Hawks Push Deep Cuts in Forces in Iraq

[rodeodance]

well, well------

The core of their arguments is that even as the US-led coalition goes on the offensive against the insurgency, the United States, by its very presence, is stimulating the resistance.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/112304A.shtml

Hawks Push Deep Cuts in Forces in Iraq
By Bryan Bender
The Boston Globe

Monday 22 November 2004

Washington - A growing number of national security specialists who supported the toppling of Saddam Hussein are moving to a position unthinkable even a few months ago: that the large US military presence is impeding stability as much as contributing to it and that the United States should begin major reductions in troops beginning early next year.

Their assessments, expressed in reports, think tank meetings, and interviews, run counter to the Bush administration's insistence that the troops will remain indefinitely to establish security. But some contend that the growing support for an earlier pullout could alter the administration's thinking.

Those arguing for immediate troop reductions include key Pentagon advisers, prominent neoconservatives, and some of the fiercest supporters of the Iraq invasion among Washington's policy elite.

[izzie]

1. How did that get out? Off with their heads.

[UL_Approved]

2. Bush will never go along with the recommendation

To accept this recommendation is to accept the utter failure of the Iraq war. Bush would have to admit to war crimes and conquest while at the same time lose the foothold over the commandeered oil reserves in that nation. I wouldn't be surprised if this gets buried deeply and the reporter reprimanded for publishing it.

[Kahuna]

6. You haven't been paying attention. * will declare victory no matter..

what happens. THAT'S what he does.

[UL_Approved]

7. He can't move forward...

...if the war on terror is proven erroneous. If he can't get any support from congress or the press or any of the Coalition members, he can't just pick up and go to the next country. Bush gets a lot of help from various members of the press, he gets a free ride in congress, and he also gets help from nations like the U.K. He can declare victory all he wants, but if he has no pundits and spin artists to back it up, the claim will not stick.

[BlueEyedSon]

3. Gotta free up troops for Iran.... nt

[RainDog]

5. LOL. we're thinking the same thing

you weren't yet here when I posted.

[RainDog]

4. After all, they can't attack Iran if troops are bogged down in Iraq

...or maybe that's my cynicism...

[Niccolo_Macchiavelli]

8. yeah some more troops will be needed to

keep the serfs at home in line...

[eridani]

9. Neocons now channelling Dennis Kucinich

Amazing the flack he got for recommending withdrawal as soon as is feasibly possible.

[cyberpj]

10. US could cut US forces if we up the use of Israeli forces -

It's NOT just that Americans learned Israeli tactics - Israel has forces in Falluja! Gee, do you think that will bother the Iraquis?

2 articles (with links) follow:
----------------------------------
1 - What we've been told:

Officers at Fallujah were trained in Israeli urban warfare tactics

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
BAGHDAD – The U.S. military has employed Israeli urban warfare tactics during the current invasion of the Iraqi city of Fallujah.

U.S. officials acknowledged that hundreds of officers have trained in Israel over the last two years in urban warfare and counter-insurgency. In September, scores of U.S. officers trained at the Adam urban warfare school northeast of Tel Aviv, a facility that contains a mock Arab village.

The U.S. officers trained in Israel relayed their expertise to the U.S. Army's Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, La. Over the last two years, the army center has increased the number of mock Arab villages from four to 18 and employed Arab speakers for urban warfare exercises.

http://216.26.163.62/2004/ss_iraq_11_10.html

---------------------------------------------
2 - What we're finding out:

Free Republic

Israel's Battle in Fallujah
Dar Al Hayat ^ | Rashid Khashana

Posted on 11/22/2004 4:33:27 PM PST by Shermy

It has become clear that Israel played a major role in the battle for Fallujah, despite the American concern to conceal this fact. What news leaked of officers, soldiers, and even rabbis of dual citizenships that took part in the battles, some of which were killed by the resistance's bullets, is only the tip of the iceberg. The killing of an Israeli officer in Fallujah exposed the existence of a large number officers, snipers, and paratroopers in Iraq. Based on Israeli press statistics, Israel currently has no fewer than 1,000 officers and soldiers scattered around the American units working in Iraq. In addition, 37 rabbis are operating within the American troops, which leads to believe that the real number is greater; since Ha'aretz admitted that others are concealing their Jewish identities, which makes them self-driven Israeli citizens. Currently, there is a recruitment campaign coinciding with the escalation of the operations in Iraq, which seeks to send further assistance there. Amongst these campaigns is the incitement of Rabbi Irving Elson in his latest speech given in New York to allocate further "Fighting Rabbis" and encourage them to enlist in the American forces, in addition to another rabbi's advisory stating that those killed in Fallujah are "martyrs."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1286275/posts

[Martin Eden]

11. Hard to deny the obvious

Some neocons and other hawks can deny reality for only so long -- that the very presence of our troops has fueled the insurgency. However, they are still quite delusional if they think a reduction of troops or their removal to the borders will assuage the insurgents.

It's too late for that. The people we are fighting are determined to drive us out completely and to get rid of the Alawi government we installed.

It'll be interesting to see if Bush takes their advice.