Military Families: Bush/Petraeus "Drawdown" Is Pure Politics

Newsweek:

In endorsing Gen. David Petraeus's recommendations on Iraq, President George W. Bush said Thursday night that at least 21,500 U.S. combat forces, plus support troops, could leave Iraq and come home by next July. Curiously, the first military unit designated by Petraeus to return is the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit based at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif., north of San Diego.

But the 13th MEU, a support unit that has been in Iraq on its current tour for about three months, was already scheduled to return home from Iraq on Nov. 17. Their new date of arrival under the drawdown plan? Still Nov. 17. Other Marine units have been in Iraq as much as three times longer than the 13th MEU, and some active-duty Army soldiers are serving 15-month tours, the longest of the war. Relatives of the 2,000-member 13th MEU, most of whom have known for more than a month that the unit was coming home, are collectively a bit confused by the inclusion of the 13th MEU in the announcement of troop cuts, and some are even angry.

"I think General Petraeus is using normal circumstances and turning them into some kind of big deal," says Melissa Hurt, 24, wife of a 13th MEU Sgt. Andy Hurt, 24. Originally from Minnesota, the couple has been married for four years and they have a 9-month-old son. "I don't understand how this can be called a troop reduction since Andy was already scheduled to come home in November and was not scheduled to return to Iraq. There are guys who've been in Iraq for more than a year. They should bring them home first. I know my husband agrees with me."

Read the whole story: Newsweek

Comments

[BVALCOURT]

02:00 PM on 09/16/2007

If Baghdad is really as safe as we're being told, Bush's daughter should have her wedding over there. What better way to show all of us skeptics that the "surge" is really working!

[Captain EdwardGraham]

08:16 AM on 09/16/2007

http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/urgent_issues.html Not so fast, Christian soldiers

"freedom packages"

Not so fast, Christian soldiers
The Pentagon has a disturbing relationship with private evangelical groups.

Maybe what the war in Iraq needs is not more troops but more religion. At least that's the message the Department of Defense seems to be sending.


What were the packages to contain? Not body armor or home-baked cookies. Rather, they held Bibles, proselytizing material in English and Arabic and the apocalyptic computer game "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" (derived from the series of post-Rapture novels), in which "soldiers for Christ" hunt down enemies who look suspiciously like U.N. peacekeepers.


The packages were put together by a fundamentalist Christian ministry called Operation Straight Up, or OSU. Headed by former kickboxer Jonathan Spinks, OSU is an official member of the Defense Department's "America Supports You" program.


http://www.militaryreligiousfreedom.org/urgent_issues.html

[Captain EdwardGraham]

08:09 AM on 09/16/2007

British Move Raises Fears on Iraq Supply Lines


By THOM SHANKER and STEPHEN FARRELL

Published: September 16, 2007
WASHINGTON, Sept. 15 — As British troops pull out of their last base in Basra, some military commanders and civilian government officials in the area are concerned that the transition could leave them and a major supply route to Baghdad at greater risk of attack.


The New York Times
British troops in Basra are handing over security to Iraq.

» The route, a lifeline that carries fuel, food, ammunition and equipment for the war, crosses desert territory that is home to rival militias and criminal gangs. In interviews, Americans stationed in the southern provinces and Pentagon planners say they are closely watching the situation there as the British pass security responsibility to local Iraqi units.

There is little talk of increasing the American troop presence along the major supply route, which links Baghdad and Kuwait and is called M.S.R. Tampa, although officials in Baghdad and Washington say other options include increased patrols by armed surveillance aircraft, attack helicopters and combat jets.


Lt. Col. Peter Sims, an Australian military engineer working on civil military operations in Basra, said in July that his unit had engaged villages to protect the Tampa route by paying residents to clear the roadside of debris that could conceal homemade bombs.

