Video: We’re making military progress, says … Dick Durbin?
posted at 1:33 pm on August 8, 2007 by Allahpundit
So shocked is CNN anchor John Roberts that he repeats the question — twice — to make sure he’s understood him correctly. Kudos to Roberts too for calling him on the goalpost-shifting here. Faced with the undeniable fact of the Anbar awakening (well, almost undeniable), the Democrats have subtly shifted from Reid’s and Pelosi’s and Edwards’s line that the surge has failed to the more nuanced (and more accurate) line that the political process has failed. Entirely true and entirely undisputed, from leftist bete noires O’Hanlon and Pollack on down to warmongering wingnut embed bloggers. More on that in a moment, but first click the image to watch.
Follow the last link and read Bill’s thoughtful analysis about the six-month window we’re looking at, noting especially his point about translating the Anbar military gains into provincial political gains. The more I read about infrastructure problems, especially the point that Iraqi interpreter made to Totten about electricity, the more I think that part of it is just as important as military progress. But that’s unlikely to get better in the near term and likely to get considerably worse. John Burns echoes another point made by the interpreter which isn’t going to be fixed anytime soon, if it’s ever fixed at all:
I would have spent more of my energies trying to write about what lay beneath, if you will, a carapace of terror here, the deeply fissured sectarian society that was just below the surface and into which the United States was stepping. Five years on from when I arrived here in Iraq, I have a much better sense of that history.
And it leads me now to the conclusion that this probably was a mission impossible from the start because of the fissured society and because of the deeply wounded psyche of that society. They had been bludgeoned, mercilessly bludgeoned, for — we say 24 years of Saddam Hussein, but under the Baath Party for 30 years. And this was not a normal place the United States stepped into it in 2003 and it was certainly not for that reason, as well as many others, fertile ground in which to implant Western democratic ideals.
Which brings us to our own goalpost-shifting. Western ideals are now by the boards; a country that doesn’t devolve into ethnic cleansing is pretty much all the right is after.
I haven’t linked Roggio in awhile so check out what U.S. troops are doing to the Shiite militias while operations against Al Qaeda draw all the headlines. A rare case of Shiite action against the U.S. got the front page treatment in the Times today thanks to the upsurge in EFP attacks in July. That upsurge, or “countersurge” if you prefer, has been in the works for a long time now. What Roggio describes is what’s known as payback.
Meanwhile, Gordon Brown’s counting on Bush to announce a drawdown of U.S. troops after Petraeus’s report in September, presumably to make the Brits’ own disastrous withdrawal from Basra look slightly less disastrous by comparison.
Blowback
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We aren’t gonna drawdown after September, Gordon Brown is dreaming. We’re gonna be there a while, until we end up with a system where the place doesn’t decend into ethnic/sectarian warfare, or at least it won’t for a good while. With the possible exception that public opinion on the war goes totally sour and the conventional wisdom becomes letting them have their ethnic/sectarian war.
Bad Candy on August 8, 2007 at 1:39 PM
Would you like some crow with that humble pie, Sir?
The Race Card on August 8, 2007 at 1:39 PM
Durbin won’t be eating any humble pie, he just changed the topic as noted. The best thing about the clip with Casey is that he says the surge is working, and in the next sentence says his votes against the surge were correct. Cognitive dissonance anyone?
Clark1 on August 8, 2007 at 1:52 PM
BTW, there are a ton of countries around the world with “deeply fissured sectarian societ[ies]” that didn’t and don’t erupt into civil wars or extensive violence. Heck, look at South Africa – you don’t think they had divisions before and after the fall of apartheid?
The difference in Iraq is that the divisions are widened by AQ and neighboring countries.
Clark1 on August 8, 2007 at 1:55 PM
I just fell out of my seat I was spinning so fast.
Nethicus on August 8, 2007 at 1:55 PM
Gearing up to take responsibility for the success of the surge?
Kini on August 8, 2007 at 1:59 PM
This on the verge of the movie “Invasion” coming out…
Mazztek on August 8, 2007 at 1:59 PM
1sttofight on August 8, 2007 at 2:02 PM
LOL…
Listening to the CNN report ask again,”Senator…Are you SURE that the surge is working, is that what I heard you say?”.
Priceless!
