B36 News - 20 September 2006
I'm hearing a lot of talk in the news about a recent survey aimed at gauging public opinion for the upcoming elections. Thanks to a tip from The Griper, I got a look at just the numbers of the poll and managed to avoid associated observations.
Here's the question I found the most striking about the poll:
Presence Patrol
The troop you see pictured here stopped to talk with some kids while on a presence patrol in Tal Afar. A presence patrol is a tactic that we use to help remind people that we're here and looking out for them and is used mostly in rural areas, it goes to the heart of the adage that "peace is not the absence of violence, but the presence of justice".
As President Bush has said, and the US military has made clear - we are delivering justice.
We Are Winning
I stumbled across an amazingly insightful article written by Mackubin Thomas Owens in which he explains why he thinks that we're winning here in Iraq. If you have doubts or questions about the strategic outlook and my Winning in Iraq didn't convince you, I'd suggest you read the whole article, it's really well written and, well, insightful.
I was very pleasantly suprised to see that he and I shared many of the same conclusions even though we arrived at them seperately:
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie...
If you've been reading B36 News for a while, you've probably read many articles about US troops helping out Iraqi school kids. This story from the Stars & Stripes focuses on how the supplies US troops delivered to a particular school in Sadr City in Baghdad wasn't enough to distribute to all the kids and portrays the whole thing in a slightly negative light, making it seem like we're not doing enough. At least that's how I read it.
I think this story was approached from the wrong angle though. Think of it like this - there are so many kids going to school in "dangerous Baghdad" that we didn't have enough supplies to hand out. Would you send your kid to school if you feared that something terrible would happen? The parents of the roughly 700 kids attending this school seem to think conditions are good enough in the city to warrant their attendance. It's things like this that get overlooked or dismissed as inconsequential that can provide some real indicators as to conditions on the ground.
Here's the question I found the most striking about the poll:
Here are four different plans the U.S. could follow in dealing with the war in Iraq. Which ONE do you prefer?What's so striking about this? Tell me, do you see the option "Win and withdraw"? I hold it against the people who wrote the questions for failing to include winning as an option. However, to the credit of those surveyed, the great majority supported the options that most resembled winning.
- Withdraw immediately - 17%
- Withdraw in 12 months - 31%
- Withdraw, take as long as needed - 42%
- Send more troops - 9%
- No opinion - 2%
Presence PatrolThe troop you see pictured here stopped to talk with some kids while on a presence patrol in Tal Afar. A presence patrol is a tactic that we use to help remind people that we're here and looking out for them and is used mostly in rural areas, it goes to the heart of the adage that "peace is not the absence of violence, but the presence of justice".
As President Bush has said, and the US military has made clear - we are delivering justice.
We Are Winning
I stumbled across an amazingly insightful article written by Mackubin Thomas Owens in which he explains why he thinks that we're winning here in Iraq. If you have doubts or questions about the strategic outlook and my Winning in Iraq didn't convince you, I'd suggest you read the whole article, it's really well written and, well, insightful.
I was very pleasantly suprised to see that he and I shared many of the same conclusions even though we arrived at them seperately:
The likelihood of success in Iraq has been improved in direct proportion to the recognition that what is happening in that country is a classical insurgency and that the correct response is the proper application of counterinsurgency techniques and operational approaches. But as was the case with Vietnam, success in Iraq will also depend on the vicissitudes of American domestic politics.
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie...If you've been reading B36 News for a while, you've probably read many articles about US troops helping out Iraqi school kids. This story from the Stars & Stripes focuses on how the supplies US troops delivered to a particular school in Sadr City in Baghdad wasn't enough to distribute to all the kids and portrays the whole thing in a slightly negative light, making it seem like we're not doing enough. At least that's how I read it.
I think this story was approached from the wrong angle though. Think of it like this - there are so many kids going to school in "dangerous Baghdad" that we didn't have enough supplies to hand out. Would you send your kid to school if you feared that something terrible would happen? The parents of the roughly 700 kids attending this school seem to think conditions are good enough in the city to warrant their attendance. It's things like this that get overlooked or dismissed as inconsequential that can provide some real indicators as to conditions on the ground.
posted by MarksMomma at 12:05
BANDIT.THREE.SIX
THE LIZ
THE WIZ
3 Comments:
I still read you every day, Bandit. You and Soldier's Dad are indispensable for getting the straigth story with nothing but the facts.
Thanks for three good stories today.
Let's see if we can't look at that survey in a more positive viewpoint. I grant you that they might have worded it differently but that can be said in regards to any survey.
First of all the word "withdraw". I think everyone is in favor of that. The only question is when and under what circumstances. And when I say everyone that includes you and every one of your brothers and sisters there along with the Iraqi people themselves. So the survey is just addressing the issue from a common point of agreement.
As to the actual questions if you look they reflect the arguement of both sides of this issue. And the fact that there are only 2% that have no opinion says much. It says that the people are paying close attention to the issue. Very few surveys are this low in this catagory. It also says that this percentage can be added to our side at this point of time.
The "bring the troops home immediately" and "send more troops" were reflections of arguements used by the pro defeatists. The first, by your ex viet nam vets in congress, their plan for this issue. the second, by the armchair Generals used by the media for analysis of mistakes made. And as you see these combined only got 26%.
The other two reflects the arguements used by the pro victory side and the Administration. The "withdraw in 12 months" reflects the recently forecasted time needed to finish the job as declared both by military leaders and the Iraqi government. Granted, I'll admit that they used the lower of the time forecasted.
As to the "withdraw, but take as long as needed" is the important one. it is telling you to go ahead and finish the job you started then come home. And it is this question that receives the greatest number of votes by the prople.
Both of these questions add up to 73%. They reflect, best of all, just how much support you guys have. It also shows just how much confidence the people have in your ability to do the job.
So, as the people would say, "get your butt out there, finish the job you started and hurry home to the wife and that cute kid of yours."
I agree with most of the discussion. However, did anyone notice that the total is 101 not 100? [not that it had any impact - just being nit picking, lol]
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