Couric: 'Real Progress' In Iraq

[Gan]

(CBS) BAGHDAD, Iraq

One week before Gen. David Petraeus is expected to give his report on U.S. progress in Iraq, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric says she has already seen dramatic improvements in the country.

"We hear so much about things going bad, but real progress has been made there in terms of security and stability," Couric said Tuesday. "I mean, obviously, infrastructure problems abound, but Sunnis and U.S. forces are working together. They banded together because they had a common enemy: al Qaeda."

Couric traveled to the city of Fallujah in Anbar province, which U.S. forces entered in April 2003 and again in November 2004. That is the same city where, in house-to-house fighting, American forces uncovered nearly two-dozen torture chambers.

"We found numerous houses, also, where people were just chained to a wall for extended periods of time," U.S. military intelligence officer Major Jim West said back on Nov. 22, 2004.

"The face of Satan was here in Fallujah, and I'm absolutely convinced that that was true," said Marine Lt. Col. Gareth Brandl.

It is also the city where four American military contractors were set on fire, mutilated and hanged from a bridge by insurgents.

Now Fallujah is "considered a real role model of something working right in Iraq," Couric said.

Many more Iraqis have joined the Iraqi Security Forces in the overwhelmingly Sunni Anbar province. Despite mutual distrust, stemming from the power shift after Saddam Hussein's Baathist government fell, Sunnis and Shiites are working together in the ISF to fight al Qaeda in Iraq.

While Hussein was in power, Sunnis were in positions of authority over the Shiites, and now are fearful that the majority of Shiites will seek revenge. Iraqi Shiites fear a return of Sunni power in Iraq.

However, Sunnis in Anbar continue to join the ISF.

"The spike in police has really been significant," Couric said. "The incidents in Iraq have gone down dramatically."

Security and stability have improved in Iraq, but basic services remain in disrepair.

"I think everyone I talk to agrees that restoring basic services is really an imperative step in bringing stability and some kind of sense of society to Iraq," Couric said.

[Parkbandit]

She's failed miserably as a news anchor (as I predicted... her schtick is cute and quirky.. something America doesn't want out of a news anchor). I wonder if she's seeing the huge numbers Fox News does.. and wants a piece of that pie.

[Stanley Burrell]

She's failed miserably as a news anchor (as I predicted... her schtick is cute and quirky.. something America doesn't want out of a news anchor). I wonder if she's seeing the huge numbers Fox News does.. and wants a piece of that pie.

I almost am tempted to cater to your Alzheimer-like memory, and lack thereof, and find you a still image of the Fox News calibration of Bush's vote numbers during the last two elections.

Fox doesn't make number pie with the proper ingredients, such as the pie, itself. Or numbers.

In summation, Falgrin is old and decrepit, but watches his Fox News like a good American.

[Parkbandit]

I almost am tempted to cater to your Alzheimer-like memory, and lack thereof, and find you a still image of the Fox News calibration of Bush's vote numbers during the last two elections.

Fox doesn't make number pie with the proper ingredients, such as the pie, itself. Or numbers.

In summation, Falgrin is old and decrepit, but watches his Fox News like a good American.


Jesus man.. lay off the crack... or at the very least, ventilate the room you are in.

I used to make fun of you.. but now I just feel sorry for your poor parents. If your mom only swallowed.. this tragedy may have been avoided.

Get help (again)

[Stanley Burrell]

Jesus man.. lay off the crack... or at the very least, ventilate the room you are in.

I used to make fun of you.. but now I just feel sorry for your poor parents. If your mom only swallowed.. this tragedy may have been avoided.

Get help (again)

At least she didn't (doesn't) need help swallowing because somebody's got the small diamond-shaped blue pill addiction.

I also feel sorry for you, but mainly, because you suffer from what can lightly be dubbed as, "Old man decrepit wang syndrome."

Plus my mom never sleeps in ratty hotels run by internet zealots, so you don't know her (or me) really, homie :)

[Anebriated]

Didnt the New York Times just print an article(front page I believe) about how the mission has been a failure? 11 of the 17 goals were graded as failing, 3 or 4 were so-so, and the rest were in good shape? We were just going over this in my economics class today.

[Stanley Burrell]

Didnt the New York Times just print an article(front page I believe) about how the mission has been a failure? 11 of the 17 goals were graded as failing, 3 or 4 were so-so, and the rest were in good shape? We were just going over this in my economics class today.

None of that liberal, feminazi conspiracy stuff, now :no:

/Limbaugh

[Gan]

Didnt the New York Times just print an article(front page I believe) about how the mission has been a failure? 11 of the 17 goals were graded as failing, 3 or 4 were so-so, and the rest were in good shape? We were just going over this in my economics class today.

I dont know about the NYT, but the WP leaked a report today.

http://forum.gsplayers.com/showthread.php?t=26932

[TheEschaton]

Katie Couric can suck a cock. She's awful.

