Bush's Troop Deployment Time Mirage

Here's the problem with President Bush's announced reduction in troop deployment times from 15 to 12 months: it's a PR stunt.

Why? Because, according to the AP, this won't apply to troops currently in the field, but those deploying in August. Now, I may be no expert in the president's "fuzzy math," but my calculations tell me that 12 months from August, 2008 is August, 2009.

There's no President Bush at that point.

So this is a promise he can throw out there, and never has to keep. What it is, though, is a lifeline to Senator McCain. It makes it look like we're easing the burden on troops before the election. It's an illusion, allowing Senator McCain to try to make the case that conditions on the ground are so good that we can ease the strain on the military now. That talking point will come in handy when Senators Obama or Clinton try to raise the breaking of our military. It's also a little mirage of sugar, to help the medicine go down. Since the president announced he's stopping troop redeployments, his faux promise to reduce deployment times is an attempt to make the news sound not so bad.

If the president, and Senator McCain, want to put their money where their mouth is, then they can stop standing in the way of the Webb-Hagel "Dwell Time" Amendment. That amendment would put into law a reduction of deployment time and give troops as much time on the homefront as they spend in the field -- 12 months deployed, 12 months at home. That's a generous compromise amendment, as in the past there has usually been a 1-2 ratio in deployed-to-homefront time.

Senator McCain led the opposition to the common-sense Dwell Time amendment in the past, with the president backing him up every step of the way.

If they are truly serious about relieving the strain on our forces, they'll pass the Dwell Time amendment. If not, then everyone can only take one thing away -- this is political PR, and nothing more. But what else is new?

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Comments

[jcorrington]

TankerRat, bushco are guilty of war crimes, torture per Jonathon Turley, Constitional lawyer, GWU on Countdown last nite. They could be brought up on charges except for our do nothing, chicken congress.



del8300
ie7

[TankerRat]

Sorry. Authorized by Congress with original assent. You'd have a hard time proving war crimes as well. Things like Abu Garib were well documented and punished by authorities. (like them or not)

Anything else can be construed as "fog of war" incidents.

I truly do wish it were otherwise.

[zitlight73]

If there's one thing this Commander in Chief cares less about than keeping his promises it's the welfare of the troops who serve under this demented boy president who loves nothing better that to use them for photo ops as he dresses up like GI Joe in a codpiece. All the while denying them the body armor, armored vehicles to help keep them safe. Then when those troops are killed he sneaks them into the country under the cover of night like to keep American citizens who apparantly suffer enmasse from Attention Defecit Dis-order from knowing that young people are dying every day because of his lies. For the ones that are wounded he cuts their benifits by claiming their injuries were pre-existing or strangles them with bureaucratic redtape. The luckier ones that aren't killed or wounded he tries to cut their combat pay and separation pay while denying National Guard Troops who had good enough civilian jobs to buy homes any protection from foreclosure. Support the troops my ass!

[accord]

Yeah, I've heard he also keeps babies in a zoo in the White House and kills them for the fun of it. He also is seen on the streets of Washington robbing old ladies, but they let him go "just because he's the president." Oh, and he also wants to bring back slavery, but this time it will be the liberals in servitude. He's made a pact with China to spew out as much CFC and Carbon Dioxide as possible. He also worships satan in secret.

How much of THAT do you believe?

[kenfoh]

I guess you can try to make what this president has done seem silly... . but history will be the judge.... you use a tactic that is tired and becoming more and more ineffectiv­e...distra­ct and obscure.... problem is more and more people are paying close attention.

[wsblake]

accord,
-you are the prototype lower -middle class conservative Republican- you support and vote for the rich,Republican prototypes- who make fun of your kind all day long on the golf course

[zitlight73]

If you believe ANYTHIMG the Bush administration ever uttered you'll believe anything. Everything I wrote is researcheable, something I suggest you try instead of being spoonfed your pablum by the likes of Fox News.

[RTOTrainer]

The "Dwell-Time" amendment would be meaningless. It grants the President the authority to waive the dwell-time for units or individuals if he deems it necessary.

Talk about PR. I suppose that any certification the President required could be used as a political club, so there's that.

It wouldn't matter that President Bush would not be around. The miltiary leadership in DoD will still be there, and unless the next President makes a different decision, they've got this policy guidance. And that's all it is is policy.

One point that's frequently brushed aside in the discussion of deployment lenghts,is that at the same time Active Duty deployments were increased to 15 months, Reserve Component deployments were reduced to 12 months. We had been doing 15 months. That had reversed once before as well (as a result my first deployment was 12 and my second was 15).

