Listen for what you want to hear
The BBC this evening (PM and the 6 O'clock News) seemed to think it was all done and dusted - this is the beginning of the end (of the disgraceful war started by those disgraceful Americans). They seemed to think that their point was backed up by the only live voices they played (all sceptical), but personally I couldn't work out how a few people letting loose their frustrations before the world's media really makes that much difference.
Better listen to those who know. Michael Yon at National Review takes no position on the Petreaus Report, but has a few pointers on whom you should speak to if you want to know what's going on. It turns out to be Iraqis and battalion commanders, and he explains why here.
I don't think that the BBC talks to the same people that Michael Yon does. (Could it be a question of class?) Mike at the Monkey Tennis Centre has some questions about the poll conducted by the corporation and released (strangely enough) just before Petreaus' appearance before Congress. Its message: it's all a failure. He has some questions about this poll. For instance,
[W]hile 60% (of Iraqis) apparently see attacks on US-led forces as justified, only 47% want them to leave immediately. So does this mean that 13% want US troops to stay just because they like to see them getting attacked?
Back to Michael Yon, I missed Part 4 of his Ghosts of Anbar. It's actually mostly photos and extracts from the COIN Field Manual. Not as rewarding as many of his posts, though the photos are great.
No comments:
Post a Comment