Iraq plan part of grand strategy

[annabanana]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5115064.stm

"The "reconciliation" plan announced on Sunday by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki is part of a grand strategy by the Bush administration to stabilise Iraq - or to stabilise the perception of Iraq - in advance of the mid-term elections for Congress in November.

Other parts of the plan are an insistence that democracy has arrived in Iraq and must be supported, a refusal to set any date or timetable for a total withdrawal of US troops (presented as a weakness), yet with a suggestion that a reduction might start soon as the effort to transfer responsibility to Iraqi forces gathers pace.

-snip-

The Casey plan would involve reducing the number of combat brigades (each brigade having about 3,500 troops) from 14 to 5 or 6 by the end of next year.

The combined strategy - reconciliation and resolution yet with the hint of a substantive withdrawal - is what Mr Bush hopes will pull his party through in November"

("I don't read the polls" - sure)

[wisteria]

1. Amazing, before the "offical" recognition of the plan by Maliki,

there was a timetable and NO MENTION OF BUSH. F*ck this administration, they are so full of sh*t.

[Supersedeas]

5. Lesson learned: when you 'cut & run'--do it under the table

[Solly Mack]

2. hmmmm

Solly Mack (1000+ posts) Mon Jun-26-06 01:22 PM
Response to Original message - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1506536&mesg_id=1507097


11. It's a real simple tactic - made the more simple by




It's a real simple tactic - made the more simple by
expecting (and rightly so) the majority of the public to "hear" (and think) only in sound bites/slogans/easy to remember talking points

Link anti-war & pro-withdrawal groups with "coward", "cut and run" and any other negative spin you can think of

then come out with basically the same idea...but claim your plan is somehow different...even if the bottom line is exactly the same ( withdrawal/reduction with time-table verses no time-table still equals withdrawal)

Earlier today on the news (CNNi) it was reported the "Casey Plan" (per GOP spin) was different because it didn't set a time-table, allowing the Iraq "government" the chance to gain a stronger footing...echoes of the talking point (as they stand up/we stand down...and all the variations on that lame, tired` theme)...so the "Casey Plan" is an extension of Bush's plan when viewed (through the spin) that way...and not a Democratic proposal...who want to "cut and run" and abandon the "mission" (a secure Iraqi government..per Bush's rhetoric/spin/lies/bullshit)

The negative spin gains a foothold (cut and run, cowards, surrender)...and the rest gets lost in the politicking...

So, yeah, Cheney knew about the "Casey Plan"...and was attempting to do damage control (their plan of reduction by November was one-upped, so to speak) and get in negative attacks in hopes of shaping the future debate..the one that's taking place now...Casey Plan is the Democratic proposal...is not!(GOP) is too!(Democratic Party)

[elehhhhna]

3. " to stabilise the perception of Iraq " it's all about the spin

[annabanana]

4. We're not likely to get this in the US media

It's a pity that the rest of the world has a better idea of what we're up to than we do.