[Captain EdwardGraham]

08:16 AM on 09/16/2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxx1Lo8fZwQ&mode=related&search= KBR Convoy Ambushed in Iraq Throwing rocks

Jesus Christ help us all Lord, Im fixin to get killed God Dam it, Truck #5 is down, I need some help, I have no gun and I am by myself, Im fuckin scared, I m going home, they just killed him, Oh my God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loJ9mMS7xhU Jaish Abu Bakr IED on Vehicle in Iraq truck, new

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aFVe7toBM&NR=1 Anssar Al Sunnah: Attacking And Fighting Against Us Convoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFdaOydcnuU&mode=related&search= Halliburton Convoy Attacked In Iraq 'I took out some of their power lines' 'we just missed our turn' ; bullet hole appears in windshield; 'Jesus Christ help us all Lord'; 'Im down, go around'; 'Please help me'; 'Truck 5 cannot move'; 'truck 8 and truck 30 is down; hear bullets hitting truck; 'I have no gun" 'they just killed him, Oh my Jesus'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfFCD0QIHy4&NR=1 تدمير زيل للحرس الوثني Truck gets blown up; new

[Ramirez]

02:20 AM on 09/17/2007

jihadi porn

[totalliberal]

03:55 AM on 09/16/2007

["ohiomark:
When politicans run a war, it is doomed to fail."]



Ya like Lincoln, Roosevelt and Churchill?

Ohiomark. Stuck on stupid.

[Semper]

02:33 AM on 09/16/2007

As a former military man, I am reminded that Petraeus is an Officer. Most officers do not serve in the field. And the higher the rank that further back they stand from battle. You will notice that very few officers were busted or are serving any time for their mishaps in war. They have many ribbons, better quarters, higher pay, better meals, almost everything about them is over the top. But they rarely stand up for their men. Its their breeding. Looking out for themselves. Petraeus is the norm. The military is designed for war. Orders of command are top down, there is no democracy in the military and they have their own laws. I agree with the set up, but their are parts of the military that I don't like. Military commanders should be asking for more equipment, no longer tours of duty. Especially when they are not equipt or trained for nation building.

[HumeSkeptic]

01:13 AM on 09/16/2007

So, MoveOn might have been too polite about their assessment of the lying General.

[Ginzaman]

12:21 AM on 09/16/2007

Remember he actually wants to be President. Not of the United States, if we have anything to say about it.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

11:42 PM on 09/15/2007

"If we continue to make progress in Iraq, and the Iraqi government steps up its efforts to meet its commitments, I fully expect the sun to come up in the east and go down in the west. Thank you."

-- The Surgin' General.

[doinaheckofajob]

10:53 PM on 09/15/2007

There really are two Americas. Bush's AmeriKKKa and the rest of the country inhabited by the little folks like us. The sureal reality of Bush and the MSM is not fooling most of us, if you exclude the 26% wacked out GOP lemmings. Landslide DEMS in 2008 in all branches of government. Throw the scumbag repigs out we will. Gen Betrayus is Bush with a uniform and a brain, but still an agent of stay the course. Nothing good will come out of the last days of Bush the deranged.

[researcher]

10:51 PM on 09/15/2007

Yes parents encourage you children to join the army. Once they do they become mercenaries. Paid to kill and sometimes even rape and torture Iraqis for oil.

Europe where are you? Are you afraid of the big bad America and will not bring bush and Cheney up on war crimes.

Afraid of the bully America.

Step out from under your rocks called complacency and bring these two up on war crimes Americans will not do it we have become an imperialistic flag waving country. We could be invading you next especially if you have oil.

We know about people hiding under rocks over here we call them democrats.

[mostlybluedot]

10:02 PM on 09/15/2007

Give it a break already. Petraeus and Rudy will lose.

[Kansas Evans]

08:27 PM on 09/15/2007

I hope more Americans can see through BushCo's misleading "drawdown." This is where all those people who watch Fox are deceived. Will Fox report that military families think this drawdown is pure politics?

If they already have, then Fox viewers, I apologize. I just wish Bush would bump his head and catch a conscience.

[SadSong]

07:14 PM on 09/15/2007

Seems Gen. David Petraeus, not only betrayed us, but his troops.

Move-On was Spot-On!

[ajax2]

06:46 PM on 09/15/2007

Yes, he has betrayed his troops and fellow commanders.

[godlessclif]

03:47 PM on 09/15/2007

Petreaus' plan makes sense. Fewer boot on the ground, the fewer land mines you step on.

I wonder why the zero troops, zero deaths solution
to that equation has not occurred to him.