The Surge: Why the Argument Against Its “Success” Won’t Work
The original justification for the surge, the addition of 30,000 combat troops to Iraq last spring and summer, was to to reduce violence to a low enough level so that political progress could be made in the Iraqi legislature. In addition, tactics were changed to create a temporary reprise from violence, such as paying and assisting the Sunni Awakening forces to kill extremists rather than the U.S. military and rival Shiite:
The predominantly Sunni Awakening forces, referred to by the U.S. military as the Sons of Iraq or Concerned Local Citizens, are made up mostly of former insurgents who have turned against extremists because of their harsh tactics and interpretation of Islam. The U.S. military pays many fighters roughly $10 a day to guard and patrol their areas. Thousands more unpaid volunteers have joined out of tribal and regional fealties. (link)
Nine months later, here is where we stand. Read the rest of this entry »
