Surge Report Card - First Month

Bush announced the surge (escalation) on January 11.  

Following are the major points of his speech - some quotes and some paraphrased - that detailed the specific goals and reasons this surge would be different from previous efforts - with my analysis of how he's doing so far:

Iraqi Commanders installed
Maliki immediately picked unknown Lt. Gen. Abud Qanbar over the objections of top U.S. and Iraqi military commanders.
Grade: D

Iraqi soldiers in the lead
18 brigades of Iraqis
Embedding of U.S. forces
Virtually no progress here.  U.S. troops are still operating independently.  Only 2 or 3 Iraqi brigades at half strength have reported to Baghdad.
Grade: F

No Iraqi political interference
This remains to be seen, but already there are almost daily reports of politicians objecting to heavy-handed U.S. actions - particularly when it involves Shiites.
Grade: C

Equal focus - disarm militias
Aside from a few token and controversial arrests of Mahdi Army officers, neary all the focus is against Sunni insurgents - which is how the Shiite government majority wants it.
Grade: D  

Iraqis gain confidence in their leaders
Iraqis have lost confidence as violence has increased in the past 30 days.  The government is hanging by a thread.

Visible improvement in neighborhoods and communities
Reconstruction and infrastructure projects
Double the number of Provincial Reconstruction Teams
No progress.  The State Department can't fill the positions and is arguing with the military that they should take the responsibility.  No new money has been appropriated form Congress - nor is it likely to be.  The Iraqis are holding back on spending their money (that which has not been stolen) because the security situation is so bad.
Grade: F  

Compromise on oil revenues
Provincial elections
Reversal of de-Baathification
Creating legitimate Judiciary
Amendments to Constitution
No progress on any of these vital matters of political reconciliation.
Grade: F

Allow White House views to be held up to scrutiny
Bawhahahahahahahaha!!!
Grade: F

Continue the urgent diplomacy required
Continue?
*Grade: F

•  Tips

  Thank you.

  by Chango on Sat Feb 10, 2007 at 11:01:51 PM PDT

•  It is not a "surge," it's a "delay"

  Delay the status quo, and hand it off to the next president so Bush can argue that others didn't have the stomach to "finish the mission."  The only ones who can stop this, really, are the Republicans--to be specific the Republicans who are up for office in 2008.  Sad.

  by turning blue on Sun Feb 11, 2007 at 12:11:26 AM PDT

  •  Better late than never, maybe

    I said the same thing in 2004...that I thought the ones who would stop Bushco would be the Republicans.  They didn't....well, not officially, anyway. In reality, who the hell knows.

    Anyway, maybe my rare effort at tea-leaf reading will not prove to be so off the mark after all.

    by Free Spirit on Sun Feb 11, 2007 at 12:29:02 AM PDT

•  Can you provide links from where

  you get the information you used to calculate each of the grades.

  by Thom K in LA on Sun Feb 11, 2007 at 06:04:36 AM PDT