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Milkman

I agree with Sabang, here.

The Surge is only doing minor things in certain areas. It's what the military calls the "pillsberry Dough effect." I poke a part of one area, and other areas see increases in attacks, cleansing, etc.

It's still about political. The Al-Maliki government is barely functional on many levels.

Folks shouldn't confuse military with political.

Because political, is what this is all about.

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Boon Mee

More good news out of Iraq from the NY Times - of all places...

NathairCeann

So what are you going to do when the "peace with honour" comes down.

Leave them where they are (you ain't got room in Gitmo)

The Shias will string 'em up for you.

Ah sure , they're all "Islamofascists" , especially the kids.

Boon Mee

Well, it's far from over isn't it. There will be an American presence in Iraq for many years to come. Within two years or so there will be a draw-down of combat troops as the Iraqui security forces mature. Only way for a total withdrawal - peace w/honor, will be if the raving liberal cut & run moonbat democrats totally take over the executive and legislative branches of government...

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keda

Wish I could agree...what you say about the US staying over for many years is right, but only so long as the sad fvcks don't slither in.

Plobrem is, if they do, they effectively have carte blanche to do whatever they want, because however they cock up they find the usual convoluted reasoning to blame it on Bush.

AntRobertson

Eh, like he was the one directly responsible for miring the nation in an illegal war and quagmire of an 'occupation'?

Yeah, fancy blaming that on Bush when it's clearly some else's fault!?

Boon Mee

Here we go boys - got France onboard. What's the expression? "Let's Roll" not "Let's Roll Over"!


France's Sarkozy raises prospect of Iran airstrikes

"In his first major foreign policy speech, French president says diplomatic push by world's powers to rein in Tehran's nuclear program is only alternative to 'Iranian bomb or bombing of Iran'

raycarey

poor boonie....

in the very line you quoted, it says that a 'diplomatic push' is the only only alternative.

AND, in that very same address he called for a timetable for withdrawal of troops from iraq....and after all boner, this is the iraq news thread.

Sarkozy calls for timetable for Iraq troop withdrawal UPDATE - News - MSNBC.com

keep posting booner!

Boon Mee

^
Poor ray - still in denial re. the surge and progress on the WOT...
...rather sad but then you have to take the blinders off sometime, eh?

AntRobertson

NathairCeann

I came across this site (and I have no idea of it's validity) but if the following excerpts have any basis in truth there are people in the US administration and military who should explain themselves. 'Initial war plans for Iraq had an initial American invasion force of about 130,000 soldiers and Marines, which would drop quickly to as few as 30,000 to 50,000 by the end of 2003.' 'As of 01 March 2006 there were 133,000 US troops in Iraq, down from about 160,000 in December 2005 during parliamentary elections. The Pentagon cut Army combat brigades to 15 from 17. The 25th Infantry Division from Hawaii, along with seven other major military units are scheduled to deploy as part of the Summer 2006 troop rotation. The Pentagon hoped to reduce the US presence in Iraq to less than 100,000 by the end of 2006.' Iraq - US Forces Order of Battle I mean ??????

Boon Mee

Well, President Bush is in OZ and the moonbats are out in force down there. So what we gonna do? Fight of surrender?



Hmm...must be winter down there wearing them heavy coats.
Probably gathered 'round a nice fire of burning American flags to stay warm, eh?

sabang

The practical answer is a bit of both. At least the Pollies will be able to put some spin on it, but lets face it the whole operation has been a failure- one only hopes some lessons have been learnt.

Continue to build up and train the Iraqi security forces, whilst initiating a phased withdrawal. Work closely with the UN. Perhaps at some point even work under the UN, which will mean some swallowing of pride.
In scattered hot spots, use surge tactics to calm them down and give the Iraqi's a chance of keeping order.
Perhaps keep a small presence to guard such things as ports and major petrochemical installations for a while. Prolly best as a UN mission.
Hope for the best. Use US and UN money to try and deliver on some of the failed reconstruction promises, hoping to buy some goodwill and cooperation.

In short, make the best of a bad situation. It's gonna take some years to live this one down, but I suppose you can look at Vietnam as an example of the fact that in due course people just want to get ahead with building the future, not dwellng in the past.

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Boon Mee

How about these leading Senators after going to Iraq and seeing first hand the surge is working - and praising the results!

btw - this must be the real definition of torture, eh?

AntRobertson

Praising, Booners?

Or damning with faint praise? What makes Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich) and John Warner (R-Va) "leading Senators" anyways?

sabang

The splurge may succeed in calming down some hot spots, but at what cost I do not know.
The common enemy of the Iraqi government, it's people and the Rest of the World is Al Qaeda. US military efforts should be focused on them, with less stirring the pot about Iran and sectarian stuff.

keda

The surge is a temporary condition, though the US will almost certainly be in the region for years if not decades to come with the alternative being loss of face and influence in the region, and more important Iraqi oil to the free world.

Of course this is subject to the lib/left/looney/dems not being allowed in the win/win situation of doing as they please and taking credit where due the while heaping blame for the blunders onto the current admin.

Far more complex than a couple of sentences, but looks like the free world represented by tatters of the Coalition, is going to bear the brunt of a costly war of attrition, with the outcome pretty clear to all bar fools and politicians.

Boon Mee

Well, if you read the piece you'd see they're both ranking members of the Armed Forces sub-committtee. One a democrat too...

then there's this air-head anchor of the CBS Evening news who's now stating: "Real Progress in Iraq" - Katie Couric. What in the world is going on! Heh...watch as some of the presidential candidates will soon be for the surge before they were agaist it!

Link

AntRobertson

I did read the piece Booners, did you?

So aside from their positions on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I ask again, what makes them "leading Senators"? Is it that they kinda, sorta, but not really simply said something that you took to be supporting the surge (even though actually reading the article reveals it is heavily qualified 'support')?