Sadr losing control of his men.

[Patroklos]

It is so sad that Oerdin prays to God every night for more casualties so he can pretend he wasn't wrong about the surge

This month is on track to be one of the least deadly for US troops since February 04 (with the exception of December 07) and Oeridin is talking about "huge cracks" in the strategy

[Dinner]

FACT: the last year has been the deadliest year for US forces in Iraq. As one would expect when you increase numbers you also increase casualties.

The main flaw with the escalation is that it cannot be maintained because the US doesn't have the forces to do it. It was a temporary measure, just like bribing former insurgents to not be insurgents, who's expressed purpose was buy Iraqi's time to reach a political compromise. The bad news is no, and I do mean NO, substantive political progress has been made. Shortly after Bush is forced to deescalate the war the gorillas who have been resting will start popping back out of the wood work and we'll have wasted hundreds of billions of dollars in order to provide about a 30% reduction in the level of attacks. Is that worth it?

[Dinner]

I love how Patty ignores all of the facts the Guardian brings up. Typical.

[Patroklos]

Facts like the record low casualty rate this month and every month since September?

Oerdin
Oerdin cherry picking

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by dannubis
He was there, you weren't. PERIOD.

And?

[Dinner]

NPR report about the surge in violence and about how many Maudi Militia members are ignoring the cease fire and are restarting attacks.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88905632

[quote]
Green Zone and Mosul Hit by Surge of Violence
by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro and Andrea Seabrook

Iraq
Green Zone and Mosul Hit by Surge of Violence
by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro and Andrea Seabrook

Listen Now [3 min 27 sec] add to playlist

All Things Considered, March 23, 2008 · Rockets and mortars pummeled the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad on Sunday. In a separate attack in the northern city of Mosul, a suicide bomber set off an explosion near an Iraqi army military post.

NPR Baghdad bureau chief Lourdes Garcia-Navarro talks with Andrea Seabrook about Sunday's attacks.

Overall US Death Toll in Iraq Hits 4,000
from The Associated Press


Enlarge

A US soldier stands guard in the area where a suicide car bomber detonated his load in Shula, Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least seven died and 14 were wounded in the blast. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

An Iraqi man grieves for a relative killed in a suicide car bombing in Shula, Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least seven people died and 14 were wounded in the blast. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

Men mourn their loved ones killed in a rocket attack on the Khamaliya neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008, during their funeral. At least eight people were killed, three among them children, and seven were wounded in the attack. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

Men carry a coffin of a person killed in a rocket attack on the Khamaliya neighborhood in Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least eight people were killed, three among them children, and seven were wounded in the attack. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

Men walk by damaged stores after a rocket landed in central Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least one person was injured in the blast. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

A man grieves for his relative killed in a suicide car bombing in Shula, Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least seven people died and 14 were wounded in the blast. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

An Iraqi girl checks out the damage as she eats ice cream in an area where a suicide car bomber detonated his load in Shula, Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least seven died and 14 were wounded in the blast. Associated Press © 2008




Enlarge

A US soldier stands guard on a spot where a suicide car bomber detonated his load in Shula, Baghdad, Iraq, Sunday, March 23, 2008. At least seven died and 14 were wounded in the blast. Associated Press © 2008


BAGHDAD March 24, 2008, 07:18 am ET · The overall U.S. death toll in Iraq rose to 4,000 after four soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in Baghdad, a grim milestone that is likely to fuel calls for the withdrawal of American forces as the war enters its sixth year.

The American deaths occurred Sunday, the same day rockets and mortars pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone in Baghdad and a wave of attacks left at least 61 Iraqis dead nationwide.

An Iraqi military spokesman said Monday that troops had found rocket launching pads in different areas in predominantly Shiite eastern Baghdad that had been used by extremists to fire on the Green Zone, which houses the U.S. Embassy and the Iraqi government headquarters.

"We hope to deal with this issue professionally to avoid civilian casualties," said spokesman Qassim al-Moussawi.

The four soldiers with Multi-National Division — Baghdad were on a patrol when their vehicle was struck at about 10 p.m. Sunday in southern Baghdad, the U.S. military said. Another soldier was wounded in the attack — less than a week after the fifth anniversary of the conflict.

Navy Lt. Patrick Evans, a military spokesman, expressed condolences to all the families of soldiers killed in Iraq, saying each death is "equally tragic."

"There have been some significant gains. However, this enemy is resilient and will not give up, nor will we," he said. "There's still a lot of work to be done."

