The Surge

NPR is running a story this morning on how the government in Iraq has failed in everything that Bush announced as benchmarks in his "let's surge" speech a year ago. They have also pointed out how the Bush Administration has "dumbed down" (my term) the benchmarks.

The Bush Administration, in a tactic well familiar to C-minus Augustus, has graded Iraq on the curve and since there is only one student, a passing grade is guaranteed. Of course, that means that in the eyes of Chimpy, they are above-average.

Look under the "violence is down" cheerleaders and you will find that the reasons for a drop in violence does not mean that everything is peachy. A large number of locals who were insurgents are basically being bribed to stop fighting. Violence in Baghdad is down because sectarian cleansing is largely complete. And those refugees who are returning are doing so because they have run out of money and cannot find work in Syria and Jordan.

Which is probably why the "last throes" folks are keeping quiet this time.