Hiding the truth to justify war
Michael Jansen; 26/6/08
While officials in the Bush administration remain upbeat about developments in Iraq, the Pentagon and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), which reports to Congress, are pessimistic about the country’s immediate and medium-term prospects. The Pentagon’s quarterly assessment “Measuring Security and Stability in Iraq” is positive about the security situation due to the plunge in US and Iraqi military and civilian casualties since the “surge” campaign was launched in February 2006. The number of attacks by insurgents and Al Qaeda decreased from an average of 1,200 per week in June 2007 to 200 per week this June, while Iraqi civilian fatalities dropped by more than 80 per cent since sectarian conflict raged in June 2006. While dramatic suicide attacks continue, the Pentagon says these are not followed by sectarian or ethnic retribution.