General George Casey, Iraq troop reductions, Iraq war, Iraq war casualties, the surge, warwire
General George Casey, Iraq troop reductions, Iraq war, Iraq war casualties, the surge, warwire

Army Chief Of Staff: "The Surge Has Sucked All Of The Flexibility Out Of The System"

Wall Street Journal   |   January 17, 2008 02:41 PM


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The following is excerpted from a Wall Street Journal article on General David Petraeus's indecision over Iraq troop withdrawals:


Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he hopes to see the U.S. military presence fall below 130,000 by the end of 2008, a position shared by many senior Pentagon commanders who worry the high troop levels in Iraq are causing growing manpower strains on the army.

"The surge has sucked all of the flexibility out of the system," Army Chief of Staff George Casey said in an interview this week. "And we need to find a way of getting back into balance."

But President Bush made clear this week that additional troop withdrawals were far from a sure thing. After a meeting in Kuwait with Gen. Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Bush said he was open to slowing or stopping the withdrawal of troops to avoid jeopardizing recent security gains in Iraq. "My attitude is, if he didn't want to continue the drawdown, that's fine with me in order to make sure we succeed," Mr. Bush said, referring to Gen. Petraeus.

Read the rest on the Wall Street Journal.

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- johnnyjust I'm a Fan of johnnyjust 6 fans permalink

Bad news for liberals: Surge working, bombings down.

Sorry, guys, our troops just won't be dying anytime soon.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:02 PM on 01/21/2008
- bookish I'm a Fan of bookish 4 fans permalink

The Sunday Times of London has published another story that appears to confirm Sibil Edmond's allegations of the theft and sale of American nuclear secrets, by American officials, "elected and appointed".

Information available online at The Sunday Times, The Raw Story, Brad Blog, and Luke Ryland.

This story has been widely reported internationally, but American MSM and Huffington Post are silent.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:28 PM on 01/20/2008
- TLV I'm a Fan of TLV 121 fans permalink

Of course this can't be true because Bill O'Reilly says it isn't but...and just because one of my sons went to a new homeless Vets center yesterday and painted walls doesn't mean that it really exists...

"In Wake of Afghanistan and Iraq, a New Generation of Homeless Veterans Emerges" ERIN McCLAM, AP News,
Jan 19, 2008 22:47 EST

http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Why_does_Johnny_come_marching_homel_01192008.html

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:06 PM on 01/20/2008
- donkee I'm a Fan of donkee 21 fans permalink

"the surge sucked"

I could agree

with that

heh...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:46 PM on 01/20/2008

oh my god!! did you see what he said, the traitor!

"The surge has sucked all of the flexibility out of the system," Army Chief of Staff George Casey said.

we cannot let him get away with that. he is undermining the progress of the surge, therefore, a terrorist.

as a neophyte right-winger, i say burn him at the stake!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:33 PM on 01/20/2008

Just a little factoid for all your effort..

Senator Carl Levin of MI is her cohort on the Armed Services Committee( Con)- guess why MI handed her 55% of our 'votes' ( Rigged in MI)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:55 AM on 01/20/2008

WHICH CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSIGHT OF OUR ARMED SERVICES....
You guessed it. Too bad you get nothing!
But heres another question- consider it th eBonus Round- still ge tnothing but here it goes...
Which Pres Candidate has been sitting on this committee- and for how long?
And for your final question..
What has this Committee done to provide oversight to our military use, safety and mission during this time?
You are absolutely right -exactly what you are getting NOTHING!!!
CROWN HER QUEEN and stop yanking our chain!!!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:52 AM on 01/20/2008

Terrorism is a concept, not a person or group who can be identified and contained.
A war on terror, therefore, cannot be fought because it would be like fighting a war on anger or a war on sadness.
Iraq was a secular dictatorship that was considered way too liberal to suit the Saudis who gave us most of the 9/11 terrorists.
Because the Saudis own Bush, instead of bombing them, Bush obeyed and attacked their enemy Saddam Hussein instead.
Had Bush 43 had the wisdom and humility to ask his father about Operation Desert Storm, he could have explained to junior why his Army didn't take Saddam out after liberating Kuwait.
Bush defers to only one group of men- Saudi Royalty.
Proof? Saddam's dead and oil is $100 a barrel.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:24 PM on 01/19/2008
- shedances I'm a Fan of shedances 40 fans permalink
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I agree, completely ~ but we do owe them something. I think we have to begin the tough process of repairing the damage/harm we've caused (without expectation of gain, etc.) ... otherwise, it's exactly like 'cut & run' after the harm is done. And those involved in such inhumane actions/atrocities against fellow human beings in Iraq, must be held accountable. And I expect they will be...

