Stars on Their Collars, Tails Between Their Legs

Jeff Huber at Pen and Sword:

According to the senior American military spokesman in Iraq, the U.S. led crackdown on Baghdad is a bust. But that senior military spokesman is being very Bush administration friendly in the way he couches his terms. Major General William B. Caldwell IV calls the recent surge in violence in Iraq's capital city "disheartening."

That's an interesting choice of words, General. It's "disheartening" when the top college on your wish list turns you down, or you don't get that promotion you thought you were a shoe-in for, or the publishing deal for your first novel falls to pieces in the 11th hour. When the plans of the world's mightiest nation for terminating a war go down the tubes time after time after time after time, it's an unmitigated disaster. And when that mighty nation's senior military officers prevaricate for the sake of protecting their political masters, it's an unforgivable disgrace.

[...]

During a recent televised briefing in Baghdad, Caldwell said it was "no coincidence" that the increasing number of deaths in Iraq “coincide with our increased presence on the streets of Baghdad and the run-up to the American midterm elections.”

It's no coincidence that things coincide? That's a brilliant conclusion, General.

[...]

I can't help but conclude that the increased deaths and frustration prior to the elections weren't expected. I suspect that the much-ballyhooed offensives in Ramadi and Baghdad were calculated to provide major successes in Iraq prior to the midterm elections, and now that they haven't, the likes of Caldwell are helping to reverse the spin in a way that will keep the ball in the GOP's court.

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