The full picture

By Michael J.W. Stickings

I suppose Iraq is a lot safer when you have -- see Think Progress on this, including the video from NBC -- "100 American soldiers, with three Blackhawk helicopters, and two Apache gunships overhead" (and a bulletproof vest) to protect you.

Eh, Senator McCain?

One shouldn't hold such protection against McCain -- I'm sure it was all quite necessary -- but how are his optimistic views on Iraq at all credible given his own experience on the streets of Baghdad? -- "The American people are not getting the full picture of what's happening here. They're not getting the full picture of the drop in murders, the establishment of security outposts throughout the city, the situation in Anbar province, the deployment of additional Iraqi brigades which are performing well, and other signs of progress having been made."

No, the full picture is the one of McCain with the security blanket around him. It speaks volumes.

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Meanwhile: "The U.S. military... reported six soldiers were killed in roadside bombings southwest of Baghdad." And "Britain... announced that one of its soldiers had been shot to death in southern Iraq -- its 104th combat casualty since the war started four years ago."