U.S. Seen in Iraq Until at Least ’09

[cal04]

Source: NYTimes

While Washington is mired in political debate over the future of Iraq, the American command here has prepared a detailed plan that foresees a significant American role for the next two years.

The classified plan, which represents the coordinated strategy of the top American commander and the American ambassador, calls for restoring security in local areas, including Baghdad, by the summer of 2008. “Sustainable security” is to be established on a nationwide basis by the summer of 2009, according to American officials familiar with the document.

The detailed document, known as the Joint Campaign Plan, is an elaboration of the new strategy President Bush signaled in January when he decided to send five additional American combat brigades and other units to Iraq. That signaled a shift from the previous strategy, which emphasized transferring to Iraqis the responsibility for safeguarding their security.

That new approach put a premium on protecting the Iraqi population in Baghdad, on the theory that improved security would provide Iraqi political leaders with the breathing space they needed to try political reconciliation.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/world/middleeast/24military.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[EVDebs]

"Mired in debate" means anyone can be put under arrest. Thought police are coming...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/22/AR2007072201141.html

[madrchsod]

1. exactly what they should have done

when they stepped foot in baghdad. 500,000 troops to secure the city and surrounding area. if they would have done this the outcome would be far different than it is now.

[EVDebs]

3. Would this have required a draft ?

Would the old 'seize the oil fields' plan have succeeded even then ?

Document reveals Nixon plan to seize Arab oil fields
'70s embargo sparked 'last resort' measure, says British memo

Lizette Alvarez, New York Times

Friday, January 2, 2004
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/01/02/MNG8G427D61.DTL

DOD plans tweaked from '73 in order to leave us where we are today, rather than get us to renewable sources of energy;
or have saved the NSA from spying on the Quakers ?

If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building 'permanent' bases?
http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/bases.htm

A fiasco in any way shape or form. But by all means criminalize debate !

[wtmusic]

6. Not a chance

It would have prolonged the war and resulted in more American deaths.

It's a silver lining we're getting our ass kicked early on. 385,000 troops couldn't secure squat in Vietnam.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. Mrs. Clinton Wants Them There Indefinitely n/t

[bemildred]

4. Have some more liquor, maybe you could see pink elephants too. nt

[onehandle]

5. We will still be in Iraq in '09 and beyond, no matter who's elected.

No matter what, we'll have a presence in Iraq for decades.

[conspirator]

7. The oil needs to be sucked dry nt

[rodeodance]

8. Commanders plan for Iraq presence through 2009

Source: Reuters)



Commanders plan for Iraq presence through 2009

By Kristin Roberts 1 hour, 27 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The senior U.S. commander in Iraq is preparing a plan for military operations that sets summer 2009 as the goal for achieving a sustainable level of security throughout the country, his spokesman said on Tuesday.
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The draft, developed by Gen. David Petraeus' staff, lays out a series of security-related goals over two years, envisioning U.S. troops in the war zone through 2009.

The plan, first reported by The New York Times, comes as Democrats in the U.S. Congress press for a strategy change that leads to withdrawal.

The Bush administration, however, has called for more time to establish security in Iraq so that Iraqi politicians can make progress on benchmarks seen by Washington as critical to long-term stability.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070724/ts_nm/iraq_usa_pentagon_dc;_ylt=AkdZaj1TJTvxFy4YS57TRDis0NUE

[Kagemusha]

9. More 'we only lose if we leave' fantasy.

Because the President decided.

[NJCher]

10. Let's see now, how many lives will that be

Looks to be around another 2500 dead by my reckoning.



Cher

[Spearman87]

11. Could be a case of "worst case scenario" planning

I hope so. For instance, didn't the military order 20,000 body bags prior to the 1991 Gulf War, but we had less than 200 American deaths?

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. What about all the permanent bases and the world's largest Embassy?

Not to mention all of the oil pumping infrastructure that's been developed for Iraq? Is all of that going to be abandoned in a couple of years after billions have been spent erecting it?