War strain in Iraq may speed troop cuts

[Barrett808]

Source: Christian Science Monitor

War strain in Iraq may speed troop cuts
By Gordon Lubold
Mon Dec 24, 3:00 AM ET

Washington - The strain of the war in Iraq is increasingly forcing senior Pentagon leaders to be blunter about the military's inability to sustain war operations indefinitely, a shift in tone that may mean more troops come home sooner.

The change comes as the security situation in Iraq looks much improved over even six months ago. It also comes under the leadership of Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who has welcomed candor from his commanders. As a result, senior leaders have taken advantage of the situation to make a more public case that the military, especially the Army, can no longer afford the luxury of sustained military operations in Iraq.

The Pentagon is already taking steps to draw down forces. Currently, there are about 165,000 American troops in Iraq, which includes about 20 combat brigades. By next summer, the plan is to return five combat brigades, or about 20,000 troops.

But a push is under way to bring home even more by the end of next year. Last Friday, Secretary Gates reiterated his hope that five additional combat brigades could be sent home by December 2008.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20071224/ts_csm/acandor

[Demeter]

1. Bush Is Ultimately Good for the Country

Even the military is going to develop some spine, as well as Congress.

As Nietzche said: "What doesn't destroy me, makes me stronger".

So, if Bush doesn't succeed in destroying our government, he will ultimately force it to develop some balance of power, and the Imperial Presidency will be over for a long, long time. Also the Imperial Corporation will be checked, if the economy isn't totally destroyed, once the People and Workers turn the government against them.

[Barrett808]

4. I'll try to keep telling myself this

It's a helpful thought, thanks!

:thumbsup:

[Demeter]

6. It's Cold Comfort, At Best

but that's about all we are offered in this bleak mid-winter of our discontent, to remix several allusions.

[Barrett808]

7. Hey, at least the days are getting longer

That's a relief.

[LynnTheDem]

2. 2007 in Iraq; HIGHEST TROOP DEATH LEVELS yet.

and that's a fact the US "media" don't mention.

[Brrrp]

3. More foot-dragging.

All this means is a partial reversal of the surge by summer possibly rising to a full reversal by a year from now.

[kirby]

5. Army is broken...

It was said last year that things cannot continue past April of 2008. Expect reductions for no other reason than people are not available!

[AndyTiedye]

8. Maybe They Will Start Up The Draft

They can probably threaten/blackmail enough Congressional Democrats into supporting it so they can make our party take the blame for it.

[gratuitous]

9. Strain?

Rotations? Supply lines? Morale? This is like a giant game of Risk, isn't it? You need more armies? Just pull some more little blocks out of the box, right? All we need to do is roll some more sixes.

[rodeodance]

10. WELL WELL--bush will TAKE credit for geting troops home

[Supersedeas]

11. the Coward from Crawford doesn't have the guts to institute a draft