Bush will increase number of U.S. troops in Iraq.

[Clarkie1]

Not as much as his buddy McCain would wish (by his testimony today I can only conclude he wishes to reinstate the draft), but still...

US plans last big push in Iraq

Simon Tisdall
Thursday November 16, 2006
The Guardian

President George Bush has told senior advisers that the US and its allies must make "a last big push" to win the war in Iraq and that instead of beginning a troop withdrawal next year, he may increase US forces by up to 20,000 soldiers, according to sources familiar with the administration's internal deliberations.

Mr Bush's refusal to give ground, coming in the teeth of growing calls in the US and Britain for a radical rethink or a swift exit, is having a decisive impact on the policy review being conducted by the Iraq Study Group chaired by Bush family loyalist James Baker, the sources said.

Although the panel's work is not complete, its recommendations are expected to be built around a four-point "victory strategy" developed by Pentagon officials advising the group. The strategy, along with other related proposals, is being circulated in draft form and has been discussed in separate closed sessions with Mr Baker and the vice-president Dick Cheney, an Iraq war hawk.

Point one of the strategy calls for an increase rather than a decrease in overall US force levels inside Iraq, possibly by as many as 20,000 soldiers. This figure is far fewer than that called for by the Republican presidential hopeful, John McCain. But by raising troop levels, Mr Bush will draw a line in the sand and defy Democratic pressure for a swift drawdown.

more....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,1948748,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=1

[bdamomma]

1. it just never stops huh? baker and cheney behind closed

doors??? these people need to thrown out now!!!

[partylessinOhio]

2. Impeachment will stop his bullshot. It must be done to save the lives

of American troops.

This is the only way to stop the insanity. Our Congress needs to move on this in early January. In the meantime more soldiers will die and suffer horrific brain injuries and loss of limbs.

[bdamomma]

7. well, we voted these guys in, they better stand up and say no

more death to our soldiers, and all those innocent Iraqi civilians, this is so so sad, we never seem to learn huh? how many more must die for a lie.

[Life Long Dem]

3. The Iraqi's are lost.

What goal is there for a country wiped out by the occupants who now want to train you?

The US occupies and controls the military training of Iraqi's who come and go as they please and show up when they want cash.

Withdrawal will send a message for Iraqi's to sink or float on their own. They need to show responsibility and show up to work on defending their own country and not a U.S occupied country.

It's a serious problem. If we leave, the area is going to be swarmed by the Middle East. If we stay the area is going to be swarmed by the Middle East. Regardless, either the U.S. takes more killings and try to hold outsiders from getting in or we let them kill each other.

And at this point who gives a shit what mainstream media will say about the dems, because either way or no matter what is done the media is going to spin it on the dems. We can't let that be a determining factor because as of 2006's election has shown, we have an alternative media.

[Imagevision]

4. 20,000 troops? - that's just for openers, how many will the "coalition" be sending?!!

[subterranean]

5. I wish they'd stop framing it as a matter of "victory" and "winning"

If the goal is stabilizing the country, why not call it a "stabilization strategy"?
And does anyone really believe that sending more U.S. troops will reduce the violence? Where will those 20,000 troops come from? Last I heard, our forces were already stretched to the limit.

[bdamomma]

8. and recruitment is down I wonder why?

:sarcasm: bush is still there, and still causing havoc.

[Little Wing]

6. 200,000 would be a big push, 20,000 is just fueling the fire

[Strelnikov_]

9. The Iraq Strategy, The CYA Political Strategy That Is, Is Now Clear

Chimp rolls out plan to escalate, asks for more resources, knowing Dems will deny.

Dems do their part, defund the war, possibly with impeachment, thus bringing an end to the occupation.

Iraq implodes into the now inevitable failed state, Reich Wing blames Dems for the 'loss'.

Reich confident in the knowledge that the corporate media programmed sheeple will never see it for the no-win situation the Reich Wing are ultimately responsible for.

Oh, well.


Appears to me that our only hope is that the sheeple are smarter than we think. They did wake up for the election last week.