CNN: US troops pullout could begin Spring 2006

[Bluebear]

According to AP, the top US commander in Iraq, Cmdr. George Casey says "substantial" troop pullout could start Spring 2006 IF the insurgency does not get stronger.

==

JUST in time for 2006 elections!

[tsuki]

1. To go back in 2007. eom

[Bluebear]

2. You optimist

3rd week of November most likely!

[tsuki]

9. Can'[t help it. I'm all sunshine after listening to Hillary's benchmarks.

[girl gone mad]

3. do you have a link?

thanks!

[Bluebear]

4. Just freshly read on CNN

[bluestateguy]

5. I think this is unlikley

The best we can hope for is that they don't send in more troops.

[Bluebear]

6. Well he added that brave "IF" as a condition

So most likely it he is blowing neocon genie smoke.

[trogdor]

15. IF a frog had wings...

...it wouldn't bump its ass on the ground.

[fasttense]

7. I'll believe it when I see it and the troops aren't sent back. n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

8. To quote The Hooters,

"You can put it in, but you can't take it out."

Bright fellers, them guys. Not a creep in the carload.

Good libbrul Demmycrats, too.

--p!

[SoCalDem]

10. They will just get furloughed to Afghanistan until after the elections

and then sent back to help with the civil war in Iraq that will surely be raging by then:(

It really doesn't matter WHEN we "leave" now.. The damage is done.. We wrecked what was left of the place, killed a bunch of innocents (and hardened the hearts of their loved ones), got a bunch of soldiers killed or injured for life.. The only "winners" are the corporations who got sweetheart deals consisting of billions of OUR tax-dollars..They got the $$ up-front, and have bee very UNsuccessful at the tasks they were asked to do in exchange for the $$$.
The people have nothing to show except for the fact that Saddam is gone. Probably a lot of the people wish he was still in control..

What a legacy we leave..

Civil war can be the only result, because the factions in Iraq will never "play nice" with each other.. The grudges borne in the middle east are millennial:(

[Bob3]

11. Pull the other one.

N/T

[Jacobin]

12. The 2006 elections being purely coincidental, of course

[Barrett808]

34. There is nothing on the ground in Iraq to justify this, no improvements...

...at all. The situation is arguably worsening. The only justification for this is political: the GOP fears losing its majority in 2006 and is desperate to cut the Iraq albatross from around its neck.

I expect this policy will be a transparent, miserable failure.

This does, however, corroborate the latest leaked British document.

[HereSince1628]

13. but then it could start at any time

there is really nothing to see here.

[IndianaGreen]

14. From the rooftops of the American Embassy in Baghdad?

if insurgency does not get stronger

I am sure the Iraqi resistance is going to lay down their arms to give the GOP a respite for the 2006 elections.

[kansasblue]

16. just in time for the 2006 elections

[leesa]

17. So what. Another meaningless proclamation.

[leftchick]

18. well let's see here. How many times have they said something

and the exact opposite happened? Mission Accomplished anyone?

[RedEarth]

19. U.S. May Significantly Reduce Troops in Iraq Next Spring..(WP)

U.S. May Significantly Reduce Troops in Iraq Next Spring
Statements Suggest Heightened Sense of Urgency for Move

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 27, 2005; 9:21 AM



BAGHDAD, July 27 -- Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafari and the top U.S. commander in Iraq Wednesday and discussed specific steps to speed preparations for the withdrawal of some of the 135,000 U.S. troops in Iraq beginning as early as next spring.

The tone of statements by Rumsfeld and Jafari, as well as the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, suggested a heightened urgency to planning for the U.S. troop reduction, despite the continuation of lethal daily attacks by insurgents in Iraq.

"The great desire of the Iraqi people is to see the coalition forces be on their way out as they take more responsibility," Jafari said at a press conference with Rumsfeld following their noon meeting in Baghdad. "We have not limited to a certain schedule, but we confirm and we desire speed in that regard."

This will require "picking up the pace of training Iraqi forces" as well as carefully synchronizing the U.S. withdrawal as Iraqi forces take charge of different parts of the country, Jafari said.

Rumsfeld also spoke of progress toward a handover to Iraqis. "We had a good discussion about the progress being made with respect to the Iraqi security forces, and our common interest in seeing them developed to the point where they can take over full responsibility for security here in Iraq," he told the press conference.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/27/AR2005072700431_pf.html

[Doctor_J]

20. Yup, just another election milestone

our troops are just props in the GOP campaign.

