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05/28/2003 Archived Entry: "I'll bet the grunts are REAL happy about this."
I'll bet the grunts are REAL happy about this.
'Until security improves?' What if it takes, I dunno, 5 years or something? Are our young fighting men and women on permanent assignment in Iraq until they love us??
Faced with armed resistance that has killed four American soldiers this week, allied military commanders now plan to keep a larger force in Iraq than had been anticipated and to send war-hardened units to trouble spots outside Baghdad, senior American officials said today. Instead of sending home the Third Infantry Division, which led the charge on Baghdad, American officials are developing plans that call for most of its troops to extend their stay and be used to quell unrest and extend American control.
Allied officials said that about 160,000 American and British troops were in Iraq and that most were likely to stay until security improves and other nations eased the burden by contributing troops.
Geez, remember how Rummy scoffed at that general for saying it would take hundreds of thousands of troops, staying indefinitely, to police Iraq? Well, that general ain't lookin' so foolish now.
What was that 'exit strategy' quote? Oh yeah, here it is. Aw hell, I'll throw in a big chunk of stuff here, because it's relevant:
Q: How would you decide when it was in the national interest to use US force? BUSH: Well, if it’s in our vital national interests. And that means:
Whether our territory is threatened, our people could be harmed, whether or not our defense alliances are threatened, whether or not our friends in the Middle East are threatened.
Whether or not the mission was clear, whether or not it was a clear understanding as to what the mission would be.
Whether or not we were prepared and trained to win, whether or not our forces were of high morale and high standing and well-equipped.
And finally, whether or not there was an exit strategy.
I would take the use of force very seriously. I would be guarded in my approach. I don’t think we can be all things to all people in the world. I think we’ve got to be very careful when we commit our troops. The vice president believes in nation-building. I would be very careful about using our troops as nation builders.
Source: Presidential debate, Boston MA Oct 3, 2000
Oh, wait, don't tell me. 9/11 changed everything, right?
Replies: somebody speaks up.
I don't think draft dodgers should start wars. This Commander-in-chief did not conduct himself admirably during the Vietnam War and I take a dim view of his eagerness to send young men and women to their deaths in the so-called "Iraqi Freedom" debacle. Who dreams up these catchy phrases anyway?
Is it true that George W. Bush was AWOL for about two years from the Texas Air National Guard? Why wasn't this publicized more in 2002? Why is the military so gung ho for him today?
Posted by Wilmoth E. Nichols @ 05/29/2003 09:22 PM NY
