Analysis: Iraq surge may be extended

Source: AP




Analysis: Iraq surge may be extended

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer 1 hour, 56 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is laying the groundwork to extend the U.S. troop buildup in Iraq. At the same time, the administration is warning Iraqi leaders that the boost in forces could be reversed if political reconciliation is not evident by summer.


This approach underscores the central difficulty facing
President Bush. If political progress is not possible in the relatively short term, then the justification for sending thousands more U.S. troops to Baghdad — and accepting the rising U.S. combat death toll that has resulted — will disappear. That in turn would put even more pressure on Bush to yield to the Democratic-led push to wind down the war in coming months.

If the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does manage to achieve the political milestones demanded by Washington, then the U.S. military probably will be told to sustain the troop buildup much longer than originally foreseen — possibly well into 2008. Thus the early planning for keeping it up beyond late summer.

More than half of the extra 21,500 combat troops designated for Baghdad duty have arrived; the rest are due by June. Already it is evident that putting them in the most hotly contested parts of the capital is taking a toll. An average of 22 U.S. troops have died per week in April, the highest rate so far this year.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070421/ap_on_go_pr_wh/iraq_troop_boost;_ylt=AtE.YNVPBuMeMa5lJYrh4Ums0NUE

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We knew this was coming. We knew.

Perhaps until hell freezes over, if Shrub gets his way.

.......When Bush announced the troop boost in January, administration officials pointedly left unclear how long the extra troops would remain in Iraq. Some, including Gates, suggested that troop levels could be reduced to the previous standard of about 135,000 as early as September — assuming the addition of 21,500 combat troops and roughly 8,000 support troops this spring proved to be an overwhelming success or a clear-cut failure.

Three months later, with troops still flowing into Baghdad, the Pentagon is beginning to take steps that suggests it expects to maintain higher troop levels into 2008 and beyond, yet officials still won't say whether the increase is intended as a short-term move. Some believe the lack of clarity is a mistake because it adds to the strain on troops and their families and it may lessen the psychological pressure on the belligerents.

Frederick Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute, whose January report on changing the U.S. military strategy in Iraq was largely adopted as part of Bush's new approach to the war, said in an interview Thursday that it appears the administration believes it will have to sustain the troop buildup much longer.

"They seem to be taking the steps that would make it possible to sustain it for longer, which is good," Kagan said. "But they seem to be reluctant to commit to a willingness to do that, which I think is unfortunate."

Congress has not established the inertia to clash with Bush.

The fact that * refers to himself as the "war president" might be a clue that he isn't going to do anything to end this mass slaughter that he started.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2816331
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bush21apr21,0,3398992.story?coll=la-home-headlines
President Bush said Friday that his revised military strategy was taking hold in Iraq and "the direction of the fight is beginning to shift," even as he acknowledged "horrific" bombings that killed more than 200 people in Baghdad this week.

"So far, the operation is meeting expectations," Bush said of the boost in U.S. troops he ordered and the new focus on improving security in Baghdad neighborhoods

when we declare that this has absolutely nothing to do with the news that Iraq may have twice as much oil as we previously thought. Just believe us.

Source: Associated Press

Analysis: Surge or Long-Term Increase?

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6576431,00.html

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon is laying the groundwork to extend the U.S. troop buildup in
Iraq. At the same time, the administration is warning Iraqi leaders that the boost in forces could be reversed if political reconciliation is not evident by summer.

This approach underscores the central difficulty facing
President Bush. If political progress is not possible in the relatively short term, then the justification for sending thousands more U.S. troops to Baghdad — and accepting the rising U.S. combat death toll that has resulted — will disappear. That in turn would put even more pressure on Bush to yield to the Democratic-led push to wind down the war in coming months.

If the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki does manage to achieve the political milestones demanded by Washington, then the U.S. military probably will be told to sustain the troop buildup much longer than originally foreseen — possibly well into 2008. Thus the early planning for keeping it up beyond late summer.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070421/ap_on_go_pr_wh/iraq_troop_boost;_ylt=AhSzeijh_POMUbv4aQ.3UuayFz4D

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Harry Reid points out that the War is already lost, (just as the ISG previously said) which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone since the Pentagon has now given up on "Standing the Iraqis Up, so we can Stand Down".

And as we've seen, the Iraq Surge is working so well that we've had record numbers of military and civilian deaths over the last couple of months - so it's seem the perfect definition of something or the other to continue on the course that's already been set until the inevitable finally sinks in, or the next President takes office - whichever comes first.

Vyan

We'll know by December 07, which is to say, March 08, which really means late summer 08, or - in other words, December 08. Then we'll know for sure whether it's working. Why won't people give it a chance to work by December 08? We need patience and fortitude!

:sarcasm:

:rofl:

Who knew Dick & Dummy could be more incompetent without Rummy than with him?

IMPEACH NOW.:kick:

just reeling it out for the masses.

:eyes: