Anyone care to make sense of this?

[cynatnite]

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday that he was working to accelerate the deployment of 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, suggesting that the influx of American troops is no longer contingent upon the Iraqi government fulfilling its commitments for Baghdad security operations.

snip:
"As long as he feels he needs them, they're all going to flow," Gates told reporters at his first Pentagon news conference.

snip:
"We are going to see if the timetable for the dispatch of the brigades can be accelerated," Gates said,

snip:
The U.S. troop increases now underway in both Iraq and Afghanistan reflect a deliberate effort to "create an environment in which the commanders feel open to requesting what they think they need," Gates said, suggesting that in the past U.S. commanders have not felt comfortable asking for reinforcements.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/26/AR2007012601208.html

Gates is saying that it doesn't matter whether the Iraqi government follows through even though bush stated they have to or else.

Some of this reads like they'll send even more troops to Iraq. The last one is even more surprising. Basically, Gates implied the commanders didn't feel they could ask for what they needed despite bush's statements to the contrary. It further shows how little attention was paid to the military commanders on the ground.

[izzie]

1. Who knows. Bush lies all the time.

I guess I will joke and say never get mixed up with an ex-drunk who is also a zealot and has the same types around him.

[illinoisprogressive]

2. These people are sick. I heard on cspan today where recruits are being

given only 2 weeks training before being sent to Iraq. I think it was when I watched the peace march rally.
2 weeks training! They are walking to their deaths.

[frogcycle]

5. that has to be bs

[cynatnite]

6. New recruits into the military....

They get about 9-12 weeks of training depending on the branch and their MOS. The two weeks...possible that those currently in the military, but never having been to a war zone are getting two weeks of training to help better prepare them.

You can rest assured new recruits into the military aren't getting only two weeks of training and then going to Iraq.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. Can we rest assured? I would have until this administration.

So many standards have been lowered that I for one am left wondering.

Secondary thought: it would be awful if that "2 week" comment at the rally today was hyperbole. I think Tim Robbins said it??

[cynatnite]

8. They wouldn't lower them to that point for new recruits...

Just won't happen. I'm a vet and I guarantee you it wouldn't happen. It would be nice to see the complete quote in context and who it was from. Might help.

[AlCzervik]

3. it confirms that the "commanders on the ground" were afraid asking for

more troops and god knows what else from Bush was going to be a career ender.

[Richard D]

4. Interesting the use of the word flow . . .

. . . as in flowing blood. Sick fucks.

[Unperson]

9. That second part implies this current surge will open the floodgate.

15,000 in four months, another 30,000 here, 40,000 there. Endless war.

[Fovea]

10. That cold breeze is whistling

right through my study tonight.

[cynatnite]

11. kicking for the day crowd n/t