Troops See Evidence on the Ground that Makes Surge Look Silly

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The Washington Post carries an article today that is an example of what really great embedded reporting can look like. It’s hard to give a sample, because there is so much good material, but basically a reporter went out into Baghdad with a squad of American troops as they tried to use Iraqi forces and Iraqi-provided intelligence to unearth some weapons.

The result, predictably, is a sad failure. All of the troops return to base safe, but the president’s claim that the 21,500 new troops shipping to Iraq will assist Iraqi forces, instead of lead them, ends up in tatters. Read it for yourself.

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PLEASE—BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things it doesn’t like—which is most things that are true.

We’ll say it loud and clear: At Mother Jones, no one gets to tell us what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please do your part and help us reach our $150,000 membership goal by May 31.

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