Liberal Grace

Troop withdrawal reduces violence by 90%

Why aren't Americans talking about this instead of drivers licenses for Mexicans?




Holy smokes! A 90% drop! Ninety percent! If Bush's "surge" had led to a 90% drop in violence, no one would doubt them that the surge has worked.

But who thinks, for example, that denying Mexicans drivers licenses will lead to a 90% drop in illegal immigration, even if it works? I seriously doubt we'll notice any difference in illegal immigration, either way -- and yet we Americans have been debating this policy with the most vigor.

I'd much rather we debate someting that might actually make a difference. A ninety percent reduction in violence is a real difference.

Here's the article:

Britiain Credits Troop Withdrawal for Significant Drop In Attacks in Iraq

BAGHDAD — Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said.

The presence of British forces in downtown Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, was the single largest instigator of violence, Maj. Gen. Graham Binns told reporters Thursday on a visit to Baghdad's Green Zone.

"We thought, 'If 90 percent of the violence is directed at us, what would happen if we stepped back?"' Binns said.

Britain's 5,000 troops moved out of a former Saddam Hussein palace at Basra's heart in early September, setting up a garrison at an airport on the city's edge. Since that pullback, there's been a "remarkable and dramatic drop in attacks," Binns said.

"The motivation for attacking us was gone, because we're no longer patrolling the streets," he said.

Last spring, British troops' daily patrols through central Basra led to "steady toe to toe battles with militias fighting some of the most tactically demanding battles of the war," Binns said. Now British forces rarely enter the city center, an area patrolled only by Iraqis.

The majority of attacks now target Iraqi forces, but overall violence now is still a tenth of what it was in May and June.

Please read this article and memorize the main facts. The next time your co-workers or family start debating something that doesnt really matter, (Kucinich and the UFO, come to mind) change the subject to this -- a real issue that might actually make a real difference.

posted by LiberalGrace at 8:16 AM