Let's see....August...September....and....and....oh yes...NOVEMBER! BRILLIANT!!! "As NBC has earlier reported, Casey intends to begin the reduction of combat forces in Iraq by two brigades, or some 7,000 to 10,000 soldiers, beginning in August and September. This would reduce the total number of U.S. military forces in Iraq to approximately 117,000 to 120,000 troops. The reduction would be accomplished by cancelling the deployments of two brigades set to rotate into Iraq later this summer."
You're right, MCG. let's demand that the deployments be continued based on left wing conspiracy theories. :lol:
In the interim George we will naively accept that the November elections have absolutely nothing to do with this timing of troop removal from Iraq.
OK MCG You tell those scheduled to come home that they have to stay a few months longer because the anti-war pseudo patriots aren't happey if they come home before November. Sure they'll be exposed to death and injury but it will keep the left, surrender first folks happy. (it never ceases to amaze me how some people put a political spin on EVERYTHING. From the price of gas to hurricanes they do it all.)
Sombody had better explain to the wives, moms, dads and kids of those killed in the next few weeks or those killed in the last few weeks why someone decided it was better to wait until August and September. I have a much bigger problem with that.
If you brought them home tomorrow, how would you explain that to the families of those who died in April, May and June?
If the timing for some withdrawal and reduction is right for August or Sept. so be it. If the Republicans gain politically in Nov. as a result... just a lucky strike I guess.
Fact is that war is hell and people die, wars come to an end and it has to really suck to be the last couple of casualities of any war. Wars are started by politicians for the most part and when politicians either obtain all of their objectives or seek an end to the war it should come as no surprise that somebody gains/loses something politically.
re: timing To be dramatic, Wilson and the Eurotrash who won WWI decided to end the "war to end all wars" on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year 1918. How would you like your son to be the one who died at 10:59 on 11/11/1918? Ending (or beginning) wars is always politics at its worst. Lets just win the damn thing and let the liberals explain why we should have lost and why they didn't help...
With a majority of Americans in recent polls expressing opposition to the war and with Bush's management of the conflict, Levin told "Fox News Sunday" that many in Washington expect a withdrawal to be announced before the elections. "It shouldn't be a political decision, but it is going to be with this administration," Levin said. "Before this election, this November, there's going to be troop reductions in Iraq, and the president will then claim some kind of progress or victory." From MCG... This is to be expected. As Phantom says regardless of how this turns out or the timing some will claim victory somehow someway and probably both sides of the American political scene will say in some twisted way..."hey..I told ya so". You just hate that life and limb of our young soldiers could be jeopardized because of political power plays.
... <t>you mean, political power plays such as meaningless civilian timelines placed on a military and its objective to placate angsty, f*cktards back home who base their 'knowledge' of the opponent upon what anderson cooper, or fox news has told them??<br/> <br/> you're right, i hope we stop placing these stupid political restraints on our military in this conflict.</t>
When have life and limb of young americans in the service not been at the mercy of politicians in Washington? Answer is during the revolutionary war when the Politicans were in Philadelphia, but they were still at the whim of the political leaders. The Continental Congress didn't just turn everything over to Washington, they badgered him, underfunded him, they interfered with the whole process. If we make policy and decisions based on polls then we are in big trouble, becuase the interconnectivity of everybody makes it so easy to take a poll and do it everyday, every hour, etc. We inch closer to a direct democracy where you elect people to react to polls, I don't think I'd like that at all.
I think the military has reached the point where you commit your soul to whomever is in power with unquestioned loyalty. I'm sure this has always been the case as AJ might explain but these days it is even more exposed to the public eye. Signing up for the military is signing up lock stock and barrel for American politics in general no matter the persuasion or ideology.
I don't know. My son signed up for the adventure, to see the world, to test himself and to defend his country. He got plenty of opportunity to do all those things. Never once did he mention politics. That's for us casual observers.
I don't understand that statement at all. I mean when has it ever been different in the history of humanity? I certainly hope that it never gets to where members of the Armed Forces get to chose wheter or not they think any particular mission is worthy of their participation.
Yes indeed...it's the United States Army and not the Republican or Democratic Army. Good see in that respect that at least there is one important group of Americans that aren't so polarized and tainted and they have a mission that in their minds benefits all Americans instead of just looking out for the party bottomline.