![]() |
|
|
|
#1 |
|
Advisor
![]() Join Date: Apr 2007
Last Seen: 07-19-07 10:49 AM
Posts: 585
Thanks: 1
Thanked 14 Times in 13 Posts
|
Is the current surge working?
It appears that the tactics of the military is to secure 3 or 4 points and perhaps collapsing the points into baghdad. With yesterdays news on more casualties happening in baghdad, I wonder why they decided to implement this strategy instead of first going door to door in baghdad and securing the perimeter, their home base instead of splitting the forces in 3 or 4 sections. Once secured then they can start thinking of securing the areas close to baghdad and eventually pushing what the military claim as their enemies, out of the region.
With the deadline for status fast approaching and no good news to report how do you view the strategy of the surge from what information you currently know. |
|
|
|
|
#2 |
|
Educator
![]() ![]() Join Date: Aug 2005
Last Seen: 03-13-10 04:38 PM
Location: America
Posts: 1,047
Thanks: 79
Thanked 164 Times in 123 Posts
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
That's a good question.
How do we define success? Casualties? To the 14-16 American soldiers killed in action, according to yesterdays news, today they say 68 militants have been killed in the last four days. Is that winning? |
|
__________________
-VTA |
|
|
|
|
|
#3 |
|
Banned
![]() Join Date: Jan 2006
Last Seen: 08-25-08 11:19 AM
Location: Germany
Posts: 6,592
Thanks: 62
Thanked 146 Times in 124 Posts
Lean: Independent
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
There are people going from door to door in Baghdad, but these are not Americans. These are Shia militias members who tell Sunni families to leave a mostly Shia quarter within like 48 hours or Sunni militia members which do the same in quarters with mostly Sunni population.
People who take a taxi through the quarters can be stopped by militias. If your passport says your name is Omar and you are in Shia quarter, it's possible, they shoot you. The same can happen to someone with the name Ali in a Sunni quarter. The American military does not control Baghdad. Maybe it can secure the Green Zone with the surge and with much luck for a while. |
|
|
|
|
#4 |
|
◊-Dıąmọŋđ™
Mod Team Member
![]() ![]()
Join Date: May 2005
Last Seen: 03-16-10 10:39 AM
Location: ישראל • אמריקה
Posts: 12,907
Thanks: 3,144
Thanked 5,335 Times in 2,835 Posts
Lean: Centrist
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
Personally, I have a tactical problem with the surge strategy and no matter how I look at it, it just doesn't go away. The problem is enemy resupply. As long as the borders of Iraq are porous, the surge strategy can at best be successful only for a finite period and only at select locations.
This implies to me that the surge is not a coherent strategy with long-term attainable goals. Rather, it is a decidedly short-term device implimented to purchase time. In simple terms, I consider the surge to be cosmetic rather than therapeutic. |
|
__________________
אל תיתן לחלומותיך להישאר חלומות |
|
|
|
|
|
#5 |
|
Guru
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2006
Last Seen: Today 03:42 PM
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 3,470
Thanks: 536
Thanked 800 Times in 539 Posts
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
There's no way in hell that that few troops will make that big of a difference.
|
|
|
|
|
#6 |
|
Banned
![]() Join Date: Aug 2005
Last Seen: 12-21-09 09:18 AM
Location: Miami
Posts: 19,405
Thanks: 1,415
Thanked 2,223 Times in 1,524 Posts
|
Re: Is the current surge working?
Is the current surge working?
I'm not even sure what the hell it was supposed to accomplish. "Working" to me means that Iraq has been stablized, the Iraqi government has the popular support to stand on its own, and we withdraw our forces like we said we were going to do. I haven't heard anyone in the Govt talking about withdrawing the forces, and guys like Patreous are talking about deployments lasting for many more years or decades. Based on that criteria; the escalation has thus been a complete failure. |
|
|
|
|
#7 | |
|
Banned
![]() Join Date: Aug 2005
Last Seen: 12-21-09 09:18 AM
Location: Miami
Posts: 19,405
Thanks: 1,415
Thanked 2,223 Times in 1,524 Posts
|
Re: Is the current surge working?
Quote:
The problem is far larger because that perception is both rational and logical. This implies to me that the entire attack, invasion and occupation of Iraq was not and is not a coherent strategy with long term attainable goals. Unless our goal is to encourage more Muslims to support the jihadis. |
|
|
|
|
|
#8 |
|
Guru
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2006
Last Seen: Today 03:42 PM
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 3,470
Thanks: 536
Thanked 800 Times in 539 Posts
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
Not only that, but the recent bombing of that Shi'ite mosque (which many Iraqis consider to be their "9/11" but much more serious) has caused the Sadr movement to suspend its participation in parliament, effectively suspending any progress in the country.
|
|
|
|
|
#9 |
|
◊-Dıąmọŋđ™
Mod Team Member
![]() ![]()
Join Date: May 2005
Last Seen: 03-16-10 10:39 AM
Location: ישראל • אמריקה
Posts: 12,907
Thanks: 3,144
Thanked 5,335 Times in 2,835 Posts
Lean: Centrist
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
Probably well over a year ago, I posted my belief Iraq will ultimately trifurcate. I have seen nothing to date which would influence me to alter that analysis.
|
|
__________________
אל תיתן לחלומותיך להישאר חלומות |
|
|
|
|
|
#10 |
|
Guru
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2006
Last Seen: Today 03:42 PM
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 3,470
Thanks: 536
Thanked 800 Times in 539 Posts
Gender:
![]() |
Re: Is the current surge working?
If that happened it would certainly be a disaster for not only the Iraqi people but the entire region, as that would only foment intolerance and violence, although that is ultimately what the Bush administration is pushing for, as is evident in the Hydrocarbon Law.
|
|
|
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | |
|
|