Patreaus to provide political coverage for withdrawl...

Taco John · 08-15-2007, 05:50 PM

Petraeus Says He Will Propose Troop Cuts

Aug 15 02:14 PM US/Eastern
By STEVEN R. HURST
Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) - The top American commander in Iraq said Wednesday he was preparing recommendations on troop cuts before he returns to Washington next month for a report to Congress, and believes the U.S. footprint in Iraq will have to be "a good bit smaller" by next summer.
But he cautioned against a quick or significant U.S. withdrawal that could surrender "the gains we have fought so hard to achieve."

Gen. David Petraeus said the "horrific and indiscriminate attacks" that killed at least 250 Yazidis, an ancient religious sect, in northwestern Iraq Tuesday night were the work of al-Qaida in Iraq. That would bolster his argument, he said, against too quickly drawing down the 30,000 additional U.S. troops deployed in the first half of the year.

The general issued his comments to a small group of reporters who accompanied him to the headquarters of a group of former Sunni insurgents who are now working with American and Iraqi forces against al-Qaida in western Baghdad's Amariyah neighborhood.

Petraeus listened intently as the so-called Freedom Fighters' 40-year- old leader, who uses the nom-de-guerre Abu Abed, explained his transformation and said he switched sides because al-Qaida was ravaging the neighborhood and trying to impose its austere version of Islam.

Members of the neighborhood volunteer army milled about, U.S.-supplied pistols strapped to their hips and AK-47 automatic rifles at the ready. Petraeus reviewed a short line of the auxiliary force and shook hands with each man.

Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, who unexpectedly accompanied Petraeus, promised Abed that the neighborhood—now that it was calmer—would receive priority government attention for its crumbling infrastructure.

Petraeus asked Abed if he would do an interview with an Iraqi television crew that had joined the tour and tell Sunnis who fled the district to return to their homes because it was now safer. The diminutive Abed agreed and promised his protection to returnees.

Petraeus, who wrote the Army's book on counterinsurgency, said he and his staff were "trying to do the battlefield geometry right now" as he prepared his troop-level recommendations.

"We know that the surge has to come to an end, there's no question about that. I think everyone understands that by about a year or so from now we've got to be a good bit smaller than we are right now.

"The question is how do you do that ... so that you can retain the gains we have fought so hard to achieve and so you can keep going. Again we are not at all satisfied where we are right now. We have made some progress but again there's still a lot of hard work to be done against the different extremist elements that do threaten the new Iraq."

Petraeus said the shift in loyalty among many Sunni insurgents in Iraq's western Anbar province, Baghdad's Amariyah district and a similar hotspot in the city called Ghazaliyah was "a pretty big deal."

"You have to pinch yourself a little to make sure that is real because that is a very significant development in this kind of operation in counterinsurgency," he said. "It's all about the local people. When all the sudden the local people are on the side of the new Iraq instead of on the side of the insurgents or even al-Qaida, that's a very significant change."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

BucEyedPea · 08-15-2007, 05:57 PM

Seems the change of alliance by the Sunnis ( a political decision) helped a lot. It also shows that not all Muslims choose the austere form of Islam either.

Taco John · 08-15-2007, 05:58 PM

Works for me. Anything to get our guys out of that hell hole so we can start focusing on the problems we have in America is good news by me.

wazu · 08-15-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taco John

Works for me. Anything to get our guys out of that hell hole so we can start focusing on waging war with Iran is good news by me.

Fixed your post.

**patteeu** · 08-15-2007, 06:09 PM

As long as the goal of "withdrawal" is flexible enough to include an 18 month surge with a smooth transition into a slightly smaller, longer-term force, I guess this is good news for the retreat crowd.

memyselfI · 08-15-2007, 06:15 PM

KO is reporting that Patreaus is not even going to write the actual report. He's giving 'advice' to the WH who will be writing the report...

What do you want to bet that his recommendation, troop withdrawal, is not what the actual report ends up saying.

BIG_DADDY · 08-15-2007, 06:17 PM

We are never leaving Iraq, get over it.

Adept Havelock · 08-15-2007, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

We are never leaving Iraq, get over it.

"Get over" leaving our national Johnson in a meat grinder?

I hope we never "get over" acts of stupdity like that.

Taco John · 08-15-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patteeu

As long as the goal of "withdrawal" is flexible enough to include an 18 month surge with a smooth transition into a slightly smaller, longer-term force, I guess this is good news for the retreat crowd.

I just want to make it clear that I'm not in favor of retreat.

What I *AM* in favor of is declaring victory and getting the hell out of dodge -- which is what it looks like we may be "smoothly transitioning" to.

Hydrae · 08-15-2007, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Members of the neighborhood volunteer army milled about, U.S.-supplied pistols strapped to their hips and AK-47 automatic rifles at the ready.

I am also going to pray we are not, in some manner, creating and supplying the next OBL.

BucEyedPea · 08-15-2007, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

We are never leaving Iraq, get over it.

This is just a draw down from the surge. With 14 permanent military bases being built and an embassy the size of the Vatican it's safe bet we aren't leaving. Besides Bush says were going to be making over the world...and we're far, far from done. It's no wonder they call it the "long war" or "the war that may never end." Nice 'eh? Permanent war right out of 1984 with those scraggly rebels in the background and a Ministry of Truth ( Fox News) on our giant plasma screens.

Logical · 08-15-2007, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taco John

I just want to make it clear that I'm not in favor of retreat.

What I *AM* in favor of is declaring victory and getting the hell out of dodge -- which is what it looks like we may be "smoothly transitioning" to.

Let's hope so.

a1na2 · 08-15-2007, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taco John

I just want to make it clear that I'm not in favor of retreat.