HarryStar on August 8, 2007 at 2:04 PM
“And it leads me now to the conclusion that this probably was a mission impossible from the start because of the fissured society and because of the deeply wounded psyche of that society.”
But of course being a dumbass Senator, I could not be expected to have known that, whereas to consummate geniuses like President Bush and Donald Rumsfeld, it should have been glaringly obvious. Does that work, CNN? Maybe we can tune it up a bit and run with it for a while?
drunyan8315 on August 8, 2007 at 2:07 PM
The Democrats will attempt to take responsibility for any successes in Iraq. Guaranteed.
amerpundit on August 8, 2007 at 2:10 PM
They say the surge is working. They say the troops are dedicated. They say there is definitely progress being made. In the same breath, they’re calling for a change in direction. Interesting.
amerpundit on August 8, 2007 at 2:14 PM
Note that Casey still thinks his vote against the surge was the right one – even though it’s working!
As for Sen. Turbin, he activates my gag-reflex.
Randy
williars on August 8, 2007 at 2:15 PM
Oh, Lord, Durbin’s face when Robert’s repeats the ques tion is PRICELESS! Schmacks of second thought “oh, man, did I just say THAT?!” You’ll notice he glides right over it to the political side.
tree hugging sister on August 8, 2007 at 2:16 PM
Of course, the reason the electrical / infrastructure situation is so bad is due to attacks on the infrastructure; the terrorists know as well as the interpreter what the Iraqi people really want and need. Am I crazy, then, to think that Iraq, with billions of dollars pouring into the country and an unrelenting sun, would be a good place to deploy neighborhood and/or household solar panels?
calbear on August 8, 2007 at 2:21 PM
Hey genius, you overlooked the other 1200 years of bloodshed and turmoil, didn’t ya? Oh, I know, we thought for a while we might have had success based on the brokered peace between Israel and it’s Arab neighbors in recent years. That worked out well, huh?
History books people. History books.
[Fade to Newt]
fogw on August 8, 2007 at 2:21 PM
Progress? What, the NaZi’s invaded the Sudentland?
Tony737 on August 8, 2007 at 2:25 PM
When I do, the notion that the failure of the political process as “entirely true and entirely undisputed” starts to look like a possibly temporary thing.
Moreover, Nibras Kazimi recently suggested that the failure of the political process is at least partially a product of the success of the “surge” and the spread of the “Awakening” movement there. The more sectarian Sunni blocs thought the insurgency gave them political leverage. The defeat/turning of insurgent groups takes away that leverage, for which boycotts (and the impact the perceived political failure will have in the US) become the substitute leverage. Kazimi also suggests Maliki may use the situation as an opportunity to bring the tribal sheikhs in as partners instead.
Karl on August 8, 2007 at 2:25 PM
Move the Goalposts?
The milestones were meant to measure progress on the old and discredited Bremer top-down plan. Now we have a new bottom-up plan and we are about to use the same old goalposts.
Durbin may be a (ok be nice) but he knows about selecting just the right measuring stick to get the results he wants. And he wants failure in Iraq.
Condoleezza Rice knows. She used the phrases top-down, and bottom-up and the word measure in the same response last Sunday morning with Chris Wallace.
TunaTalon on August 8, 2007 at 2:26 PM
Durbin didn’t look like a happy camper in that interview, but Casey was singing the same old tune. I’m thinking Durbin believed Harry Reid’s line that the war was lost and has had a rude Awakening.
I’m personally not very concerned that the politicians took a break. The political process is two-way, not one-way. A successful surge allows the bottom-up process a chance to work, to create demand for government services. Micheal Yon just did a great piece on the Baquba food convoy into Baghdad, that broke hard ground between two governmental agencies.
Bacchus on August 8, 2007 at 2:28 PM
calbear asks:
Not sure about home use, but the US military has been installing solar lampposts in at least some of the cities and neighborhoods being cleared by the “surge.”
Karl on August 8, 2007 at 2:31 PM
The dems have no class and no shame. It’s all about the White House in 08 and be damned the consequences.
csdeven on August 8, 2007 at 3:19 PM
I voted to against the surge, but the surge is working, but I stand by my vote.
Douche bags.
right2bright on August 8, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Durbin,
Expect your “go f**k yourself” from Kos for these comments, just as you got when you (non)apologized for comparing Gitmo troops to Nazis… and expect a “go f** yourself” from me the rest of the time.
