Bush Talks Troop Withdrawal With Petraeus

[rsmith6621]

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- Facing another decision about U.S. troop levels in Iraq by spring, President George W. Bush said Saturday it's "fine with me" if generals recommend no more reductions than those already planned to take the force posture down to about 130,000.

Traveling for the next few days among Sunni Arab-ruled states jittery about the rising influence and ambitions of Shiite-majority Iran, Bush used part of remarks here that were focused on Iraq to put Tehran on notice -- again.

"Iran's role in fomenting violence has been exposed," he said as he listed successes the U.S. is helping to bring about in Iraq. "Iranian agents are in our custody, and we are learning more about how Iran has supported extremist groups with training and lethal aid."

http://www.kirotv.com/news/15035184/detail.html


Just More Bushit from Bushit

[Xipe Totec]

1. Who would have guessed there is a time table for withdrawal?

With a hard date of Nov 2008?

[bigtree]

2. Pentagon: Strain on US Forces is Key Issue in Request for Marines for Afghanistan

Washington
11 January 2008

The top U.S. military officer says he would like to be able to send 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, as regional commanders have requested. But he says senior leaders are concerned about the impact the deployment would have on already-strained U.S. ground forces. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

Admiral Mike Mullen says Defense Secretary Robert Gates hosted a meeting of top commanders Friday morning to discuss their request, but he says no decision was made. The admiral indicated the request might have already been granted except for concern about the stress the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have put on U.S. forces at their current deployment level.

"The strain on the force is something that's front and center in my mind all the time, and all the leadership. If we had these forces readily available, I think we would have decided earlier. That is a really tough situation. And at the same time, we believe that additional forces in Afghanistan can have a big impact. It's the mission versus the strain, very specifically," he said.

Admiral Mullen says the American general who commands NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Dan McNeil, attended the Pentagon meeting. U.S. officials have pressed NATO allies to come up with the extra forces needed in Afghanistan, but Secretary Gates indicated last month that he has come to believe they just might not be able to. Secretary Gates has said he will decide soon on whether to send the 3,000 Marines to Afghanistan, adding to the 27,000 U.S. troops already there.


http://voanews.com/english/2008-01-11-voa68.cfm

[peace13]

3. * continues to talk about our troops like they are not humans.

As long as he gets what he wants that is just fine. Why do the troops support him?

[rodeodance]

4. Bush is bored with Iraq.