Bush Starts "Second Surge" to Double Number of Troops in Iraq

[LyricalDrug]

Uh-oh...


Bush could double force by Christmas

Stewart M. Powell, Hearst Newspapers

Tuesday, May 22, 2007
U.S. Troops in Iraq. Associated Press and Chronicle Graphic

(05-22) 04:00 PDT Washington -- The Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders showed Monday.

The little-noticed second surge, designed to reinforce U.S. troops in Iraq, is being executed by sending more combat brigades and extending tours of duty for troops already there.

The actions could boost the number of combat soldiers from 52,500 in early January to as many as 98,000 by the end of this year if the Pentagon overlaps arriving and departing combat brigades.

Separately, when additional support troops are included in this second troop increase, the total number of U.S. troops in Iraq could increase from 162,000 now to more than 200,000 -- a record-high number -- by the end of the year.

The numbers were arrived at by an analysis of deployment orders by Hearst Newspapers.

"It doesn't surprise me that they're not talking about it," said retired Army Maj. Gen. William Nash, a former U.S. commander of NATO troops in Bosnia, referring to the Bush administration. "I think they would be very happy not to have any more attention paid to this."

The first surge was prominently announced by President Bush in a nationally televised address on Jan. 10, when he ordered five more combat brigades to join 15 brigades already in Iraq.

The buildup was designed to give commanders the 20 combat brigades Pentagon planners said were needed to provide security in Baghdad and western Anbar province.

Since then, the Pentagon has extended combat tours for units in Iraq from 12 months to 15 months and announced the deployment of additional brigades.

[Full text of article below]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/05/22/MNG7QPV65N1.DTL

 

[diamond]

rock
on.

dbs

 

[financeguy]

All that Bush has to offer is war and terrorism.

 

[financeguy]

rock
on.

dbs

Can you please explain your post?

 

[redhotswami]

If he wants more troops there, why not take his daughters to the nearest recruiter?

 

[financeguy]

If he wants more troops there, why not take his daughters to the nearest recruiter?

Because he's like our friend Diamond - he think's war is just a fucking video game.

 

[2861U2]

If he wants more troops there, why not take his daughters to the nearest recruiter?

I hope you're not serious. You are aware that there is not a draft, right? We have an all volunteer military. As a matter of fact, I believe it was your pal Congressman Rangel proposing a draft not too long ago.

If the daughters dont want to join the military, they dont have to. It is not the job or responsibility of any president's children to carry out their father's policy.

 

[redhotswami]

I hope you're not serious. You are aware that there is not a draft, right? We have an all volunteer military. As a matter of fact, I believe it was your pal Congressman Rangel proposing a draft not too long ago.

If the daughters dont want to join the military, they dont have to. It is not the job or responsibility of any president's children to carry out their father's policy.

I hope you're not serious that I'm not serious. Because I'm serious! Obviously I'm aware there isn't a draft. And what the hell, when did I ever say I supported Rangel? You need to chill out with your assumptions about me.

 

[financeguy]

You are aware that there is not a draft, right?

Even if there was a draft, the rich and powerful would evade it, as Bush did.

As well as being a lying war criminal terrorist, Bush is also a draft dodger.

 

[2861U2]

Even if there was a draft, the rich and powerful would evade it, as Bush did.

As well as being a lying war criminal terrorist, Bush is also a draft dodger.

President Bush has not lied. I assume you're referring to the WMDs that were not found. We have satellite footage of ships carrying them to other countries. And in the time leading up to the invasion, which Saddam knew was coming, you dont think he would have moved them?

Try to not watch Rosie so much.

 

[martha]

We have satellite footage of ships carrying them to other countries.

Post it if ya got it.

 

[Diemen]

We have satellite footage of ships carrying them to other countries.

Show us. I want to see satellite footage that shows ships carrying WMDs to other countries. I just don't believe we have it. Cause if we did, you could be damn well sure the Bush administration would've been trumping that up as the reason they didn't find it in Iraq.

By any chance, is this satellite footage from the same batch that Colin Powell used in his UN address?

And in the time leading up to the invasion, which Saddam knew was coming, you dont think he would have moved them?

And in the time leading up to the invasion, which we knew Saddam knew was coming, you don't think we'd have been tracking any movements in order to catch WMDs leaving the country?

Wait. Given this administration's incompetence, perhaps that's asking too much.

 

[BVS]

We have satellite footage of ships carrying them to other countries.

You've got to be kidding...

 

[trevster2k]

We have satellite footage of ships carrying them to other countries. And in the time leading up to the invasion, which Saddam knew was coming, you dont think he would have moved them?

This must be news from an alternate universe. Maybe they had artists' renderings of fictitious ships.

 

[martha]

This must be news from an alternate universe.

I bet it's nice there.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

President Bush has not lied. I assume you're referring to the WMDs that were not found. We have satellite footage of ships carrying them to other countries.

Yes, if this exists, it will take you less than a minute to find the photo's on the net. Please do and give us the link.

And in the time leading up to the invasion, which Saddam knew was coming, you dont think he would have moved them?

You do realise that if you believe what you are writing (Saddam moved the WMD's, and there's evidence of him doing so) you're basically telling us that the Bush Admin fucked up in a massive way.

 

[2861U2]

You do realise that if you believe what you are writing (Saddam moved the WMD's, and there's evidence of him doing so) you're basically telling us that the Bush Admin fucked up in a massive way.

