Iraq war report implies Baghdad buildup won't work unless troops stay far longer

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - While many in Congress are pushing President Bush to alter course in Iraq by September if not sooner, his new status report on the war strongly implies that the administration believes its military strategy will take many more months to meet its goals.

The report cited no specific timeframe, but its language suggests what some U.S. commanders have hinted at recently: The troop reinforcements that Bush ordered in January may need to remain until spring 2008.

That's a military calculation at odds with an emerging political consensus in Washington on bringing the troops home soon.

The disconnect between the military and political views on the best way forward is a symptom of four-plus years of setbacks in Iraq - not only missteps by the U.S. government but also by Iraqi political leaders, who have fallen far short of their stated aim of creating a government of national unity.



Read more: http://www.komotv.com/news/national/8485927.html

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Bush's flag fell

In competitive chess, when a player exceeds the time limit, a flag on his clock falls.

Bush's flag has fallen. He loses by default.