Analysis: U.S. Preparing for Iraq Exit

Analysis: U.S. Preparing for Iraq Exit

Sunday December 25, 2005 10:32 PM


AP Photo NY110

By ROBERT BURNS

AP Military Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - At every stop on his three-day tour of Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld sent a similar message: The U.S. military is not rushing to get out, but it is getting out, nevertheless.

In his public appearances with U.S. soldiers and commanders, as well as with Iraqi officials, Rumsfeld emphasized the positive - an elected Iraqi government is being formed under a new constitution, and Iraq's own soldiers and police are shouldering more of the security duties.

In other words, the U.S. military is getting out.

That doesn't mean Rumsfeld believes the Iraqis are yet capable of making it on their own. There is still the potential for civil war, and a resilient and deadly insurgency is still alive. But it explains Rumsfeld's frequent assertion that success in Iraq will be decided by the Iraqis.

It also explains why Rumsfeld and his commanders are now scaling back the U.S. presence in Iraq by canceling the deployment of two Army brigades that had been scheduled to deploy in coming weeks. Fewer U.S. combat troops are needed because the Iraqis will be doing more of the fighting.

``We'll keep passing off responsibility to them,'' as Rumsfeld put it more than once while in Iraq.


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http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5503484,00.html

is over?

.... reading the tea leaves.

When you can't find the man who is supposed to have been the mastermind of an attack on your country invade another country. When that country appears become a hopeless mess with no progress attack another country that may become a greater mess.

Sounds like an old Uncle Remus story.

B...I...N...G...O...*

B...I...N...G...O...

and B...I...N...G...O...was his name, the ho.


* BINGO = Bastard is Now Going On (to Iran/Syria)

personal responsibility ... Republican style

These troop withdrawl statements are teasers for 2006. The numbers will always be suspect because the BFEE owns the media. Absolute BS!!!!!!!

His cakewalk is over. It is well that he face facts and have history judge him, although it is impossible at this point that history will be kind.

The Neocons are, in fact, miserable failures. They have destroyed more than one country and events are far beyond their control. I would laugh but I, like everyone else in the country, am a victim. These people make Nicolas II look competant.

They will try to lay defeat on the Democrats. That is their only exit strategy a "Bay of Pigs" on steroids.

but democrats cut and run.........will the word games ever stop?

region that Bushco has created, how this withdrawal is in no way a victory.

The amorphous message from Democrats probably will enable Bushco in the long run....they should be educating the public about the greater mess and snatch away any "victory lap" for 2006 and beyond.

But no...they'll deliver contadictory messages and let the Republicans paint them into a corner...

There is no objective to win and no criteria for victory. To do so you would have to repopulate the region or create allies. At some point the rest of the world will have to say "NO".

Bushco is a danger to the entire world. There is no possible winning strategy in Iraq or Iran. 50 years of American meddling has created the mess and military hardware will not solve it.