Petraeus Recommends Delay In Troop Cuts, Signaling Doubts About Iraq Stability

WASHINGTON -- Army Gen. David H. Petraeus has recommended that President Bush postpone sharp troop cuts in Iraq until next year, delaying a large-scale shift of combat forces to Afghanistan and reflecting concerns that widespread violence could return to Iraq.

Under the recommendation, the current level of about 140,000 troops would remain in Iraq through the end of Bush's presidency in January. Then, a combat brigade of about 3,500 troops would be removed by February, a senior Pentagon official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the recommendation has not been made public.

The move would represent a compromise between Petraeus and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, comprising the uniformed heads of the Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force. The Joint Chiefs had hoped for a sharper cut -- of up to 10,000 troops -- by the end of the year. Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, had pushed to keep 140,000 troops, or 15 combat brigades and support personnel, until next June.

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Comments

[mesmerize]

President Bush is rushing to make another bad judgement call just to stroke his ego. Thank God for Genaral Petraeus for seeing through this ruse. This is way our next President has to be willing to think things through before they just act on ay old silly whim.

[Vasey]

Of course Patraeus must agree with his Commander in Chief. That's his primary duty as a military officer.

[Coinyer101]

the only doubts are the bush administration wanting to secure their 'long-term' agreement before the end of the year. one major sticking point the iraqi's are refusing to agree on ,is that bush/mccain want to maintain 50 bases in iraq. they want to stay.have no doubt!

[mostlyharmless]

they want to stay all right . . . once iraq is out from under our occupation, they may very well press the world court for a war crimes investigation

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

So things are going really well, but it would help to have more troops to keep it that way. Anything else, General? Mr. President? And you Ms. Rice? and uh ... Mr. Kissinger?
Sorry, louder please, didn't hear your responses, did you say another 5 or 6 years??

[Atlantavet]

This is upside down. The Chariman of the Joint Chiefs is the principal military advisor to the president, not one general in charge of troops in a country of less than 30 million people. Without Bush to protect him, Petraeus' career will be in trouble.

The UN mandate runs out this year. If we don't sign a deal with the Iraqis, we will have no basis to have troops in Iraq after December. I hope Obama and Biden are smart enough to demand to see the agreement that is being negotiated. I believe it also needs congressional approval. It's unbelievable that this is running down to the last four months to be settled.

[anpu]

The surge was a success and we've won the war. At least that what John McCain and the Republicans have been yapping about. Why does Petraeus hate the troops?

Wait, wait . . . I thought McCain would listen to Petraeus. If that is true, then he should shut his trap about the success of the surge and how we have won the war.

Obama/Biden '08

[truthynesslover]

Well of course they want to leave the mess for obama so they can blame him.

[StevieRae]

Actually, it appears from Bob Woodward's latest book, "The War Within: A Secret White House History, 2006-2008," that the Surge WAS NOT the primary factor for the improvements in Iraq. The "surge" didn't win the war. Many of the people Woodward interviewed have affirmed Obama's long-held assertion, which was that there were other factors that contributed to the reduction of violence in Iraq.

Here is just another vindication for the man clearly more suited to deal with the major mess Bush & Co. will leave behind, Barack Obama!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/

[Furby]

Last I looked, the war was not won, so it would be difficult to attribute a victory to anything.

[studlyguy]

We all know what will happen after the election people,so this all show ,the troops will be staying in Iraq and the economy's true health will be unveiled and I think most of us with brains know what the economy is like and Iraq where going nowhere fast ,they'll let you know after the elections.

[likeicare]

"Petraeus Delays Troop Cuts Blah, Blah, Blah" -- it's not b/c he really gives a F -- he just wants to make sure HE gets the credit for the toop pullout, and not Obama.

The Rethugs have made no secret about the fact that they're grooming Just Call Me God Petraeus for their 2012 nominee, and by making it seem like HE'S the one who decides when we stay or go, he looks more presidential. And with the Iraqis agreeing with Obama on a troop pullout, he needs all the help he can get.

It's all about managing the message -- especially if you can't manipulate it.

[Diogenis]

Did someone say "PULL OUT" ?? doesn't seem like seem like...the manly thing to do!

