Numbers, Accounts Get Disputed (Updated)

From Nibras Kazimi at Talisman Gate.

The Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Services, Lt. Gen. Babekr Zebari (Kurd), disputed the numbers of “deserters” that was first announced by an Interior Ministry spokesman five days ago. Zebari, speaking to Radio Sawa yesterday (Arabic), alleged that only 144 soldiers had “fled from their duties” in the initial stages of the fighting—Operation Cavalry Charge is still in effect three weeks after its launch—adding that, in his opinion, this is a very low number that surprised the commanders who had anticipated larger numbers of desertions.

Again, over 30,000 Soldiers were involved in the fighting in Basra. If 1,300 deserted, it only represent 4% of the Soldiers which means 96% of the Soldiers stayed, fought, and are still fighting thru Basra. If the number is 144, then all the better. Similar divergent numbers come out of the Soldiers fighting in Sadr City. NYT states 80. Iraqi General states 3. But Nibras Kazimi points out the real issue.

I think herein lies the quandary: there’s a divergence between those who see these problems as fixable, which they are, and between those using them as evidence that the sky is falling. Surely, there are many things that need to be fixed in Iraq, but one should take heart that there are those working very hard to fix them and they are succeeding. But then there are others who’re holding their breaths for any trip-ups so that they can scream that things are hopeless. Within this latter category one can place all the recent reporting from Basra.

This is truly the case in Basra, Sadr City, and Iraq in general. A lot of things have improved greatly in the last year, but have failed to be mentioned by the MSM. The contrast is astronomical between what is being reported and what is really going on in Iraq, as Mr. Kazimi details in this article.

For a full read, click here.