Iraq, Afghanistan, Surge Success, the U.S. Media: Some Questions

RTTNews.com reports the kidnapping and beheading of seven Afghan policemen in recent Taliban attacks; during this attack, three civilians and one Australian (NATO) soldiers also met their fates in the ambush of a checkpoint in southern Kandahar province.
Recent increases in the number of serious attacks and bombings by Taliban insurgents and the decline in deaths and violence on the Iraqi "front" seem to preface a change in the Bush administration's "so-called frontline in the "war on terror." If it is true that Al Queda in Iraq is being driven from Iraq, is it possible that they are "being driven" to a new front--Afghanistan?
Is the Iraq "surge strategy" successful? Yes, in part, and thank heavens for whatever success has been achieved. But, has anyone actually drilled down into the likely causes of this success? Let me offer a bit of analyses:

First, during the last few weeks, the Bush administration has once again begun crowing about the so-called "surge strategy." Republican presidential candidates are on the bandwagon, parroting administration successes. But as in the past, recent crowing may, once again, be premature--remember "Mission Accomplished?"

Second, let us assume that the "strategy" is "working. Why? Recall, that during the 1980s and 90s, many policeofficers in the crime-ridden urban cities of the U.S. (and under the concept of "community policing,") were returned to old-fashioned foot-walking "beats." The result was a moderate reduction in violent crime. A hah, Why not get the troops out of these rolling coffins and put them afoot, where they have greater visibility of what confronts them and reduces to fewer deaths; afterall, our troops are performing in the capacity of an enhanced police force.

It is my belief (and you can bet your boots that some scholar in some think tank or academic institution is working on this hypothesis as I write) that someone realized that the greater number of U.S. military deaths can be attributed to the excessive use of vehicular patrols into the teeth of insurgent neighborhoods, exposure to the devastaging effects of IEDs and other creative means of destroying vehicles patrolling through the areas. In short, the probabilities that the reduction in U.S. servicemember deaths in Iraq (i.e., the surge is working) and the reduction of mechanized (vehicular) patrols in favor of foot patrols are directly related.

A third prospect is related to a news report by RTTNews.com that received little, if any, attention in the American media. Last week, RTTNews.com reported ". . . Iran Honoring Pledge To Stem Flow Of Explosives Into Iraq" . . . .
The RTTNews.com article reported that:
"Maj. Gen. James Simmons, a deputy commander of US Multinational Corps-Iraq, told reporters Thursday that Iran seems to be honoring a pledge to stem the flow of deadly explosives into Iraq, resulting in nearly a 50 percent drop in the number of roadside bombs particularly EFDs that kill and maim American troops."
According to the general, "the number of roadside bombs either found or exploded across Iraq had fallen from 3,239 in March to 1,560 in October, the latter the lowest since September 2005.
Of particular significance was the reported decline included the lethal "explosively forced penetrators (EFDs) which are sophisticated "shaped charges" capable of, in Simmons' words, "hurling a fist-sized chunk of molten copper through the thickest U.S. vehicles."

The most pressing question is why has this not been prominently published somewhere within the U.S. media? BUT:
Even more important is the Bush administration's propogandizing, demonization of Iran, in the name of the Iranian president, who it must be admitted is a provacateur first class, who is uncooperative, dangerous, and, oh yes, "crazy."

Fact is, that all of this demonization and propaganda is nothing more than an attempt on the part of the administration at raising the emotional level of the American public to a level, not unlike Sadaam and the prelude to the invasion of Iraq, that it will subscribe to an attack of some kind on Iran's "nuclear" facilities.

