NO ONE in Baghdad thinks the surge was beneficial.

MoveOn.org is in full force this week, having sponsored a highly contentious full-page ad in The New York Times calling General David Petraeus "General Betray us."Of course, the nutty protestors who made their way into today's congressional hearings, featuring the general and Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, took quite a liking to the nickname.

I appreciate MoveOn's ability to mobilize ordinary, progressive citizens, but I find this particular ad counter-productive. General Petraeus is well-respected by both political parties, as evidenced by the Senate's unanimous approval of his tenure as leading commander in Iraq. Resorting to name-calling and placing blame on any number of individuals is not going to solve anything at this point. Perhaps it could have before we were so deeply entrenched in Iraq, but at this point, it seems clear that Petraeus is doing whatever he can to simply keep us above water.

MoveOn should focus more on the facts-- information that no one can dispute and that makes it clear that drastic change is needed. The organization highlighted in an email today a factoid from a new ABC News Poll that I think should be getting more coverage: NOT ONE Baghdad resident who was polled thinks the surge has worked. The poll presented a number of dismal findings, but this completely consensual response from every living person from Baghdad (who was polled, of course) really blew me away. Here is the direct text from the report:

Every respondent in Baghdad, and also in Anbar (where George W. Bush paid a surprise
visit to a sprawling U.S. base last week), says the surge has made security worse now
than it was six months ago (anti-U.S. sentiment in these areas is very high, and likely a
factor in these direct assessments). Views in the rest of the country are hardly positive:
Outside Baghdad and Anbar, still just 26 percent say the surge has improved security.

What a tragedy that on this sobering anniversary we face such bleak news.