright light on everything bad, is writing about PROGRESS, REAL PROGRESS, you might want to take off your tin foil hat and slide your short wave radio dial up or down a few notches from the BBC.
Comment: You said it was only an IED that killed 2 cilvilans and one soldier, you seemed disappointed it was not more dramatic. But guess what it does not get more any more dramatic for the family members when they bury them. please explain what would be better than ONLY AN IED. God bless our troops who give you the ability to lessen the value of there lives with poorly choosen words.
Comment: My son is over there and now matter what the government allows the media to tell us, he has still been in the same underwear and socks for 14 days. I wonder how our wonderful government would like to experience that. All we can do is pray that God has control of all of this and "what will be will be" whether we agree or disagree. It makes my heart sad that even in this country we still treat each other with disrespect and hatred. So sad.
Comment: Baghdad may be doing better due to the surge, but it will not last. Want proof? Check out last week's BBC story regarding Basra. The Brits formally ceded conterol to the Iraqi army and police. Now, women are being hunted down and killed for walking alone during daylight, wearing hajabs that lack modesty as in not black) or, most shocking of all, wearing lipstick.
The survivors will tell you that these attacks are by the militia. These men are dressed in black, scarves only the eyes uncovered The police and army are AFRAID to investigate. We will never be able to leave.
Comment: It sounds like The Wild West.
Cherokees against Apachees.Black Foot against Sitting Bull. Big Father.
Will the Crazy East be finally colonised by the civilised West ?
Comment: I read this article and one thing jumps out at me. There is no mention of that Iraqi army we have been training thats suppose to be in the thousands. The mission I'm told is not done until the Iraqi's can govern and defend themselves without outside intervention. Did I miss something here?
Comment: well im glad u laid it so flat cuz that is precisely the american nature. as u indicated "nothing which is more important than it's own safety is miserable nation and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better nations than itself. Didn't USA go to Afganistan and Iraq to secure it's own safety???
Comment: English philosopher, John Stewart Mill (1806-1873) once said, "War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things... The decayed and degraded state or moral and patriotic feeling, which thinks that nothing is worth war, is much worse. The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." No matter who or where you are, you can likely thank the Americans for your freedom to be able to criticize openly without fear of immediate death. Deny it if you must. You're free to do so. And by the way, "you're welcome!"
Comment: How dare Newsweek publish good news about Iraq. Did Clinton's people approve this article?
The nerve of this magazine to publish some truth. Don't they know that if good news about our soldiers leaks out that less people will hate America? That if we succeed in Iraq terrorists and dictators around the world might take our threats seriously? We can't have that! America must lose. We need socialism, and if America and democracy wins, then, comrade, the revolution will take much longer.
Sorry, Harry Reid...you can put the surrender monkey white flag away. Sorry, too Murtha, those marines were not guilty, as you swore that they were (without proof other than lies from this magazine) from the floor of Congress.
America's finest are doing a great job. Even an occasional national magazine has to acknowledge that...even if, in their heart of hearts, they want the American troops to lose.
Comment: blah, blah, blah. what u read in this stupid article is something that these people were enjoing and involved in for many years before u yankees came in and destroyed it. sure sadam was a dictator but so is musharraf, but ofcourse his a "good dictator". under sadam women had a right to vote which is something your dumb ally saudi arabie denies to it's women. to a fote note: saudi rape wictim (woman) was sentenced to a jail time and 200 lashes for being in the car with strange man. those are your friend and one wonders , cuz as long as u americans clling to such allies there always will be troubles.
Comment: Um... Sorry to break it to the commentator "disenfranchised," but women in Iraq did NOT have the right to vote under Saddam. Neither did men. Obviously the reasons for our engagement in Iraq were false. This is not to say the state reasons were conscientious lies, but that hindsight has proven them false. Life in Iraq is worse today than under Saddam. That, however, is exactly why we cannot abandon the mess that we created, especially when our efforts are beginning to bear fruit. Bush has made enormous errors in the prosecution of this war, much like Abraham Lincoln did in the Civil War, when most of the early engagements went in favor of the the underequipped and outmanned Confederacy. Lincoln, like Bush, almost lost his reelection bid. Both were campaigns run during the low points of their respective wars. Lincoln, like Bush, remained resilient in the face of countless naysayers predicting doom and gloom. Lincoln, like Bush, changed strategies several times before finding the winning one. This is not the Civil War though, so the comparisons end there (no need for other commentators to point out the numerous differences). Would we have been better off leaving Saddam to reign in his pit? Obviously the answer is yes. But that is no reason to abandon the country now.
