Rumsfeld predicts 'drawdown' in Iraq with 'increases" -- war is peace

[bigtree]

escalation is exit

Rumsfeld: U.S. Plans No Troop Reductions in Iraq

US Troop Levels Will Fluctuate



Chicago Tribune

WASHINGTON - After three days of congressional debate over possibly withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld said Thursday that no reduction is planned and that the military force could even grow.

Rumsfeld, at a Pentagon news conference with Gen. George Casey, the U.S. commander in Iraq, said Casey has been instructed to discuss the U.S. troop presence in Iraq with the new Iraqi government.

The defense secretary said the objective is "to develop a way ahead that they're comfortable with and that we're comfortable."

Rumsfeld said a report that Casey planned to cut the 127,000-memer U.S. force in Iraq by as many as 10,000 troops is "wrong" and that the general has the authority to increase the U.S. military presence in Iraq.

"It will very likely not be a steady path down," Rumsfeld said. "It could very likely be a drawdown with an increase."

http://www.fox6.com/news/national/story.aspx?content_id=A60C28D9-39B0-41FF-BE72-D59612E2C666

[spanone]

1. More like: War is domestic politics.

The soldiers are pawns in the game.

[Dhalgren]

2. I have a question for the brave republicans.

If the Iraqi government is "sovereign" (even if the Dictator doesn't know what that means) and the Iraqis are "comfortable with a plan for the withdrawal of US troops, why would it be necessary for the US to be "comfortable" with it?

As the Dictator said, "When you're sovereign...it means...it means... well, if you're sovereign it means you're soveriegn...heh, heh..."

[grytpype]

3. No one has any f*cking idea what is going on over there!

[bigtree]

4. Look at all of the 'Casey predicts withdrawal' headlines

pure distortion

[grytpype]

5. Sure. They have to predict troop reductions now.

But later, they'll say they took a look at the situation on the ground and decided not to reduce troop levels.

Because, truthfully, if we withdraw some troops then the ones we leave in Iraq will be less safe. I think an orderly withdrawal is going to be very, very difficult.

[bigtree]

6. my point for a long time now

the remaining 'skeleton force' will be more vulnerable, and bound by the same muckraking mission.

The mission needs to be redefined as an immediate withdrawal, for everyone's safety.