Blair "emboldens" the terrorists

Posted By: Zanubiyah
Posted on: Feb. 21, 2007 at 7:32 PM

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Today, Prime Minister Blair of Great Britian announced that his nation would begin withdrawal of British soldiers from Southern Iraq. He does note that the area is still dangerous and not without violence, but he states that "...the next chapter in Basra will be written by the Iraqis". Also, less reported in the western media is that the Danish are pulling out of Iraq as well. They have about 700 men, and will pull all of them out by August.

The point that is most used by those who oppose the US pulling back from Iraq is that it will "embolden the terrorists". Are the Brittish and the Danish embolding the terrorists by leaving? It seems to me that the Brittish action kind of blows the propaganda away about the "emboldening terrorists" thing.

I think it is time for our congress to act, and stop reacting. They need to take the gift the British PM has handed them and run it for all it is worth. Make those who support this war say what they really intend to do. Either they will have to tell us the truth, or tell us that PM Blair is "supporting terrorists". You can't have it both ways here.

Peace Be Unto You All.

Zanubiyah.

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indie616

Feb. 21, 2007 at 08:33:01 PM

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You forgot Poland.

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	Cancelled Account Feb. 21, 2007 at 09:07:31 PM
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www.MoronInCharge.com

Feb. 21, 2007 at 09:52:34 PM

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Well so much for the "surge" as a brilliant change of strategy. Even if 21,000 U.S. troops and their support staff did make a hill of beans difference in imposing stability in Iraq, that will be more than offset by Britain's draw down of roughly 30,000 troops. We are left with the status quo, where the only escalating going on is the death toll on both sides.

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www.MoronInCharge.com

Feb. 22, 2007 at 06:11:15 AM

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Whoops. Ignore those Brit numbers -- off by a factor of 10.

Doesn't change the fact that the surge is a fools errand.

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tinchandler

Feb. 24, 2007 at 08:57:47 AM

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This is slightly off-topic, but I think what "emboldens the terrorists" is how totally screwed up and incompetent the Bush plan/strategy/implementation was for Iraq and the simple fact our leaders had zero understanding of the history or the culture. We had a chance to get it right, but Bush/Cheney didn't have an ounce of a clue as to what would happen once Baghdad fell. I can’t find the words to describe what a C.F. Bush has made of Iraq and the Middle East for decades to come.

This argument that what gets talked about in public here somehow "emboldens the terrorists" is ludicrous. So far as I know, there are no English-speaking radio or TV stations in Iraq other than those run by the Bush administration for our soldiers. There are no English language newspapers in Iraq other than those run by the Bush administration. Therefore, next to no Iraqis have any access to what any American politician is saying at any point in time--unless they speak English and list to Armed Forces Radio, which seems unlikely.

To those who say the DO hear what Arizona politicians say about the war, answer this: name every Arabic-language radio or TV station this side of the Mississippi River. Name every Arabic-language newspaper that can be purchased on any street corner this side of the Mississippi River. Provide a total of all of those people who speak Arabic in the state of Arizona who learned the language in a public school.

Show me that information and then maybe, just maybe, you can convince me that the average Iraqi or your average al-Qaeda sympathizer in the Middle East has any access to what any Arizona politician or any member of Congress says about the war or even cares. What they would care more about is what's happening outside of their front door and whether it’s safe. Improve that situation and you solve the terrorism problem. That may seem simplistic, but that’s all people are looking for.

It is the policies and practices of the Bush administration in Iraq and the Middle East that emboldens the terrorists. Not the exercise of Free Speech here in the U.S.

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indie616

Feb. 24, 2007 at 10:14:11 AM

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Well, even ordinary Iraqi's are "emboldening" the terrorists.

Overwhelmingly, they want us out of Iraq.

– A large majority of Iraqis–71%–say they would like the Iraqi government to ask for US-led forces to be withdrawn from Iraq within a year or less. Given four options, 37 percent take the position that they would like US-led forces withdrawn “within six months,” while another 34 percent opt for “gradually withdraw[ing] US-led forces according to a one-year timeline.”

