the Petraeus report

you can get the report here.

most obvious problems: displacement and refugees are only mentioned in the context of a US withdrawal. looks like it doesn t exist at this moment.

and his slides there.

everything is wrong with those slides. but just check slide two, showing what countries foreign fighters come from. not from saudi arabia, it seems.
yet the majority of capture foreigners is saudi. weird, eh? (cudos to some comment on TPM)

TPM has some nice video about the slides here.

Petraeus' information appears to measure attacks week by week. He didn't give comparisons to overall attacks in 2006, but opted instead to measure from discrete points in 2006: December for measures of overall violence; June 2006 for IED violence; October 2006 for attacks in Anbar province.

"look, if we start at the highest point, there is a DOWNWARD trend. fascinating!"

and (via Juan Cole) some REAL numbers from Iraq.

main media reaction? "general predicts troop reduction next year"

nice. exactly, when the troop level cannot be supported anylonger anyway. pretty convenient!


and here is a link to the Crocker Testimony.

well, he at least mentions displacements. in passing..

this was a very interesting part of his testimony:

"I cannot guarantee success in Iraq," Crocker said. "I do believe . . . that it is attainable. I am certain that abandoning or drastically curtailing our efforts will bring failure."

sounds like he is covering his ass, to me..