Isolation

Here's how a surge works.

Some go early:

Wednesday morning, the phone rings. “Who the heck is calling at this hour?” As I turn over to reach for the nightstand, I glance at the windows in the room. They’re still dark; no hint of light. And I mutter under my breath, “It’s never good news if it’s dark.” As I reach for the phone, the green numbers on the clock say 5:30. I pick the phone out of its cradle and push the “on” button.

"Hello?"
“Hey, Ma.” I mentally calculate, 7:30 Georgia time.
“Hey. Everything OK?”
“We’re going.”

I just got off the phone with my son. One of the wonders of the modern world is that I can actually talk with my boy even though he is so far away serving his country...

My son's tour of duty has been extended for six months. I beg you not to turn your back on him and his fellow soldiers.

‘The ideas announced by the American president, shows a new effort to improve security in Iraq, and they concur and correspond with Iraq’s government plans and ideas...

Iraqi implementation authority is giving its utmost efforts to get maximum benefit from the new plans laid out by President Bush. We will use these opportunities to speed up the implementation of these new plans for personal security and national stability.

...While we fully understand the importance of security, we are cognizant that any long term improvements in security depend on improvement in the political and economic situations. This can only come about by implementing the national reconciliation plan, and revisiting some of the new laws and constitution. Only then can we have national unity. We are very mindful and grateful for all the efforts and sacrifices of our allies and friends. Ending the sectarian violence is an Iraqi responsibility, while fighting terrorism is a joint responsibility for all. Brining security and stability is in the end the central issue for the Iraqi central government’.
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President Talabani thanked President Bush for his continued support and backing for the new Iraq, its political process and its people. Talabani said to President Bush, ‘we are your allies in the war against terrorism and for the success of democracy in the new Iraq. We will not spare any effort or resource to obtain measurable success going forward.

Here's a request from a soldier's mom:

Do not undermine the most difficult thing these military men and women will ever be called upon to do.

The New York Times

The decision to increase the American military presence in Iraq is being greeted with a blend of optimism and anxiety among American soldiers and their families, those most directly affected by the change. Unlike in Congressional corridors and across the civilian landscape of the country, there seems far more support than outrage, more cheer than cheerlessness, and a hope that maybe this will do it.

In Baghdad, Hillary Clinton responds

In an exclusive interview with ABC News in Baghdad, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., called the situation in Iraq "heartbreaking" and said she doubts Congress and the American people believe the mission here can succeed.

"I don't know that the American people or the Congress at this point believe this mission can work," she said.

KURTZ: Pam Hess, has the sending of 20,000 additional troops gotten a fair hearing in the media or has it gotten caught up in this wrenching, emotional debate about whether the war itself was a mistake?

PAM HESS: I think it's gotten caught up about it, and the debate about it is actually all wrong. What reporters know and what Martha says is that 20,000 really isn't that big -- isn't that big a jump. We're at 132,000 right now. It's going to put us even less that we had going in going across the line.

What we're not asking is actually the central question. We're getting distracted by the shiny political knife fight. What we need to be asking is, what happens if we lose? And no one will answer that question. If we lose, how are we going to mitigate the consequences of this?

It's so much easier for us to cover this as a political horse race. It's on the cover of "The New York Times" today, what this means for the '08 election. But we're not asking the central national security question, because it seems that if as a reporter you do ask the national security question, all of a sudden you're carrying Bush's water. There are national security questions at stake, and we're ignoring them and the country is getting screwed.

Reuters:

President George W. Bush made clear on Saturday he would not back off his plan to send more troops to Iraq despite bipartisan hostility to the idea and he accused his critics of failing to offer an alternative.

But Reuters' coverage isn't "isolated".

The Associated Press:

Bush isolated more than ever on Iraq with plan for troop buildup

WASHINGTON- President Bush once said he was determined to stick with the Iraq war even if his wife and his dog were the only ones left at his side.

It’s moving in that direction.

Opposition To Iraq Plan Leaves Bush Isolated

The bipartisan opposition to President Bush's troop-increase plan has proved more intense than his advisers hoped and has left them scrambling to find support, but the White House is banking on the assumption that it can execute its "new way forward" in Iraq before Congress can derail it.
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"We recognize that many members of Congress are skeptical," Bush said in his radio address yesterday, adding: "Members of Congress have a right to express their views, and express them forcefully. But those who refuse to give this plan a chance to work have an obligation to offer an alternative that has a better chance for success. To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible."

Many Democrats, in fact, have proposed alternatives centered around pulling out troops...

Democrats Feel Free To Defy Bush On Iraq

Emboldened by President Bush's deeply unpopular proposal to send more troops to Iraq, congressional Democrats are shedding their wariness about tackling the war and embracing positions once primarily held by the party's most liberal fringe.

Less than two weeks after taking power, party leaders who had promised just an increase in oversight hearings on the war are now talking openly about cutting off funds for additional military operations.

The stakes are high in that more genteel battle too, but I fear those who think victory in that sphere will somehow justify defeat in ours are in for a rather rude awakening should they grasp that brass ring of their fondest dreams.