Rumsfeld says more GIs may be needed

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.iht.com/articles/102694.html

WASHINGTON Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld predicted Sunday that attacks on coalition troops in Iraq could grow "more vicious" this summer, and said for the first time that an increase in U.S. force levels was at least a possibility.
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"We're still in a war," he said on one of two television appearances. Since May 1, when President George W. Bush declared that major hostilities had ended in Iraq, 31 U.S. soldiers have died in the hostilities there.
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Rumsfeld, who testified at length on Wednesday before Congress, and was closely questioned on troop levels, made no reference then to the possibility of having to increase them. Sunday, he put current troop strength at 147,000 and added, "My guess is that number's going to stay there for the foreseeable future."
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Over time, as Iraqi police officers are trained, a nascent Iraqi army grows and other countries send more troops, the U.S. presence might decline.
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But while it seemed unlikely, he added, U.S. troop strength "could be increased," depending on demands.

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[paper chase guy]

1. nice juxtaposition

of "we're still in a war" with the mission accomplished bit :)

[NYC]

2. It was Rumsfeld who said other countries would be sending troops

to relieve ours. I guess he changed his mind.

[aquart]

11. When they laughed in his face?

Was that when?

[beanball]

3. More troops for shrubs war

if we need more troops,why don't the recruiters go to the rich suburban high schools and recruit some rich patriotic kids?could it be that the parents of rich kids give to both corrupt parties,the dems and the repugs. Wake uop america.

[oldcoot]

4. I wonder where they are going to find these soldiers

As I understand it, our military is currently spread too thin so I have to wonder where are they going to get these soldiers. Young men (and possibly young women) between the ages of 18 to 26 should especially be asking themselves this question.

[Cooley Hurd]

5. Like Westmoreland: "Just X amount more troops to finish the job!"

How do you spell quagmire? I-R-A-Q.

[symbolman]

6. Let's start with Jenna and Barbara

and any other drug addled bushies running about making asses of us all..

AND let BUSH lead us, maybe in a nifty fighter plane and really tight suit with socks in double secret places..

maybe Rummy could get in a Jeep wearing a nice Nazi outfit and get driven all over the desert screaming at them all to get to work and Bring it on..

assholes, sheer monsters..

they want my son..

[indictrichardperle]

8. Lets send the Savage Weiner

He's a real "tough guy", he loves war, and he hates all them A-rabs.

He's also recently unemployed :D

[ichiro99]

15. When the last busload ...

of 18- to 25-year-old Mexicans pulls out, tell your son to have his gear packed.

[smallprint]

7. maybe there will be an "economic draft"

as more and more young people lose their jobs-- and are deep in debt

[Nottingham]

9. Escalation More Escalation like Vietnam!

We are sinking deeper And deeper in the Quicksand! :bounce:

[PaDUer]

10. They can send

themselves and the rest of their cronies who never served or went awol..they OWE it to their country! Not any of my sons, and from what I see on the media, those parents whose children are there want them HOME now..and you can bet people aren't going to be willing to go--watch for the rush to awol's..

[renegade000]

12. rumsfeld: errr yes more troops...yes thats it...

shinseki was right, you can now take your prejudice and shove it up your left nostral

asian pride ;-)

[Porcupine]

13. Many troops now deployed are Guard or Reserve troops...

they are losing jobs, houses and mairrages while the Bush* administration plays hide the president. There are no replacement ground troops out there to ship INTO Iraq.

In addition even if we had a draft it would take at least 6 months to train raw recruits for survival in an environment of mechanized urban combat.

The real crunch will come when they realize that they are going to have to cannabalize equipmment from troops deployed elsewhere to keep the gear in Iraq running. Hummvee's and Bradleys running combat opps. at high temperature will fail early and often.

The Pentagon's collective butt is in a sling.

[Mari333]

14. My son just got back from Guard duty

he said they are trying to sign guys up to go to the Sinai desert from his unit///

thing is...if we need Guard units HERE for Homeland Security, where the hell will we get them from?

Hell, Bring ALL the TROOPS home NOW