Yes, please:
The U.S. military believes it has dealt devastating and perhaps irreversible blows to al-Qaeda in Iraq in recent months, leading some generals to advocate a declaration of victory over the group, which the Bush administration has long described as the most lethal U.S. adversary in Iraq.
Declare victory and GTFO. I support this plan completely. Hell, Tim predicted this strategy (I can’t find the link, but I remember him posting it. I do have this link to a commenter of ours making the prediction in 2005).
It works.
*** Update ***
Bonus factoid. Yesterday, the WaPo editorialized on better numbers in Iraq. Today, it reports the military’s opinion that AQI is destroyed.
Noticeably absent from the commentary from Greater Wingnuttia – accusations of liberal bias.
*** Update #2 ***
Apparently the commenters have filled me in on how it works. Basically, as such:
“If I disagree with or don’t like a story, then it is liberal media bias. If I agree with or like a story, then it’s so powerful that not even the liberally biased media can ignore it.”
*** Update ***
General pushing this claim appears to be a political hack.
Zifnab
Does this mean we can go home now?
Wilfred
Declare victory and GTFO.
That’s a joke, right? That says you bought into the whole ‘we’re there to fight terrorism’ rap. It’s about Empire, and imperialists never leave.
Billy K
Not until we have another excuse for staying in Iraq (and no, the truth doesn’t count).
jnfr
Bush will never leave Iraq. Never.
Tsulagi
I’m there with you. I got a lighter for the fireworks. T-shirts for all with the millions Pubs appropriated earlier for a national celebration. It’s been special.
Tim F.
Tim doesn’t remember the post either, but the Army’s broken. Either we declare victory and go home or we admit that we wrecked the region and go home. Soldiering on for another eight or nine friedmans isn’t an option.
Ned Raggett
I’m thinking it would make more political sense for the GOP for this to be declared closer to the election. (Therefore it won’t happen.)
Bubblegum Tate
Agreed. I mean, Teh Surge! has a built-in expiration date (not that that’s gong to stop wingers from proclaiming, “Teh Surge! has worked, so we can draw down forces now! Victory!” when that expiration date comes), but for a more generalized declaration of victory? Not yet. Probably in another Friedman.
I have for a while been advocating letting the ‘wingers declare victory (after all, what’s one more piece of invented reality to them?) so that we can GTFO already. We’ll see….
D-Chance.
You don’t get it, do you?
Did you even read the first clause in the very next paragraph? But as the White House and its military commanders plan the next phase of the war…
Declaration of “victory” in Iraq is just another step in moving the front from Baghdad to Tehran.
Please give up on the “GTFO” and “come home” fantasies. It ain’t happening under this administration.
whippoorwill
The neo-cons and their big money brethren will find it hard, if not impossible, to leave a country where the scent of oil is so strong. Especially if it sits next to an arch-enemy country where the Black Gold could double their pleasure.
If they run out of real boogey men to justify hanging on in Iraq, they’ll just make up some more. The question is what will the dems do, if [likely} they win the White House. We’ll get to see if they are what they claim to be, which is a party of the people, or just as big a corporatists as are the repubs.
Mike
Read, f’rinstance, Captain’s Quarters The argument is that our glorious victory is now so obvious that even filthy liberals can’t deny it.
dingo
Thanks to South Park, the war is no longer measured in Friedmans, but in Courics.
Bubblegum Tate
Yeah, that’s pretty standard right-wing boilerplate. The formula works like this:
“If I disagree with or don’t like a story, then it is liberal media bias. If I agree with or like a story, then it’s so powerful that not even the liberally biased media can ignore it.”
Billy K
From ThinkProgress:
General Advocating For ‘Victory Declaration’ Over AQI Also Declared ‘Major Combat Over’ In 2003
Also, “Greg Sargent notes that the Pentagon recommended McChrystal be “held accountable””
thinkprogress.org/2007/10/15/mcchrystal/
Rounds of salt are on me.
whippoorwill
That be one General Patrick “Pollyanna” McChrystal who also declared the Iraq war over shortly after “The Red Baron” Bush told the world in 2003 that the battle for Iraq had concluded and we won.
whippoorwill
From Think Progress
Why does General John Abizaid hate America?
Enlightened Layperson
I disagree with people who think the Administration will look for another excuse to stay. Most likely they will declare victory and pull out. Troops will come home to a ticker tape parade. Bush’s strategy of invading Iraq (and, by implication, all his other policies as well) will be proclaimed as vindicated. War opponents merely lacked faith. Republicans will win the Presidency and Congress in 2008 by a landslide. And all Bush’s policies (warrantless wiretapping, torture, “extraordinary rendition,” etc) will be locked in permanently.
Though, with luck, his successor will at least know better than to start another war.
Chuck Butcher
Enlightend assumes a politically rational response from BushCo. Let me point out, oil is running in dribbles, the BigOilCo have not locked down the oil reserves, Iran, the Consitution is only in tatters, not destroyed.
And besides…it’s Iraq.
TenguPhule
That would be the smart thing,
Naturally this means Bush won’t do it.
searp
Yeah, we’re winning, or at least we were yesterday. Today is a different story – 55+ dead in Iraq, including a WAPO journalist, so naturally today is horrible-dead-journalist day at the WAPO. Wish they had a little more concern for our soldiers and Iraqis, but I guess we can’t have everything.
Yes, I think the loss of the journalist is tragic and horrible.
So is the loss of every single person in that senseless conflict. I suppose the WAPO thinks there is something to win, and therefore the conflict isn’t senseless. I hope they share, I’d feel better looking at the casualty lists.
As for AQI, they will be back. Anyone who is an effective terrorist and prays five times a day will be put into that bucket until it is no longer convenient.