RightWinged on August 8, 2007 at 4:02 PM
There’s always talk about “national reconciliation”, but don’t we want more “grass roots” approach? I keep hearing about political progress being key to the “surge”, but I don’t believe that a national front is the objective. In America’s own history, we used to place emphasis on the state until modern times when the government has taken over as the nanny power.
The biggest thing we need out of Iraq is an Articles of Confederation. National reconciliation between factions and tribes can come later if they ever get over greed and incompetence at the federal level.
But what do I know- we live in a country were half scream “it takes a village”.
TheEJS on August 8, 2007 at 5:14 PM
The surge is working,now the liberal peace lovers
what to get on the bandwagon.
Wait, maybe in less than a week the democrats
and the media,no wait better yet,Barrack,Silky
or He-lirray will claim it was their idea.
Ya thats the ticket.
canopfor on August 8, 2007 at 5:47 PM
that had to be the funniest part of the clip , hold on wait its working but if i had my way it would have never been tried.
I am sure if FDR had
these surrender monkey traitorsthis congress in Washington.We would all be speaking German and there would be a defiant shortage of jews right now.
{yes i borrowed that line from the patton clip}
Mojack420 on August 8, 2007 at 7:13 PM
The New York Times says the surge is working. Dick Durbin says the surge is working. You know, I’m starting to get the feeling that the surge is working.
SoulGlo on August 8, 2007 at 7:42 PM
Tricky Dickie at it again.. While he’s away, Illinois is fast becoming his own little sanctuary state for all his and Osama’s new voters..the great state of ILL like in sicko
Legions on August 8, 2007 at 9:25 PM
Their explanation of how the MSM and the Dems pulled Iraq out of the fire at the last minute will be a real ROFL-fest. Assuming you can get away from the great white phone long enough to laugh.
drunyan8315 on August 8, 2007 at 9:25 PM
Democrats acknowledging progress in Iraq, moving to the right on the war, and will eventually flip completely. Watch it happen. The reporter asks him the question twice, heh.
The military progress is undeniable, it was undeniable 6 months ago but recent news coverage had to cover the progress that the blogs had been covering for months, so when that happens the party of sticking its finger in the air has to move to the right.
Here’s how the narrative goes.
1. Acknowledge military progress, however grudingly.
2. Complain about the power grid and lack of political progress
3. Military and State Dept contractors upgrade the power grid in the middle of next summer, possibly spring. Spring power would be more exciting having the AC on in Baghdad just before it gets hot.
4. Democrat flip flop flip will be complete. Conservatives will be replaying all the Democrats comments about the war from the previous 3 years. Hilary doesn’t even get to sniff the Presidency.
The biggest misunderstanding in the wake of the Democrat wave in 2006 was that it was a sign to withdraw. If it was why are we still there? Democrats have the votes to at least make it symbolic if not veto proof. They don’t have the guts because they know they do not have the Blue Dogs. After a vote that has the Blue Dogs voting with Republicans and only liberal Dems are left holding the bag and looking like exactly who they are.
What America wants is victory. The vote for Dems was a reaction to “losing.” (that is why “quagmire” was so effective) Now that we are making progress and killing al-Qaeda we are “winning.” That’s what we want to do win. The ghosts of Vietnam will not allow us to just throw in the towel in Iraq. Hilary answer is withdrawing and letting a full blown civil war engulf the country and the region. We do not want that. Democrats overplayed their hand, just like they did the last time they had a majority…
The weakest, most inept, shortest lived majority in recent history. Flip flop flip.
Theworldisnotenough on August 8, 2007 at 10:08 PM
Didn’t the Dems demand a surge at some point?
Well, that’s their point, now.
If it’s broken, that’s Bush.
It it recovers, then the Dems forced him to change Iraq until it worked.
Win-win do-nothing.
profitsbeard on August 8, 2007 at 11:39 PM
I have to apologize to the US for giving this country shit like Durbin and Obama. We can’t come up with anything in the Illinois Republican party. One of the worst states in the Union.
