Great comment and an uplifting message. Keep up the good work; the world is a better place because of the efforts in Iraq.

The Walter Cronkite legacy is hard at work--the fifth column doesn't want the US to triumph. Too late, the forces of liberty have won. The liberal/left-wing "pointy-headed-oh-so-smarts" actually WANT the US to fail. Iraq has a long way to go before it rids itself of the ills of it's past and it's connection with a terror-ridden religon, but it is a far better place than under the thumb of a UN-sponsored tyrant.

Dan Patterson
Arrogant Infidel
The Holy City of Winston-Salem

Thank you for posting this Marine's outlook on Iraq. My youngest son deployed with the 4ID last week for his first tour in Iraq. Many of my friends look at me with pity when I tell them about his deployment, they don't understand. Of course I worry about his well-being and want him to return safe and sound, what mother wouldn't want that. What I can't seem to make them understand is that I support him completely and want to see the mission in Iraq completed. I don't think our troops should be brought home until the job is done, even though it would mean the quicker return of my son. I don't know how many more soldier's moms feel this way, but I hope they're not all like Cindy Sheehan. I'm extremely proud of my son and his decision to serve in the military.

As are many of us who don't even know him.

How is it, then, that 64 percent of U.S. military officers think we will succeed if we are allowed to continue our work?

I'd like to see where his numbers come from. Such a number certainly doesn't reflect my own, admittedly anecdotal, experience with active duty and retired officers WRT Iraq.

In any case, the numbers are meaningless; in the military, virtually no officer approaches any task, project, or mission with the expectation it will fail.

Connable also ignores the polling numbers of those he is professing to help. 82% of Iraqi citizens are opposed to the presence of occupation troops; more alarmingly, some 45% of Iraqis believe violence against coalition troops are justified.

I do not think that the 85% number wanting an end to occupation is as negative as you might think - Iraqi identity is never going to be amenable to foreign occupation. And those numbers also reveal that Iraqis are overwhelmingly positive about their future (also in the 80 percent range, I believe). Personally, I don't care much about credit, I care about stabilizing that country as a representative democracy.

The numbers on military confidence of success are accurate:

... read the results from a recent poll by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. The poll asked opinion leaders in various fields whether efforts to establish a stable democracy in Iraq will succeed.

The most optimistic response came from members of the military, with 64 percent saying the U.S. venture in Iraq will succeed while 32 percent think it will fail. Among the most pessimistic Americans, above only scientists and engineers, are academics, 71 percent of whom believe the effort to democratize Iraq is a blunder while only 27 percent believe it will triumph.

The general public, by the way, is closer to the military perspective, with 56 percent expecting eventual success while 37 percent expect failure.

What, did you think he was making them up?

You mean making up numbers like Jadegold does?

I do not think that the 85% number wanting an end to occupation is as negative as you might think

Taken alone, in a vacuum, no. Taken with the fact nearly half of all Iraqis think violence against our troops is justified--yes.

Such numbers are alarming because our war colleges teach that insurgencies can be sustained indefinitely with as little as 20% of a population regarding insurgents indifferently.

Odd that you find such clear cut optimism for Iraq. Polling Report is much less optimistic.

I believe you do fail to understand military culture; there is an ingrained expectation of success. You rarely will find an active duty officer willing to go on record expressing pessimism. I daresay you'd have found a similar attitude among officers in VietNam.

JadeGold -

Last parting shot: interesting that "I fail to understand military culture," and thus my linking any assessment of the military men themselves is worthless, as they have ingrained expectations of success. That's an unwinnable argument; you shift from doubting the numbers are true to dismissing the true assessment outright. Presumably you would cite the numbers if they suited your purpose.

I'm going to take the unusual step of banning you, even though your comments in this thread are (thus far) civil and don't merit banning. Why? because in addition to me personally having a nasty run in with you on another blog, your history as perhaps the most obnoxious and persistent internet troll is well-documented. There's even a site dedicated to your nonsense. You're not welcome to use this blog as a forum, and I'm not interested in debating Iraq with you, as I pretty much think you're scum. Goodbye.

Yay for you, Bill!

Kbug, I just found your blog through SomeSoldier'sMom, and I think you are all just terrific. Thank you!! And God bless you.

With time and patience the leaf of the mulberry becomes satin... Grace

Any port in a storm... Zachary

Every Jack has his Jill... Helen

Better an egg today than a hen tomorrow... Adrian

wonderful blog ... best till i have seen

Attorney and lawyer search directory to find a lawyer, attorneys, law firms, legal services, information, and advice by region or area of law

trulyalya