Reply #14: Bush's highest military priority is reducing the death count until 11/2 [View All]

[sidpleasant]

I'm smelling "trial balloon" here. KKKarl doesn't want the KIA count to go over the symbolically important 1000 number before the election, so restricting the troops to bases in Iraq as much as possible reduces the exposure to danger. Of course the US will have to explain why the troops are suddenly out - of - sight so "we're rethinking our approach" sounds better than "we're standing down so there won't be daily death counts disturbing Bush's campaign."

Anyone who read the interview with Robert Fisk last week knows that in many parts of Iraq US troops have already retreated to bases and ceded control of towns to the insurgents. The situation reminds me of many Western movies with an isolated troop of cavalry in a stockade surrounded by hostile Indians.