US Deploying Thousands More Ground Troops to Kuwait to Fight in Iraq, Syria

[pat_k]

http://news.antiwar.com/2017/03/10/us-deploying-thousands-more-ground-troops-to-kuwait-to-fight-in-iraq-syria/

Instead of directly deploying thousands of additional ground troops into Iraq or Syria, the sort of precipitous escalation that might get Congress voting on the war, the Trump Administration appears to have decided that the solution is to send thousands of US ground troops to Kuwait, and let the commanders in Iraq and Syria just take what they want.

Early reports of this strategy emerged Wednesday, when officials said there were considerations of sending around 1,000 troops into Kuwait for this operation. Just two days later, the figure was up to at least 2,500, with signs that it is continuing to grow all the time.

While President Obama was micromanaging the escalations, particularly in Iraq, where every couple of weeks another hundred or two troops would be sent, the Trump Administration appears to be throwing the troops into a big pile and leaving the deployments up to the commanders.

This adds credence to the sense that President Trump is going to be a bit more hands-off on his escalations, giving the military commanders additional leeway on actions, and even on troop levels, which is likely to raise further questions about what those commanders intend to do in the war, if they no longer have to get permission first.

The Hill
Dem seeks to block US troops going to Syria after Marines deployed

I love Barbara Lee!

“The bill I am introducing today prohibits the Department of Defense from funding any attempt by the administration to expand our presence in Syria by putting U.S. combat boots on the ground,” Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said in a statement to The Hill.

“It is our constitutional duty as members of Congress to place a check on the executive branch in matters of war and peace," she said.

Lee was the lone lawmaker to vote against the authorization for the use of military force in the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which has been used as the legal justification for the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

Her bill has 16 original co-sponsors — all Democrats, except for Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.).

[democrank]

1. Kick

[rgbecker]

2. Trump will continue with his accertion that "They lost Ryan".

He'll stay out of it and let the "wonderful, greatest generals" who are not as "smart as and don't know as much as" Trump, take the fall.


His bone spurs will continue to heal as he rounds his golf courses leading the free world.

[dalton99a]

5. Zero leadership. But he'll claim all credit and deflect all blame.

[pat_k]

8. Of course. And when there are losses, claim they were wins.

It's what he does.

From "The Choice"

NARRATOR:
But with damning evidence of racial discrimination, the company was forced to settle. Nevertheless, Donald didn’t admit any wrongdoing and even declared the outcome a victory.

TONY SCHWARTZ:
This is a classic example of where Trump begins to demonstrate something he talks about all the time today, which is he’s a counterpuncher. So somebody comes after him and says that he’s done something nefarious and horrible, and he just goes back at them with all guns blazing — you know, Boom, boom, boom! — and admits nothing. Never admit anything. Never say you made a mistake. Just keep coming. And if you lose, declare victory.

And that’s exactly what happened there. He lost as clearly as you can lose, but he loudly proclaimed his victory.

[mopinko]

3. my big fears being realized.

i was and am more worried about what those around him will take liberties to do than i am about what cheeto will do himself.
the leadership vacuum that is upon us is the huge danger we face.

[pat_k]

4. Yes.

With him, we're damned all around. "Hands on" is terrifying. "Hands off" is terrifying. He's taken the lid off pandora's box, giving racist domestic terrorism, environmental rapists, Dr. Strangelove wanna bes, government "deconstructionists," and other dreadful forces, free reign.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. This is what the bloodthirsty nincompoop Republicans wanted.

Back to Iraq.

[AwakeAtLast]

7. Trump voters better offer up their offspring

You voted for him, you supply the cannon fodder. Without complaint.