Petraeus may push for flexibility at hearing

[unhappycamper]

Petraeus may push for flexibility at hearing
By Jim Michaels - USA Today
Posted : Monday Apr 7, 2008 6:43:41 EDT

WASHINGTON — When he reports to Congress this week, the top U.S. commander in Iraq probably will not commit to a timetable for troop withdrawals beyond the summer, according to some lawmakers and military experts.

Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker will testify Tuesday and Wednesday, their first joint testimony before Congress since September.

“I think he will avoid making what would be perceived as a commitment to meet troop withdrawal deadlines,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. “I think it’s important for Gen. Petraeus to maintain flexibility.”

Petraeus, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other officials have said they support a pause in troop withdrawals after the last of the “surge” forces are scheduled to depart in July. The time would be used to assess conditions once the additional troops leave.

Without a scheduled drawdown for the second half of the year, the Army would have more flexibility to reach its goal of shortening combat tours from 15 months to 12, with a year of rest time between deployments.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/gns_petraeus_040708/

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Flexibility = war without end.

Grab your ankles, USA

[GoesTo11]

2. The argument is being prepared

The Boston Globe headline is:
Iraq violence up as troop levels drop

But then the article says that troop levels were only reduced by 5700. Hidden under the fold it mentions that

"Other analysts question whether the US strategy planted the seeds for greater bloodshed by funding, and arming, various Sunni and Shi'ite factions who may eventually battle one another or fight among themselves."