[Dean's World] Dave Price: An Increasingly Popular War?

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Posted by Dave Price:
An Increasingly Popular War?
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1197394261.shtml


   Opinions they are [1]a-changin':

     By 52 percent to 41 percent, most said the U.S. is making progress
     in Iraq. When AP-Ipsos last asked that question in September 2006 â
     a time when vicious sectarian attacks resembled a civil war â just
     39 percent saw improvements under way.

   A reality-based community is sighted!

     While far greater proportions of Republicans than Democrats think
     progress is being made, even growing numbers of Democrats agree.
     The portion of Democrats saying the troop increase has helped
     stabilize the country has nearly doubled since September to 26
     percent, and the number saying the U.S. is making progress has
     shown similar growth.

   The situation is, er, spiraling into control, or something.

     As a result, violence has dropped considerably since June and there
     have been signs that Baghdad is becoming less chaotic. U.S.
     casualties have fallen from 101 in June to 37 in November,
     according to an AP count, and Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S.
     commander in the country, says there has been a 60 percent decline
     in violence over the past half year.

   Of course, there are numerous caveats given, such as:

     That is a rarity in what has been a relentlessly unpopular war.

   Long forgotten are the 80% approval ratings in 2003, and the press'
   Fake News Division is [2]hard at work making sure [3]they never
   return.
   Meanwhile, Iraqis make the best of the improvement, [4]building
   bridges between sect and tribe:

     Approximately 1,000 sheiks and local leaders attended the second of
     a series of reconciliation meetings that have taken place between
     the Sunni and Shia sheiks in the 1st Cavalry Divisionâs area of
     operations.

   There's more of that political reconciliation we keep hearing doesn't
   exist.

References

   1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071211/ap_on_re_us/us_iraq_ap_poll_6;_ylt=AgzZbVRhcKQjhKP8Zblmn1xX6GMA
   2. http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/12/mnf-i-responds-another-bogus-report-no.html
   3. http://ace.mu.nu/archives/248969.php
   4. http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2007/12/iraqi-guerilla-groups-join-in-diyala-to.html