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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- Quaoar I'm a Fan of Quaoar 28 fans permalink
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He needs to tell "The Surge" to go slower so that the system will take a longer time to become rigid and allow for a climax before returning to a more flexible state.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:55 PM on 01/17/2008
- Indyfromny I'm a Fan of Indyfromny 17 fans permalink
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air2air (See profile | I'm a fan of air2air)

One thing Anti-War people have in common is an utter ignorance of the crimes of Saddam. Since you guys care about people, I would ask you to read up on what Saddam and the Baathists did to people. You will barf. And your opinion about the war will change 180 degrees. Guaranteed.

But I don't think any of you will. You are having too much fun hating Bush. That's what all this really is.


http://mindprod.com/politics/iraqwarpix.html#IRAQWARPIX

This is what continues for no reason.
To no positive end.

You are a blind frightened sheep.

And your promoting more death.

You should feel shame.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:50 PM on 01/17/2008
- MIKEBC I'm a Fan of MIKEBC 26 fans permalink
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THE OTHER WEEK IT WAS A LAUGH HEARING ABOUT BUSH COMMENTING ON WHY DID FDR NOT BOMB THE CONCENTRATION CAMPS, THE WORST MILLITARY BLUNDER IN USA HISTORY HAPPENED UNDER BUSH'S WATCH AND HE'S TRYING TO SAY WHAT FDR SHOULD DO, THE PRESIDENT AND PARTY THAT BEAT THE JAPS AND THE KRAUTS, WHAT A JOKE, THANK GOODNESS THE DEMS WERE IN CHARGE OF WW2, WE MADE 1 TO 2 SHIPS PER DAY, AND NOW UNDER THE GOP WE CANT EVEN ARMOR THE TRUCKS AND THE SOLDIERS ENOUGH!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:40 PM on 01/17/2008

Since it is now common knowledge that Republican Congressmen sponsor terrorism and are, in fact, in bed with Al-Qaeda, does this mean that Bush is actually waging a war against his own party?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:38 PM on 01/17/2008
- Ping I'm a Fan of Ping 63 fans permalink

Expensive War in Iraq = Crappy Economy at Home

The American people want out of Iraq.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:38 PM on 01/17/2008

When did Mike Martz become Army Chief of Staff?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:37 PM on 01/17/2008

.

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

__________­__________­____

Army Chief of Staff ...

Hummmm

Isn't he Betrayus's boss?

.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:36 PM on 01/17/2008
- raptor I'm a Fan of raptor 7 fans permalink

At times like this I wonder 'Why not leave the Presidency to the Republicans? If they love the war so much, let them solve it'. Just so long as there's a veto-proof Democratic Congress. Just because someone throws you a ball, you don't have to catch it unless you want to play. Just because someone starts a war doesn't mean you have to finish it for them. Just wondering.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:34 PM on 01/17/2008
- zenhead I'm a Fan of zenhead 4 fans permalink

There can't be much flexibility left in the Army's yo-yo. If Gates has any integrity, he will strenuously object to any efforts Bush, Petraeus and Crocker make to keep the surge force in place.
I would guess that between Sunnis being armed by the Americans, and the Shia taking a six month break from attacks against Americans, that string is about to be played out. If those forces are somehow agitated, say, by a terrible attack ostensibly perpetrated by Sunni suicide bombers on an Ashura ceremony, the doo doo could really hit the fan big time. A resumption of heavy combat and casualties against Americans will drive Bush's popularity rating down into single digits, when coupled with a recession.
If that's what it takes to throw the absolute fear of God into Republican sycophants who do whatever they're told by the White House, so be it.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:30 PM on 01/17/2008
- zenhead I'm a Fan of zenhead 4 fans permalink

Gosh, this is a big surprise! I see that Petraeus and Crocker are sycophants, and they represent the worst of the military and diplomatic staff who are clearly bent over backwards to make sure Bush is happy. These are the guys who represent that part of the Wehrmacht command who did whatever der Fuhrer demanded.
Casey is over Petraeus. And Gates had best stand up to Bush. The implications of a rapid collapse in the western border regions of Pakistan to the Pakistani Taliban are profound. A regimental combat team of Marines is not going to be enough if the border regions of Pakistan begin to fold.
The worst thing that could happen in Pakistan is for the Pakistani Army to begin picking sides. There must by now be both Army and ISI (Intelligence) officials within the Pakistani military and intelligence agencies who are already feeding important information to the "Taliban," whether they be Afghan or Pakistani. Bad, bad, bad.
If Pakistani officials are also cooperating within the Foreign Ministry, with the Pakistani Taliban, then getting terrorists out of and into Pakistan without leaving tracks ... those people might cause real damage for the US or UK, or, through entrance and exit through the UK, into the US. Those are serious problems for the US.
Pakistani ISI officials were the ones who gave bin Laden his greatest training -- i.e., the "tradecraft" needed to stay under the radar of all the various intelligence agencies in the world. Bin Laden wins when Pakistani intelligence begins to assist him.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:26 PM on 01/17/2008

Oh shit...sor­ry...fucki­ng DeWreck snuck upstairs and started typing away...tha­t slippery little fuck is the fastest typist I know...of course not very accurate..­.I think he has had one or maybe ten too many Buttsweisters already...­ugh...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:22 PM on 01/17/2008
- negogato I'm a Fan of negogato 30 fans permalink

Imbecile
Failure
Demander

The worst president in US history

Liar Murder Thief

He cannot leave too soon.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:20 PM on 01/17/2008

Oh anda we wood alos be sinking the paises of Presnenent AL GORP istead oof Grog Bash.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:19 PM on 01/17/2008

The ting is if SLICK WILLY had dona his JOB istead of getting them ILEGAL BOWEL JOBS from them underage teenager interns in te White Hose, NONE of this shit wood have ben happeinging, we wood have an GRATE ecomony, a balenced budjet and NO gobal warning.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:15 PM on 01/17/2008

We have a Supreme Decider. Let Him decide.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:11 PM on 01/17/2008
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