Iraq Lost

I'm a contrarian at heart.

I pull for underdogs. I loved Revenge of the Nerds (hits close to home). And I see a lot of encouragement coming out of Iraq.

As you've probably heard, or read, all of the troops which form the much derided "surge" have just arrived in Iraq in the last couple of weeks. What you probably haven't heard, or read, as much is how this arrival marks the start - yes, the START of the actual surge. General Odierno refers to what has preceded as the "force buildup" and what has begun in the last week as the "offensive operations".

(I think I'll now call these phases the "Troop Surge" and the "Offensive Surge".)

In the last week, everything has changed. And what are the results? Bill Roggio, whom I highly recommend as a daily read, provides this summary of the first week in actual, operational surge:

Operation Phantom Thunder: Joint Coalition-Iraq Offensive in Baghdad Belts (Initiated June 16th)

Operation Arrowhead Ripper: Joint Coalition-Iraq Offensive in Diyala province (part of Op. Phantom Thunder)

• 59 Al Qaeda killed
• 40 Al Qaeda captured
• 28 Roadside bombs destroyed
• 12 Booby-trapped buildings secured
• 16 Weapons caches uncovered and recovered

In Mosul:

• 32 Insurgents captured
• 1 VBIED factory uncovered and secured (Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device)
• 1 IED factory uncovered and secured
• 1 storage facility for VBIED & IED bomb making materials

In Taji:

• 500-man neighborhood watch established (with reporting/alignment links to Iraqi government & forces)

Northwest of Baghdad:

• 13 Al Qaeda killed
• 15 Al Qaeda Captured

Against Sadr's Mahdi Army:

• 4 Terrorists Captured (Including 1 "leader" who is "responsible for coordinating and conducting kidnappings, death squad killings and improvised explosive device attacks".)

Grand Total:

• 72 Killed
• 91 Captured
• 28 Bombs & 12 Booby-trapped buildings deactivated
• 16 Weapon Caches secured
• 2 Bomb factories closed

American Losses: about 30.

Iraqi Civilian Losses: I don't have the data yet.

So, the war's lost Mr. Reid????

Important Note: I don't relish the thought on anyone dieing or want to fixate upon gratuitous, unnecessary violence. Of course, I also don't see this operation as being "unnecessary". I certainly don't see these Al Qaeda, insurgent and terrorist enemies as being open to verbal persuasion, olive branches of friendship or any other non-violent restraint short of supernaturally changed hearts.

And this doesn't even begin to address the absolute inhumanity these beasts are ravaging upon the Iraqi populace. Included in the week's findings, a house used for torture - complete with drills, knives and a blood-drenched floor.

On Principle,

CBass