[TankerRat]

A well reasoned post Jon. Problem as I see it is that neither Clinton or Obama has a better plan. It makes no difference (concerning Iraq) if McCain gets elected provided the spineless jellyfish Democrat CONGRESS cuts off the money tap. Which they won't because their corporate masters are no different than those of the Republicans. See what I'm driving at?

[Rudym]

Please Democrats, amend the bill Bush wants to fund Iraq from 108 billion to 8 billion. All it takes is a little guts on your part to say no. Quit making our troops targets walking and driving on patrols in Iraq like shooting ducks.. If the troops only get 8 billion, then they won't be able to go out on patrol. If Iraq wants their streets patroled, send their troops instead and pay them with the 50 billion dollars of Iraq oil money sitting in banks in America earning interest while Americans pay Iraq troops with deficit spending..

Democrats, it takes courage not to be wimps. Do what the voters elected you to do 2 years ago, change the course.in Iraq. Wasn't that your slogan?. Just say no to Bush,, thats all you got to do, he won't beat you up for doing what you promised voters you would do. If you don't, I will take it that nothing will ever change if a Democrat gets elected President. Seems all Democrats do is make promises so they can get elected..

[Numbskull]

Democrats don't have guts. They're spineless puppets, that say what needs to be said to fool people so they can get into an office and get their favors done for thier people. The Generals of the Army are very good at what they do, and they aren't stupid people. If they say we need to do something regarding a situation, I trust thier judgement. These aren't pot smoking 30 year olds, these are senior military commanders who've spent thier entire career in service to the country. The public doesn't know squat about what is best for this country, because we don't know a single thing about the conditions or the situation over there. As far as I'm concerned, if a 4 star general warns us not to leave, we should believe he knows what he's saying. If a pot smoking college kid says we need to get out of there cuz it's too expensive and soldiers are dying, I value his immature opinion, but I don't rest the decisions of a country on the logic of people who don't have any of the info required to make those decisions. I do feel for the youth that is fighting this war, but we lost two thirds of the death count from the war, in one day 7 years ago. I don't want to see that again. Hippy, yuppy, communist whatever...I don't really trust the general consensus to leave Iraq, when everyone in the know is shaking thier heads.

[RTOTrainer]

Guts have little to do with it. It's votes, and there aren't enough in the Senate to invoke cloture. Even if all the Democrat Senatoras and the Independents voted en bloc there's not enough votes. Anything the Republicans don't want to pass the Senate, won't and you still have to have both houses to pass a bill.

If you really want to defund us, you'll have to get more Senate seats in '08, or persuade more Republicans to your side. I don't see either happening.

For myself, I'd volunteer to stay without pay.

[FOXYLADY]

IMPEACH BUSH........IMPEACH CHENEY....­........IM­PEACH BUSH......­.....IMPEA­CH CHENEY....GET THEM THE HECK OUT OF OFFICE ASAP BEFORE THE ARROGANT SOB'S HAVE OUR FORCES ATTACK IRAN...........THEY SURE ARE EAGER FOR MORE WAR.......­........B^­%$DS

[TankerRat]

On WHAT grounds FOXYLADY? I wish we COULD put the whole crowd in jail but BushCo. was given authorization to do what he did. Yes, he lied to us but PROVE it in a court. Oh how I wish you could. It's an exercise in futility at this point. What's worse is that NEITHER of the Democratic candidates will beat McCain in the general. WE MUST have a better candidate or the train wreck WILL happen.

[realistic2008]

The impeaching thing, to paraphrase Bush 42, is too late, we we should demand is that is tried by an International Court int the Sahara desert in summer time and let him experiment waterboarding and ask him to explain what he thinks about the exercise and as punishment let him walk the desert for the rest of his life going around explaining his doctrine of democracy and or invading "oasis".

[FOXYLADY]

Once the services have you signed up..........your life is theirs regardless of any contracts or bull s&^t the recruiters tell you. That is something many young men and women don't realize and once in they are rudely awakened. My grandson learned the hard way and he is stuck in doing a job he didn't apply for........is stuck.....­......beca­use of lying marine.recruiting officers (I didn't capitalize marine on purpose) not in error folks. Not only that but they screwed up his pay by having him on their lists as "single" when he was married for a year with a young baby. Then they couldn't get base housing as it supposidly wasn't available......and later found out that it was a lie....too late as they had a lease on an apartment that couldn't be broken. His records were all screwed up -- but what else is new what with the treatment of vets in military hospitals and the waiting list and lost records of so many maimed and wounded. I AM TOTALLY DISGUSTED.......IT NEVER USED TO BE THIS WAY AFTER WWII OR KOREA ...BUT PERHAPS NAM.......­.......WHA­T'S HAPPENING WITH OUR GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIO­NS????????­??????????­?????????

