The MSM continues to blather on and on about the "improvement" in the coalition casualty figures for July, and has begun to worry about the numbers for August. For the latest, you can look here, but it's not worth the effort. For the true impact of the surge, look at the graph below. (Raw Data obtained from icasualties.org)
The graph may be Interpreted without AEI, Pentagon or Administration spin as follows. The Iraqi resistance began a "surge" in August 2006. It started to work really well beginning in November 2006 and has continued since then with unabated success. The US "surge" began in February 2007 and has yet to have any impact.
In September, Petraeus will not admit failure; that would be professional suicide. So he will look to data that is more easily manipulated to call for more time, and according to this less easily manipulated graphic, more pointless deaths. It's an upward spiral of death reminiscent of what happened during the Vietnam War.
And where is the MSM? During the Vietnam War they would have been all over the glaring inaccuracies in the Pentagon's claim of success. But now, the MSM just chants the Pentagon's propaganda "The surge is working, the surge is working, the surge...". Maybe if the Administration and Pentagon say it often enough it will come true. Just don't look at the numbers too carefully.
In fact the casualty figures are rising so linearly and so inexorably, that making predictions is easy. August will have 96 coalition casualties (92 - 100, to be statistically safe). So far, we're right on target. And every single one of these deaths is pointless and preventable. With all due apologies to Wes Clark, the best thing we could do is save lives and leave first, then start working on the diplomatic issues.