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Mr Earl

My prediction is the new democratic congress and senate will try to prove they aren't soft on terrorists and will escalate the situation in Iraq. This will also set Hillary up for a 2008 presidential win.
Letting Iraq slip away into a Vietnam can't happen under their watch.
If the insurgents were rooting for the democrats they are in for a big surprise. All the "cut and run" rhetoric was just that empty rhetoric to suck in the stupid voters.

If anyone doubts this scenario just study some history from the 60's. Yawl remember LBJ don't ya?

man with no head

Escalate? How could they do that when foreign policy and command of the military is the sole power of Bush? The Congress has no such power.

Mr Earl

No but they do have the influence. They can still blame Bush because he started it.
Pulling out of Iraq prematurely simply isn't an option.
Now if under dem control Iraq proves successful because of a dem mandate for change they take the credit! Not the hated GWB. You watch; the USA isn't going to take a whipping in the ME.
And remember who is next in line! And she is one hard a$$.

Butterfly

I will bet that Bush will do a runner on Iraq in late 2008

Milkman

"Escalate."

By changing military nd political tactics and/or buy increasing troops numbers? (The latter cannot really be done.)

You make a good point, though.

A very good point.

man with no head

But how could they do that when there's an R across the street? They need control of the WH to escalate and send in more troops.

First step even in doing that is to sack Rummy.

Milkman

More troops CANNOT be sent in.

The reserves are already strained. Deployments have been extended to many and re-deployments have been done in shorter periods of time.

As a poster stated, there is no shortage of troops. But there are not enough to increase troop levels in significant numbers.

This is why....the top military brass and civilian leaders are NOT requesting more troops.

They cannot get them.

Rumsfeld is not the lone person responsible for this. There are several players, and several factors involved.

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Mr Earl

Just watch...I wouldn't be surprised if we see a draft. Some fur is going to fly.
That's is pretty much guaranteed.

Milkman

Mr Earl,

I know you're joking.

Drafts don't work. A draft of civilians just doesn't work.

No political support, and draftees would have to be trained and enough would have to be sent to get a level of 330,000 U.S. troops which was the minimum amount Gen. Shinseki said was necesarry.

Remember the "Power Doctrine?"

It's dead.

But I know your jokin'

Mr Earl

A draft would be pretty unlikely.
What will likely happen is nothing.
The decision making process will become bogged down in innumerable comities.
I think I'm going to have to kill my TV and quit watching the news and go blow some carbon out my motorcycle cylinder heads.

cali kid

Out of all replies on this thread i think this one make the most sense, and it has left me with nothing to say.

Butterfly

What would happen to your darling Faux News ?

Mr Earl

I reckon they will survive. After all I'm sure all the hypocrites like you will keep watching.

Milkman

Remember to not watch TV to get "news" and/or information.

The news channels on television do not go in-depth.

They barely scratch the surface, if that.

Mr Earl

I get much of my news from periodicals like, the National Review, The weekly standard, and the Washington times.
Though I confess to being lazy sometimes and watch Fox news.

But it's all getting a bit tiresome. I'd just like to see the US dollar come back up a bit.

Butterfly

Faux News is fucking great, I tell ya. Trash entertainment at its best. Always waiting for a nudie pic to show up at anytime, but so far no luck. I guess they could always ask that bitch Coulter to undress to make it more entertaining, but I think they forgot to cut her dick.

Covertjay

[quote=Mr Earl;208310]Time for some rythmn method foreign policy.

Milkman

Well we know where you stand, sir.

How's Bill Kristol doing these days?

I don't mind The Washington Times.

Mr Earl

I've never made a secret of where I stand. I think my stance is slightly more pragmatic than the average ACLU zombie!
Bill Kristol accurately predicted the loss of the house of representatives to the democrats. He didn't see the senate take over.

I still don't think GWB has just invented the threat of jihadist extremism.
Now it will be up to the leftist dreamers to face the reality of what jihadist extremism really means.
GWB and Tony Blair have been saying it all along.
Now it's up to Pelosi, Reid and gang to face reality.
Nobody with a brain buys any of this crap that's spewing out of Venezuela
right now.

Mr Earl