U.S. general: Next few months crucial

[EV_Ares]

By ROBERT H. REID, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD - The No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq said Tuesday that the next three to four months will be crucial in determining whether the United States can start to withdraw troops from Iraq without sacrificing security gains since the troop buildup began early this year.

Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno said the number of attacks in August fell to their lowest level in more than a year, although he gave no figures. Odierno insisted that overall violence was declining — a sign that the buildup ordered by President Bush was working.

"I think the next three to four months are critical," Odierno told reporters. "I think that if we can continue to do what we are doing, we'll get to such a level where we think we can do it with less troops."

Bush himself raised the possibility of a reduction in the 160,000-strong U.S. force during his surprise visit Monday to al-Asad Air Base in Anbar province, where Sunni Arab sheiks have been turning against al-Qaida in Iraq.

Bush said U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker and the top commander Gen. David Petraeus "tell me if the kind of success we are now seeing continues, it will be possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces."

Crocker and Petraeus will report to Congress next week on security

Link: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070904/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

[hobbit709]

1. It's always "The next few months", "just around the corner"

That has been they way they've argued for 4 years now.

[rodeodance]

6. don't forget-------they said they 'turned the corner" a few times also

[Botany]

2. How many times will they keep lying?

Wimpy's line, "I will gladly repay you Tuesday for a hamburger today…,"

[gratuitous]

3. Corners turned, tunnels lighted, it's all coming together

Yeah, right. That's why Bush can only visit the country on 20 minutes' notice, and spend his entire time there surrounded by an armed garrison. And as long as you're using fact-free optimism, you don't sweat details like the number of attacks or the number of bodies that continue to pile up. Just say that the buildup is working, and it's true!

Are they just talking to hear their own voices, and try to persuade themselves that they're still alive somehow?

[niceypoo]

4. My first thought when I read the caption was, "how many times have we heard this in five years?"

[spanone]

5. B U L L S H I T

[yellowcanine]

7. Yep. Sounds like "Vietnamization" is going splendidly. Oops. Wrong war. Had a 40 year flashback

there for a moment. Actually almost exactly - Fall of 1967 we were hearing all about how the "corner had been turned", there was "light at the end of the tunnel", congressional delegations were coming back with stories of how the war was being won, etc, etc. Then came the Tet Offensive in early 1968 and suddenly all the happy talk ceased. I can't believe it is happening all over again.

[Fleshdancer]

8. Meanwhile, civilian deaths across Iraq rose

What exactly is their definition of "success"? This "just a few more months" game was ridiculous two years ago. Now it's just insulting.