What I *AM* in favor of is declaring victory and getting the hell out of dodge -- which is what it looks like we may be "smoothly transitioning" to.

Declaring victory when there is no victory is totally assinine.

Either we finish the job as it needs to be finished or we just walk away from the region.

Taco John · 08-15-2007, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1na2

Declaring victory when there is no victory is totally assinine.

a1na2 · 08-15-2007, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taco John

Do you even know the story behind that sign?

Also, it says nothing of victory.

Declaring victory when there is none is still assinine.

08-15-2007, 05:50 PM
Taco John 12on Paul Join Date: Jun 2001 Casino cash: $10085242	Patreaus to provide political coverage for withdrawl... Petraeus Says He Will Propose Troop Cuts Aug 15 02:14 PM US/Eastern By STEVEN R. HURST Associated Press Writer BAGHDAD (AP) - The top American commander in Iraq said Wednesday he was preparing recommendations on troop cuts before he returns to Washington next month for a report to Congress, and believes the U.S. footprint in Iraq will have to be "a good bit smaller" by next summer. But he cautioned against a quick or significant U.S. withdrawal that could surrender "the gains we have fought so hard to achieve." Gen. David Petraeus said the "horrific and indiscriminate attacks" that killed at least 250 Yazidis, an ancient religious sect, in northwestern Iraq Tuesday night were the work of al-Qaida in Iraq. That would bolster his argument, he said, against too quickly drawing down the 30,000 additional U.S. troops deployed in the first half of the year. The general issued his comments to a small group of reporters who accompanied him to the headquarters of a group of former Sunni insurgents who are now working with American and Iraqi forces against al-Qaida in western Baghdad's Amariyah neighborhood. Petraeus listened intently as the so-called Freedom Fighters' 40-year- old leader, who uses the nom-de-guerre Abu Abed, explained his transformation and said he switched sides because al-Qaida was ravaging the neighborhood and trying to impose its austere version of Islam. Members of the neighborhood volunteer army milled about, U.S.-supplied pistols strapped to their hips and AK-47 automatic rifles at the ready. Petraeus reviewed a short line of the auxiliary force and shook hands with each man. Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh, who unexpectedly accompanied Petraeus, promised Abed that the neighborhood—now that it was calmer—would receive priority government attention for its crumbling infrastructure. Petraeus asked Abed if he would do an interview with an Iraqi television crew that had joined the tour and tell Sunnis who fled the district to return to their homes because it was now safer. The diminutive Abed agreed and promised his protection to returnees. Petraeus, who wrote the Army's book on counterinsurgency, said he and his staff were "trying to do the battlefield geometry right now" as he prepared his troop-level recommendations. "We know that the surge has to come to an end, there's no question about that. I think everyone understands that by about a year or so from now we've got to be a good bit smaller than we are right now. "The question is how do you do that ... so that you can retain the gains we have fought so hard to achieve and so you can keep going. Again we are not at all satisfied where we are right now. We have made some progress but again there's still a lot of hard work to be done against the different extremist elements that do threaten the new Iraq." Petraeus said the shift in loyalty among many Sunni insurgents in Iraq's western Anbar province, Baghdad's Amariyah district and a similar hotspot in the city called Ghazaliyah was "a pretty big deal." "You have to pinch yourself a little to make sure that is real because that is a very significant development in this kind of operation in counterinsurgency," he said. "It's all about the local people. When all the sudden the local people are on the side of the new Iraq instead of on the side of the insurgents or even al-Qaida, that's a very significant change." http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1
Posts: 49,409

08-15-2007, 05:57 PM	#2
BucEyedPea Frazod Loves Hammy Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: None of your business Casino cash: $53070	Seems the change of alliance by the Sunnis ( a political decision) helped a lot. It also shows that not all Muslims choose the austere form of Islam either. __________________ "In government, the scum rises to the top."~ Hayek
Posts: 47,259

08-15-2007, 05:58 PM	#3
Taco John 12on Paul Join Date: Jun 2001 Casino cash: $10085242	Works for me. Anything to get our guys out of that hell hole so we can start focusing on the problems we have in America is good news by me.
Posts: 49,409

08-15-2007, 06:09 PM	#5
patteeu The 23rd Pillar Join Date: Sep 2002 Casino cash: $420929	As long as the goal of "withdrawal" is flexible enough to include an 18 month surge with a smooth transition into a slightly smaller, longer-term force, I guess this is good news for the retreat crowd. __________________ Obamacare’s fix for an American health care system that the federal government long ago broke, is to give the federal government far more power over American health care; that its solution to escalating health costs is to mandate greater health benefits (and, hence, higher costs); and that its solution to the pricey overreliance on pre-paid health plans — offered by insurance companies in lieu of real insurance — is to have the government require Americans to buy those pre-paid health plans under penalty of law.
Posts: 67,754

08-15-2007, 06:15 PM	#6
memyselfI CHANGEd your mind yet???? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Lunatics Anonymous Casino cash: $36959	KO is reporting that Patreaus is not even going to write the actual report. He's giving 'advice' to the WH who will be writing the report... What do you want to bet that his recommendation, troop withdrawal, is not what the actual report ends up saying. __________________ Meet the new boss same as the old boss. BigChiefDave:"Anyone who thought we would only be in Iraq for a few years is either stoned or just stoopid." "It is unknowable how long that conflict will last. It could last 6 days, 6 wks. I doubt 6 mths." Rummy 2/7/03
Posts: 31,815

08-15-2007, 06:17 PM	#7
BIG_DADDY THE RED MENACE Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: San Mateo, CA 94401 Casino cash: $57001	We are never leaving Iraq, get over it. __________________
Posts: 28,982

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