[Furby]

LOL, yes the pull-out a.k.a. republican birth control.

[evekendall]

The surge has NOT worked. The stated purpose of the surge was to give the Iraqi government time to get its act together, and they have not done that.

[MikeDu]

Gee, what a surprise. Bush to leave the WH with roughly the same number of poor saps 'serving' in Iraq (though that phrase wrongly implies performing actual service to the country) as in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. Does the phrase "being played for suckers" mean anything to you?

[cminri]

But wait..I thought the surge was working?!?!? What happened?!?!?!?

[freebeer]

Obama is also part of the big group lie, the surge is working.
I am so sick of so called intelligent people buying into the surge argument or worse, helping to sell the lie.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/05/uselections2008.barackobama1

From the article.

"Barack Obama tonight walked into the hostile territory of the rightwing network, Fox News, and said that the troops surge in Iraq was working "beyond our wildest dreams" in an appearance...."

[CAPTAINSKIPPY]

Exactly. Obama changes are simply fact-shufflings, with bureaucratic redeployments and extra costs, with little to show for it anytime soon, if ever - the price of inexperience.

[truthynesslover]

your forgetting who hes talking to.Unfortunately a lot of our voters are not so bright{see bush and palin}.

[Furby]

Would you prefer dumb people buying into the lie? Wish granted.

Love,
Retro Genie

[CornSyrupAwareness]

Look Iraq is not safe yet. That's why we have to sell them as many dangerous weapons and aircraft as we can. To safen them up. The Iraqi government has asked for information about buying 36 F-16 fighter aircraft built by Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT - News), the U.S. Defense Department said on Friday. On July 30, the Pentagon notified Congress that Iraq also was seeking to buy 24 Textron Inc (NYSE:TXT - News) Bell Armed 407 or 24 Boeing AH-6 helicopters along with 565 120mm mortars, 665 81mm mortars, 200 AGM-114M Hellfire missiles and other arms that could be worth $2.4 billion... unbelievable

[Budokan]

I guess the mission isn't accomplished. Once again the GOP Ratpigs get it wrong, as do their sychophants. But they're used to that.

[tea in the harbor]

Of course the violence is going to increase. It is down for two reasons, we are bribing insurgents in Anbar, and we have the troops to threaten the lives of anyone who steps out of line in Bahgdad. Has the Iraqi government asked us to delay troop withdrawals? General Petraes doesn't say, haven't they spent the last several months demanding that withdrawal? Haven't the people involved, both American and Iraqi's overwhelmingly demanded that this occupation end? Shut up and do your job General, your opinions have no right to override those of 350 million people in two Nations!

[Ammobob]

NObama on Bill O:

The SURGE has succeeded far beyond anyone's expectation. BUT, the Iraqi's still are dragging their feet on political reconciliation. HUH? WTF?????

[kasinca]

How can BillO argue with that?

[zippywpinhead]

too complex of a thought for you to process?

[JHunt012]

He Should have said...

The surge effectively showed the world that four US Marines are better than two " something most of us Americans already knew. The United States Marine is THE baddest man on the planet.

But in terms of the political progress for which the surge was SUPPOSED to have been measured, it"s done little more than put lipstick on a Pit Bull.

[malrubius]

There is and was never any intention to pull the troops out of Iraq. The media talks about this as if they still believe that Cheney intends to remove the troops. They still act as if Petraeus is not a politician. It is ridiculous. The troops will stay there until they are in Iran, and if not Iran, Lebanon or Palestine, or possibly to protect Jordan from its neighbors. Even if Obama is elected we will still have a large military presence in one of these countries whose people "need" us near the oil supply.

[kimmie69]

and what exactly is wrong with that?

[ATLiberal]

You want to try "bankrupting our country for 250, Alex" for numero one?

[Furby]

Release your prisoners to the military for compulsory service in Iraq. This way, perhaps the money saved on penal institutions will offset the cost of keeping the troops in Iraq.

[Rog49Thomas]

I thought when one won the great victory the troops came home.

Could there be a bit of career planning here?

[Furby]

Well, you wouldn't want to add 130,000 people to your unemployment roll with the way it's looking right now, so you might have a point there.