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Just in case you thought the Iraq war was lost, here comes the cavalry! Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer, tanned, rested and ready, is returning to public life with a new political action group, Freedom's Watch, that's promising to spend $15 million in a five-week advertising campaign designed to convince Americans that the so-called surge is working.
"For people who believe in peace through strength, the cavalry is coming," Fleischer proclaimed. Oh, Ari, still playing soldier with his friends. Think Progress has a list of Ari-isms on Iraq that ought to make anyone considering getting involved with Freedom's Watch a little wary. My favorite is this one from June 2003: "When you take a look at the level of violence inside of Iraq, it is impossible to argue anything other than violence has, indeed, come down as a result of America's military operations."
What I find interesting is that another prominent war-supporting Republican is equating flackery with military service. Just like Mitt Romney did two weeks ago, suggesting that his five sons' work on his presidential campaign might somehow substitute for military service -- none of the able-bodied "Flying Romney" brothers deigned to enlist -- Fleischer's cavalry remark is just macho self-importance from a guy who isn't, like, actually going to go fight in the war.
Heckuva job, Ari.
The Gamble: General David Petraeus and the American Military Adventure in Iraq, 2006-2008
The author of "Fiasco" uses hundreds of hours of exclusive interviews with top officers in Iraq and extraordinary on-the-ground reportage to document the inside story of the Iraq War since late 2005.
By Thomas E. Ricks
Small Wars Journal
A journal dedicated to the study of such subjects as counterinsurgency, foreign internal defense, support and stability operations, peacemaking, and peacekeeping. Founded by ex-Marines.
Afghanistan is worse than you think
We all knew that the situation in Afghanistan has been rapidly becoming worse. But few people know just how steep the downward spiral has been.
By Alex Koppelman, Salon
Army Sends Infant to Protective Services, Mom to Afghanistan