Article

2007-08-18 Iraq

US commanders plan Iraq drawdown next year

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Posted by Steve White 2007-08-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views ] Top
File under: Iraqi Insurgency

#1 Not much reading between the lines necessary to see the surge is suceeding, at least in the Khaleej Times. It is a Reuters piece, however, so I'll watch the Washington Post tomorrow - they'll probably pick it up!

Posted by Bobby 2007-08-18 07:20|| 2007-08-18 07:20|| Front Page Top

#2 Odierno's obviously doing a great job, but for the billionth time, can anyone here play this game? Body language conveying anything other than relentless determination directly undermines our mission and gets more Americans killed in the long run. At the same time, it is utterly irrelevant to the domestic political situation, where (as though it wasn't obvious from the start) the opposition and the pathetic weather-vanes of the GOP lack the guts to do anything dramatic on Iraq. Somehow the political geniuses all over DC incl. the White House cannot recognize the obvious fact that Americans are sensitive to perceptions of progress or utility in our efforts and sacrifice, and not hung up on dates and deadlines. I believe the DOD has done focus group work over the last few years that documents this and other common sense things - but apparently either that's a rumor or the results aren't shared with the WH.

Sheesh.

Show bloody, bared teeth and a slightly maniacal visage to the world until you get what you want. Then it's time for transparency about future plans.

Talking points for Odierno (he can use them without a royalty fee): "As we've said before our future actions will be determined by results and conditions here on the ground. Our actions on increasing or decreasing troop levels will be conditions-based, the only important conditions being our progress in achieving our objectives. There's no timetable in a war, and in this war the only end-point will be the achievement of our objectives. The enemy, and anyone else, had better think accordingly."

There - is that so hard?

Posted by Verlaine 2007-08-18 12:07|| 2007-08-18 12:07|| Front Page Top

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