Reduced Violence, Economic Progress Mark Fardh al-Qanoon Anniversary
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2008 – Coalition troops and Iraqi security forces marked the one-year anniversary of Operation Fardh al-Qanoon over the weekend in an environment of reduced violence and forward momentum on both the political and economic fronts, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told Baghdad reporters.
During a Feb. 17 news conference, Navy Rear Adm. Gregory J. Smith noted solid progress since Fardh al-Qanoon kicked off in early 2007 to improve security protections and services for the Iraqi people while offering them hope for the future. As part of the operation, coalition forces surged five reinforcing combat brigades into the Baghdad area as Iraqi security forces conducted a surge of their own.

Since Fardh al-Qanoon began, terrorist attacks are down more than 60 percent, from an average of 205 a day to 82 attacks a day in January. “And recently, we have experienced some days where the total number of attacks across the country dropped below 40, the lowest levels seen since 2004,” Smith said.

In Baghdad, the improvement has been particularly impressive, he said. In February 2007, the city’s residents were experiencing 28 terrorist attacks a day, a number that peaked at 46 in June. Last month, attacks were down to 11 a day, a drop by 60 percent over the year and 76 percent from peak levels, Smith reported.

In addition, coalition and Iraqi forces are uncovering more weapons caches and making more headway in disrupting terrorist operations, he said.

Smith was quick to note that terrorists have not given up their violent attacks, but emphasized that as violence subsides, other progress is able to take place. “The improving security situation is helping to create an environment for progress,” he said.

Smith pointed to last week’s passage of three important laws by the Iraqi parliament as a sign of that progress on the political front. The three laws -- an amnesty law, a provincial powers law and the Iraqi calendar year 2008 budget -- will serve as landmark legislation in laying groundwork for continued progress, he said.

On the economic front, the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce, supported by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, hosted the Baghdad business expo and conference last week, Smith noted. Exhibitors from Iraq’s banks, hotels, trade unions, business associations and state-owned enterprises came together to showcase their offerings, drawing more than 8,000 participants.

“The event was organized by Iraqis for Iraqis and was designed to promote commerce and cooperation across the country,” Smith said. “It made for quite a scene, one which we hope will be repeated many times across Iraq in the months ahead.

“The economic development, spurred on by improved security, is beginning to open doors to a brighter future,” he continued, “and the coalition is proud to be a partner.”

__________________
McCain/Palin 2008
"We make war that we may live in peace"
"Peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever."
"Keep that faith,keep your courage,stick together, stay strong,do not yield,do not flinch,stand up,we're Americans,we'll never surrender they will"
http://members.cox.net/neddy/bobhope_kerfuffles.wmv
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RnfflRNpwKA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j-QYIP7o2-A

__________________
"The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left."
Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)

I suppose another thread about "progress" in Iraq is supposed to have some point...

Well, I can't quite figure out what that point is.

That eventually the country will move forward, just like vietnam did after that war. I guess that is the point... OK... But if you are trying to say that anything less that 200 terrorist attacks a day is an accomplishement... then you are utterly wrong.

Here let me break it down for you:

COST:
4269 coalition casulaties
Tens of thousands more coalition troops wounded and/or crippled.
A hundred thousand or hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed.
A trillion dollars
A diminished reputation and respect on human rights, honesty. intelligence.
A massive increase in the number of terrorists in the world.
A massive increase in the number of terrorist attacks in the world.
People are being killed in large numbers in Iraq, more than before the war.

BENEFITS:
Ummm... I thinking here.... There is one less dictator in the world.

Now if you want to argue that the amount of ongoing costs is decreasing some, that does not mean that there is a corresponding increase in benefits, or that the massive costs all of a sudden support the minimal benefit.

The point was clear.

Reduced Violence, Economic Progress Mark Fardh al-Qanoon Anniversary






BTW thanks for showing once again how you ignore success/progress to peddle defeatism.

