Meanwhile, Americans Trust the Military
According to a new NY Times / CBS Poll, Americans overwhelmingly believe the military can do a better job of ending the war in Iraq than either Congress or the President. The poll indicates that 68% feel the military is best equipped, with Congress garnering 21% and the Bush Administration just 5%.
Polls capture a moment in time, and the results mirror the public’s dissatisfaction with both the President and the Congress. But what’s interesting is that the problems in Iraq are not blamed on the military commanders, a result I think might have been different before the recent successes of General Petraeus. I think it also speaks to the American public’s general support for winning in Iraq over simply leaving. That “moment in time” moves, and democracies are bad at maintaining a war effort longer than a few years. Without continued measurable success, the military’s reputation in polls is sure to suffer.
General Petraeus’ testimony is scheduled to start about an hour from when I write this, but already sides have been taken. Several Democrats has snidely suggested that it will be a chore to listen to him, a curious idea since they are the ones who insisted that he report back to Congress in the enabling legislation. While its hard to say there hasn’t been progress on the ground … unless you’re the shameless Chuck Schumer … many are saying that progress in the outlying provinces doesn’t matter, as most of the people live in Baghdad. And the fledging government there is taking heat for the lack of political progress.
Now, Reuters reports:
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told lawmakers on Monday his government had stopped Iraq sliding into civil war and said violence in and around Baghdad had plunged under a U.S.-backed security crackdown.
…
Maliki, a Shi’ite Islamist, defended his government in the face of blistering criticism from both Iraqi and U.S. lawmakers. Some Democratic legislators in the United States have even called for him to be replaced.“We succeeded in stopping Iraq from sliding toward civil war, which was threatening our beloved country,” Maliki said.
He said levels of violence had fallen by 75 percent in Baghdad and surrounding areas since the start of the U.S. troop “surge” in February. Maliki also pledged his commitment to reconciling the country’s majority Shi’ite and Sunni Arabs.
“We are absolutely confident that national reconciliation is our only choice, which will take Iraq to safe shores,” he added.
Success will have to come by early 2008 for the reputation of the American military to continue to bolster the effort.
With confidence in our elected officials so low, it is a dangerous game for politicians to belittle General Petraeus or the troops on the ground.