[Oreo]

21. Just in time for the elections

Aren't they flip-flopping and giving a pullout date?

[RedEarth]

24. That's exactly what I was thinking....

[tabasco]

22. LMAO

:rofl:

[K8-EEE]

23. but...but...timetables are BAD!

The terr'rists will know when we are leaving and do bad things! Wasn't that the line??

[Ganja Ninja]

25. Only because we won't have enough troops. n/t

[sunnystarr]

26. hmmm pull them out before the election then send them to Iran after (nt)

[truth2power]

27. We gonna close down our military bases???

Allow REAL elections?

Repeal POS Bremer's laws that prevent real sovereignty??

Nah...didn't think so! More sewage coming out of the mouth of Cmdr. Casey. Ack!

[meganmonkey]

28. Yeah, sure

Believe it when I see it, you fucking liars and thieves.

I'm kinda pissy today :shrug:

[NNN0LHI]

29. Are they being moved to Iran? n/t

[K8-EEE]

30. I Thought This Part Was Pretty Hilarious...

Casey suggested that the insurgency in Iraq is stagnating. "Insurgencies need progress to survive, and this insurgency is not progressing. What you're seeing is a change in tactics to more violent, more visible attacks against civilians, and that's a no-win strategy," he said.

But despite more lethal attacks, Casey said, "the level of attacks they've been able to generate has not increased substantially over what we've seen over the past year."

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! TOTAL VICTORY! omg.....

[Javaman]

31. They "could" pullout. That doesn't mean they "will" pullout.

personally, I think this is a set up. yeah, could be for the preping of the 2006 midterms.

I think "something" will happen that will prevent them from pulling out, then they will have the perfect out.

"we were really hopeful and we actually rotated a few out, but when...FILL IN THE BLANK...happened, we realized that the Iraqi forces weren't up to that gigantic task. So sadly, as much as we all hoped for them to come home, this situation is a national emergency for (us and/or Iraq - you fill in the blank again)."

This shows that they were "truthful" in their proclimation to bring the troops home, however, since we are still in a "war on terror" that "anything can happen". And it shows that they are still showing resolve and being tough.

Smoke and mirrors folks. Until they get every last troop out, I won't believe a damn thing from this idiots.

colossal failure*

[gulliver]

32. Is this a timetable? n/t

[Az_lefty]

33. I think Casey needs to talk with Rumsfield...

“Insurgencies tend to go on five, six, eight, 10, 12 years,”
:hide:

[katty]

35. I'll believe it when I SEE IT - just in time for 06 elections

[Minstrel Boy]

36. In 2006 they'll say 2007.

Just like in 2004 they said 2005, and in 2003 they said 2004.

[warrens]

37. Bullshit

This is just smoke to diffuse the growing opposition to the war on the part of rank and file republicans. Now they can reassure themselves that Bush has a plan, that it will all be over soon, the Iraqis are going to take responsibility, etc. etc. etc. It's even worse than it was a year ago, and we're stuck there short of a total evacuation.

[cliss]

38. Absolutely.

I can't remember all the statements they've made, and then they turned out to be lies. Or empty promises. I'm just going from memory, but here are a few. You may recognize these -

1) After Rumsfool is seen as an Old Goat, CondaLoser Rice is assigned the task of Iraq "reconstruction". Notice, nothing ever happened with this.

2) At the height of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, Bush appears on national TV and proclaims that he's going to "shut down Abu Ghraib". Notice, it's still there, more packed than ever.

3) After the tsunami in the Indian Ocean on Xmas Day, Bush promised "lots and lots" of financial aid. I haven't heard a thing about that.

4) At the Vice-Presidential debates, Cheatin Cheney gets his back to the wall when the moderator asks him about funding for AIDS research. He "promises to do something" real soon. Again, the empty sound of crickets chirping.

Promises, promises. Easy to make, hardly ever kept. Some of us, though, have long memories. :smoke:

[wellst0nev0ter]

39. Same Shit, Different Day

U.S. Plans to Reduce Forces in Iraq, With Help of Allies, May 3, 2003

Reduction in U.S. Troops Eyed for '04, October 19, 2005

U.S. military leaders hope to cut troops, Feb. 18. 2005