NYT: Bush mulling 2008 troop withdrawal.

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/25/nyt-bush-mulling-2008-troop-withdrawal/

NYT: Bush mulling 2008 troop withdrawal.

“The Bush administration is developing what are described as concepts for reducing American combat forces in Iraq by as much as half next year, according to senior administration officials in the midst of the internal debate.”

The concepts call for a reduction in forces that could lower troop levels to roughly 100,000 by the midst of the 2008 presidential election, and they would also greatly scale back the mission that President Bush set for the American military when he ordered it in January to win back control of Baghdad and Anbar Province.

The mission would instead focus on the training of Iraqi troops and fighting Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, while removing Americans from many of the counterinsurgency efforts inside Baghdad.

Still, there is no indication that Mr. Bush is preparing to call an early end to the current troop increase, and one reason officials are talking about their long-range strategy may be to blunt pressure from members of Congress, including some Republicans, who are pushing for a more rapid troop reduction. (_)

Officials say proponents of reducing the troops and scaling back their mission next year appear to include Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. They have been joined by generals at the Pentagon and elsewhere who have long been skeptical that the Iraqi government would use the opportunity created by the troop increase to reach genuine political accommodations.

FLASHBACK: New York Times, June 24, 2006:

The top American commander in Iraq has drafted a plan that projects sharp reductions in the United States military presence there by the end of 2007, with the first cuts coming this September, American officials say.

According to a classified briefing at the Pentagon this week by the commander, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the number of American combat brigades in Iraq is projected to decrease to 5 or 6 from the current level of 14 by December 2007.

[DS1]

1. Double it in 07, then halve it in 08

so you look good to the GOP fuckers you need to vote for your party but are in the same exact place you were 2 years ago

[azurnoir]

2. I think Nixon tried to

pull a similar stunt. So Bush wants to "reduce" troops just in time for the election.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Yup--"double" the surge by winter of 2007-2008, and then withdraw

to about where we were in December 2006, but since the Sheeple aren't keeping track, they'll think Chimpy's trying to end the war. It's like marking up a price, and then cutting it and calling the new price a "sales price".

[live love laugh]

4. "Mulling"???? Give me a fucking break. nt