Here we have a perfect example of the "mighty Wurlitzer".
A couple of staunch Bush supporters make a heavily trip to iraq. They dictate their propaganda to the White House stenographers at the New York Times who quote a phony poll. Then Time magazine picks it up and claims support for the surge is growing. It's a form of treason that endangers the undermines the functioning of government and puts the nation at risk..
This has happened over and over again.
The support for this war was manufactured to begin with. The jig is up. Americans do not support this war. They do not support Bush. Get used to it.

Carol Davidek-Waller, Kirkland , Washington

Vote Ron Paul!
The only presidential candidate who WILL end our war in Iraq and restructure our foreign policies to avoid these in the future.

TMaloney, Ronkonkoma,

It is ridiculous to suggest that the' left 'is represented by the Brookings analysts;in fact,the latter seem to have been coopted by the administration.because their visit was militarily sponsored.
Tim draws the wrong conclusion from the polls.Anyone who
can read statistics will see that by far the vast majority of
Americans,over two-thirds,see no reason for optimism in
the so-called surge.

neville layne, queens, new york.

What does "positive" reports have to do with it? We are in the grip of mass insanity. Everyone now knows this war was based on lies - there were no WMDs and no Osama connection to Iraq. It was all about oil Everyone knows that, too. So it's either about lies or theft. So why are we fighting it? Because there will be some Awful Disaster if we leave? Didn't we hear that in Vietnam? The Domino Theory? All of SE Asia would fall if we left? It didn't

Didn't we hear we couldn't quit and be humbled or disaster would follow? It didn't. America prospered and was respected after Vietnam. We'd be more respected if we ended this madness Today, instead of throwing more young lives and billions down this rathole. Christ - it will cost two trillion dollars. We can't fix our bridges, provide health care, give a decent education, or stop the flight of our jobs. Eleven million homes will soon be foreclosed. But we can blow two trillion dollars and even Persist in this madness. 9-11 drove us insane.

Jim Mooney, tempe, az

On what basis do you call Michael O’Hanlon and Ken Pollack "fierce critics" of the way the Bush administration has handled the war? They barely even deserve to be called mild critics of the way the occupation has been handled.

Luke, Sydney, Australia

Supporting this war is continuing the lunacy of the Bush administration. We are in Iraq illegally. Our administration acts like the ONLY terrorists are all in Iraq. Well, be assurred they are in many countries, and getting out of Iraq will not change anything. When will these madmen come to the realization that their effort to FORCE democracy on another nation was futile, and us being there is the main reason the terrorists are flourishing. Bush created this nightmare and is doing his best to perpetuate it. But surely, god has guided him thru out it all . . . right. Vote for Hillary and get more of the same. Hillary was duped a second time, and Obama was duped - when they assumed that they could get the war stopped without cutting off funding from the very beginning. Kucinich had it right the first time, both times. He voted against the war in the beginning, and said cutting off funding was the only way. And Hillary is EXPERIENCED? More like . . . naive.

Shawn, Tempe, AZ

I'm not sure who these polls ask, because if anything, there is less support for the war. However, there is even less hope that it will end. Therefore, unless people get in the streets and demand it, it will continue and expand.

ron jacobs, ASHEVILLE, NC, USA

I have not heard here in the USA that the Brits are pinned down in Basra at the airport -8,000 living in tents with mortar lobbed at them at increasing numbers and that the road thru Basra is the umbilical cord supply line to the rest of the US troops in Iraq 162,000 of them. Americans should know about this debacle but they are not being told. Bush persuaded Brown to have the Brits stay longer I have been reading only from oversea press. eBrits are at risk daily.

We in the US may be voting for increasing the troops in Iraq without this important part of the puzzle and convinced that General Petraeus plan is working- whatever that means .

it is so very serious - God help us all- both Allah and Jesus is needed to work together for peace.

We certainly have learned a lot about the value of peace and the military budget of the US is more than the rest of the whole world combined- this needs to change- we are learning at a huge price here- while other problems loom all over

Gudrun Scott , Andover , NY /USA

It was to be expected that Petreous would be painting an upbeat picture of the sitaution in Iraq. After all his own reputation is at stake and.........he is most likely being a paid for it as well. The select Parliamentary Commission of the British House of Commons has come to a very diffrent conclusion. The British army in Basra is actually a defeated force. The only way to "win" this war is to occupy the country permanently which of course in the long run is an impossible job.

Tom Van Meurs, Christchurch/Rolleston, New Zealand

GEORGE BUSH AND FRIENDS, HAVE OVERSEEN THE DEATH OF ALMOST 4000 YOUNG TROOPS (OURS). SEVENTY PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY BELIEVE THAT IT IS FAR PAST TIME TO BRING THE SOLDIERS HOME!!!!! IF BUSH WERE INTERESTED IN EVEN A TINY PART OF THE PEOPLE'S WISHES, THOSE TROOPS WOULD BE ON A SHIP FOR THE USA RIGHT NOW. STARTING A WAR IN IRAQ HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THIS COUNTRY HAS EVER MADE. THE WORLD IS EXPLODING WITH DEATH, BLOOD AND MURDER. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR THE POWER PEOPLE TO ADMIT IRAQ WAS A TRAGIC MOVE.?????