[richw23]

Doesn't matter anyway - just extend 'em as needed. Every time line they throw out is bogus unless it just conveniently works out that way. For awhile everything was 3 to 5 months off, which never happened either, as far as I can recall.

BTW, I was going to give Petraeus a dubious benefit of the doubt. His ming vase with the reverse gear did me in. If it's fragile does that mean it will break when it goes in reverse, or does being fragile mean it will pop in reverse on its on.

Just kidding - it was the roundabout statement that it will be time to bring the troops home when it's time, and when it is that time, why that's how we'll know. The ming vase humvee was just stupid, but the circular arguments just don't fly. Plus the freaking jargon. I thought he was a real person - wrong again.

[billythekid888]

Dear Rep / Senator,

The Bush Administration has committed so many high crimes and misdemeanors that it is beyond the scope of this letter to cite these violations of law.
The Bush Administration has damaged America’s reputation in the world beyond repair. America is no longer considered “good." America will now be remembered as “hypocrites of torture,” and “a force of evil.”
Now our economy is in severe recession because of failed political and economic policies of this Administration.
As a member of Congress you swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.
It is your duty to impeach President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Rice, Attorney General Gonzales and members of this Administration who have participated in criminal activity immediately.
Failure to impeach means you are in violation of your Constitutional oath.
Which is it?
As a tax paying citizen and registered voter, I demand an explanation. I want to see articles of impeachment introduced now!
If you are in violation of your Constitutional oath; then the Constitution of the United States of America is dead!
If you refuse to act out of fear, cowardice or for other reasons, I will see you voted out office and replaced with a 3rd party candidate.
We elected you to represent us, the common citizen. Make us proud this one time. Hear our cry of patriotism and introduce impeachment articles against this Administration.
Sincere Regards,

[FOXYLADY]

BILLY....I AGREE WITH YOU ONE TRILLION PERCENT!! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE PRESENT CONGRESS/SENATE THAT THEY DON'T "IMPEACH"? ARE THEY AFRAID OF THEIR REPUKE CONSTITUANTS? THIS PRESENT UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT IS SO LACKING IN COURAGE, INTELLIGENCE AND COMPASSION FOR OUR "AMERICAN CITIZENS", BUT MOSTLY THE WORKING POOR AND THE NEW WORKING POOR FROM OUR MIDDLE CLASS! ALL THE WHILE, ALLOWING "ILLEGALS" TO TAKE JOBS THAT OUR "CITIZENS" SHOULD HE WORKING. AND LET'S NOT HEAR, "..THEY ARE DOING THE WORK THAT AMERICAN CITIZENS WON'T DO"...THAT IS BULL CRAP! OUR GOOD CITIZENS ARE WORKING TWO AND SOMETIMES THREE JOBS TO MAKE ENDS MEET....THOSE WHO "WON'T GO ON THE DOLE" LIKE SO MANY DO.

[TankerRat]

They (Congress) AUTHORIZED the war. That authorization has NOT BEEN REVOKED. It cannot be proven that BUSHCO deliberately lied to obtain the authorization. If my lawyer took this to court he'd move to quash the indictment and we'd be out of the courthouse in ten minutes. Ask your idol Obama WHY as a Constitutional scholar he hasn't brought this up. I'd like to hear his reasoning.

[breakingthrough]

This may not be as far-fetched as it sounds even in the current climate of fear this administration has fostered. There are serious charges of war crimes that could be leveled against the highest ranking aides in the white house all the way up to the Oval Office. I would join any group or movement, perhaps spear-headed by someone like K. Olberman who discussed it on his program last night, to bring this gang to justice. Anyone interested?

[SCLib]

Jon,

No, it isn't exactly a "political PR".... I would characterize it as political BS!

[oracle99]

Does anyone ever notice that the majority of men that are for any war, and in favor of bringing back the draft are men past the draft age? These people shouldn't be allowed to make decisions unless they want to serve themselves. War isn't a game.

[TankerRat]

Where do you come up with that asinine statement oracle99?You may wish to more closely examine that issue. You may find it likely has more to do with shared responsibility and sacrifice than being in favor of war.

[oracle99]

Soldiers are committing suicide at an alarming rate....this should tell the adminstration something.

[FOXYLADY]

NOW THIS IS A REAL TRAGEDY!! HAVING SERVED AND NOT GETTING THE MEDICAL CARE AND ATTENTION THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO, THEY ARE DESPARATE ENOUGH TO TAKE, WHAT THEY THINK, IS THE EASIEST WAY OUT. I KNOW I'M BEING OFFENSIVE...BUT I HAVE TO SAY......"GOD DAMN BUSH AND HIS MINIONS/PUPPETS, CHENEY AND THE SO MANY OTHERS THAT I CAN'T LIST. ACTUALLY, THAT COULD GO FOR MANY MANY POLITICIANS NOWADAYS.