– Support for attacks against US-led forces has increased sharply to 61 percent (27% strongly, 34% somewhat). This represents a 14-point increase from January 2006, when only 47 percent of Iraqis supported attacks.

– More broadly, 79 percent of Iraqis say that the US is having a negative influence on the situation in Iraq, with just 14 percent saying that it is having a positive influence.

– Asked “If the US made a commitment to withdraw from Iraq according to a timeline, do you think this would strengthen the Iraqi government, weaken it, or have no effect either way?” 53 percent said that it would strengthen the government, while just 24 percent said it would weaken the government.

– Asked what effect it would have “if US-led forces withdraw from Iraq in the next six months,” 58 percent overall say that violence would decrease (35% a lot, 23% a little).

[link:thinkprogress.org]

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AZRWinger

Feb. 24, 2007 at 10:55:45 AM

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Indie,

A little research on the outfit that conducted the study reveals that its funding is provided by among others the ultraLeft Ford foundation. So the results are exactly as required to keep the funding rolling in and thus lack credibility.

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indie616

Feb. 24, 2007 at 11:24:31 AM

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How about this: CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup poll.

Poll: Iraqis out of patience

By Cesar G. Soriano and Steven Komarow,USA TODAY

BAGHDAD — Only a third of the Iraqi people now believe that the American-led occupation of their country is doing more good than harm, and a solid majority support an immediate military pullout even though they fear that could put them in greater danger, according to a new USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll.

[link:www.usatoday.com]

And that was 2004! Think it is better now?

Millions of Iraqis believe that suicide attacks against British troops are justified, a secret military poll commissioned by senior officers has revealed.

The poll, undertaken for the Ministry of Defence and seen by The Sunday Telegraph, shows that up to 65 per cent of Iraqi citizens support attacks and fewer than one per cent think Allied military involvement is helping to improve security in their country.

[link:www.telegraph.co.uk]

Iraq poll: U.S. troops departure is asset

BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- About 90 percent of Iraqis feel the situation in the country was better before the U.S.-led invasion than it is today, according to a new ICRSS poll.

The findings emerged after house-to-house interviews conducted by the ICRSS during the third week of November. About 2,000 people from Baghdad (82 percent), Anbar and Najaf (9 percent each) were randomly asked to express their opinion. Twenty-four percent of the respondents were women.

Only five percent of those questioned said Iraq is better today than in 2003. While 89 percent of the people said the political situation had deteriorated, 79 percent saw a decline in the economic situation; 12 percent felt things had improved and 9 percent said there was no change. Predictably, 95 percent felt the security situation was worse than before.

[link:www.upi.com]

And finally, how about this poll from the US State Department:

BAGHDAD, Sept. 26 -- A strong majority of Iraqis want U.S.-led military forces to immediately withdraw from the country, saying their swift departure would make Iraq more secure and decrease sectarian violence, according to new polls by the State Department and independent researchers.

In Baghdad, for example, nearly three-quarters of residents polled said they would feel safer if U.S. and other foreign forces left Iraq, with 65 percent of those asked favoring an immediate pullout, according to State Department polling results obtained by The Washington Post.

"Majorities in all regions except Kurdish areas state that the Multi-National Force-Iraq (MNF-I) should withdraw immediately, adding that the MNF-I's departure would make them feel safer and decrease violence," concludes the 20-page State Department report, titled "Iraq Civil War Fears Remain High in Sunni and Mixed Areas." The report was based on 1,870 face-to-face interviews conducted from late June to early July.

[link:www.washingtonpost.com]

Maybe a picture will help you Winger:

SOURCE: State Department | The Washington Post - September 27, 2006

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adam

Feb. 24, 2007 at 11:26:03 AM

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tim chandler is correct - nothing emboldens the enemy more than failed boasting.

rwingnut - the facts on the ground demonstrate what the polls are saying. Oilraqis do NOT support the Bu$h occupation.

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