Moment By Moment
Haven’t we already had a number of these already?
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush declared on Friday that Iraq stands at a defining moment as it struggles to put down heavily armed Shiite militias in new flare-ups of violence that threaten to undercut security gains and sway his decision about U.S. troop drawdowns.
In Baghdad, Shiite extremists lobbed rockets and mortars against the U.S.-protected Green Zone, which has come under steady barrages this week. The U.S. sent a Hellfire missile into a Shiite stronghold in the city. And in the south, fighting escalated in Basra where the mettle of Iraqi security forces is being sorely tested.
“Any government that presumes to represent the majority of people must confront criminal elements or people who think they can live outside the law,” Bush said at the White House. “And that’s what’s taking place in Basra and in other parts of Iraq. I would say this is a defining moment in the history of a free Iraq.”
It’s also a key juncture for Bush in the five-year-old war that has claimed 4,000 American lives, worn U.S. forces thin and dominated his presidency.
Hmm, it seems to me that the Iraq elections, the death of Zarqawi and the execution of Saddam were all “Defining moments.” The question is, how many “Defining moments” can we continue to afford?
Comments
Did anyone else notice that it’s the Iraqi security forces taking care of their own situation in Basra? Sure we lent a hand, but you can’t say that’s not something significant. I get that you’ve got war weariness, it’s understandable, but this is a matter of endurance against determined enemies--the enemies of Iraqi freedom. We’ve gotta stick it out, or we’re gonna regret it.
Yeah, it’s potentially interesting. Except for stuff like in the Gangs of Iraq posting in this blog the other day. And the question of why it was allowed to get to the state it’s currently in after the British pulled out. There were reports (blogged here as well, but searching this place is hard) about the violence going on in Basra weeks ago.
I’m still looking for indications that they can, yunno, begin to run their own country without us.
Did anyone else notice that it’s the Iraqi security forces taking care of their own situation in Basra?
Shhhh, zoom! Don’t let the pinheads know that. there is currently a dipshit orgy going on right now that Iraq is a violent mess.
What the media doesn’t want you to know is that it’s really not, and we’re really not fighting very much.
Did anyone else notice that it’s the Iraqi security forces taking care of their own situation in Basra?
Yes. Apparently they’re trying a new strategy:
.Prime Minister Nouri Maliki on Friday gave the Mehdi Army, which controls large parts of Basra, 10 days to lay down their arms in return for cash
Oh wait, isn’t that the old strategy? I bet I know who’s paying for that, too.
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Don’t forget The Surge[TM]. That was a defining moment too.
Manwhore, where was the evidence of sustained impact you wanted to show me to counterbalance all the stuff that demonstrates the surge having no signficant impact towards “winning”?