NUMBER BENDING: LIPSTICK ON THE PIG?

The purpose of the "surge" was to reduce violence by
increasing it (escalation.) That seldom works for long
in counterinsurgency, and it's not working in Iraq.
That fact belies the fantasy that we are seeing "success"
there. Before the end of July we were seeing reports
that "only" 74 U. S. troops had been killed that month
by Iraqi insurgents. (The actual KIA tally for all of
July when final numbers were in was 80.) But this was
hailed by cheer-leaders for the surge like The New York
Times and Gen. Odierno (in Iraq) as a sign the surge
was working. (KIA numbers have been 100+ each
month so far this year, until July.)

It's important to understand this, as both Bush and his
war are enjoying their own surge in support, based on
this spurious claim. What the media aren't reporting:
it is hotter than hell in Iraq right now. Guerillas don't
like to handle heavy exposives when it's 120+ in the
shade, and all activities slow down then. Last July, only
43 G. I.s were killed. In July, 2005, 54 killed. July,
2004, 54 killed. July, 2003, 48 killed. 80 killed this
year is an improvement? For whom? The insurgents?

Civilian casualties in Iraq are also up, and misunderstood.
According to icasualties.org, the Iraqi civilian and military
death toll from political violence in July 2007 was 1,690,
a 25% increase over the July 2006 toll of 1,280. So where's
the progress?

Typical nonsense abroad in the media: "On CNN's "This
Week at War" for July 28, Michael O'Hanlon of the
Brookings Institution said of Iraq, "I think we have
reduced the amount of violence overall, but not to the
point where the psychology has fundamentally changed,
and Iraqi political leaders are not helping much yet in
this process." Well, duh, the psychology hasn't changed
because the facts clearly show not reduced, but increased
violence, and the news is being spun to provide a mis-
leading picture. The public is being fooled again into
supporting a fundamentally flawed and failing policy.
What else is new?

jgoodwin004@centurytel.net