POTUS "ok's" Troop surge.

I want it to be clear, I fully support a surge. However, I want people to watch closely to not allow this to be a diversion in order to get out of Iraq. Back on July 20th, 2007 this was said by, now, President Obama while campaigning in New Hampshire:

Obama told the crowd of more than 500 people that nobody wants to get U.S. troops out of Iraq more than he does, but doing so will require voters to pressure Senate Republicans, including New Hampshire Senators Judd Gregg and John Sununu, to break with President Bush.

Obama says there's no reason to give the president's troop surge more time.

"Here's what we know. The surge has not worked. And they said today, 'Well, even in September, we're going to need more time.' So we're going to kick this can all the way down to the next president, under the president's plan."

The Illinois Senator also said the nation must be willing to "hunt down and take out" terrorists bent on carrying out extremist acts against the United States.

Obama pegged their number at twenty thousand people worldwide.

For NHPR News, I'm Josh Rogers.

Remember those days where the surge was "no good" and could not achieve anything? I am going to use a chart from a source I do not like that much, but in order to prevent the left from saying there is a "cooking of the books." In full disclosure his statement does make sense on one level, the snap shot, NON-strategic view.

In July you can see that the numbers had dropped so obviously the surge was working to lessen violence. In his defense previous months had been high in numbers, but you can see in July the numbers had dropped! (With the overall trend to continue.) In addition, it was just the previous month of June when the surge was to full strength. The question you are left with is what happened with the trend?

What did I mean in regards to him not looking at the strategic view? Well General Petraeus mentioned it in his much awaited report in April '08:

...a failed state in Iraq would pose serious consequences for the greater fight against Al Qaeda, for regional stability, for the already existing humanitarian crisis in Iraq, and for the effort to counter malign Iranian influence.

Outside of certain months that spiked the trend continued, to this day the trend stays strong and the Generals plan has worked. Maybe that is why President Obama has ok'd a 17,000 strong surge in Afghanistan. Now remember that is 85% of the 20,000 President Bush called for in Iraq.

The first graphic I used was not intended for this post, it was in the election...but it seemed to apply. 10% budget cut on the Department of Defense, the possible slash in missile defense, F-22? The military is our defense, we must keep it strong, listen to military leaders and support President Obama when he makes the right calls, and nail him on the wrong ones!

This surge is a good call, let's join together and support him. At the same time make sure he does NOT abandon Iraq!