LtE126 on August 9, 2007 at 7:04 AM
Anything, and I mean anything that Dick Durbin says these days I would take with the proverbial grain of salt administered from a long spoon. The man has a history riddled with double talk and two-faceness to the point that just his being in the Senate these days is something of a joke, and a rather bad one at that. He is currently the poster boy for everything that is wrong with politics in the state of Illinois. Things have gotten so bad here these days, if you happen to come in contact with the political climate in this state, I would recommend at least nine hot showers with industrial strength detergent before considering yourself clean again. And Dick Durbin is pretty much leading the pack with the way the political climate is here in this state right alongside his buddies Barack O’Bama, Governor Rod Blagoavich, Chicago Mayor Rich Daley, Illinois Senate Leaders Emil Jones and House Leader Mike Madigan. It is really sad that Illinois is the same state that one time was represented by the late great Senator Everett Dirksen. It stinks that few people remember him, but almost everyone remembers former (thankfully) Senator Carol Moseley Braun. Grant it, she was also something of an ineffective joke in the Senate during her mercifully short tenure, but she wasn’t as bad as Dick Durbin is these days. Regardless what the man says, trust not anything that emits from between his teeth.
pilamaye on August 9, 2007 at 8:03 AM
Theworldisnotenough, I’m with you on the first three but the Democrats are not just going to roll over and admit that they were wrong.
4. Whatever the date of the troop draw down the Democrats go back in history and find one place where they called for that date and pronounce “I told you so.” While Conservatives are muddying the waters by replaying all of the Democrats comments about the war for the previous 3 years, the Democrats pound on the one clear message that there were right back then. Hillary gets close enough to the POTUS to smell it, but only just a tantalizing whiff.
The President can’t veto a bill that isn’t passed. All the nutroots want is for the Congress to NOT PASS the military funding. Don’t worry they are just liberal, not stupid.
TunaTalon on August 9, 2007 at 9:01 AM
Of course they aren’t going to “admit” they were wrong. They are going to slightly change the narrative over the course of many months you alreay see admitting military progress. Thenext step is to criticize the power grid, then political reconcilliation. One those are solved, or progress is made they wil find something new to complain about and hope America forgets their last three years of rhetoric.
No. Way. The schism between liberals and blue Dogs within the party and the fact that the Dem never have a clear message and they are going to have to tack hard right in the general will prevent any sort of “clear” message. In today’s world where we can replay Hilary and the Democrats mixed self serving obviously political driven messages they do not stand a chance at taking back the White House. Here’s how clear a message they are going to send:
The Dems know they can’t do anything for amnesty so… Rahm Emmanuel announces they won’t until 2012. Why because they know America doesn’t want it and they’ll oust the Dems because of it. But what does Hilary do? Make the poster boy illegal aliens (at least on the West coast) Mayor VillaLaRaza (villaraigosa) one of her campaign co chairs. Is that clear?
Martin O’Malley and Harold Ford Jr. plead for the Dems to take the middle.But Maryland just passed a law allowing in state tuition for illegals, is that what the center wants? Marylanders seem not to want it at all. The same counties, Prince George’s, Montgomery, Baltimore City, that brought Dems victory in 2006 are predominantly Black. Being Black I can tell you the conversations in barbershops across the country is not “hey illegals should get in state tuition.” We see it as another slap in the face. Something else a non American gets that Black people do not. However incorrect the perception may be, in state tuition is no misconception. The Democrats are faced with trying to please Blacks, Hispanics, Liberals, and their center. They can’t do it.
Theworldisnotenough on August 9, 2007 at 10:12 AM
Theworldisnotenough, in this dialog about dialog I hope you are right. Well I know you’re right, what I mean is I hope you are correct. Since we’re talking about clear messages it’s on topic that President Bush just finished a press conference where I found my mind wandering off even when interested in the message.
Please don’t underestimate Rahm Emmanuel. He is the operative that brought us the Mark Foley scandal that neatly wrapped up the 2006 election.
I will remain a skeptic and work at politics as if the issue is in doubt. Hillary can get about 42% of the vote by just showing up, and maybe even 46% if she runs a most excellent campaign. Pretty much everyone paying attention has made up their mind about Hillary. A third party candidate that pulls over 5% from the Republican side could tip the election.
One more thought: A clear message is required only if pushed out through a single channel. The nutroots communicate with a subset of people through different channels from Rahm Emmanuel and the Blue Dogs.
Stay to the right and keep the throttle down.
TunaTalon on August 9, 2007 at 11:40 AM