ABC News: Progress in Iraq?

On ABC News, Gen. David Petraeus visits al Jadidah to evaluate security improvements in Iraq:

ABC's "World News Tonight"
October 11, 2007

CHARLES GIBSON, ABC NEWS: "We began this broadcast a few days ago talking about the sharp drop in U.S. and Iraqi casualties last month. And this month looks even better. General David Petraeus says attacks in October so far are at an 18-month low. Even better, he can now travel safely to some areas that might have been problematic just as early as this summer. ..."

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, ABC NEWS: "Like a politician running a grassroots campaign, General Petraeus came to the dusty little town of Jadidah to shake hands, listen to local concerns, and build on what he calls the momentum of the surge."

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS: "There certainly are still some challenges in this greater area from al Qaeda and from some militia extremists. But they've made quite a bit of progress here."

MARQUEZ: "Progress due in part to this young local police force that is working with the Americans to keep the bad elements out."

PETRAEUS: "Ok, walk me around the map."

MARQUEZ: "Over the last month, this town has seen the lowest level of violence in more than a year, and the General says he believes a similar story is playing out across Iraq. Nationally, there has been a lull in violence ...

"And like any politician, he hears a lot of complaints. ... When this man described a road that's impassable when it rains, the General had this question: "

PETRAEUS: "Well what are you going to do about it? What are the Iraqis going to do?

"... Now it's electricity and some other needs that they have. And that's good. That's -- we'd much rather focus on that than on continuing fighting. ..."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• petraeus
• iraq
• surge
• abc
• jadidah

[parkinsouth]

fuck the numbers...to the fallen soldier's family..its the world..

[cashmoney394]

ya idk. im sure there is still violance there but i no ppl whove been in in the early years of the iraq war there and iraq is without a doubt safer from what i here. look at the numbers dude.

[parkinsouth]

wtf!??!?!?! sooo wrong!!!!! i bet these guys never set foot in iraq!!!!!!if they did..they would kno wts goin on..my dads been there since jan 8, 2007... and fuck the casualties r not goin down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!jus­t the news people that wanna go there and look for dead people are......they think its safer 2 guess wats goin on instead of movin their lazy asses outta there studio and actually gettin their facts straight bc u retards r 2 dumb 2 notice a lye wen it fucks u up the ass

[puromexicano1980]

Thank God for General Petraeus.

[birdyb24]

# of daily attacks, 04 increased during R; 05, increased, 06 huge up tick. So, wrong again. (these stats from brookings iraq index). what numbers were you using?

[birdyb24]

First, it's a month later and every measure of violence is down significantly. Second, last year it was in Sept. (24th), 05, same (19th), 04, Oct. (16). In 05 US deaths were below the month before & after, but in 04, they were higher than the month before & after. In 06, they were up and on a steady increase. So, as measured by US deaths, you're wrong.

[nocensorman]

that was one particular Ramadan, most have likened it to the tactics of the VC during Tet catching American forces of guard on a typically passive holiday. typically Ramadan has not been a time of increased violence. however that doesn't cheapen the fact that lives haven't been taken as much, but lives are still being taken.

[nocensorman]

a drop in casualties doesn't mean progress, a sustained drop in casualties would suggest that perhaps, or proof that it is the efforts of Iraqi forces wich are responsible for the drop in casualties. wars have slow months, and slow couple of months, however this is a good sign, i just don't think that we can call it progress yet.

[jghope]

Whats sad about Gibson's statement here is that it sounds like PROGRESS ISNT NEWS! It seems as though the media prefers bad news. Violence, death, explosions, dead soldiers, dead civilians. So pathetic.

[Fightflipnfold]

And Charles Gibson last night reports:

"One item from Baghdad today. The news is... that there is no news. The police told us that, to their knowledge, there were no major acts of violence. Attacks are down in Baghdad and today no bombings or roadside explosions were reported."