Comment: Don't be fooled by the media. The US army is only in control of Baghdad in Iraq and similarly only Kabul in Afghanistan. The rest of both countries are still under the control of the insurgents. The US army is actually under the mercy of the insurgents as they (US Army)are not being attacked as reported. As also reported by individuals who have been there recently, the present situation both in Kabul and Baghdad is not better.The Republicans are trying to make it look good for the elections. With the current falling of the dollar, the housing loan debacle, end of the Wal Mart era, fewer people going to Starbucks, Katrina, fire in California, negligence to the war vets, increase in oil price, airlines have to merge, and many others, it is not good at all.
Comment: We have been at this place before ( Mission accomplished ) and was wrong then. To claim a victory now would be foolish. The mission has not been fulfilled as promised because Iraq cannot govern itself nor can it defend itself without intervention from the US. Making that happen has nothing to do with the success of our troops. In fact our troops have been nothing but successful in taking down insurgents and terrorist since this war began. What has failed in Iraq is there government to create an atmosphere of inclusion by all sides. Only this will once and for all bring peace to Iraq. The commanding General of US forces said this back when the surge began. Iraq is till a very dangerous place and will continue to be so until the Iraqi people decide that enough is enough.
Comment: My fear is that Al Qaeda is purposly laying low to make us believe they have quit to qn extent,but this is only because they feel if they can get rid of us, they can take over. This is a possibility as they are very shrewd. It is far too early for any optimism. I want the servicemen and women all home, but I also want anyone in a war anywhere in the world to be home with their families. We will never be a continent of civillized people until this happens. I find it appalling that we go at each other to the death.., like animals with no common sense. Only dipolomacy will help us end th is war.
Comment: This is a message to the Federal reserve and the few American billionaries that still bread. It is also an open letter to President Bush: If you do not do something about the falling dollar and soon, very soon, instead of Democracy , we will very soon be exporting coolies in Texas hats, to work in the sewers of the Arabs and of the Chinese!
Comment: Concern is of course that peace will not be long lasting. Indeed I pray that the people of Iraq can stay focused so that they may continue to rebuild and build their nation as a united people. Too much bloodshed, loss of life, countless children affected, has happened for the world to allow Iraq to slide back into chaos. What the 'Coalition of the Willing' started, the world united must stand with Iraq United so that in unity, peace, progress and prosperity for the peoples of Iraq will remain, God willing.
Comment: Ideology will never be changed or influenced by war. Democracy by definition is the rule of people and never exported.
Comment: America is the only country that has the guts to change the hate and death mentality of the middle east that has plagued the world for centuries. Those who expected instant gratification in achieving this goal of democracy have never had to actually work for anything and are spoiled brats. USA troops are the best !!
Comment: it's going to stll take years. but, if these people have a free society and prosper with human rights, there will be a lot of pissed off americans. they are all the people who swear this war was for nothing. so, i hope you people are praying for more increased bloodshed. because if it works , you people will be the idiots that you really are.
Comment: I did not agree with the Invasion of Iraq. However, it galls me that so many want the troops to fail. Especially since some progress has been made and there is optimism among the Iraquis even if it is a cautious optimism. It is my earnest hope and prayer that it will work so that we can bring our troops home and so that the Iraqui people can have a real future without having to live in fear. I hope we win. for the sake of those who died for freedom that they did not die in vain.
Comment: "It's hard to believe," says a friend named Fareed, who has also gone and come back over the years to find the situation always worse, "but this time it's really not." Such words are uttered only grudgingly by those such as me, who have been disappointed again and again by Iraq, where a pessimist is merely someone who has had to endure too many optimists."
