Myers: Iraq Insurgency a Sign of Success
In keeping with tradition, Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers observed today that the recent widespread violence (and, presumably, record numbers of US dead, though he didn’t mention them specifically) were a sign of the “success” we are having in Iraq. He even managed to use the word three times in two sentences. From the Washington Post: General calls insurgency in Iraq a sign of US success.
BAGHDAD, April 15 — The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said Thursday that the deadly insurgency that flared this month is “a symptom of the success that we’re having here in Iraq” and an effort to undermine the country’s transition to self-government.
Asked at a news conference here whether the military had failed to counter insurgents’ attacks in Iraq, Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers said guerrillas want to undermine several political successes, including the creation of the Iraqi Governing Council, the signing of a bill of rights and efforts by the United Nations to devise an interim government that would assume power on June 30.
“I think it’s that success which is driving the current situation, because there are those extremists that don’t want that success,” Myers said.
Quoting The Princess Bride, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
April 16th, 2004 at 9:02 pm
Dead American soliders = success
Jobs shipped to other countries = good for the economy
Very 1984esque.
April 17th, 2004 at 3:34 am
I hate to piss on your parade here, jbc, but it’s the whole “cornered animal” theory. The more desperate a situation is, the more massive the retaliation.
He’s not saying that the deaths themselves are a success. I understand you’re a liberal and all, but if you actually read the meaning of what was said rather than assigning a meaning to it yourself it makes sense. I’ve seen you get more and more leftist, jbc, and it’s come at the expense of your objectivity. You’re becoming a spindoctor, and I hate to say it but I’m finding it increasingly unpallateable — along with the indignant tone most people here express when responding to a view contrary to their own.
As for whether or not they’re actually being “successful,” something tells me that when there’s untrained civilians fighting against an army there’s little chance of ever being successful.
April 17th, 2004 at 6:19 am
Imagine an invading army of “Canadians” coming to your hometown, shuting down a newspaper, blowing up your neighbors houses and imprisioning or killing your friends. You’d probably fight back like a “cornered animal” too. But does that make the occupation a “success”? I guess that depends on your definition.
Why is it necessary to throw out labels like “liberal” and “leftist” to anyone who is apposed to the war? And why have these labels come to mean something bad? Because someone is to the “right” politically does not make them “right”.
April 18th, 2004 at 6:39 am
The cornered animal theory would seem to suggest that it is the U.S. that is desperate…. if the massive retaliation against Falujah for the deaths of four mercenaries is any measure.
I suspect the U.S. knows it has lost the war for Iraqi ‘hearts and minds’ and has nothing left at its disposal than brute force.
May 23rd, 2004 at 3:10 pm
I’m not really sure most people understand the true definition of success. The United States government is having an enormous amount of success in Iraq. Dead soldiers are just a by-product of that success. Every day the occupation continues the success is there. What success means to the American government and what they are telling people that success is are two completely different things. Let’s face it, if you take the Amercian government at face value you’re deluded and obviously they have succeeded in pulling the wool over your eyes. So yes Richard Myers was telling the truth, the occupation of Iraq is a stunning success.
C. Smith
Whistler B.C
January 26th, 2005 at 8:33 pm
Of all the things the way in Iraq is, success is not one of them right now. The Administration seems to think talking positive means everything is okay. Perhaps if they repeated enough on CNN, people will believe them, especially those in the midwest.
But saying the victory in Iraq is a success is like saying the Vietnam War was a success. Afterall, American forces won every battle against, NWA regular forces… maybe the Viet-Cong was a sign of “success”.