The surge has stopped a lot of the violence, true. But the terrorists are like cockroaches and have the ability to disappear for months (and years) at a time. Look at what is happening now in Afghanistan. The fundies over there know that we have a short attention span. As a nation we almost have ADD. Extremists play that to their advantage: the events of a couple of months really means nothing in an area with conflicts and loyalties dating back centuries.

The situation over there cannot be neatly described as "no news = good news." The real danger area right now is Pakistan. Bush played that card badly because Musharraf (an evil tyrant but our friend so that makes it okay) is out on his ass and we have no sway with anyone else there. I still honestly believe the situation is as dangerous as when we invaded Iraq and the long term winner of this mess could well be Iran.

How's this for a doomsday scenario?: Iran destabilizes Pakistan and inserts its own homeboys there; then destabilizes Saudi Arabia (the Holy Grail) and gets its own people there; Iraq falls in behind Al-Sadr - and oops: a giant Islamic fundamentalist superpower stretching from India to the Red Sea, armed with nuclear weapons. This has been Bin Laden's dream all along, by the way. Up to now Bush has done little to stop this. He has helped, not hindered, Bin Laden to this goal. The cherry on top would be when Bin Laden gets brought in like a hero in a motorcade like the freaking Ayatollah Khomeini after Iran fell. Then I guess we can officially say "blew that one, eh?"

Don't get me wrong: I'm not wishing for it. But let's keep our eyes open here.

That is why we can not afford the community organizer with a good speech writer in the white house.

How's this for a doomsday scenario?: Iran destabilizes Pakistan and inserts its own homeboys there; then destabilizes Saudi Arabia (the Holy Grail) and gets its own people there; Iraq falls in behind Al-Sadr - and oops: a giant Islamic fundamentalist superpower stretching from India to the Red Sea, armed with nuclear weapons. This has been Bin Laden's dream all along, by the way. Up to now Bush has done little to stop this. He has helped, not hindered, Bin Laden to this goal. The cherry on top would be when Bin Laden gets brought in like a hero in a motorcade like the freaking Ayatollah Khomeini after Iran fell. Then I guess we can officially say "blew that one, eh?"

Don't get me wrong: I'm not wishing for it. But let's keep our eyes open here.
In terms of likelihood, I'd be more worried about an asteroid striking the earth.

Also, the idea that there's "no news" in Iraq is way off the mark. It just doesn't get reported anymore. ON EDIT: And that goes for both good news and bad news.

That is why we can not afford the community organizer with a good speech writer in the white house.So you would rather stick with the same crowd that got us into this whole mess to begin with? What's wrong with a simple "You're fired?" Once we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan that's when our problems began. We should have stayed there and finished the job. And McCain, despite all his so-called experience, does not acknowledge this.

Finished what job? Afghanistan had a government it was relatively quiet. The only reason obama is for afghanistan is because he is against Iraq. If her were aginst both he would look like the liberal pansy that he is. I have ZERO confidence in Obamas ability to make a command decision on a military matter. He is just to sheltered, to protected, to wrapped up in the crowds and speeches. He is not the right guy.

...the idea that there's "no news" in Iraq is way off the mark. It just doesn't get reported anymore.

The RightWing has, since day one, expressly forbidden the truly bloody, stomach wrenching reality of what is occurring over there from being reported on, or to be broadcast on our television screens. They will not even allow cameras to show the returning caskets.

If the media had been allowed to actually report on and show the true horror of it all, the people in this country ---even as indoctrinated to blind, flag-waving obedience as they are-- would have demanded it be over long, long ago.

ya and then we would have lost and left a big hole for al qeada to fill in. I fpeople knew the same thing about WW2 they would have demanded it was over too.