WP: U.S. May Significantly Reduce Troops in Iraq Next Spring

[Pirate Smile]

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; 10:12 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.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/27/AR2005072700431.html

[tanyev]

1. Why, that would be before the 2006 elections, wouldn't it?

Niiiiice.

:sarcasm:

[iconoclastic cat]

5. Does Rummy think that all those troops will be happy with Bush? n/t

[asjr]

2. And I "may" be the Queen of Sheba.

[Barrett808]

3. So the latest leaked British memo is correct

Since nothing on the ground in Iraq has changed for the better, I can only assume this is a desperate attempt to cut the Iraq albatross from around the GOP's neck in time for the midterm elections.

[Deja Q]

4. I'm more likely to engage in a menage-a-trois with Jessica and OJ Simpson.

And you know that ain't ever gonna happen either.

[cliss]

6. LOL

Funny post, Hypno. Love the dancing whatever-they-are.

[iconoclastic cat]

7. I wouldn't want to be the 1/2 of the force left over there!

The U.S. troops are the only ones who even remotely have their shit together; the Iraqi forces, by themselves, will crumble. A civil war will ensue, and the remaining 60K U.S. troops will be attacked with even greater ferocity.

[zbdent]

8. And when they've started the pull-out - guess who's going to forget

all the stuff that was said about how we couldn't leave Iraq, and that anybody who wants the US out was siding with the terrorists?

That's right, the "liberal" media will forget that the Repukes opposed setting a time and even talking about pulling our troops . . .

[obxhead]

9. Troop levels.

We can't recruit enough warm bodies fast enough. We either pull out or fire up the draft machine. The rethugs that will still be around after shrub is gone know this would be suicide for the party.

[samsingh]

10. or they may not.

or they may and then increase them again.

[MidwestTransplant]

11. ISN'T THIS A TIME FRAME

Remember, we cant' give one because the enemy will just lay in wait?

[damntexdem]

12. What, cutting and running?

Well, after all, the insurgents have been reducing U.S. troop strength in their own ways, apparently with Rummy's blessing: "you invade with the army you have."

And at least the U.S. will carefully synchronize the introduction of further chaos as the troops are pulled out of the mess that Dubya made.

[Vinca]

13. This is so blatantly political even a Repuke should figure it out.

All of a sudden, after the polls begin turning on them, it's time to bring the troops home. Of course, any way they get home is fine by me, but it stinks that this will be a campaign mantra in 2006 as a reason to vote for these war mongers in sheep's clothing.

[psychopomp]

14. U.S. top commander in Iraq says withdrawal may begin by spring (Kyodo)

U.S. top commander in Iraq says withdrawal may begin by spring

Thursday, July 28, 2005 at 08:03 JST
CAIRO — The top American commander in Iraq said Wednesday that he believes a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq could begin by spring 2006 if progress continues on the political front and if the insurgency does not expand, the Associated Press reported.

Gen. George Casey was quoted as telling American reporters traveling with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that a "fairly substantial" pullout could begin next spring and summer. (Kyodo News)

I did not find another source for this wire story.

http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=8&id=344767

[Cha]

15. I thought the commander in

thief said there would be no time line?

[anaxarchos]

16. What a coincidence....

...just in time for the 2006 mid-term elections.

[European Socialist]

17. Reminds me of Nixon's Paris peace Talks...

A ploy to keep up support for unpopular war.

[psychopomp]

18. Yes, and I think the two conditions attached--

either of which are highly unlikely, pretty much mean that it is not being seriously considered.

on edit: as I was reading a Japanese news site at the time I saw this, I thought it was likely referring to a Japanese withdrawal of the "Self-Defense Forces" stationed in Samawa. The district the Japanese base is in used to be under Polish military control, then that of the UK once the Poles left. As the UK is also considering leaving that area (sometime next year iirc) I expect the Japanese to give up their presence in Iraq.

[osaMABUSh]

19. Well, la de fuckin' da.... they don't even bother to hide the

political timing of a pullout