Pay attention America
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thebrotherman

Lou Dobbs for President

Lou Dobbs for president? Oh my goodness. Once again telewatchers of America demonstrate their culpability to imagery and demogagory. Lou Dobbs for president? Wake up America, Lou Dobbs is far from what is needed for this country. Dobbs is nothing short of a bomb throwing demogogue who is reminiscent of the story about a “signifying monkey” who sits in a tree using emotion laden language instigates a fatal fight between a lion and an elephant. My god, is it so difficult to see that this numbskull sits before the cameras for one hour every day during which he criticizes problems with every aspect of government; but, guess what you do not hear? What you don’t hear from this clown is any offering of solution(s) to the problems he articulates. And, if one bitches about a problem while offering no solution(s), this person becomes part of the problem. It is plain to see that this clown is part of the problem in that he has managed to generate enough emotion as to get himself considered as the solution to “the illegal alien” problem, or the “war on the middle class.” And if you happen to see this Mr. Dobbs, please be so good as to offer your solutions to the problems you articulate, night after night—ad nauseum. Wake up America, someone please tell me what an “independent populist” is. I can recall a time when this clown was part of the conservative wing of the Republican business community in another life as a business broadcaster. My what a self-promoting opportunist. America wake up. Being president is not the same as articulating and crusading one hour each evening.
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The brotherman

BANNED Pres. Bush Interview

Some Reflections on General Patraeus and Success(?)

General Patraeus, Success, and Some Reflections

Let me begin by acknowledging the intelligence of General Pratraeus. He has an earned Doctorate in International Relations; moreover; he surrounds himself with academics; two of his primary military advisors are full colonels, both are PhDs. His presentation before the House and Senate was and academic collection and analysis of the data. His preparation for his appearance before the Congress made that of the ambassador look mediocre. However; the pre-presentation hype accompanying Patraeus and his presentation lacked any consideration of the falibility of the general. To that end, I reveal a number of realities that any military careerist, past and present, are aware of, while the general American public is in the dark about.
Consider the overwhelming Senatorial support for the general’s taking command of the Iraqi combat zone.
One of the qualifications/character traits that won Pratraeus favor with the U.S. Senate was his propensity for “straight talk” and “telling it like it is.”
As a retired veteran of 22.5 years of military service with the U.S. Army, I must point out that experience informs me that U.S. Army officers do not become general officers on such a record.
Those who become general officers are “team players” who, regardless of the order or mission reply “yes sir,” salute and carry out the order.
That said, the question becomes, at what point did General Pratraeus acquire this stalwart trait? And, like General Alexander Haig before him, Pratraeus jumped two stars in a two and one half year period, leaping over all of the three star generals in the U.S. Army.
Given excessively loud kudos, from some political corners, for what is happening in Al Anbar province, that is; getting the province’s shiekdom to join his forces in pursuit of the destruction of Al Qaeda in Iraq. Two points should be noted here; first, it is a Marine Colonel who had developed the relationship between his troops and Sunni Shieks long before Patreaus landed in his present position and the successes, such as they are, have been attributed to him, second, a review of the history of early U.S. involvement in Afghanistan will inform us that the CIA was quick to flip the tribal leaders in the north of the country.
Regardless of who gets the credit for whatever “success” have been achieved, it is important that it continue. Whether or not the Al Anbar model can be applied outside of this province remains to be seen. I will have more to say on this subject in a future posting.
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the brotherman

Romney Calls For Tax Breaks For Homeschoolers

This just in from RTTNews.com11/8/2007 9:23:06 AM Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney proposed Wednesday that parents who homeschool their children should be eligible for a tax break to help offset parents’ expenses for teaching their children at home.
Why? Public schools are open to all citizens; the homeschoolers pay the taxes that support public schools. Romney, in his call for tax breaks, is not specific about the nature of the taxes that would go into the tax-break pot. Is he calling for a federal tax break or what? This is problematic in that public schools are supported from taxes collected at the state and/or local levels of government.
If Romney means a federal tax cut if follows that the loss in federal tax revenues attributed to his proposal means an additional burden on the remainder of the taxed population. But more importantly, Romney is asking that hardworking federal tax payers pay homeschoolers.
Yes, the public school systems across America are at best awful and parents want the best education for their children. However; it is unfortunate that those who can afford to remain in the household and educate their children are part of the population that tends to ”cut and run” from public schools. Just as this same group ran from troubled urban areas, these parents run from the public schools problem.
It is high time that this segment, as well as all of America, stop running from the problem, stop waiting for someelse to solve the problem and get engaged. If these homeschooling parents have the time required to educate their children in the home, then there can be little question that they have time to get seriously engaged in improving the state of public education.
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the brotherman