Things are so bad in Iraq that the generals running Bush's war are latching on to some pretty pitiful signs of "progress". Yesterday, General Raymond Odierno (second-in-command in Iraq) announced that civilian deaths in Baghdad have been cut in half. It is not known where he got his figures.
It sounds pretty good to hear that deaths have been cut in half, until you realize that the new "successful" figures mean that at least 12 people die every day in Baghdad as a result of violence. It seems that our government considers 360 murders a month in Baghdad to be a good sign. The numbers have moved from horrific to just disastrous.
Of course, this number doesn't count the many deaths in all the other parts of Iraq. I don't know how long the Iraqis can take this kind of success. The numbers also don't take into account that the deaths of U.S. troops is still way too high.
So far, 50 U.S. military personnel have died in Iraq this month, and that's just in 21 days. This figure is not a cut in deaths, and is in line with the 84 deaths in August and the 79 deaths in July. So far, 3792 U.S. troops have been killed, and nearly 30,000 have been wounded.
The truth is that we're nowhere near a successful solution in Iraq, and any claims otherwise are just a numbers game. Deaths go up and down in Iraq, but every day far too many civilians and soldiers die there while nothing is accomplished.
Isn't it time to end the "madness of King George" and bring our troops home?
I used to be angrier about the Iraq war. The angrier I got, the more I realized there is nothing a citizen can do about it. I've written Senators, I've been part of the fury, I've watched the democrats win the election and lose time after time after time in the Senate. I can't even tolerate watching the so-called "debates" about troop withdrawal on the senate floor.
ReplyDeleteRepublicans won't budge. Some feign dissent but never vote with the courage of their convictions. I've come to the realization that Iraq is not George's war. Iraq is the Republican party's war. They have had the opportunity to end the bloodshed every day in congress since 2003. In all this madness, hundreds of thousands of people have died, been injured, and millions have been displaced. No country to go to. Just wandering among the masses, beyond despair and in numbness.
All they needed was seven more Republican Senators to regain consciousness and vote against the war. Just enough to override a veto.
7 people could have changed the fate of millions but didn't.
Next time you elect someone, keep that in mind.