this is not really journalism, instead i'd call it a personal memoir of experience with conclusions drawn only from that. I end up feeling the pain and frustration and helplessness of the writer over the terrorizing events he and those he knows experience on a daily basis. Clearly he has been profoundly affected and believes that now since the surge if it continues, those experiences will discontinue. I however cannot draw the same conclusions because his history and blame begins with those experiences and not with any consideration of the recent history of outside cause and effect, nor of any long-term weighing of so many factors beyond the surge itself. It is easy to identify with his feelings, but there is nothing else that I ... More »

Author fails to note that the violence he details occurred *with American troops in Iraq*, and interprets one trip on which he felt safe as a sign that increased American troops have made Iraq totally safe. In fact, the violence continues, and penetrated the hyper-secure Green Zone within the last couple of weeks. Author lobs some horrible charges at the American left, which opposed this war and still wants peace in Iraq, but doesn't think George Bush is capable of managing that, given his record.