K

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:22 AM on 01/18/2008
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Just saw some clips of Bush interviewed in Saudi Arabia by Terry Moran of ABC News. Bush was acting like "Woody Allen" in his cautious and seemingly fearful kids-glove answer to discussing bringing the price of oil down with Saudi leaders. Stewart tweaked it comedically by calling Bush out on his timidity. Bush wants to be timid, because the last thing he wants his his oil buddies to make less profit off the war, the US people, or the planet's decline in ecological health. Stewart misses the forest for the trees.

Also, Stewart's SURPRISE later that Republicans used immoral dirty tricks in the '02 and '04 elections (sending some to jail) was ridiculous.

I like the guy, but come on, Stewart! Even Greenspan acknowledged the war is for OIL (profits).

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:34 PM on 01/17/2008
- Richard729 I'm a Fan of Richard729 51 fans permalink
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Most of the people who put their little magnetic ribbons on their vehicles that say "Support Our Troops" aren't that concerned about the troops at all. What their message really says is, "Support Bush."

I say they don't support the troops any more than Bush and his factotums running the Pentagon support the troops. Proof of that can be seen in the flat increase in troop strength since Bush preemptively bombed, invaded and occupied Iraq in March 2003.

We hear the constant whine and accusations from the right wing screechers that Clinton destroyed the military and weakened our country. That, as it turns, out is a lie.

In the middle of Clinton's second term in 1995 there were 521,036 active duty U.S. Army personnel; 435,807 were enlisted, the bulk of them combat troops.

At the end of 2007 in the Bush administration there were 510,024 active duty U.S. Army and 422,260 enlisted, the main combat troops.

Under the Clinton administration over the same period there were 171,946 total U.S. Marines with 153,929 enlisted, the main combat troops.

At the end of 2007 in the Bush administration there were 181,541 total active duty U.S. Marines with 162,085 enlisted, the main combat troops that bear the burden of the fighting.

G. W. Bush calls the Iraq War more important than all of America's past wars. But, the truth is, he has decreased the number of U.S. Army troops who are bearing the load of the fighting in Iraq and increased by slightly under 9,000 U.S. Marine combat troops to fight the war to save our civilization.

Both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force have fewer active duty personnel in the Bush administration than there were in every single year of the Clinton administration.

"Bush Does Not Support Our Troops." Put that magnetic ribbon on your SUV's and pickup trucks and remember it when you go to the polls in November. Why? Because it's the truth.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:46 PM on 01/17/2008
- snownobile I'm a Fan of snownobile 5 fans permalink

He respects ronny raygun.
Oh my.................

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:40 PM on 01/17/2008

Any war that is worth fighting is worth sending your kids to. But any politician that would bring that to the campaign this year will be soundly defeated. That is because this war was never worth sending OUR KIDS to. Oh sure as long as it is the VOLUNTEERS, after all they VOLUNTEERED right?

Any war worth fighting is worth paying for. This entire war was and is being fought on credit. It is being bonded out for the future children to pay.

The volunteer armed forces were never conceived as a long term solution to the nations defense in a time of war.

The volunteer forces preformed as they were trained to and conducted well executed battle plan ensuring a quick victory in a conventional combat war.

The armed forces in uniform are owed a duty. That duty has been breached and abused time and again by this President and this Congress and the last two Congress'.

This officer is pointing out that the armed forces are at a point that is dangerous to our National Defense.

Next year or the year after we will need more men and women in uniform. It will be a matter of National Security.

But not really. Our defense of our boarders could be secured for much less money then we are currently giving away to the military/congressional/industrial
defense complex.

We should have never taken this military/mercenary romp in the middle east. It was never in our best interest to do so. Having done so we should now take exit stage right and let the interested neighboring countries take a hand.

The fact that a sitting senator voted to give the dumbest President in American history the power to declare a war (a power only given to Congress in the constitution) then runs for the highest office in the land saying that the senator was fooled or lied into voting for that authorization.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:34 PM on 01/17/2008
- baghdadjoe I'm a Fan of baghdadjoe 37 fans permalink

Support our troops by bringing the criminals to justice!

Congressman Wexler: Case for Cheney impeachment 'far stronger than Watergate.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orkmjB_LHTE

See Congressman Wexler call for Cheney impeachment on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

Just because there's a media blackout doesn't mean that impeachment isn't happening.

http://wexlerwantshearings.com

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:25 PM on 01/17/2008

A variation of the old Reagan Question " Are you safer than you were 7 years ago?" I don't think so, and people a lot smarter than I share this. All name calling aside, this man called president has done little to protect us and indeed has brought our army to it's knees. Maybe we can find some way to pay him and his cronies back (can you say war crimes?).

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:13 PM on 01/17/2008
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