The President's escalation strategy has failed. We need to stop refereeing this civil war, and start getting out now. -- Hillary Clinton, statement of August 23, 2007
As many had foreseen, the escalation has failed to produce the intended results. -- letter to Pres. Bush from Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, June 12, 2007
That's not a cement mixer you hear. It's the collective Dem gnashing of teeth. Things have gotten so bad -- meaning good -- in Iraq that now even the New York Times is reporting it. Have a look at Willie Geist -- sitting in for Joe Scarborough -- opening today's "Morning Joe" by holding up the paper's front page to display its headline: "Baghdad Starts to Exhale as Security Improves."
View video here.
Willie had a jocular take on the item.
WILLIE GEIST: Guys, we have to start [little reluctant there, perhaps?], front page of the New York Times, what amounts to basically state propaganda [said facetiously] for the war in Iraq on the cover of the New York Times, "Baghdad Starts to Exhale as Security Improves." We're also seing that kind of coverage on the front page of the LA Times. The New York Times piece talks about families returning to their homes, weddings in public, liquor stores opening -- the kinds of things we didn't see in the last several years.
David Shuster, serving as a panelist today, considered the political implications.
DAVID SHUSTER: This is great news for a lot of people. First of all for the Iraqis. But secondly when you look at the politics of this, Mika and Willie, this is great news for John McCain because it validates his position all along: if we had just gone into Iraq "heavy," with several hundred thousand troops instead of 150,000 or whatever we went in, that perhaps this would have happened sooner. McCain has been the one saying all along "look, we needed to have a heavier footprint. Now that we have it, things are getting better." So it's huge political news for him but it's also just great news for the Iraqi people, so at least this gives them an opportunity to start returning to Baghdad.
The panel went on to agree that the next crucial step is for the Iraqi government to seize the moment to make political progress. Geist wrapped things up nicely.
GEIST: When the New York Times prints a front-page exposé, essentially, about the improvements in Baghdad, that's big news anyway you slice it.
My two cents say that while this is indeed sweet vindication for McCain, it probably will be insufficient to turn his electoral fortunes around . But how long will it be till we hear Hillary reminding people that, after all, she did vote to authorize the war?
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Comments Policy
Will Democrats Claim Credit for Success?
November 20, 2007 - 07:31 ET by allanfThat is bad news for the Democrats and for our leaders at NBC "News" who declared the situation in Iraq a "civil war".
I wonder though. Is there any way the Democrats with help from their synchopants at NBC (Ann (you go girl) Curry), CBS (Harry Smith), ABC (George and Chris) and CNN can claim credit for success.
Will Democrats Claim Credit for Success?
November 20, 2007 - 07:57 ET by danboAl Gore will claim he did it.
"There is a clear attempt to establish truth not by scientific methods but by perpetual repetition."
- Richard S. Lindzen, Ph.D. Professor of Meteorology, MIT
Something like this, you mean?
November 20, 2007 - 10:18 ET by Lord Elicani"During my time spent hoodwinking the world into believing the hoax of global warming, I took the initiative to create better conditions in Iraq. I also just saved 15% on my car insurance by switching to GEICO."
Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet?
danbo, why did you leave the AGW thread?
November 20, 2007 - 15:53 ET by professor truthdid you check out realclimate?
-
November 20, 2007 - 20:57 ET by dahliatraversFresh meat? Do we have an AGW believer here? Let the dialogue begin.
Tell us, Professor, what percentage of greenhouse gases man generates and what percentage Mother Nature generates.
What is your view of the AGW computer models - the sine qua non of the theory of AGW - which leave out vital factors such as clouds and the activity of the sun?
How did you feel when you heard that Mann's Hockey Stick had been broken?
And (perhaps this should have been first), can we agree to evaluate the theory of AGW only through the scientific method and with data gathered in a consistent and scientific fashion?
So where's the big
November 20, 2007 - 07:51 ET by motherbeltSo where's the big "BUT"???
You know, BUT everyone isn't feeling the good effects, BUT there is still one street that doesn't have electricity, BUT the poor are still no better off, BUT BUT BUT.....
That will probably be in tomorrow's "analysis."
The BUT...