[Hulkein]

She's failed miserably as a news anchor (as I predicted... her schtick is cute and quirky.. something America doesn't want out of a news anchor). I wonder if she's seeing the huge numbers Fox News does.. and wants a piece of that pie.

I was actually going to post the same thing.

PS. Stanley, are you a retard?

[Sean of the Thread]

I feel no pity for you fools.

Old 09-05-2007, 01:02 PM
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[Stanley Burrell]

I was actually going to post the same thing.

PS. Stanley, are you a retard?

Who wants to know?

PS. Hulkein, suck my long, hard, circumcised and undecidedly retarded penis?

[Kefka]

http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-07-1222T

Securing, Stabilizing, and Rebuilding Iraq: Iraqi Government Has Not Met Most Legislative, Security, and Economic Benchmarks

The benchmarks were derived from commitments first articulated by the Iraqi government in June 2006. The Iraqi government met 3, partially met 4, and did not meet 11 of its 18 benchmarks. Overall, key legislation has not been passed, violence remains high, and it is unclear whether the Iraqi government will spend $10 billion in reconstruction funds. These results do not diminish the courageous efforts of coalition forces and progress that has been made in several areas, including Anbar Province. The Iraqi government met one of eight legislative benchmarks: the rights of minority political parties in Iraq's legislature are protected. The government has not enacted legislation on de-Ba'athification, oil revenue sharing, provincial elections, amnesty, and militia disarmament. It is unclear whether sectarian violence in Iraq has decreased--a key security benchmark--since it is difficult to measure whether the perpetrators' intents were sectarian in nature, and other measures of population security show differing trends. As the Congress considers the way forward in Iraq, it should balance the achievement of the 18 Iraqi benchmarks with military progress and with homeland security goals, foreign policy goals, and other goals of the United States.


I'll believe the watchdogs over an overpaid reporter trying to get better ratings. CBS = SeeBS

[sst]

One of the biggest problems I think going into this is our (Americans) belief that the majority of Arab (Iraq specifically for this case) have the same work ethic that we have here in America. The people here are lazy, to put it nicely. They completely lack the drive to accomplish anything. They are more content blaming everyone else for their problems than finding a way to fix things on their own.

I thought better of the people here before coming here. After having to deal with people in all levels of society, to unnamed corrupt high ranking parliament members, to folks living in mud houses, the rich, their military, Iraqi people are the laziest I have ever come across, they make our welfare riding white trash look hard working and motivated to better themselves.

Now, i will add this caveat, they Sunni tribes in Anbar have made a difference, as well as those who recently have taken a stand up in Baqubah. The sad part of it is it took a few years of utter and complete oppression by Al Qaeda for them to do something, and only then with the military might of the US along side them and telling them what to do and here to go.

I still feel that the Kurds are the best of the lot and wish them the best in finally having their own country in the north.

Can we leave this country and let them fend for themselves, Fuck No, As much as I wish it was possible, the amount of death on a grad scale would weigh heavily on everyone’s conscience I would hope and the threat coming out of here against American and American interests overseas would be far to big

PS im going home in a few days, nearly 16 months finally done, still alive and well. No more getting shot at and blown up, WooHooo!!!

[Anebriated]

Thanks Kefka, thats exactly the article I was referring to.

[TheEschaton]

Ah yes, Dave, way to not make this Us vs. Them. Way to win some hearts and minds.

-TheE-

[Gan]

PS im going home in a few days, nearly 16 months finally done, still alive and well. No more getting shot at and blown up, WooHooo!!!

Grats Dave.

Welcome home and thanks for representing the US over there.

[Stanley Burrell]

I always had this ominous feeling Dave was going to die, like, not of natural causes.

Don't run any shorter on your luck, buddy! And :welcome: back for good, eh?

[sst]

Ah yes, Dave, way to not make this Us vs. Them. Way to win some hearts and minds.

-TheE-

My job was not winning hearts and minds, Happily I didn't have to play that game...

I am speaking of my experience with them, that's how I view them. It always bothers me when we go into a school that was newly remolded by US taxpayer dollars and within a year its trashed. Heaven forbid somebody use a damn broom or cut the grass. Or on a day when we have to be out clearing houses for 12 hours and our "Iraqi Army" counterparts come up to us after a hour to tell us they want to go home because its to hot and they are tired already.


But hey, you've been in Africa, I'm sure you know exactly what Iraqi people are like in Iraq.

[sst]

I always had this ominous feeling Dave was going to die, like, not of natural causes.

Don't run any shorter on your luck, buddy! And :welcome: back for good, eh?

Your feelings almost happend far to many times.
As to being home for good, that is unlikely, I will be deploying again for another go in a year or so.

[TheEschaton]

I was in Africa with many ignorant Westerners just like you who felt the same exact way about Africans. They were wrong, and I'm willing to bet you're wrong too.

[sst]

:yawn:

[Warriorbird]

Good luck in your remaining time there and in your return, Dave. Coming home can be kinda jarring after a long time overseas.

[sst]

Thanks WB, baring a mortar attack I'll remain nice and safe. Im excited just to get home and be with the people I care about.