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Home Front: WoT
Senator Levin calls for plan to empower Iraqi forces
2005-07-07
BAGHDAD - A comprehensive plan is needed to hand more power to Iraqi forces and reduce US troop levels in the war-torn country, senior Democratic Senator Carl Levin said during a visit on Wednesday. “I expressed to the president that I opposed a fixed time for withdrawal of American forces but that I do very much favour there being some kind of a plan for those forces to be withdrawn as certain milestones are met relative to the power and capability of the Iraqi forces,” Levin told reporters after meeting Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
Oh no, a fixed timetable is bad, but milestones are good. Cheez, he really thinks anyone other than the Kos Kiddies will fall for this?
“So that both Iraqi and American people and the other countries of the world understand that we are not here for an unlimited period of time.”
We've already said we'll leave when the Iraqis are ready.
Levin, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, took a swipe at recent comments by US President George W. Bush that the military strategy in Iraq was simply that “as the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down”.

“There needs be some kind of a comprehensive plan ... so that we can see both the increase in Iraqi strength but also some reductions in the American and other coalition forces that occur simultaneously so that it has some meaning and significance to the rhetoric statement about standing up and standing down,” he said.

Levin was also expected to meet with Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari.
Jaafari has an impossible job: educate Senator Knucklehead while remaining diplomatic.
Senator Ted Kennedy, another Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, recently called on US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign over mismanagement of the Iraq military campaign.
Attaboy Ted. Another round?
Posted by:Steve White

#11  Milestones are appropriate when the remaining tasks in a project are well defined.

We're in an evolving war. I'm pretty sure there are *working* milestones being used by operational planners. I'm also damned sure it would be a mistake to announce either what they are or what our actions will be when they're reached.

And I'm also pretty damned sure some of them will change in response to broader events.

This is a war. It will be long, messy, uncertain, expensive, and painful.

It is also necessary if we, our way of life and our civilization is going to endure.
Posted by: too true   2005-07-07 17:14  

#10  milestones? wasn't that the name of sayid qutb's book--been reading islamofascism screeds senator--btw zark's running out of male splodeydopes and generally whining--he's going to declare victory and split for al uds--a real muzzie george aitken
Posted by: SON OF TOLUI   2005-07-07 13:47  

#9  You're damn right about that LH, absolutely NO plan has ever survived yadayadayada.
Posted by: General Shiipman   2005-07-07 12:41  

#8  i think its good that Levin broke with the Kennedy-Byrd line of demanding a timetable. Im not sure about the milestones - you should have milestones, and we need to communicate more details to the public than have been done so far, but I wouldnt want to get into a situation where we say "Ok, when there are 200,000 trained Iraqis, we pull out half our force" and then we train 200,000 Iraqis, and we decide based on, say, the situation on the ratlines, that its a bad idea to pull out at that point, and some idiot starts jumping up and down and pointing to the milestones. So more clarity on the plan, yes, but keep sufficient flexibility - this is war, and no plan survives yadda yadda.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2005-07-07 12:10  

#7  Senator Ted Kennedy, another Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, recently called on US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign over mismanagement of the Iraq military campaign.

"And I call on Sen. Kennedy to resign over his mismanagement of the Chappaquidick swim team!"
Posted by: Rummy   2005-07-07 09:55  

#6  "Empower"?
Look out! He's speaking Democrat!
Posted by: tu3031   2005-07-07 09:40  

#5  News flash asshole. The Iraqis are already doing most of the city patroling. They are running the majority of the raids in the city. They just did a raid which captured over 100 terrorists. They ARE empowered and doing quite well despite your obvious lack of understanding or caring about the issues.
Sit down, STFU and let people who do this for a living finish their job. People like you cause more problems than your pitiful, worthless lives are worth. Just. Shut. up.
Or face our squirrly wrath.....
Posted by: mmurray821   2005-07-07 09:37  

#4  I would like to see Levin's hair when facing a stiff Iraqi sand storm.

Good thing the adults are in charge.
Posted by: Captain America   2005-07-07 03:34  

#3  I'll catch hell again for my comments on Levin he is a typical liberal, self hating non religious jew who will do anything he can get away with to the US or say anything he can get away with against the US.
Drano is too good for him and his good pals Teddy and Chuck. Screw the waste of skin.
Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom   2005-07-07 01:44  

#2  Levin. Right, let asshole politicians who don't have a clue about war, terrorism, the conditions on the ground, the state of the Iraqi forces or their political progress - ad infinitum ad nauseum - run the show. Yewbetcha Carl. BTW, I love the half-glasses on the nose thingy. Makes you look, um, just like what you are: a poser.

Fuck the fuck off, Levin. Aren't you due for a heart attack or something? Get on with it, already. If not, well, eat Drano. Asshole.
Posted by: .com   2005-07-07 00:58  

#1  Anytime somebody uses the word "empower" all I can think of is that they are starting to believe the doublespeak.

That's one of those flag words that makes me look for the robbery scam. If a CEO says it... dump your stock. If a boss says it ... float your resume...

Its one of those code words....
Posted by: 3dc   2005-07-07 00:07  

00:00