Truthdig - Ear to the Ground - Circling the Wagons in Baghdad

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Circling the Wagons in Baghdad

arcent.army.mil

Despite touting increased stability in the outer provinces as proof of the success of the “surge,” the U.S. military is about to abandon those regions altogether. The Pentagon’s new strategy for dealing with a reduction of forces in Iraq is essentially to pull back to Baghdad and hope for the best.

Los Angeles Times:

CAMP VICTORY, IRAQ—In a change of plans, American commanders in Iraq have decided to keep their forces concentrated in Baghdad when the buildup strategy ends next year, removing troops instead from outlying areas of the country.

The change represents the military’s first attempt to confront its big challenge in 2008: how to cut the number of troops without sacrificing security.

The shift in deployment strategy, described by senior U.S. military officials in Iraq and Washington, is based on concerns that despite recent improvements, the capital could again erupt into widespread violence without an imposing American military presence.

Read more

TAGS: baghdad deployment iraq military pentagon security strategy surge

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By ender, December 17, 2007 at 6:51 am #
(131 comments total)

Momma's Little Cocaine Cowboy will

Momma’s Little Cocaine Cowboy will forever be known as THE FIRST US PRESIDENT TO LOSE TWO WARS!

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By Expat, December 17, 2007 at 4:53 am #
(872 comments total)

#120663 by rowdy on 12/16

#120663 by rowdy on 12/16 at 8:14 pm
(243 comments total)

Rowdy, I’m with ya. Can we get a deal on a two-fer?

Never have so few, lead so many, down the road to hell, I’m talking HELL dude. Yee-ha, let’s go fer it!!!!

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By GW=MCHammered, December 16, 2007 at 10:39 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Never forget the 'entitled leaders'

Never forget the ‘entitled leaders’ that bowed out before the ‘accountable ones’ approached the stage. The works not done.

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By rowdy, December 16, 2007 at 8:14 pm #
(300 comments total)

it fucking never ceases to

it fucking never ceases to amaze me, the one country on the planet that is capable of wiping out the world is incapable of subduing a bunch of 15th. century camel jockeys. bush said"bring em on” and they did. bush seemingly has no balls. why doesn’t he just nuke iraq back to the 15th. century and get it over with? nobody would really care and then BP, CHEVRON and ROYAL DUTCH SHELL could divvy up the oil and control all of the world’s oil reserves. this would make the world safe for GM and all the other auto makers to continue to make gas guzzlers. i’m going to show my support tomorrow. i’m going to go and lease a HUMMER.

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By PatrickHenry, December 16, 2007 at 5:11 pm #
(1114 comments total)

I think mutiny is in

I think mutiny is in the air.

The Colonels and field grade officers who run this war can see the writing on the wall. Let the no accountabilty, over priced contractors take point. Bush is through and by the militarys own presidential campaign contributions, they desire Ron Paul over Rudy G.

They know they’re comming home soon as Bush leaves, don’t do anything stupid.

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By P. T., December 16, 2007 at 2:47 pm #
(774 comments total)

The problem for Bush and

The problem for Bush and Cheney is that Baghdad is not where the oil is. The oil is in the south and north. Over 80% is in the south.

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By Thomas Billis, December 16, 2007 at 2:15 pm #
(239 comments total)

Whay is the problem?If they

Whay is the problem?If they need more troops all they have to do ask the neo cons to offer up their kids.Mitt Romney’s kids despite their heroic service in trying to get their father elected would sprint to the nearest recruiter if necessary to continue the Bush programs in Iraq that their father is seconding.If you tell the Bush twins their are bars in the green zone and mommy will never find out there are two more.How many at the Nationl Review and other Conservative think tanks are just itching to put down their pens and grab an M-16 and strike a blow for Democracy?If they grab these guys and gals first the war will be over in a matter of days and we will be out of Iraq in months.I do not think even they believe the bullshit this administration is selling.The only ones buying the “surge is working"are the democrats who want to be on the winning side no matter what happens.

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