How many insurgents are there? No one knows. I think this
story in the LA Times conveys the mixed message very well. The first estimates of the number of insurgents was somewhere around 6,000 to 9,000, but according to the top US commander in the country we captured or killed more than that just last year.
U.S. forces killed or captured about 15,000 suspected militants in Iraq last year, the top U.S. commander in the country said Wednesday, suggesting that the American military has underestimated the strength of the insurgency.
Although Army Gen. George W. Casey claims the recent estimates of insurgent numbers around 200,000 as being "inflated" he had no comment when asked about the military's own estimate.
He did have this message of hope for all of those would-be voters in Iraq.
The top general predicted a successful election Sunday, even though the U.S. expects insurgents to mount attacks on voters and polling stations.
So at least someone is being honest with themselves and the media.
On Sunday polls are more than likely going to be attacked and this will lead to more Iraqi deaths. How this can be considered "successful" is beyond me.
A successful election occurs when politicians can campaign openly and debate the issues at hand. A successful election can occur when voters can speak their minds about the candidates and vote without being fearful of being killed. Successful elections in a recently re-organized country don't occur in war zones. A successful election cannot occur when large groups of organized citizens boycott the election.
The formula for a successful election just doesn't add up in Iraq.
-mtfriend
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