U.S. General: Iraqi Army Needs More Time (as long as two years)

[sabra]

http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2005/10/21/ap/headlines/d8dcgg100.txt

U.S. General: Iraqi Army Needs More Time

WASHINGTON - The commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad said Friday that it will take as long as two years before the Iraqi army can operate on its own, with the necessary military leadership and supplies.

Maj. Gen. William G. Webster Jr., commander of U.S. forces in Baghdad, told Pentagon reporters that the Iraqi security forces are continuing to grow, but their major need is for support systems, such as fuel and replacement parts.

"If we're talking about an army that can pick up and move and go out to the borders to defend the country and be able to sustain operations out in the open for a long period of time, it's probably going to be a year and a half, two years before that system is mature enough to operate on its own," Webster said from Baghdad.

U.S. military officials initially said they thought they could begin fairly substantial troop withdrawals next spring. But they have since scaled back that prediction, saying some troop reductions are possible in 2006, but any withdrawal will be based on conditions in Iraq.

[rodeodance]

1. you have already had about 2000 troops lives. enough is enough.

[shadowknows69]

2. How about

tough shit. train yourselves. leave the training manuals for the guns. we need to get out.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. Two years from now they will need two more years.

"free beer tomorrow"

[cassiepriam]

4. we're never leaving are we???

[killbotfactory]

7. Of course not

We invested in Iraq billions of dollars, and we expect to get something out of it. Namely, oil, and strategic military bases to protect that oil. Then we will sell that oil to India, China, and other developing countries and make a fortune. Well, not you or me, but the oil companies. It will trickle down, right?

[cassiepriam]

8. I don't want it to trickle down.... it will be blood money.

[killbotfactory]

9. good point... (nt)

[leftchick]

10. no

not as long as the neocons are in charge.

[killbotfactory]

5. Maybe we shouldn't have disbanded their army in the first place

whoops

[dapper]

6. We could still be there in 10 years...[link]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4965893

[LynnTheDem]

11. Let's see...3 years and ya got 550 Iraqi troops ready...

Rice; "We'll be in Iraq LESS THAN 50 YEARS".

Seems a bit optimistic.

[killbotfactory]

12. We'll be there until the oil runs out

and then *poof* Iraqi's will magically be fit for self-rule without our intervention!

[Barrett808]

13. Pushing out the ETA for success is just a way of saying we're losing. n/t