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

[realitytrumpsbull]

Yes, but where's the hat, the cane, and the fancy shoes? Hmmm...

[Advocate123]

I HAVE RARELY IN MY LIFE SEEN SUCH DISHONEST REPORTING.

You left out this quote:

“Seems to me we’re just being used as political pawns by the Pentagon and the White House,” he says. “They’re pleasing the DEMOCRATS with this announcement, I guess, but we’ve been here a short time compared to other units. In my personal opinion, the general is playing off our regular deployment schedule and our success here, knowing we’re scheduled to come home anyways. It’s totally political, and I think it’s deceptive.­”

The troops are upset that they are leaving early while other have to stay. They are upset that they have to do this to please the dems.

Way to take all context out of this to mislead people on HP.

Advocate123
http://copiousdissent.blogspot.com

[Agentprovokatur]

While your comment that a quote was left out was spot on, actually it is you Advocate123 who are engaging in "dishonest" spinning of the article. YOU left out the preamble to that quote which read as follows:

"One Marine from the unit, who asked not to be identified for fear or reprisal by his superiors, has a more cynical view." That makes is sound like they are more upset at their commanders for going along with the charade.

In addition there was absolutely no other mention regarding their feelings about the politics involved. NO ONE said they were "upset that they have to do this to please the dems" That is an unfounded assumption on YOUR part.

While it is clear from the article they don't think it is fair for those who haven't been there long to leave before others who have been there longer (as you correctly state), there is no mention about feelings toward either political party. What is clear is disgust at the deception of including pre-planned or already known reductions into the numbers included as new reductions as if the Adminstration was being munificent with it's phoney reductions.

[JaneC]

No, they're upset that they are being USED by the WH and PENTAGON for political purposes sparky. That is clearly stated in his first line.

You're seeing that comment as his regret that he has to come home early is proof you been spun stupid once again.

He's merely proving the point that it's all a game. If it were in fact a "draw down" the ones who've been there longest would come out first. Get it?

He seems to understand this move was just another game to make the democrats shut up and go away. They won't.

[SeaOats]

"Spun stupid"

love it!

[kellygrrrl]

maybe they're a little upset because they thought they were going to defend the American people and then realized over time they were only there to aid in the criminal acts of Bu$h and Dicktator Cheney. I doubt they'd make the choice to risk life and limb just to be an accomplice to an oil heist.

[ohiomark]

Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black. Everything the Democrats are doing to Patreaus is nothing but politics. He was overwelmingly approved by Congress to lead the "surge" and now he comes back with good news are they pounce on him.

When politicans run a war, it is doomed to fail.

[Blutus]

John Warner?
Democrat?

Chuck Hagel?
Democrat?

[ohiomark]

RINO's

[nippersdad]

Honestly; can you people not recognize the difference between voting for someone elses' choice who is QUALIFIED for a job and choosing a candidate for oneself? It really is no wonder whatsoever that we find ourselves in the straits that we do when such nuance is so totally beyond the capabilities of half the population.

[swift goat pet for truth]

Unlike the unmitigated success it is now.

[totalliberal]

ohiomark:

When politicans run a war, it is doomed to fail.



Ya like Lincoln, Roosevelt and Churchill?

Ohiomark. Stuck on stupid.

[MI6troll]

And how will they feel when this becomes more widely known.

Reported as "breaking news" early this morning by The Telegraph:

"Basra troops 'will move to Kuwait' "

"British troop numbers in Iraq are expected to be halved by December, with about 2,500 soldiers moving to Kuwait, The Daily Telegraph has learnt."

"A team of officers from Permanent Joint Headquarters in Northwood has spent the past week in Basra reviewing the number of soldiers needed following the withdrawal of the last battalion from Basra Palace a fortnight ago.

