As White House Smears Iraq Critics, Pentagon Readies Plan for Withdrawal

[rodeodance]

How many extra troops were sent in the last few months to shore up Iraq for the Dec. elections?


http://thinkprogress.org/?tag=Iraq
As White House Smears Iraq Critics, Pentagon Readies Plan for Withdrawal

The AP reports that President Bush, speaking from South Korea, is rejecting calls for a troop drawdown in Iraq:.......



But these White House attacks are hypocritical in light of new information that the administration itself is preparing for withdrawal. Here’s what NBC Nightly News reported tonight:

There’s word now that the Pentagon, where planning, after all, is everything, has drawn up a plan to draw down the number of U.S. troops in Iraq… Pentagon and military officials tell NBC news the plan calls for the substantial withdrawal of more than 60,000 American troops from Iraq. The plan was drafted by Generals John Abizaid and George Casey, the top two U.S. commanders of the war. If Iraqi elections are successful in December, and a new parliament seated in January, the withdrawal could begin almost immediately. Military officials say it would be an incremental or phased withdrawal.

So it appears the administration is now trying to have it both ways — attacking those who advocate a troop drawdown while leaking a potential exit strategy. President Bush previously said, “Setting an artificial timetable would… send the wrong message to our troops.” Will Bush put a stop to these “mixed messages” being sent to the troops by his own administration?

[KaryninMiami]

1. So why aren't the Democrats letting everyone know about this?

It's a great story-- and if they get on it fast enough- they can take the credit for this- (as Harry Reid did immediately and brilliantly after the Senate performance earlier this week). Not only that, but they can say that we are being lied to even today by them. But if it's already on the AP, they need to act fast other wise Rove will find a way to spin it in their favor.

These are the things that make me crazy about the DNC- -here is a fabulous opportunity to give them a double dose of "take that you assholes"

[serryjw]

9. No promises the troops won't get

re-deployed after the 2006 election...think like a thug

[Erika]

2. W and his regime are totally incompetent

They depend on the small percentage of citizens who are mindless Bushbots to defend them.

[rodeodance]

3. "Pentagon and military officials tell NBC news"-and why is this being

leaked now while Bush blasts dems??

[rodeodance]

4. I heard this on one of the cable stations last evening also.

[rodeodance]

5. Kick

[No Exit]

6. Please, please, don't have this turn out like "The Monkey's Paw"

It scares me when I see them doing something that looks right. It makes me think they are hiding something awful behind it.

[rodeodance]

7. Kick-for the troops

[Igel]

8. This drawdown was planned--and announced--a few months

ago.

Consider it long since incorporated into everybody's knowledge base.

The exit strategy's been weakly defined, but includes getting lots of troops out by the end of '06. Also not a new plan. I haven't heard much about the plans after '06: by then the variables are too large. Even 2/06 has a lot of indeterminacy.