As Iraq surge sputters, PR surge cranks up (Palm Beach Post Editorial)

[struggle4progress]

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

President Bush's "Mission Accomplished" stunt from May 2003 temporarily blinded America to the deadly pitfalls ahead.

Not everyone learned the lesson. This time, the subject is "the surge," and the message is the same: "Mission Accomplished." The premature celebration is just as wrong now as it was then ...

Those with genuine concern for the troops would note that the war's repeated deployments have put unsustainable stress on the military ... Unprecedented numbers are suffering post-traumatic stress disorder in a conflict that has lasted longer than World War II. The long-term effects on recruiting and readiness could be devastating.

... The debate has to go beyond whether the surge has worked. The issue now is how to bring U.S. troops home. President Bush has given up on answering. The next president will have to accomplish that mission for him.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/04/08/a12a_leadedit_iraq_0408.html