The U.S. military has increased its bombing campaigns, despite the
high-level of
civilian casualties that result.
They're claiming
victory over AQI. From a recent
WaPo article:
"I think it would be premature at this point," a senior intelligence official said of a victory declaration over AQI, as the group is known. Despite recent U.S. gains, he said, AQI retains "the ability for surprise and for catastrophic attacks." Earlier periods of optimism, such as immediately following the June 2006 death of AQI founder Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in a U.S. air raid, not only proved unfounded but were followed by expanded operations by the militant organization.
There is widespread agreement that AQI has suffered major blows over the past three months. Among the indicators cited is a sharp drop in suicide bombings, the group's signature attack, from more than 60 in January to around 30 a month since July. Captures and interrogations of AQI leaders over the summer had what a senior military intelligence official called a "cascade effect," leading to other killings and captures. The flow of foreign fighters through Syria into Iraq has also diminished, although officials are unsure of the reason and are concerned that the broader al-Qaeda network may be diverting new recruits to Afghanistan and elsewhere.
So why are they bombing the hell out of Iraq?
Bombing the hell out of a country
doesn't work.
"in the Middle East, the Bush administration knows only two approaches...blow them up or bribe them"IraqAirstrikes first nine months of 2007:
1,140 Airstrikes all of 2006:
229 Afghanistan Airstrikes since the start of 2007:
2,764 Airstrikes all of 2006:
1,770Afghan family killed in Western raid, official saysAs the Bush admin does everything to create the
perception of
success, Republicans are still not willing to set a deadline for withdrawal:
McCain: ‘Seven Or Eight Months’ More Until We Can Start Iraq Withdrawal If it's going so well, why pay for propaganda:
Pentagon Co-opted Independent Military Newspaper For PR Campaign Pushing Bush’s War Policies.