WP: Powell Advised Bush to Add Iraq Troops

[kskiska]

Secretary Joined Blair And President in Talks

Friday, December 24, 2004; Page A01

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell told President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair last month that there were too few troops in Iraq, according to people familiar with official records of the meeting.

Powell made his assertion during one in a series of intense discussions on Iraq between Bush and Blair this fall. Those sessions, which have largely been kept secret, indicate that there was a tough debate behind closed doors as the Bush administration reexamined its handling of Iraq in the wake of Bush's reelection victory. Less than three weeks after the White House meeting, the Pentagon announced that it would boost the U.S. military presence in Iraq by 12,000 troops, to 150,000.

The discussions between the two leaders have gone on in recent months in a series of videoconferences that have been considered so sensitive that the transcripts of the meetings are destroyed after other senior officials read them. The disclosure of the sessions indicates that, privately, there has been more concern at the top levels of the Bush administration about the conduct of the U.S. mission there than officials have shown publicly. It also shows Powell taking an unusual role for a secretary of state, advising the president on a military issue.

Powell made his remarks on Nov. 12, just 10 days after the end of a presidential campaign in which Bush's handling of the war in Iraq and his decision to limit troop levels there had been a major issue. Powell announced his intention to resign his post three days later but submitted his letter of resignation on the day of the Blair meeting.

Accounts differ about the details of Powell's remarks. One U.S. official said that Powell flatly stated: "We don't have enough troops. We don't control the terrain."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A23381-2004Dec23.html

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. If Powell is on his way out...

And they are now listening to him, regarding military doctrine in the prosecution of this "war", then I would say that Rummy is in far deeper trouble than they may even be willing to accept. In fact, they are all in the same trouble.

A very interesting little story. Interesting indeed.

[AZCat]

4. Yes, but...

I always struggle with these "insider snapshot" articles about the administration, because I don't know why this story was leaked. Is the administration testing the waters, or is Powell attempting to control the debate, or is the administration going to set Powell up (again) to be undercut by forthcoming statements from Bush or Rummy?

Sometimes I just want to bang my head against the wall when I try to understand all this.

[Trillo]

5. I believe that Powell was to military games what

Bobby Fischer was to chess: Extraordinary.

[Solly Mack]

10. Rummy abandoned the "Powell Doctrine", as it is officially

named...and what used to be the SOP for warfare(since Vietnam)...to invade/occupy Iraq.

I don't like Powell...but fact is, abandoning the Powell Doctrine has destroyed the military.

Bush Inc are just hoping people who do like Powell will accept all troop increases as legit because "the great Powell" said so....

Powell is held up as some kind of bridge builder between republicans and democrats...it would have worked shortly after the made for TV Gulf War...way too many people thought Powell was a "good guy"....but Powell is what he's always been....a whore for the Bush family.

[Moderator]

2. Please edit your subject line

Make it match the article title, per rules for Latest Breaking News

[Moderator]

3. Thank you

I see you did it in the meantime

[autorank]

6. This is SO Powell; the self aggrandizing leak. "I'm OK, I'm OK"

A country could really go to hell with "good men" like Powell in charge. He is one of the country's great weasels! A smooth operator.

[radar]

7. Well Sure...

...If you want to secure peace, prosperity, good-will towards man, and a future foundation for the children to grow up happy & free to contribute towards human life on earth - BUT...

Bush & cohorts only need enough boots to secure the flow of oil, the texas tea, the black gold, the retirement fund in a Carribean island location to be determined at a soon to announced time....

[comradebillyboy]

9. but they can't even keep the oil flowing

the haliburton kickbacks are substantial however

[agincourt]

8. But, but , but.......

Isn't Powells bad advice the reason things go wrong over there? Rush told me, it has to be true. True, true , and more true.

[NNN0LHI]

11. Just goes to show how "ate up" Powell's brain is

He lived through Vietnam and would know better if he was still dealing with reality in any meaningful way. The worry of being charged in future war crimes may be getting to him?

Don