"BUSH CONSIDERS STEPPING UP PACE OF IRAQ PULLOUT... DEVELOPING..."

[jefferson_dem]

WTF is this bullshit on sludge's page now. No link yet.

UPDATE, WITH LINKED INFO BELOW:

Barack obama is taking heat for hinting that he might refine his 16-month timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. But a forthcoming Pentagon-sponsored report will recommend an even steeper drawdown in less time, newsweek has learned. If adopted, the 300-page report by a defense analysis group at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., could trans-form the debate about Iraq in the presidential election. Expected to be completed in about a month, it will recommend that U.S. forces be reduced to as few as 50,000 by the spring of 2009, down from about 150,000 now. The strategy is based on a major handoff to the increasingly successful Iraqi Army, with platoon-size U.S. detachments backing the Iraqis from small outposts, with air support. The large U.S. forward operating bases that house the bulk of U.S. troops would be mostly abandoned, and the role of Special Forces would increase.

The report's conclusions have been discussed inside Secretary Robert Gates's Defense Policy Board, a body of outside experts. And they've found favor with some former members of the Iraq Study Group, such as former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta. "That's basically the approach we thought made sense--embedding some of our forces at smaller outposts, transferring major combat to the Iraqis," says Panetta. Like the Study Group, this report also calls for a regional diplomatic effort complementing negotiations with the Iraqi tribes, which echoes the previous recommendations of such analysts as John Arquilla, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. "Even with a small leavening of American troops the Iraqis perform quite well," he says. The biggest problem: Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus, who oversaw the surge, is said to oppose the recommendations, according to a Defense contractor who is privy to the discussions. Asked about the report, Pentagon spokes-man Bryan Whitman told newsweek that Gates "feels the most important military advice he gets is from his commanders on the ground." As the next head of Central Command, Petraeus will soon have responsibility for Afghanistan and Pakistan too, which could change his views on troop deployments and the new report. Spokesman Col. Steve Boylan says Petraeus "is focused on Iraq at this point and will continue to be."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/145848?from=rss

[Crazy Dave]

1. Moving them next door to Iran? n/t

[JeffR]

2. How exactly does he step up the pace of something he isn't doing?

:shrug:

[kentuck]

3. Because the Iraqis are ready to throw his ass out..

It's been in the news. So, since we are going to be kicked out anyway, why not just say we are going to step up the pace??

[DLnyc]

11. Egg-zackly. The PNAC plan for permanent US bases in Iraq, immunity for

their mercenaries operating there and, most important, ownership of Iraqi oil transferred to a few American oil companies, seems to finally be swirling down the toilet bowl.

Time to declare victory and get the hell out.

I, for one, will consider that a victory for the sane among us who have refused to support this insane project.

[Bluerthanblue]

4. I read last night, that Malaiki wants a 'timetable'- not sure where

I read it- but I'll look to see if I can find the article.

[kentuck]

5. Here's one:

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/11/10282/

[Bluerthanblue]

8. yup, that was it- thanks-

here's a similar one I just found-

http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/91192/?ses=fb3af8f9b90fde1114d92470cf5c533c



duh- edited to put the link- :blush:

[jefferson_dem]

6. HERE --- U.S. Rejects Iraqi Demand for Timetable on Troop Withdrawal

U.S. Rejects Iraqi Demand for Timetable on Troop Withdrawal
By Ed Johnson and Camilla Hall

July 9 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. government rejected calls by Iraq to set a timetable for withdrawing troops from the country and said the planned reduction in force levels will be dictated by conditions on the ground.

The U.S. and Iraq are negotiating an agreement that will lay the legal boundaries for the operation of coalition forces after their United Nations mandate expires at the end of December.

``We want to withdraw, we will withdraw,'' State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos told reporters in Washington yesterday. ``However, that decision will be conditions-based.''

About 150,000 U.S. soldiers remain in the country, down from a peak of 165,000 at the end of 2007. The last of the five combat brigades sent to the country last year by President George W. Bush as part of a so-called surge to improve security is preparing to come home this month.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki wants to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops as part of the security pact, scheduled to be agreed on by the end of July.

Iraqi national security adviser Mowaffak al-Rubaie said yesterday the country is seeking a ``timeline'' for the duration of U.S. fighting operations in the country.

``We are making progress and are committed to departing, as evidenced by the fact that we have transferred over half of the country's provinces to provisional Iraqi control,'' said Gallegos, according to a transcript. ``We're looking at conditions, not calendars here.''

The pull back is set in the context of November's U.S. presidential election. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has made opposition to the Iraq war and a promise to bring home more troops a key plank of his platform. Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, backed the troop surge and says Bush's strategy is working.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=auu2ZktvmDaU&refer=home

[indepat]

7. Hopefully those troops are not needed elsewhere

:scared:

[AtomicKitten]

9. Lucy needs to put the football down. Charlie Brown finally caught on.

[Blondiegrrl]

10. Ah, just in time for November.

News flash: "WE WON IRAQ! WE'RE BRINGING THE TROOPS HOME! SEE? BUSH WAS RIGHT ALONG!"

I just hope the majority of Americans aren't dumb enough to fall for that bullshit.

[wmbrew0206]

12. Also consider the other side of the coin.

Maliki also has an election coming up. It is in his best interests to be able to say that his government was able to defeat terrorism in Iraq and the US troops are no longer needed in Iraq.

Everyone in Iraq knows that the Iraqi Army is not self sufficent. They will be dependant on US aircraft and artillery for their Fire Support for several more years.

[raebrek]

13. Yay!!! n/t