Last year, U.S. military deaths spiked as U.S. troops sought to regain control of Baghdad and surrounding areas. The death toll has seesawed since, with 2007 ending as the deadliest year for American troops at 901 deaths. That was 51 more deaths than 2004, the second deadliest year for U.S. soldiers.

The Associated Press count of 4,000 deaths is based on U.S. military reports and includes eight civilians who worked for the Department of Defense.

Tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians also have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion on March 20, 2003, although estimates of a specific figure vary widely due to the difficulty in collecting accurate information.

One widely respected tally by Iraq Body Count, which collects figures based mostly on media reports, estimates that 82,349 to 89,867 Iraqi civilians have lost their lives in the conflict.

Overall attacks also have decreased against Iraqi civilians but recent weeks have seen several high-profile bombings, underscoring the fragile security situation and the resilience of both Sunni and Shiite extremist groups.

Mosul, Iraq's third largest city about 225 miles northwest of Baghdad, has been described as the last major urban area where the Sunni extremist al-Qaida group maintains a significant presence.

The persistent violence has led to strong public opposition to the war in the United States, with both Democratic presidential hopefuls Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton promising a quick pullout if they are elected.

President Bush has insisted the decline in violence shows his strategy is working and needs more time, a position taken by Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain.

Iraq's National Security Adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie said he sympathized with the American losses but warned against pulling out U.S. troops before Iraqi forces are ready to take over their own security and the situation is sufficiently stable.

"Honestly, this war is well worth fighting. This war, we are talking about war against global terror," he said Sunday in an interview with CNN.

No group claimed responsibility for the Green Zone attacks, but suspicion fell on Shiite extremists based on the eastern areas from which the weapons appeared to have been fired.

At least 10 civilians were killed and 20 more were wounded in rocket or mortar blasts in scattered areas of eastern Baghdad, some probably due to rounds aimed at the Green Zone that fell short.

The U.S. Embassy said at least five people were injured but no Americans were reported killed in the Green Zone attacks, which sent dark plumes of smoke rising over the district in the heart of the capital.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to release the information, said those injured included an American and four third-country nationals, meaning they were not American, British or Iraqi.

The heavily fortified area has frequently come under fire by Shiite and Sunni extremists, but the attacks have tapered off as violence declined over the past year.

The attacks followed a series of clashes last week between U.S. and Iraqi forces and factions of the Mahdi Army, the biggest Shiite militia loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.

Al-Sadr has declared a cease-fire through mid-August to purge the militia of criminal and dissident elements but it has come under severe strains in recent weeks.

Al-Sadr's followers have accused the Shiite-dominated government of exploiting the cease-fire to target the cleric's supporters in advance of provincial elections expected this fall and demanded the release of supporters rounded up in recent weeks.

———

Associated Press writer Bushra Juhi contributed to this report.
/quote]

[Dinner]

Good analysis from CNN on this.

[Patroklos]

He was there, you weren't. PERIOD.

Oeridn will get every respect due to him for his service there from me, that does not include accepting every exaggeration/omission/fabrication/hackery he sometimes trys to pass off as reasoned arguement or fact.

[Elok]

Originally posted by Patroklos
It is so sad that Oerdin prays to God every night for more casualties so he can pretend he wasn't wrong about the surge

Um, Oerdin's an atheist. Yeah, I know, figure of speech...

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Patroklos
It is so sad that Oerdin prays to God every night for more casualties so he can pretend he wasn't wrong about the surge

This is a vile and obviously untrue insult. You should be ashamed.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Oerdin
900+ Americans dead (and many times that wounded) since the escalation was announced. A total of 4000 dead and many more wounded and disfigured since the war was started and nothing permanent to show for it.

These numbers don't include mercenaries paid by the U.S. and soldiers who die of injuries after they leave Iraq. The total dead is at least 5,000 including mercs, not including those who died outside Iraq.

[Julian Delphiki]

Originally posted by Patroklos
It is so sad that Oerdin prays to God every night for more casualties so he can pretend he wasn't wrong about the surge

This month is on track to be one of the least deadly for US troops since February 04 (with the exception of December 07) and Oeridin is talking about "huge cracks" in the strategy

Reported as a troll. Not that it has any meaning here anyway but i find that claim hard to believe.

Meant as "your debate skills suck".

[Wezil]

Originally posted by JulianD


Reported as a troll.

Where is the troll report link?

[Julian Delphiki]

Clic "report", available in every post and type in a "troll" and press "Send Report Now!".

But you knew that already, didn't you?

[Colonâ„¢]

I just reported you as a Fin.