Newsday: U.S. May Bring Troops Home if Violence Low

[Gannon Man Date]

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-iraq-deployments,0,3525645.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

March 30, 2005, 2:58 PM EST


WASHINGTON -- U.S. forces in Iraq could begin coming home in significant numbers if insurgent violence is low through the general elections scheduled for the end of the year, a top general said Wednesday.

A larger and more capable insurgency, setbacks in the efforts to develop Iraq security forces, or missed deadlines by the transitional government could delay any significant drawdown, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Lance Smith.

Smith, the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, which has military authority over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, commented in an interview with reporters at the Pentagon.

"(If) the elections go O.K., violence stays down, then we ought to be able to make some recommendations ... for us to be able to bring our forces home," Smith said.

snipped -- more at link

Let's hope this isn't propaganda. Our troops need to come home safe.

[okieinpain]

1. true that.

[Career Prole]

2. And I might get a pony

if Bill Gates gets a hankering to adopt a 50 year-old married guy! :bounce:

[Sequoia]

3. Sure, gotta get ready to send them to Iran and Syria Come June

[Tempest]

4. Propaganda

According to a U.S. general, attacks still average 60 a day. Most of the attacks are focused on Iraqi troops and police. It'll be a year or more before they are capable of defending the country on their own.

Also, the Iraqi prison population is increasing from the number of insurgents being captured. There doesn't seem to be a slow down there.


Then there's the matter of the 14+ permanent bases being built in Iraq. Those will be staffed with troops.

[Teaser]

5. Folks, there is a civil war going on in Iraq

right now. It's a slow burn civil war. But the increasing focus of the insurgents on Iraqi targets is what is lowering our own casualty rate. Increasingly, Sunni guerrillas are seeing this as a war against the Shi'ah majority and the Kurds. We are simply an annoying referee that gets in the way once in a while, which is when our guys get killed.

[Gannon Man Date]

6. I posted a story last week

from the Financial Times of London that implies that the Sunni insurgency is looking for a way out of the fighting. I think it is the Zarkawi-led foreign insurgents that are going to be the main problem leading into the general elections, and they are not as particular about who they blow up. (The Sunni's tend to target only coalition and Iraqi security forces.)

[Teaser]

9. That story is incorrect.

More accurately it was propaganda leaked by Adnan Pachachi whose influence with Sunni rejectionists is minimal. All indications are that the Sunni insurgency is intensifying, and looking for ways to strike at it's primary enemies, the Shi'ah elected government.

I've posted on this extensively, but check out Spencer Ackerman's Iraq'd blog for evidence:

http://www.tnr.com/blog/iraqd?pid=2615

[meganmonkey]

12. And 1 month of a low US casualty rate doesn't mean much

In Feb 04, there were only 20 US deaths. In March 04 it was 52 and in April 04 it was up to 135!!! http://icasualties.org/oif/
I would need to see about 6 months of low US casualties before I believe it's getting 'better'.

But you are absolutely right in pointing out that there really is a civil war going on. We are just one ingredient in the violence over there, and our numbers being low do NOT indicate any sort of success of peace and democracy.

[Generic Guy]

7. I'll believe it when I see it.

Of course something is due to happen in Iraq soon, bush's approval numbers are really low. So either there will be another major offensive in Iraq or, a terror, (MIHOP), attack at home.

[liveoaktx]

8. But we're leaving lots of military bases

[despairing optimist]

10. And if pigs could fly, they'd have wings.

About as likely as a peaceful Iraq under US control.

General William Westmoreland used to say the same stuff in the Vietnam war days: throw off a few glimmers of hope to encourage an ever-more-skeptical public that things are just peachy and soon all the boys will be home again. Vietnamization is right on schedule; the Vietnamese are learning how to be masters of their fate and leaders of their democracy. Uh-huh.

Then came the Tet offensive, but that still didn't stop the endless optimism. Ted Kennedy is right. Iraq is a quagmire too. Brace yourself: many more people aren't coming home alive.

[VegasWolf]

11. This asinine story was ACTUALLY published in MSN? I'm in the

wrong profession.