number of trained Iraqi troops has DECREASED !!

[welshTerrier2]

the two most important factors that those calling for continued occupation have relied on is 1. the number of Iraqi troops the US has trained so they could take over their own security and 2. the opinion of the American people ...

well, a recent NY Times/CBS poll showed that 52% of the American people want Americans troops withdrawn ASAP ... and now, according to Thursday's testimony from the two top US generals in the area, the number of trained Iraqis has actually DECREASED !!!!!

and still, most elected Democrats refuse to face the facts and call for withdrawal ... they continue to push an unpopular, minority view that makes less and less sense with every day that passes ...

source: http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2005-10-01T141725Z_01_SPI151399_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-BUSH.xml

During congressional testimony on Thursday, Gen. George Casey, top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Gen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said the number of such battalions had dropped since July to one from three, out of the roughly 100 Iraqi battalions.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld sought to play down the new estimate on Friday, saying, "Its relevance is minimal."

Bush also sought to repair any damage. He said on Saturday the U.S. military and its allies are "constantly adapting our tactics to the changing tactics of the terrorists. We're training more Iraqi forces to assume increasing responsibility for their country's security," Bush added. <skip>

A USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll published last week found 63 percent of respondents said some or all of the U.S. troops in Iraq should be withdrawn, and a record-high 59 percent said the invasion was a mistake.

[barbaraann]

1. Bush lied in his radio address today.

"The growing size and increasing capability of the Iraqi security forces are helping our coalition address a challenge we have faced since the beginning of the war."

[benfranklin1776]

2. Yes more of Junior's infamous Enron accounting.

Call a reduction a gain. Up is down. The new Orwellian math. Reality has no meaning in Republican spin world.

[welshTerrier2]

3. the press should nail him on this lie !!

it's outrageous that he not only spews his propaganda about his failed policy in Iraq but that he makes such obvious lies ...

the press should call him a liar ... this is not a situation that is open for interpretation ... he directly contradicted the testimony of his own generals ...

[barbaraann]

4. Well, it looks like USA Today caught it!

Woohoo! :bounce:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-10-01-bush-radio-address-iraq_x.htm

[papau]

10. What lie? - Iraq Army has grown to 500 troops that are effective on their

own.

I dare say that is more who are effective on their own than we had pre-election when the media/GOP/Bush told us of the near;y 200,000 security forces that were "trained".

:-(

[jwirr]

5. Between the Iraqi troops that are killed in action and

those that train and then leave with their equipment for the other side, I do not think there will ever be a stable Iraqi Army under our command. They will only find loyalty under their own honestly elected government - something we cannot even provide for ourselves.

[JohnnyRingo]

6. An under-reported point is our restriction on the size of their military

12,000 man armed military.
250,000 man police force.

When discussing this matter the media always clumps it together under the title "security forces".

The 12,000 man military limit insures that Iraq will need our presence there for all of time.

[Rose Siding]

7. They probably lied about having 3 battalions ready in the first place

[0007]

11. 0h' then this must be a real whopper indeed, by junior

100 Iraqi battalions are operating throughout the country. "Our commanders report that the Iraqi forces are serving with increasing effectiveness," he told radio listeners.

Are they still training Iraqis to be policemen? I remember they gave Bernard Kerik a ton of money to go train em.

[EndElectoral]

8. ONLY 1% OF IRAQI BATTALIONS CAN FIGHT ON THEIR OWN!!!!

My god, This is disgraceful. What in the hell is the problem? How long does it take to train a soldier? We don't train our troops that long before shipping them over there?

Unbeleivable!!!

[welshTerrier2]

9. if they went from 3 trained battalions down to one since July ...

maybe it indicates that trained troops are deserting ...

the bottom line is that those who are calling for continued occupation, and most elected Democrats are, cannot continue to maintain that we are training Iraqi troops so they can handle their own security ...

if the current trend continues, we'll be there forever ...

[TayTay]

12. Devil in th details, again

I am paranoid about the Bshies and their ability to lie about anything and everything. (Yeah, I admit it up front, I'm paranoid.) I am looking for deeper meaning in this.

The Bush Admin has constantly used 'Orwellian' phrases to promote their agenda. I think they are trying to set up a situation in which they will claim that forces that are actually under religious control of the factions in Iraq are 'trained' troops. They will blatantly lie and claim that this was their plan all along. They will back Al Sistani, for instance, and claim that his adherents are really trained to protect Iraq and that this is a successful outcome for America. (And the Constitution is just like what America produced after the revolution and the loss of minority rights is a natural progression for a free state and so forth. The lies just keep on coming.)

I am not that worried about the various calls for withdrawal in the US. I honestly don't think that the Bushies plan on being in Iraq in the numbers that we are by next summer. They know that this will affect the '06 midterm elections here and will devise another way to maintain a hand in Iraq while appearing to withdraw from Iraq and claiming victory. It's what these bastards do.