What is the "Surge?"

[jmm99]

from RankAmateur
I've also longed maintained that the - to the schlep watching TV - was US casualties.

I'd suggest that US casualties (as an abstract number) have been the single most important metric to some schleps (def. 2) producing, announcing and punditting TV (who've used them to support their own political positions - "right" and "left" - without much if any shame).

I'd suggest that the person watching TV becomes concerned about US casualties (1) when that involves a relative, friend or neighbor; and / or (2) when US casualties do not seem to be resulting in what that person considers progress; or are (in that person's opinion) the result of a bad governmental policy decision to continue the war.

Vietnam (if you are of that generation) was the same thing

Iraq has been very much of a schlep (def. 1) - long and arduous, indeed; as attested by better men than I. So was Vietnam. As such, both include(d) surges, back and forth, forth and back. So, we saw and see Operation This or That (I, II and III, etc.).

So, what is the "Surge" ? Dammed if I really know; but it probably will be expressed differently next month from this month.

End Rant.

--------------------------------
BTW: weren't sure whether you meant the older meaning of "schlep" (still used by paleo-anthropolgists re: technique of bringing back the produce of the hunt):

schlep : to drag or haul (an object); to make a tedious journey (from Yiddish shlepn; cf. German schleppen) (OED, MW)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...Yiddish_origin

or, the more current slang meaning (last below)

schlep or schlepp also shlep (shlp) Slang
v. schlepped also shlepped, schlep·ping or schlepp·ing also shlep·ping, schleps or schlepps also shleps
v.tr.
To carry clumsily or with difficulty; lug: schlepped a shopping bag around town.
v.intr.
To move slowly or laboriously: schlepped around with the twins in a stroller.
n.
1. An arduous journey.
2. A clumsy or stupid person.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/schlep

[Ken White]

Most Americans concern for casualties is that there be an exchange or payback of some sort -- they'll tolerate casualties as long as they think something is being accomplished. Only if they see no successes at all do they get unduly perturbed. there are a few that want to make casualties an issue but they're a minority -- and most of them have no relatives or even anyone one they know in the service.

The body bag myth is just that-- a myth. As is all the foolishness about showing the coffins arriving at Dover. Every military funeral gets plentiful local coverage, so there's no cover up. Parents with serving kids like me are mostly content with the process as it now works and see nothing to be gained other than dipwad political points from showing arrivals at Dover.

[Rank amateur]

or, the more current slang meaning

Definitely 2, but more affectionately.

Most Americans concern for casualties is that there be an exchange or payback of some sort

IMO, a perfectly reasonable cost benefit analysis.

[Ken White]

IMO, a perfectly reasonable cost benefit analysis.

Though there are those who try to skew the process for political reasons, they are rarely successful.

[Ron Humphrey]

Though there are those who try to skew the process for political reasons, they are rarely successful.

All throughout they usually think they are being successful, only to find that they were actually falling farther from their goal the whole time

[Ken White]

dat..........