WASHINGTON, Sept. 5, 2008
Bush To Unveil Iraq Troop Level Plan
President Expected To Follow Pentagon Advice To Withdraw Up To 8,000 Troops By January
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U.S. Army soldiers from Hawk Company, 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, patrol in a village near Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles north of Baghdad in Iraq's volatile Diyala province, Aug. 2, 2008. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Photo Essay Week In Iraq Photos A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
The closely held plan forwarded by top Pentagon advisers calls for keeping 15 combat brigades in Iraq until the end of the year, according to senior defense officials. It would also send a small Marine contingent to Afghanistan in November to replace one of two units slated to head home then.
Mr. Bush is scheduled to make remarks Tuesday at the National Defense University in Washington. White House press secretary Dana Perino says he has been talking with his national security team and will be consulting with members of Congress about Iraq.
Under the Pentagon recommendations, one combat brigade - numbering between 3,500 to 4,000 troops - will leave Iraq after the first of the year and will not be replaced. In addition, at least one Marine battalion will leave and not be replaced, as well as a few thousand support forces, defense officials said.
Those forces could include military police officers and other support troops that went to Iraq over the past year to support the large military buildup ordered by Mr. Bush in early 2007 to quell the growing violence.
The new plan being reviewed by Mr. Bush may disappoint some Congress members and others who expected a larger, faster reduction of troops in Iraq, considering the significant downturn in violence. According to defense officials, violence has plunged by about 80 percent since last year's peak.
Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, delivered his recommendations to military leaders about two weeks ago. He had initially argued to maintain the current force levels in Iraq - about 146,000 troops, including 15 combat brigades and thousands of support forces - through June, according to defense officials.
Officials discussed details of the plan on condition of anonymity because Mr. Bush has not yet made a final decision.
"The question on the president's mind has been, 'How do we make sure that we cement those gains and not jeopardize those gains and be able to continue the process of return on success?"' said Perino.
If Mr. Bush adopts the recommendations, it would be left to the next president to execute further troop reductions in Iraq and a greater buildup in Afghanistan. Several more combat brigades are scheduled to leave Iraq during the first half of next year, and decisions must be made on whether or not to replace them.
Commanders have repeatedly asked for more troops in Afghanistan, where there has been a resurgence of the Taliban and a growth in violence.
Mr. Bush's term ends in January. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has advocated pulling all U.S. combat forces out of Iraq within 16 months of the new president taking office. GOP nominee John McCain has said he would rely on the advice of U.S. military commanders to determine the timing and pace of troop reductions. Both candidates have said more troops are needed in Afghanistan.
In other developments:
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- Is Oprah a Racist, or part of the liberally biased media, or is she just discriminating against moms with special needs kids?
Oprah refuses to interview Sarah Palin on her TV show because she choses her race over her gender! What happened to Equal Opportunity? Oprah interviewed Obama, Clinton, but refuses Sarah Palin the first woman in history to be nominated as a Republican VP? Maybe Oprah is just racist or prefers to not support other women? This is absolutely divisive. I''''m going to Oprah.com to email them and tell them what I think. I hope everyone goes to Oprahs website and emails her to demand that she invites Sarah before November!
Posted by praiseallah1
Perhaps Oprah doesn''t like Palin? Ever think of that?
She may be turned off by Zealot Bible Church Evangelicals. I definately would be in agreement with her! - Reply to this comment
- President Bush will announce his decision on future troops levels in Iraq next week and is expected to largely follow the recommendations of military leaders to reduce the number by up to 8,000 by mid-January.
It George Bush follows the advice of the military leaders it will be the First Time he has done so.
I don''t believe a word Mr Bush says anylonger. - Reply to this comment
- Bush & Cheney spying on the Prime Minister is a no brainer. Risk of Oil contracts with Russia.
The reason the US wants to stay in Iraq is they don t want the Russians signing contracts for Iraqi oil.
Before the Iraq invasion & occupation Russia was one of Iraqs largest oil customers. Russia is the second largest supplier of Oil on the planet. They are the Saudis competition.
The Saudis and BIG OIL used Bush to get rid of Saddam because he was undercutting their oil sales and profits by selling cheap to Russia. This caused a depression of oil market prices which hit historic lows prior to the Iraq invasion. - Reply to this comment
- The "surge" working? Like a pill to reduce the aids symptoms after you infect someone.How nice.
- Reply to this comment
- Bush with a plan? Like wiley coyote with his plan.
- Reply to this comment
- THE SURGE HAS SUCCEEDED SAID OBAMA, HE WAS WRONG THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
THE SURGE HAS SUCCEEDED SAID OBAMA, HE WAS WRONG THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!THE SURGE HAS SUCCEEDED SAID OBAMA, HE WAS WRONG THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!THE SURGE HAS SUCCEEDED SAID OBAMA, HE WAS WRONG THE WHOLE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!! HE FINALLY ADMITTED!!!
DO YOU REALLY WANT A PRESIDENT WHO ADMITS AFTER A YEAR THAT HE WAS WRONG THE WHOLE TIME? - Reply to this comment
- Is Oprah a Racist, or part of the liberally biased media, or is she just discriminating against moms with special needs kids?
Oprah refuses to interview Sarah Palin on her TV show because she choses her race over her gender! What happened to Equal Opportunity? Oprah interviewed Obama, Clinton, but refuses Sarah Palin the first woman in history to be nominated as a Republican VP? Maybe Oprah is just racist or prefers to not support other women? This is absolutely divisive. I''m going to Oprah.com to email them and tell them what I think. I hope everyone goes to Oprahs website and emails her to demand that she invites Sarah before November! - Reply to this comment
- Is Oprah a Racist, or part of the liberally biased media, or is she just discriminating against moms with special needs kids?
Oprah refuses to interview Sarah Palin on her TV show because she choses her race over her gender! What happened to Equal Opportunity? Oprah interviewed Obama, Clinton, but refuses Sarah Palin the first woman in history to be nominated as a Republican VP? Maybe Oprah is just racist or prefers to not support other women? This is absolutely divisive. I''m going to Oprah.com to email them and tell them what I think. I hope everyone goes to Oprahs website and emails her to demand that she invites Sarah before November! - Reply to this comment
ABOUT SARAH PALIN:
http://webpages.charter.net/suasponte/
If you really want to know Sarah Palin''s history (in detail) this is a "must read". It was written by Anne Kilkenny, a resident of Wasilla, Alaska.- Reply to this comment
- PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE
QUESTION: "WAS THE SURGE A SUCCESS?"
OBAMA: "DEPENDS..."
(that''''s how you answer rhetorical absolutes by using the word ''''depend'''', always use that first when calling up junkyard dogs like Sean Hannity who try to box you in)
OBAMA: (finishes) " IF THE SURGE WAS TO ALLOW BREATHING SPACE FOR RECONCILIATION, THAT HASN''''T HAPPENED...IF IT WAS TO BRING VIOLENCE DOWN, THAT WASN''''T THE REASON FOR THE SURGE".
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Posted by whitemale08 at 09:16 PM : Sep 05, 2008--
Because the first thing you''ve got to do when arguing with Republicans is "take away the ''absolute'' from the argument itself.
That leaves no where for these clowns to go because they stupidly believe in ''absolutes''.
Trust me, it''s my secret I use to defeat every Republican talking point. - Reply to this comment
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