Bush Faces Pressure to Shift War Priorities

[cal04]

Source: Washington Post

As Iraq Calms, Focus Turns to Afghanistan

With violence on the decline in Iraq but on the upswing in Afghanistan, President Bush is facing new pressure from the U.S. military to accelerate a troop drawdown in Iraq and bulk up force levels in Afghanistan, according to senior U.S. officials.

Administration officials said the White House could start to debate the future of the American military commitment in both Iraq and Afghanistan as early as next month. Some Pentagon officials are urging a further drawdown of forces in Iraq beyond that envisioned by the White House, which is set to reduce the number of combat brigades from 20 to 15 by the end of next summer. At the same time, commanders in Afghanistan are looking for several additional battalions, helicopters and other resources to confront a resurgent Taliban movement.

Bush's decisions on Iraq and Afghanistan could heavily influence his ability to pass on to his successor stable situations in both countries, an objective his advisers describe as one of the president's paramount goals for his final year in office. They say Bush will listen closely to his military commanders on the ground before making any decisions on troops but is unlikely to do anything he believes could jeopardize recent, hard-won security improvements in Iraq.

Administration officials say the White House has become more concerned in recent months about the situation in Afghanistan, where grinding poverty, rampant corruption, poor infrastructure and the growing challenge from the Taliban are hindering U.S. stabilization efforts. Senior administration officials now believe Afghanistan may pose a greater longer-term challenge than Iraq.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/16/AR2007121601823.html?hpid=topnews

[WCGreen]

1. Only dozens of people are being slaughtered....

Way to go Bushie...

[TwilightGardener]

2. Sure, he'll wreck our military and our treasury, and waste more American lives, trying

to pass off a "stable" situation in Iraq that has to end at some point. SOMEBODY is going to have to reduce our presence there significantly, and when they do, it might not end well. The SURGE only succeeded in prolonging the inevitable until he's safely out of office--stupid evil fuck. At least LBJ was tormented by Vietnam, while doing the same "pass it off" bullshit as Chimpy.

[countmyvote4real]

3. Preaching to the choir.

If you haven't, please do it now:

http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com/

[OneBlueSky]

4. no nation has ever invaded Afghanistan and won . . . food for thought . . . n/t

.

[classysassy]

6. Russia

after ten years tucked their tails between their legs and got out,five to go.

[fasttense]

5. More likely just shifting war profits.

The contractors in Iraq are slowing down, so they are shifting to spend more on the contractors in Afghanistan. We don't have a real military anymore and not much of a government either. Just a huge funnel to to pour our nation wealth down the gullets of the uber wealthy CEO's and corporations.

[gratuitous]

7. Shift priorities?

Wait, you mean that suddenly we know how much oil is being pumped in Iraq? And who's paying for it (or not)? And where it's being shipped? And who's on the receiving end of the stream of payments? Because if that's the case, then those priorities need to get shifted toot fuckin' sweet!

Oh, nobody knows how much, where or who's benefiting? Then why shift anything? The money's still going into the right pockets and laissez les bon temps continuez!