Although this is a positive article published by a bastion of our mainstream press, the above statement tells you everything you need to know about the general mentality of our mainstream media. Read it closely. If the author has been repeadedly "dissappointed" with things getting worse in Iraq, then why is he "grudgingly admitting" that things are getting better? If his feelings before were of dissappointment, then his attitude now should not be "grudgingly" but "gleefully." A better choice of words would have been "cautiously optimistic," but a self-proclaimed pessimist wouldn't say that.
"Surrounded by too many optimists." Well, I would hope that our people in Iraq are optimistic unlike our defeatest media and liberal political wing, otherwise we are all doomed. Thank God for optimists for there can never be "too many" of them. It is the optimists that perserveres and never falters because he always sees a way.
Comment: I know it really pains newsweek and it's ilk to have to report good news. Any good news is good news for the for this country and bad news for the Demo party and the rest of the the socialist.
Comment: It's about time we hear or read something positive come out of Iraq. I bet the main stream media wont cary or echo this story. We are finally starting to turn the tide on this war. Amazing what can happen with a little patience, hard work and oh yea, sacrafice. Seeing that the Democrats are vested in defeat in Iraq and hanging ther 2008 political hats on it, how are they going to lie their way outta this one. I 'll tell you right now. If they keep this up by the time the election rolls around and things are even better in Iraq. We will have another Republican in the White House. YOu think they cried when they lost the last one. they may implode when they lose the next one.
Comment: We may by shear dumb luck win this battle but yet may still lose the "war on terrorism" (totally misleading name). We took our eyes off the ball and opened a second, totally non-essential front in this war. Bush claimed that Iraq was central to the WOT and that bin laden agreed. Of course he did, it served his needs very well to have us invade Iraq and get bled out by this tactical and strategic blunder. The neo-con dream was to have a domino effect in the region by establishing a viable democracy. We could have done that in Afghanistan, but then that did not fit in with the original (2000) plan. But as Newsweek's new political correspondent no doubt advised - if they hand you a lemon (they attack from the wrong country) make lemonade (spin it so the target country is even more dangerous).
Comment: If we use the excuse, ???I thought he had a gun,??? we will suffer an endless list of citizens killed due to reasons that should be unacceptable. I personally believe our uniform police should not be provided the right to carry a firearm at any government level. My reasoning on this matter is simply, if a armed outlaw is confronted by a policeman and the outlaw knew the policeman was unarmed, do you really think the outlaw would fire with intent to kill? I don???t think so and the fact is that of the few nuts that would fire, the resulting deaths would be far fewer that the system we currently apply. Ask yourself this question. If no guns existed anywhere in the USA excepting our military and police force, do you really believe deaths by gun shots would really be reduced from today???s average. I know not.
My experience in the police force proved to me the vast majority of times that the use of authorized guy fire was/is rarely necessary. I also found that the vast majority of policemen are under trained in both the handling of firearms and self defense. Ask yourself this question. You have seen the majority of your local police department cruising your neighborhood and as often as not that policeman you see has a pop belly big enough to trip over and you have to imageine them running forty-feet without running out of oxygen?
The old adage of concluding we need better training for our policemen doesn???t cut it, for thats been the conclusion hundreds of times. Our country cannot be destroyed out of a mere opinion that all citizens are in danger of being shot either by villains or a policeman for that is the first beginning of the first real fear of terrorist.
You have a better idea after considering the fact that the American people have a guaranteed right to the pursuit of happiness. A gun slinging officer of the law is not my idea of place of happiness.
Comment: Lets put politics aside. Support our troops, their families. Lets win this thing. Quitters never win...Winners never quit
Comment: People, this is a war. We do have an interest in expanding Democracy, but please, we are a country at war. We have troops on the ground involved in battle. Lets support them,our country, and the families of those serving..Put the politics aside and support our military. Would you like to lose respect with other nations, and people in your own country because of political views..We as AMERICANS, need to stand by our country when at war, whether we agree with it or not.
Comment: We definetly have a strategic interest, at this point, in seeing Iraq through. If we fail the harm to American power will be catastrophic. For the future of my children, I, along with many other liberals I'm sure, hope we prevail. Any conservative pundit who tells you otherwise is simply after the ratings that come with stoking the fire of political dialogue in this country.
