The Surge Is Working?

August is a very important month in terms of how the war in Iraq will be viewed by the American public. With just a few weeks remaining before General Petraeus gives his report to Congress on the progress of the war, specifically the effects of the "surge" in US forces, information from Iraq is already being spun in order to create a receptive attitude here at home.

Already, according to recent polls, there is a ten percent uptick ; however, as Juan Cole reports in this article at Salon, there might not really be that much to celebrate. In fact, the surge might be having little or no positive effect at all.

As Congress prepared to go on its August recess, Pentagon officials and White House backers were desperately spinning as a success this year's escalation of U.S. troop levels in Iraq. A recent poll shows that there has been a 10 percent uptick in the proportion of Americans who think the so-called surge, first announced by President George W. Bush in January, is having a beneficial effect. But how accurate are the sunny pronouncements coming out of Washington? What would constitute a success for the surge, and how likely is it to be achieved?

Even worse, according to Joe Conason, the surge may be contributing to a destabilization of the situation!

Leaving aside [recent] boasts of success, which have been heard from assorted advocates of the war both within and outside the Bush administration, the most recent developments in Baghdad undermine the foundation of the policy enunciated by Mullen. There is in fact no evidence whatsoever that the escalation of troops has encouraged reconciliation among the Iraqi factions. It is indeed obvious that the "long-term commitment" of U.S. troops -- regardless of how the Iraqi government and parties behave -- is leading rapidly toward the political disintegration of that country.