Two months into the "surge," "little sign that the Baghdad push is accomplishing its main purpose"

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Patterns of War Shift Amid U.S. Force Buildup
By ALISSA J. RUBIN and EDWARD WONG
Published: April 9, 2007

BAGHDAD, April 8 — Nearly two months into the new security push in Baghdad, there has been some success in reducing the number of death squad victims found crumpled in the streets each day.

And while the overall death rates for all of Iraq have not dropped significantly, largely because of devastating suicide bombings, a few parts of the capital have become calmer as some death squads have decided to lie low.

But there is little sign that the Baghdad push is accomplishing its main purpose: to create an island of stability in which Sunni Arabs, Shiite Arabs and Kurds can try to figure out how to run the country together. There has been no visible move toward compromise on the main dividing issues, like regional autonomy and more power sharing between Shiites and Sunnis.

For American troops, Baghdad has become a deadlier battleground as they have poured into the capital to confront Sunni and Shiite militias on their home streets. The rate of American deaths in the city over the first seven weeks of the security plan has nearly doubled from the previous period, though it has stayed roughly the same over all, decreasing in other parts of the country as troops have focused on the capital.

American commanders say it will be months before they can draw conclusions about the campaign to secure Baghdad, and just more than half of the so-called surge of nearly 30,000 additional troops into the country have arrived. But at the same time, political pressure in the United States for quick results and a firm troop pullout date has become more intense than ever....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/09/world/middleeast/09surge.html?hp

[Monkeyman]

1. after today I think more of our kids will be hit

[Old and In the Way]

2. This is nuts....this administration and Republicans are just delaying the inevitable.

Does any sane person think that things will improve over the next 18 months? I see no upside, but lots of downside to Iraqis and our troops. It's political suicide for the Republican Party not to be joining Democrats to end this madness.

[Cobalt-60]

3. five minutes after our troops pull out

the puppet government Dubya and company have installed and supported for the Oil companies will be over thrown.
It is ridiculous to assume that Iraqis will allow 80% of their oil to be handed to Bush Crime Family cronies.
This is their second dose of western exploitation. And they know well enough how to deal with it.

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. I'll be years before they'll admit it didn't work. Until then they'll still

be "ramping up" & need more time.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. a.m. kick -- NYT, page one lead, in the print editon today