November 20, 2007 - 08:05 ET by planetrepublicanThe BUT is that they HAVE to flip this around for Queen Hillary, she has to be credited with "turning this around", making George's war her peace. They are her (and the Dem's) mouthpiece and realize that this is a good story, how she made Iraq an absolute paradise; after that you will never even read about Bush! You can never trust the NY Times, ever!
(planetreublican)
Dark clouds....
November 20, 2007 - 08:32 ET by pbanks7The cemetery workers are in a deep recession. It could be industry-wide.
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Wow, that a tiny NYT...
November 20, 2007 - 07:51 ET by Six String SpiffI have local publications that look bigger than that!
Maybe they are finally realizing what their jobs are?
Islamic Religious Services Will Be Held at the Firing Range At 0800 Daily.
Down Size
November 20, 2007 - 08:57 ET by allanfThe Times downsized this summer. It cut the width of the paper by an inch and raised the price.
Do you trust the NYTimes?
November 20, 2007 - 08:03 ET by BacchusDo you trust the NYTimes? This could be another national security leak. OMG. We're doomed!!!
Bacchus, your sarcasm is so
November 20, 2007 - 08:08 ET by Six String SpiffBacchus, your sarcasm is so thick I can slice it with a knife. Don't get mad because the truth is finally coming out. Albeit YEARS later.
Because there is "no" news
November 20, 2007 - 08:04 ET by Senior ChiefBecause there is "no" news out there, except Obama is up against Clinton in Iowa in recent polls. The leftoid media has to cover/hide this new twist in the democrack's politics and since Clinton has flipped in her position to have our troops stay in Iraq longer, the media has to provide a supporting role to Clinton's position that condition in Iraq really is improving...
Good insight SC, knowing
November 20, 2007 - 08:57 ET by dscottGood insight SC, knowing that the MSM fully supports Hillary for POTUS one might say, they are priming the ground to leave the far left with Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan twisting in the wind for their anti-war position as totally irrelevant to anything in the Dem Party political structure and not beholding to any promises (as ususal). Remember the ultra left claimed they "owned" the Dem Party, they bought it. By the time Hillary and the MSM are done spinning this whole deal, the ultra left will be the red headed step children whining in the corner of the room with no one paying attention to them.
My, my, won't the left feel foolish for having been taken to the cleaners for their money and votes in 2006. It's absolutely Macheavellian politics. If Obama, the ultra left's man for the Dem nomination doesn't win the primaries, they are toast politically, it's do or die for them. Hillary sold them all out and Howard Dean helped her do it. LMAO, the irony is rich, really rich. ROFL Hillary is one smooth operator, I'll hand her that, she played both sides against the middle. They played the anti-war crowd like a finely tuned fiddle, knowing full well that if things went sour the Dems would have their money and votes to win the 2008 elections, on the other hand as it appears to be working out for the good of Iraq and the US, Hillary gets to claim she was for the war before she was against it, but now that we are commited to seeing this thing through we must stay. The anti-war left takes the fall with egg on their faces, Hillary takes a bow and botox's her face to keep smiling.
Thank you very much. Bada bing!
Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.
I think a lot of people
November 20, 2007 - 08:24 ET by AJSHOPEI think a lot of people agree that we should have used more force to begin with when we went into Iraq, but they said McCain was the one that would benefit from this news? What about the current President?
I think the Democrats are truly delusional. They bash President Bush on the campaign trail like he's actually running for re-election and then when something goes well for him, they say that it's actually good for someone else because they wouldn't want to give him any good press right before the election.
For those liberals out there that read this... President Bush isn't running and John McCain isn't competing against President Bush for the GOP nomination.
DAVID SHUSTER: "[...]
November 20, 2007 - 08:30 ET by BacchusYes, but, timing is everything. As in breaking in a saddle-horse, you can do it the rough way or you can take your time. The rough way breaks its spirit, which is not exactly what you'd want for a new democracy. The Iraqi people are better off having decided on their own to reject the extremists. Just my opinion.
My nieces fiance just came
November 20, 2007 - 08:30 ET by KevroyMy nieces fiance just came back from Iraq. He said the troops are disgusted with the MSM and Dems like Reid.
He was there for 13 months and spent the last 6 months in Baghdad kicking in doors. He thinks it will all
be over soon, and doubts he'll ever have to go back.