Comment: dancing in the streets when the WTC fell is justifing the means-not in my sons life time! liberal is as GOP as the counterfit contracts the Rep Pres and VP delt out like candy to there bestest friends who don't have kids to kill!
Comment: I can see why your name is PINKPANTHER. You really are pink!!
Comment: What an excellent and complex article. Muser: I am a Dem. Don't paint us all with the same brush. You don't know what you are talking about.
Comment: The basic fact is we would be much farther along if the murderers in Iraq weren't butchering the people to keep them from choosing and living democratically. Al Qaeda, Iranians, Syrians and the death squads have one goal: kick America out because a free Iraq means no chaos, death, and terror. Zarqawhi and Al Zawahiri both said their goal was to foment a civil war. Their version of democracy will be different than ours, and that is fine. It just can't be an Al Qaeda or Iranian backed terror state.
Comment: That's my problem with conservatism today. You guys aren't for less government - you're for more government. More government control of sexuality, more government control of marriage, etc. That, to me, is far more tyrannical than anything the Democrats cook up. The government simply has no business taking a stand on gay marriage. It should be a non-issue. Gay marriages simply don't harm anyone. It's a choice, and any true conservative that believes in less government would have nothing against it.
Comment: Codeker, you have hit on two conflicting threads "Conservative" philosophy. There is a thread which espouses that the government should regulate sexuality and force Christianity on our children in public schools. There is a completely different thread that just believes government should let free enterprise flourish, and that government's role should be limited to national security, policing actions, and infrastructure development. Vacilating between these two poles, is the Republican party. Democrats have similar internal inconsistencies. For instance: Democrats have a thread of belief that people should be left to their own devices, e.g. be allowed to use drugs and have sex as they see fit. There is another thread of belief that government should be responsible for the well being of these free-spirited drug abusers and provide them with free, unlimited health care. How inconsistent is that?
Comment: I was trying to point out the flawed logic of your assertion that if I believe in the war then I must join the military. Conservatives are for less government, many REPUBLICANS aren't. It's easier to get elected with huge government giveaways and handouts than to stand for a principle. As for gay marriage not hurting anyone, how do you know? There is a reason it takes a man and a woman to have a child. A child needs a mother and needs a father. It's been that way since the beginning of time. Even if you are an evolutionist, you would see the folly of this practice. When morals and values decline, more laws are needed. It all starts with the acidity of our culture.
Comment: i wounder if they are up to the dancing in the streets AGAIN like when the WTC fell ??
Comment: If I just had a nickel for every liberal who believes in gay marriage. If you believe in it that much, join up.
Comment: What in the hell does that have to do with our military being deployed around the world in places we have no business in?
I fail to see how it is a liberal point of view to want to allow people who love each other to marry. Gay, straight, black, white, what difference does it make? If they are consenting adults and in love with each other they should be able to marry. Goodness knows they can't do much worse than the 50% divorce rate that straight marriages boast of!
Comment: If I could just get a nickel for every conservative that wants to use our military to spread "freedom" throughout the world...
My thoughts? You believe in it that much, join up.
Comment: Now we're going to hear from the liberals that it must all be lies I was all for the Iraqi people from the day they proudly showed their blue fingers. To hear that they are able to enjoy their lives and families and children again, although a fragile peace, I hope it is some incentive for them, and us, to carry on. The liberals will say this can't be true.!!! Well.... admitting you are wrong is very brave....... we may have gone about it wrong, but the ends do, in this case, justiy the means.
Comment: Your answering the wrong question, TicTock. The question is what way of life they would take. Though I agree it's much better at this point, for many reasons - strategic, human rights, etc - to see things through in Iraq, our goal should be self determination for Iraq. If that includes something vastly different from our way of life, our respect for liberty must allow them to make that choice.
Comment: Now the Congress should take notice, the one's that are supposed to be rallying behind our troops, however they are only tuned into Failure. There should be a Bench where we could place ineffective Politicians like Harry Ried and Nancy Pellosi.
Let's look at where we're at, we have a Congress that is ineffective and inconsiderate of those having made the ultimate sacrifice and the Loved One's they have left behind. The time has come for the politicians in congress to become Legislators, give these men and women the tools they need. As they bicker and nit pick at the funding our troops so desperat
