Support the troops, they say. I say support the mission and let troops do what troops are supposed to do. But there is a mission that they have taken up which, although it is still unfinished, has been largely successful. It is the elimination of the Iraqi Deck of Cards. As of today, according to Wikipedia, 45 of the 55 have been captured or killed. That's good work.
I mention this because, in light of the John Burns interview, I came to be aware of this character - Izzat ad-Douri. At this moment, he's the kingpin of the Sunni Baathists in Iraq and he's no amateur. Burns visibly winced just talking about him. I'd like to see if we can capture or kill this sucker during the Surge. Of course he'll probably duck out of Baghdad if he's smart, and he's obviously smart enough to have survived all the war thus far.
It takes a lot of determined doing to create the conditions for ethnic cleansing. Few would have any doubts that these particular Sunnis would engaged in the kind of campaign of terror that would shame Bosnia, if only the US got out of their way. I'm one of the Americans that cannot stand losing faith with Iraq and will use my vote and voice to insure that leaders of these vicious insurgencies are put down and their followers pacified. I'm following Petraeus a bit closer now and my interest in the conflict is rising again.
Stakes is high.
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