U.S May Begin Troop Drawdown in 2006

[freeplessinseattle]

Really now, seems no one at the WH knows much about it.


Pentagon Eager for Slow Pullout as Military Stretched Perilously Thin
By ROBERT BURNS, AP

WASHINGTON (July 11) - Major reductions in U.S. troop levels in Iraq next year appear increasingly likely, although Pentagon officials said Monday it is too early to predict the specific size and timing.

<snip>
The Pentagon is eager to pull some of its 135,000 troops out of Iraq in 2006, partly because the counterinsurgency is stretching the Army and Marine Corps perilously thin as casualties mount and partly because officials believe the presence of a large U.S. force is generating tacit support for anti-American violence

<snip>
Bryan Whitman, a senior Pentagon spokesman, declined to comment directly on a leaked British military assessment that raises the possibility of drastically cutting British troop strength in Iraq by the end of next year as well as sharply cutting the overall number of U.S. and allied troops by the middle of next year to 66,000.

"It's not for me to speculate on when there might be a reduction in U.S. forces," he said, adding that U.S. officials have said repeatedly for months that their goal is to begin reductions in 2006 if conditions permit.


http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20050711165109990012&ncid=NWS00010000000001

[acmavm]

1. And how would anyone like to be one of the poor schmucks left in

Iraq?

It's not going well now, with 136,000. Think of how dangerous and bad it will be if they are further outnumbered. What good will they be, considering they're nothing more the targets now.

Idiots. Bring all of them home. That's the only way.

[highnooner]

2. Wait! Wait! Wait!

We can't give the terrorists a timeline for a pullout. They'll know when to attack then!

[OffWithTheirHeads]

3. Hmmmmmm, isn't there some sort of election happening then?

Must be a coincedence. Republicans would never use our troops for political gain. Would they?

[auburngrad82]

4. Just in time for the 2006 elections nt

[Inland]

5. You mean the leaked memo of a "plan", not an actual reduction, is in time

The rumor that the admin might be cutting and running comes out in time to win votes from the worried voters, but when will the actual reduction come?

Bush wants credit for something that hasn't happened and may never happen.

[auburngrad82]

7. True nt

[freeplessinseattle]

9. yeah, nice headline and notice that they don't mention

that it is uncomfirmed until halfway through the article.
!

[Roland99]

6. The MSM is jumping all over this "leaked secret British document"

but it took them over a month to begin covering the DSM?


Fucking complicit bastards.

[OneBlueSky]

8. it's a three-step process . . .

Step 1: Remove enough troops to impact the 2006 elections.

Step 2: Maintain or increase Republican majorities in House and Senate in 2006.

Step 3: After the election, increase troop strength in Iraq to previous levels or higher (probably in response to some "incident").

seems simple enough to me . . .

[Just Me]

10. Yet, another misrepresentation of their actual plan to stay,....forever.

Since they plan a permanent U.S. military presence, the insurgency will continue to grow and NO reduction or pullout will be possible.

I so sick of these freakin' liars!!! :grr: