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