[habajebe]

Stop yelling. Makes it hard to read.

[oracle99]

New Poll: 71 Percent Of Iraqis Want U.S. Forces To Withdraw Within A Year”

A new poll to be released today shows that U.S. soldiers overwhelmingly want out of Iraq — and soon. The poll is the first of U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, according to John Zogby, the pollster. Conducted by Zogby International and LeMoyne College, it asked 944 service members, “How long should U.S. troops stay in Iraq?” Only 23 percent backed Mr. Bush’s position that they should stay as long as necessary. In contrast, 72 percent said that U.S. troops should be pulled out within one year. Of those, 29 percent said they should withdraw “immediately.”
enough said !

[RTOTrainer]

2 year old poll.

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?id=1075

[bassnman]

I bet the poll would have been he same in WWI, WWII, Korea or any other conflict where soldiers are involved. If your in a battle zone, not many people WANT to be there. It was a waste of time asking those questions.

[kenfoh]

you comparing Iraq with WWI,II and Korea only shows that you have very little to say about this that has substance. Why did you not mention Viet Nam I wonder? Battle zone? Have you been to Iraq or Afghanistan? I object to your statement that not many people want to be in combat (battle zone)... I was in Afghanistan and I can say that almost everyone around me wanted to be there because we knew that we were going after those that actually attacked us only a few months earlier.... unlike Iraq.

[accord]

Wait, your headline is 72% of Iraqis want us to leave, but you're talking about a poll of the soldiers?

Actually, that poll is from two years ago.

Here's a more-recent poll:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/hi/pdfs/14_03_08iraqpollmarch2008.pdf

This poll is also biased.

Look at question 12a: "Q12a [ASK IF Security Situation has “become better” in Q11] Who do you feel deserves the most credit for this improved security?"

The US Coalition Forces isn't in the list to choose from, but the majority answer is "other".

Look at question 12c: "Q12c [ASK IF Security Situation has “become worse” in Q11] Who do you feel deserves the most blame for this worsened security?"

The US Coalition Forces is the first choice, and garnered a whopping 20%.

And you think polls aren't biased?

[daddysboy]

Soldiers and police should be draftees, not volunteers. We are all in this together and if war is what we're up to then war is what we should ALL be up to (or not). Personally, I'd like to see everyone that has already served brought home for good to be replaced. If this isn't possible then we need to rethink what we are doing there.

[RTOTrainer]

Replaced by whom?

I'm not willing to makeanyone who doesn't want this job take it. As a simple mater not everyone is suited to it. In addition many o those who could mentally and emotionally hack it, are not physically qualified.

There's also an entire practical realm that has not been considered by draft advocates. Going from conscription to volunteer was difficult. Going form volunteer to conscription would be not quite impossible.

[saxmaniac]

Obviously, there are very few HuffPo's who actually have military experience. I wound up doing six years, when all I was "supposed" to do was six months. First, there was the Berlin Wall -- all six month deals were cancelled. Then when I got to Europe for a 24 month tour, it was extended to 36 months just "because." And then my four-year enlistment sent me to the active reserves for another 2 years due to Vietnam. I finally was able to "retire" when someone who didn't want to got to Vietnam took my reserve slot. I was lucky -- the entire resere unit was shipped to Vietnam 3 months later for over a year. The point is that the military does what it has to do keep manpower strength up. Once you're in, they own you. That's why our coward-in-chief went awol from the Texas air guard, and why this latest is nothing more than wallpaper. No need to get exercised, it's how the military runs. As Cheney says, "so?"

[RTOTrainer]

As you may have had pointed out to you, it's also part of the contract we all sign.

Today all military contracts are for a total period of 8 years, only the portion of that spent on Active Duty or Active Reserve is negotiable, with the balance of that time spent on Inactive Reserve and subject to recall.

[TankerRat]

Four years as a Marine- Viet Nam combat vet.
Four years Air force- SAC heavy bombardment wing (KC-135A)
Two years Reserves (MC/AF)

Good enough for you saxmaniac?

[wolf58]

iCasualties.org is the one site where daily information is given on what is going on in Iraq, it also keeps current count of the dead and wounded and how, where, what happened. It is a one stop site to get all information on both conflicts. Well someone or something who do not want the public to know whats going on has attacked the site. It started the day before the hearings. The question must be asked who does not want the public to be informed? Gee I wonder....