JANET FRASER SMITH, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

Well, these are the sourt of viewpoints you'd expect from a country with a communist dictator in charge and another country known for the production of white flags!

Anthony Albrecht, Minot, MD, USA

What military progress? what is everyone wearing rose colored glasses? Iraqi's are still being blown up everyday and that is totally unacceptable. American troops are still being killed in the middle of really an iraqi civil war. The puppet government that has to hide under U.S. protection in the green zone is really in chao's and just about ready to dissolve. Even the shiites are fighting each other in addition to the hated sunni's. Why can't people wake up to cold reality. Iraq is a full blown mess. There are factions and groups with ancient hatreds that we will never understand or bring to the peace table. The kurds are hated by all. We destroyed Iraq with sanctions for over ten years. Then invaded, further wrecking the economy and bringing terrorism.

Eugene Higgins, Brooklyn, New York

sandeep,

What guts does it take to send someone elses son to war to save your own failed legacy? It's not tenacity, it's stupidity.
If we get out in 6 months it's all out civil war...if we get out in 10 years, all out civil war.
Lets get the hell out of there now.

Neil, New York, USA

This shows why patience is needed while fighting a war. At times, things may look like they're going poorly but we must not weaken our resolve. This surge success is proving that point.

Eric, Tulsa, OK, USA

The truth is much simpler, and uglier: British forces have been routed in Southern Iraq, and are now penned into two bases, where they are constantly rocketed and mortared. Soon these troops will be kicked out of Iraq, as they should, for this is a sorry affair the likes of which Great Britain hasn't seen since Suez. The political process in Iraq has broken down, the Iraqi military is a non entity, the occupation is now so desperate it is arming Sunni Tribes, and its current order of battle isn't sustainable. Have a nice day.

Fernando Leza, Caracas, Venezuela.

If you define the enemy in Iraq as "al-Qa'ida", as the US is now doing, then a positive report by Petraeus is easy to make, and the US may well "win", in a sense that is will satisfy George Bush .

The fact is that there are very few "al-Qa'ida" in Iraq. The number of foreign fighters has been computed at not more than 5% of the insurgents, to judge from the numbers of prisoners in Abu Ghraib and the other dungeons. Al-Qa'ida in Iraq is like the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War: they did not have too much effect militarily.

But what about the other 95% of active militants? They are not defeated.

I have no doubt that Bush will find a way to continue the "surge". Any other course would be out of the question for him. On the other hand it is not a "surge", there are no more Americans there than before.

Alex, Paris, France

I am not a fan of George Bush Jnr, but I must take my hat off to his tenacity. He may have messed up big time in Iraq, but he has the guts and gumption to stay put and attempt to clean up his mess. The 'cut and run' brigade have to realise that it is now morally incumbent upon the USA to try and salvage the ruins of this ravaged country. The bloody cost of this will have to be borne by the USA. Leaving now will only worsen Iraq's civil war and spill over to further destabilise a volatile region.

sandeep, birmingham, uk

Interesting how when the media starts approving of bush the American public starts supporting bush more.

I think Iraq is going to take time, we havn't been there that long. People have been taught to hate Americans for years and its going to take a while for hat to filter out. We should really hear more of what the Iraq citizens think now that they don't have an oppressive ruler and they even get to vote.

Zuche, bshop, ca

Is there any real doubt that Petraeus is going to issue a positive report? Can anyone who has any connection to this pathetic administration or is in the chain of command be trusted? Bush grasps at any shred of evidence to try and bolster his position.
He is truly a delusionoid. The bottom line is American military lives will continue to be throw away for no good reason other than to support his absurdist reality. We need regime change here.

Bruce L. Northwood, Silver Spring, USA

The warfare being faced by US troops will eventually be the warfare of choice of international Islamists. Better to learn from and deal with them now than to have ones head in the sand when they wreak havoc all over the planet.

Malcolm, Darian,

The warfare being faced by US troops will eventually be the warfare of choice of international Islamists. Better to learn from and deal with them now than to have ones head in the sand when they wreak havoc all over the planet. They aren't going away and their global agenda is totally disconnected from the foolish politically correct explanations their appeasers are constantly yammering about.

Malcolm, Darian,

The surge is REALLY working ........That is why the British is most
likely going to withdraw its troops......

Joe, Vallejo, California

A bloodbath on the earth is likely to smear all ane sundry therefore the most potent has the most responsibility to end this GAME OF DEATH, sooner the better.

hamza arshad, LAHORE, Pskistan