__________________
McCain/Palin 2008
"We make war that we may live in peace"
"Peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever."
"Keep that faith,keep your courage,stick together, stay strong,do not yield,do not flinch,stand up,we're Americans,we'll never surrender they will"
http://members.cox.net/neddy/bobhope_kerfuffles.wmv
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RnfflRNpwKA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j-QYIP7o2-A

http://www.wn.com/s/iraqeconomy/

Heres a website devoted to Iraqi Economic News.

__________________
McCain/Palin 2008
"We make war that we may live in peace"
"Peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever."
"Keep that faith,keep your courage,stick together, stay strong,do not yield,do not flinch,stand up,we're Americans,we'll never surrender they will"
http://members.cox.net/neddy/bobhope_kerfuffles.wmv
http://youtube.com/watch?v=RnfflRNpwKA
http://youtube.com/watch?v=j-QYIP7o2-A

I have a simple question for you sir.

Have you ever been to Iraq? To verify all of this? Are you aware that within our own borders here in the U.S. there are over 17,000 murders every year. Does this statistic mean that America is a failed state? Does the fact that every community, big or small requires an armed police force as a deterrent to crime translate into a failed America?

So I reiterate. I support the mission in Iraq and I support those doing the mission. I respectfully accept the fact you do not. ....

and I've been to Iraq...I've been to the Middle East

I realize there were and are problems, however to pull up the tent stakes now and re-deploy all troops and civilian contractors out of the region would be a mistake.

Obviously I can't convince you otherwise and you certainly can't change my mind either. The politicians will determine what happens, as always.

No, I have not been to Iraq.

The fact that we need a police force and that there is crime in the USA does not mean it is a failed state. It does show that the country has issues to work to improve.

I was doing a cost benefit analysis of the Iraq war. Baiscally a cost benefit analysis is the basis for all decisions. So the question is what will be the costs and benefits of various courses of actions.

I believe a neocon would say we need to stay because:
Costs:
More US blood and money is OK to spend

Benefits:
Reduced Iraqi violence
A stable democracy in Iraq that will be our friend
A stable source of oil in the future from a friendly country
Permanant military bases to project power in the middle east
To prevent Al Qaeda from claiming they made us run away.

Let me know if this is your beliefs of what the benefits of staying are.

I don't agree that those benefits are real.
The violence in Iraq has occured while we were there and the reduction is mostly due to arming and paying awakening councils and having the Mahdi army declare a cease fire. There will be violence if these factions decided to escalate the violence, whether we are there or not.

A stable democracy will only occur if the Iraqi people fight for it and support their government. In order to support their government, it needs to reporesent them autonomously. As long as the government is looked upon as an American puppet, it will not be stable. Withdrawl of military support and the subsequent independence of the government is the path to acceptence of that government by the people.

Oil, is not a reason for war.

Permanant military bases in the region will only be a destabilizing effect. This is a negative, not a positive.

And I don't give a rat's ass what Al Qaeda says. It is certainly should not a basis of US military policy to be worried about what a bunch of murderous morons in a cave think.

America only got about 3% of it's imported oil from Iraq prior to the invasion in '03. The primary motivaton for this invasion was security not economic. I think you've bought into the Exxon/Mobil war mythology. The fact remains that we, as Americans, are dependent upon foreign sources of oil to provide a form of relatively cheap energy. Most of these foreign oil reserves are in volatile areas. It is a hard reality that our foreign policy takes this into account.

I think you view America as the bad guys here. Canada, although a colder climate may be better suited for your political beliefs. Be aware of course that Canada has troops in Afghanistan, and the Balkans and afterall it's in your words...."all about the oil"

So what if maybe two or three countries decide to cut your crude oil supply off? What if they decide to charge you double? Triple?

Riots and looting in your streets...is that a reason for war?
Your infrastructure grinds to a halt...is that a reason for war?
Your economy collapses completely...is that a reason for war?
Millions of your citizens lose their jobs...is that a reason for war?

...don't give us that "alt-fuel" garbage either. Alt-fuels are a long way away, and you can't just magically speed that process up, so that in a couple weeks, your country will be "back to normal."

...don't give us that "negotiate with other countries" stuff either. That would take MONTHS to set up, and by that time, it will have been far too late to save your country from ultimate chaos.

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"It's the rich people's fault they earn more." - Makedde