O’Hanlon Contradicts His Own Research To Portray Surge As Successful

[ProSense]

O’Hanlon Contradicts His Own Research To Portray Surge As Successful

In today’s New York Times, Brookings analysts Michael O’Hanlon and Ken Pollack argue that “the administration’s critics seem unaware of the significant changes taking place” as a result of the President’s surge strategy in Iraq.

Just last week — on July 26 — O’Hanlon published a starkly different assessment of the conditions in Iraq. In an updated edition of the Brookings Institute Iraq Index, he wrote:

With what promised to be a pivotal summer now more than half over, the situation in Iraq remains tenuous at best. …

(V)iolence nationwide has failed to improve measurably over the past 2-plus months, with a resilient enemy increasingly turning its focus to softer targets outside the scope of the surge. …

In assessing the overall sentiment of the Iraqi people recently, U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker summed it up in one word: fear. …

Politically, there has yet to be significant progress in the legislation of any of the critical benchmark laws. …(I)t is difficult to see how any measurable political progress will take place before the all-important September update from Ambassador Crocker and commanding General David Petraeus.

Economically, “stagnation” continues to be the key word.

O’Hanlon’s most recent Iraq Index update conflicts with today’s op-ed in several other key areas:

CIVILIAN DEATH RATES

O’Hanlon: “Civilian fatality rates are down roughly a third since the surge began.”

Brookings Iraq Index, 7/26/2007:



VIOLENCE ACROSS IRAQ

O’Hanlon: “nother critical effect: no more whack-a-mole, with insurgents popping back up after the Americans leave.”

Brookings Iraq Index, 7/26/2007:



WELL-BEING OF THE TROOPS

O’Hanlon: “Just a few months ago, American marines were fighting for every yard of Ramadi; last week we strolled down its streets without body armor.”

Brookings Iraq Index, 7/26/2007:



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"A War We Just Might Win" With Spin!

Admiral cites problems undermining Iraq

EXCLUSIVE-Daily attacks in Iraq hit new high in June:

The June numbers showed 5,335 attacks against coalition troops, Iraqi security forces, civilians and infrastructure.

June's total was 2.5 percent below an October 2006 peak of 5,472 attacks and slightly lower than the 5,365 attacks in May.

But because June has only 30 days, the average daily number of attacks was 177.8, higher than the 176.5 last October and 173.1 in May.

[applegrove]

1. I'm going to have to wait to see there is more information on success

in Iraq (or at least less mayhem) before I believe the news they write today. One source is not enough information. And right now they are the only ones talking up the success of the surge.

[ProSense]

2. Kick! n/t

[ProSense]

3. Kick! n/t

[Nikki Stone1]

4. Someone's got pix of him with a goat?

.....