Critics Say 'Surge' Is More of The Same

[cal04]

Past Troop Buildups Have Not Quelled Iraq
President Bush is putting the final touches on his new Iraq policy amid growing skepticism inside and outside the administration that the emerging package of extra troops, economic assistance and political benchmarks for the Baghdad government will make any more than a marginal difference in stabilizing the country.

Washington's debate over Iraq will intensify this week as Bush lays out his plans, probably on Wednesday or Thursday, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and other administration officials face tough questions from Democrats in congressional hearings.

Although officials said the president has yet to settle on an exact figure of new troops, senior military leaders and commanders are deeply worried that a "surge" of as many as five brigades, or 20,000 troops, in Iraq and Kuwait would tax U.S. ground forces already stretched to the breaking point -- and may still prove inadequate to quell sectarian violence and the Sunni insurgency. Some senior U.S. officials think it could even backfire.

"There is a lot of concern that this won't work," said one military official not authorized to speak publicly about the debate at the Pentagon.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/06/AR2007010601489.html

[babylonsister]

1. Question: is there ANYONE who thinks this is a good idea? nt

[madrchsod]

2. i have come to the conclusion that bush has arrived

at the same point in time as hitler did. bush is commanding non existent troops,making delusional decisions about the world around him ,and "removing" anyone who disagrees with his delusions. now we know how the german generals felt when they realized that hitler was destroying their beloved country.

[BlooInBloo]

3. "Escalation". "Escalation". "Escalation".

Why Democrats are so hot to use republican lying-words utterly escapes me.

[warpheads]

4. First Democrat Failure

Why is Bush escalating the war in Iraq? Why did he sign an executive order allowing our Fourth Amendment Rights to be further destroyed by opening our mail without warrant?
A large part of this is because Bush knows the Democrats aren't going to do a damn thing to stop him. The Dems were voted in to stop the war and the attack on our Bill of Rights and all they start with is a letter voicing mild discontent with the escallation of troops, raising the minimum wage which most states already have and another run at health care reform to which they don't have the will to take on their corporate owners? From the start it looks like we're going to get more of the same with the republocrats laughing all the way to the bank on our dime!
Story below:
Bush aides preview 'surge' proposal
By Doyle McManus and Maura Reynolds, Times Staff Writer
7:55 PM PST, January 6, 2007

WASHINGTON -- Two months ago, the nation's voters handed both houses of Congress to the Democrats in an election that reflected deep discontent with the war in Iraq.

This week, President Bush is responding to voters' message — by preparing to escalate the U.S. military commitment in Iraq with a "surge" that would add thousands of troops.

That might sound paradoxical, but aides say Bush's willingness to send more troops makes sense based on two beliefs that have long guided his war strategy. The first is that the price of leaving Iraq would be greater than the cost of staying. The second is that the public will accept the burdens of war if it is convinced that success is still possible.

"Is this a war, or is it not a war?" one official asked, previewing an argument the president is likely to make this week. "If it is, you have to be willing to sacrifice.... Americans are willing to do that as long as we have a clear strategy that offers a chance of success."
78% of Americans polled have clearly stated that they DO NOT have confidence in Bush when it comes to the war...but what the hell does he care? The Democrats aren't going to stop him.

[candidate]

5. Republicans are the masters of spin and euphimisms

It's not creationism, it's "intelligent design."

It's not an escalation, it's "a surge."

It's not stay the course, it's "get the job done."

It's not homophobia, it's "traditional values."

Incredible.