Fri
Aug 24 2007
12:01 pm
Two views of the Iraq NIE
By: R. Neal

New York Times: Report Offers Grim View of Iraqi Leaders

WASHINGTON, Aug. 23 — A stark assessment released Thursday by the nation’s intelligence agencies depicts a paralyzed Iraqi government unable to take advantage of the security gains achieved by the thousands of extra American troops dispatched to the country this year.

The assessment, known as a National Intelligence Estimate, casts strong doubts on the viability of the Bush administration strategy in Iraq.

Front page of today's Knoxville News Sentinel: Analysts find Iraq still in need of outside help

Intelligence report warns against scaling back mission of U.S. forces

The Iraqi government will become more precarious over the next six to 12 months and its security forces have not improved enough to operate without outside help, U.S. spy agencies conclude in a new assessment of the country’s political and military fortunes.

Despite some uneven improvements, the analysts concluded that the level of overall violence is high, Iraq’s sectarian groups remain unreconciled, and al-Qaida in Iraq is still able to conduct highly visible attacks.

On a related topic, there's also some buzz about Bush's support for Iraqi PM "heckuva job" Maliki. One talking head said Maliki had no political power because right now power in Iraq boils down to who has the biggest militia, leaving me to wonder who has a bigger militia than Maliki's U.S. Armed Forces?

Also, is anyone else sick of hearing about "military commanders on the ground" (why are they on the ground? should someone help them get up?) and the hype surrounding the highly anticipated Petraeus report? This is an Iraqi political problem, not a U.S. military problem. Where is Condi Rice? Out shopping for shoes?

Topics:
Sven's picture

Is anyone else sick of

Submitted by Sven on Fri, 2007/08/24 - 12:41pm.

Is anyone else sick of hearing about "military commanders on the ground

I always look forward to the sideline interviews with coaches at halftime to give me great insight into how the game's going.

I just wish one of the networks could get Madden and his telestrator for the play by play.

Terry Troll's picture

Not his report if the Administration writes it.

Submitted by Terry Troll on Fri, 2007/08/24 - 1:17pm.

Why do we continue to call it the Petraeus Report? Why don't we be honest and call it the "White House Report on What Petraeus Said and What We Know It Means"?

talidapali's picture

Why stop there...

Submitted by talidapali on Fri, 2007/08/24 - 1:46pm.

shouldn't it really be titled "The Report Written by the White House to Tell the American Public What We Say General Petraeus Said About Iraq Which May or May Not Be Truthful In Whole or In Part (But We'll Never Tell 'Cause We Don't Have To According to Executive Privilege)"?

_________________________________________________
"You can't fix stupid..." ~ Ron White"
"I never said I wasn't a brat..." ~ Talidapali

Sarge's picture

The problems in Iraq has

Submitted by Sarge on Fri, 2007/08/24 - 3:42pm.

The problems in Iraq has always been an Iraqi problem, however, the idiot-in-chief decided to short circuit normal attrition that happens to everyone, and make the Iraqi problems American problems. DAMN DID I SAY THAT RIGHT?

Carole Borges's picture

I'm sick of it all...the whole debacle

Submitted by Carole Borges on Sat, 2007/08/25 - 11:25am.

I'm sick to death of hearing all the talking heads spinning every detail of it this stupid war

I'm sick of Congress debating the same crap over and over again and doing nothing

I'm sick even of myself always ranting about politics.

I'm sick of explanations, and lies, and biased charts and graphs trying to explain different points of view.

I'm sick of congressional hearings that get nowhere.

I'm sick of testimony that says "I can't remember" over and over like a broken record.

I'm sick of hearing how good and noble this war is.

I'm weary of hearing how it's our job to keep a lid on the entire Middle East.

Aren't there any other people in this world that care how Iraq turns out? Isn't Asia & Europe as terrified as Bush tells us we should be?

I just want somebody to DO something to end this farce, so we can get back to what really matters to us Americans--yes, us Americans! A funny thought, huh?

I wish our president and Congress cared about us because we're not doing so good here at home, folks. We're afraid to get sick, can't afford to educate our kids, and sometimes have trouble affording even repairmen to fix our washing machines. Our bridges are falling down. Our beloved New Orleans needs rebuilding. Now we hear we were duped into school loans we can't pay and credit cards that charge too much and subprime mortgages that threaten to rip the roofs off over our heads.

I'm sick of feeling sick about the wreck our country has become.

I want to be happy again and proud.

I want to feel secure.

I want to go to bed at night feeling like I am a citizen of the best country on earth.

Sometimes I have the lurid fantasy that this is my right.

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