Utterly Meaningless

A different point, regardless of what suffering American families are enduring, American soldiers are wrongly perpetrating suffering upon many thousands of Iraqi families. And getting the troops out immediately is the best way to stop it.

A different perspective, from someone on the ground in Iraq:
michae...07.htm

“The big news on the streets today is that the people of Baqubah are generally ecstatic, although many hold in reserve a serious concern that we will abandon them again.”

He’s a right-wing blogger who is entirely dependent on right-wing blog readers for his support (i.e., money). I wouldn’t take anything he says as gospel.

Yon is right-wing? How do you figure?

I mean, certainly we right-wingers love him, because his current reporting from the ground tells us what we’re wanting to hear (like Iraqis are glad we’re there, the surge is making a difference, our troops are good guys and professionals, Al Qaeda is bad and needs to be killed, etc). But he was also at the vanguard of shouting the phrase “Iraq civil war”. He’s also covered stuff when it wasn’t going how we neocons want it to go.

How do you figure he’s right wing?

He tells right wingers what they they’re “wanting to hear.” What do you think that makes him?

“wanting to hear”? Wow, what a powerful phrase. I’d much prefer the truth.

Well, I’m a big fan of “follow the money” myself, but I’m not sure it automatically makes people one-sided agenda-pushing liars. And nobody I know is worthy of having their opinion on Iraq be considered gospel.
Yon has said many things I “didn’t want to hear”. He’s described how we’re losing the war when he’s seen it, he was an early voice identifying civil war in Iraq, and he’s been about the only voice I’ve heard covering the world-record bumper crop of poppies in Afghanistan. He’s covered Afghanistan opium trade early and often. Hardly the actions of someone wanting to make Dubbya look good, or pander to his readers so they’ll buy his next fancy camera.

Daryl,
> Not withstanding the validity of the decision to enter Iraq, we did stick our arm into that tar-barrel, and getting it out won’t be easy! I don’t think any rational person wants to “stay”, but there is, and should be debate on the best way to do that.
> I have seen off many of the 82nd folks I know from Green Ramp at Pope AFB, and have seen many come home. Next returnee will be in November, and I would welcome you coming along as my guest.
> As a Vietnam Vet and a retired Army guy, I know first hand the emotions of departure. It’s a fact of life for the military… that’s one thing we totally understood when we volunteered.
> One thing I do hope when we ultimately “bail”, is that we do a better exit than we did from VN… if some think that Americans are “perpetrating suffering” on the Iraqis, imagine the aftermath of a precipitate withdrawal?
>All that said, I do agree we need an exit strategy from this complex mess… one that doesn’t leave a bigger mess in its wake. Regards…