"It is expected that they will recommend approximately halving the force of more than 5,000 now based at Basra air station after full control of the province is passed to the Iraqis, probably in November."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=HUBQOURTZCODXQFIQMFSFF4AVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2007/09/15/wkuwait115.xml

Guess Liz and PM Brown didn't listen to the chimp's speechifying Thursday night.

[getoffmedz]

Don't confuse normal rotation with drawdown.

This stupid, criminal war will be dumped in the next administration's lap.

Bush/Cheney are BEYOND impeachment!

[TerryFL]

.

Unfortunately, it seems that our military and their families are just pawns in Bush's sick game. "Petaeus the Great" is a willing participant also.

.

[Captain EdwardGraham]

Who says the next President is going to be a Democrat? I agree that the house and Senate will be overwhelmingly Democrat but the very best candidates the Democrats can put up are Hillary and Obama and they simply are NOT presidential material.

General Petraeus, PHD however, is a real certified war hero, and millions of GOPers will fall in love with him, and if he picks Rudy , the hero of 9/11 as vp, he is a shoe in.

The scenario should go something like this:

1. GOP big shots will BEG the General to retire and Run for President;

2. The General will turn on Bu$h and blame him as the scapegoat for everything BAD about the IRAQ WAR, (which is true)

3. Carl Rove will back this sure winner...a­nd use dirty tricks to eliminate all GOP competitio­n...

4. His son Stephen will get slightly wounded in IRaq thus causing National prayer and sorrow, and cause the General to 'make a deal' with the radical Shiite Cleric Sadr to pull the troops out of IRAQ bloodlessl­y....

5. The General will make a deal with the Kurds for all that cheap ass OIL by sharing some of it with Europe and Iraq and China...(B­u$h Cheney are to greedy, they want ALL that OIL...

6. Bingo , Eisenhower peace and prosparity for 8 years...mo­re or less...

[Captain EdwardGraham]

The Ambitious Delusions of George Bush and David Petraeus John Nichols
Thu Sep 13, 10:42 PM ET



The Nation -- We now learn that General David Petraeus fancies himself a Dwight Eisenhower for the 21st century.



According to a report in London's Independent newspaper by the reliable Middle East observer Patrick Cockburn, the U.S. military viceroy in Iraq would like very much to return from his mission and -- like the Supreme Commander of Allied forces in Europe during World War II and of North Atlantic Treaty Organization in its aftermath -- mount a bid for the White House.

Petraeus has apparently been so open in expressing his "long-term interest in running for the US presidency" that Sabah Khadim, a former senior adviser at Iraq's Interior Ministry who worked closely with the general in Baghdad, recalls, "I asked him if he was planning to run in 2008 and he said, 'No, that would be too soon'."

Such are the political calculations of the man whose embrace of President Bush's war has become so complete that he and his aides have radically altered the manner in which statistics are gathered on violence in Iraq in order to foster the fantasy that the fight has taken a turn for the better.

[godlessclif]

Bill O emphasized that Petraeus was a war hero because he won the Bronze star, but Bill O did not hesitate to trash, insult and swiftboat Silver star winner John Kerry. I guess who is a hero depends on their
willingness to kiss neocon ass.

[MikeMidCity]

Cap, love you dude. I'm an old Marine myself.

But Petraeus as a candidate for President? Anyone having anything to do with Bush's Blunder, more importantly prolonging the war, has a spit's chance in hells.

I may be a little daft but what about the former Chief of Staff who said we would need 500,000 troops to pull it off. His name escapes me, but at least he didn't sell out the troops like Petraeus.

[Jain]

What was Maximus Petraeus' reply to former senator Dave Rye (Montana) - who called the dead soldier of the N.Y. Times piece a liar. How many of his own will he fail to protect? Shades/shame of Colin Powell...

[tlcutter]

Please name a war that soldiers are not used as pawns. That is the nature of serving in the military.

[kellygrrrl]

they are risking life and limb in order to be an accomplice to an oil heist. I imagine that's not the choice they thought they were making.