He says we've been in EVERY house in Baghdad. They can tell instantly by calluses
on the feet, back, and hands whether a guy is a militant. They've rounded
up over 8000 of them. Yeah, that's correct. 8000...GI Joe has inventoried and
catalogued every filthy insurgent animal in Baghdad. He said he thinks they all have brain
damage from the heat, lol.
So, don't try teliing the soldiers who are over there fighting that the surge hasn't worked.
It hasn't -
November 20, 2007 - 08:37 ET by pbanks7For Dhimmicrats! Har-har-harrrrrr!
Ignorance is bliss. It's easier to repeat a mindless slogan than to do some actual research.
Good for him. Tell him
November 20, 2007 - 10:21 ET by Lord ElicaniGood for him. Tell him thanks for me.
Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra? Quam diu etiam furor iste tuus nos eludet?
Same old bunch
November 20, 2007 - 14:28 ET by planetrepublicanThe Dems and the MSM are the same as they were during Vietnam, same old sorry bunch of pussies and traitors, cowards the lot of them. Screw them all. Tell him thanks from myself and my family, we are grateful. Tell him Happy Thanksgiving too.
Shuster and Geist are Generals now ?
November 20, 2007 - 09:05 ET by JayTeeIt amazes me that we have so many war stategy experts, the ones that did not complete basic training or go to West Point, or Annapolis, or complete any other training that remotely qualifies them to do anything other than Report what the "Real Generals" are doing in Iraq.
The comment "this would have happened sooner" is really out of bounds, boys. IT's also out of your reach, out of your knowledge, and a 2nd guess without any validation other than your very small intellect on war strategy.
And of Course the NY Times HAD to scoop the good news lying dormant for weeks, but there has always been "Good News" to report in Iraq, if the MSM would just been "American" about the war, instead of supporting the "terrorism" about the war.
LAT and NYT are dying along with the Terrorist, and Americans are better off without all three.........and their circulation shows it.
What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ? David Foote GoE
Still Waiting
November 20, 2007 - 09:27 ET by mattm...for the headline.
"Bush Was Right All Along"
An Iraqi blogger reviewed
November 20, 2007 - 10:12 ET by Right2thePointAn Iraqi blogger reviewed the NYT and WaPo articles on the changing situation today
http://iraqpundit.bl...
His summary is
Hillary
November 20, 2007 - 11:06 ET by iveseenitallThe NYT is paving the way for Hillary to leave troops in Iraq. If she's elected, she'll find a way to take credit for the "New Iraq" and she'll justify our presence there. The "liberal" press will support her all the way. Please...
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Hillary the Warrior
November 20, 2007 - 14:37 ET by planetrepublicanYes, I have been saying this for sometime, the handwriting is on the wall. You will hear nothing about Bush, everything about this fat-assed b---h and how "great leadership" really turned the situation around, and aren't we lucky to have such a strong woman in power, and my God, is she ever so smart (excuse me while I puke), yada, yada, yada. MSM is getting geared up for this and you can see the wheels turning now, about a year or so out. I will predict that even the HOUSING market will suddenly turn around too once the Queen assumes power; the MSM will make sure of it (of at least that’s what you’ll read in their propaganda rags).
Calm down folks. Hillary
November 20, 2007 - 14:45 ET by MightyMouthCalm down folks. Hillary ain't gettin in... Even with the MSM helping she has too much baggage, starting with her ball and chain.
"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...
Hillary knew this was coming
November 20, 2007 - 12:12 ET by candanceHillary isn't stupid. She voted for the war because she knew our troops would get the job done eventually. When Obama and Edwards were slamming her for it, she patiently sat back and said nothing.
She's the only one among them who can say she supported the war in the beginning. As this good news keeps pouring in, she can smoothly tell people she's committed to leaving in the troops to finish up.
None of this surprises me.
card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy
I saw this this morning and
November 20, 2007 - 21:05 ET by bigtimerI saw this this morning and what still sticks out in mind is the usse of the word Victory twice when it came to Geist reporting on this in one segment...
I thought it was rather rich and wondered how hard it is for those at the top on msnbc to hear those words...and some on the bottom like KO....heheheeee