Huh? That doesnt make any sense.

I'm referring to the footage Powell showed the UN. I'm not sure if the stuff can even be found on the internet, and I dont want to look for it. Unlike surely every single person here, I proudly listen to Rush Limbaugh and trust what he says, and he has reported such footage existing.

 

[deep]

Show us. I want to see satellite footage that shows ships carrying WMDs to other countries. I just don't believe we have it.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Huh? That doesnt make any sense.

I'm referring to the footage Powell showed the UN. I'm not sure if the stuff can even be found on the internet, and I dont want to look for it. Unlike surely every single person here, I proudly listen to Rush Limbaugh and trust what he says, and he has reported such footage existing.

You know that a whole lot of the stuff Powell presented at the UN has been completely discredited since then? Are you posting from 2003???

And yes it makes perfect sense. If Bush went to war to protect the world from Iraqi WMD, and he says he knew where they were, that they were definitely there - and then lets them just disappear off to god knows where, ie the threat still exists but perhaps in a more dangerous way now that there are far more unknowns hanging over them, then it's a fuck up.

If you don't believe there were WMD in Iraq, then you have to believe he fucked up.

If you do believe there were WMD in Iraq, and they've been successfuly moved elsewhere, you have to believe he fucked up.

But then the Rush Limbaugh comment just makes me think you aren't for real, attempting to be an AchtungBono.

 

[redhotswami]

Unlike surely every single person here, I proudly listen to Rush Limbaugh and trust what he says, and he has reported such footage existing.

He also reported that volcanoes put more gases into the atmosphere than the entire human race. Along with reporting that there was no evidence proving that nicotine was addictive nor that cigarettes caused emphysema. Oh and that condoms don't protect against AIDS.

Yeah. I'd listen to his program too if I needed a good laugh.

 

[martha]

I proudly listen to Rush Limbaugh and trust what he says, and he has reported such footage existing.

Was he high when he said that?

 

[BVS]

Huh? That doesnt make any sense.

I'm referring to the footage Powell showed the UN. I'm not sure if the stuff can even be found on the internet, and I dont want to look for it. Unlike surely every single person here, I proudly listen to Rush Limbaugh and trust what he says, and he has reported such footage existing.

Well kid then you completely misunderstood what Powell was trying to do, you somehow forgot that almost 90% of that intelligence was later found to be discredited, and you completely misunderstood what Earnie was saying.

Plus you should never trust 100% any mouthpiece for the left or right.

So right now you're 0 for 4.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

This is very disturbing. I can't believe there's not more outrage among the citizens, and the military ranks themselves.

 

[2861U2]

The point is, going back to the original topic, is that we need a surge. We need to start fighting this war with everything we've got. The only ways to win this war involve increasing the number of troops.

Oh, wait, Harry Reid said we lost though. I guess he knows what he's talking about.

 

[Smallville]

The point is, going back to the original topic, is that we need a surge. We need to start fighting this war with everything we've got. The only ways to win this war involve increasing the number of troops.

Whereas you are misinformed about the satellite images, I completely agree with you here.

This is the only chance we have to really finish this war.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

But the problem is, like in Viet Nam, they will never be able to do the things they need to do to win. The US could wipe them out in a couple of days if the got brutal, but they can't because they're worried about what the rest of the world, especially the Arab neighbors, would say. So it's just another stalemate and we're up to losing 7 guys per day. We never should have been there in the first place and the longer this goes, the deeper shit it becomes. Get out now.

 

[AnnRKeyintheUSA]

This is the only chance we have to really finish this war.

What would have to happen before you would consider it won and over? That our puppet government was in control and everyone in Iraq has a BMW and goes to the mall? The place is torn to pieces and split into factions. Nothing is going to heal that except letting THEM fight it out amongst themselves with no foreign intervention.

 

[Smallville]

What would have to happen before you would consider it won and over? That our puppet government was in control and everyone in Iraq has a BMW and goes to the mall? The place is torn to pieces and split into factions. Nothing is going to heal that except letting THEM fight it out amongst themselves with no foreign intervention.

Nation building takes time. We have to get their military and government up and running and suficient or we've wasted our time there, and every death was in vain.

 

[verte76]

George Bush is a hypocrite. He evaded the draft, but doesn't seem to mind forcing others to fight his wars.

 

[2861U2]

But the problem is, like in Viet Nam, they will never be able to do the things they need to do to win. The US could wipe them out in a couple of days if the got brutal, but they can't because they're worried about what the rest of the world, especially the Arab neighbors, would say. So it's just another stalemate and we're up to losing 7 guys per day. We never should have been there in the first place and the longer this goes, the deeper shit it becomes. Get out now.

Judging by your name, I'm assuming you're just a hater who despises any and all government. The US absolutely should not and does not worry about what other countries think of us. If we did, dont you think we'd leave Iraq considering most of the world wants us to?

Also, the US could not just "wipe them out in a couple of days" like you suggest. What do you propose? Simply killing every man, woman and child? That would not solve anything.

Keep in mind this is not a war against Iraq. This is a war against radical Islam and the nations that knowingly harbor terrorists. If and when Iraq gets stababilized and we can begin to leave, there will most likely be additional conflicts in this war on terror. I heard it put that we are about 2 steps into a million step campaign. We cannot stop now.