The US could send an extra 7,000 troops to implement President George Bush’s controversial Iraqi security plan, it emerged last night — as the country suffered one of its worst recent days of bloodshed when at least 100 Shia Muslim pilgrims were killed and scores more injured.
Gordon England, deputy secretary of defence, revealed that army commanders were requesting reinforcements beyond the 21,500 personnel already earmarked for the so-called “surge” into the capital.
“At this point, our expectation is the number of … troops could go above 21,500 by about 4,000, maybe as many as 7,000,” the official told the House of Representatives Budget committee in Washington.
The news that yet more men are likely to be joining the nearly 140,000 US troops already serving in Iraq came as Mr Bush insisted there were “encouraging signs” that his strategy was working. On Monday US forces suffered their deadliest losses in nearly a month – when nine soldiers were killed in explosions in Sunni areas north of Baghdad, bringing total casualties since March 2003 to at least 3,185.
George W. Bush can’t add any better than he can tell the truth!
Bush with a forked lizard tongue… how clever.
I didn’t know George Bush liked red licorice! I guess I ought to try some. It’s been a while.
Isn’t it time to have a special hypocrites’ draft? Take all the blowhards who still support Bush’s War — or their kids if they’re old farts — and put them all in a special brigade of “volunteers” to march through Baghdad in triumph — on a daily basis.
I hope there is a special place in hell of people as dense as you are Devorak. I bet you cant even begin to imagine how many things besides troop numbers in Iraq a president has to deal with, and to think any president wouldnt themselves be frustrated over the changing requests *of his advisors* in this present polarized political environment, is moronic. Bush’s stace seems to be that he will support what is asked of him by the people that are they doing the work, I can only imagine how he groans to himeself in times like this when he knows he will catch shit from piss-ants like you over real life changes.
4,
Can’t handle the heat? Get out of the kitchen. Poor Bush. He spent so much time on vacation he’s getting soft, eh? I guess you expect the responsibility of the President is to let your advisers do the planning, executing and deciding? Why don’t you replace the Chief with a Chimp? Oh wait… already done.
#4
“I hope there is a special place in hell of people as dense as you are….”
That would be… about 6,345,384,374,384 levels ABOVE the special place in Hell that George W Bush will be.
Hey #4…the thing we’ve all been complaining about with our f**ktard president is that he DOESN’T deal with the many things he is SUPPOSED to deal with. I would list them, but there isn’t space, but how about Katrina? That ring a bell? How about sitting reading a children’s book during the 9/11 attack? How about ANYTHING that has been a critical issue in this country for 6 years?
This is an administration that wanted their offices so they could make money, period. They didn’t want to actually govern or, heaven forfend, ‘lead’. They wanted to ‘rule’ and reap the benefits, not actually do anything.
Just because you are angry at yourself for voting for these people and being duped doesn’t mean you have to lash out at those of us who have been trying to talk about this stuff like reasonable people for six years…
#4
Here’s what you can do to help the cause:
1. March down to your local recruiter’s office; the Army or Marines will net you the best combat experience.
2. Sign up for military service.
3. Deploy to Iraq. You don’t even need to beg for it, as you have a good chance of going anyway.
4. Come back here in 12-18 months (after you return home), and tell us how it went.
Cheers!
#4 I hope there is a special place in hell of people as dense as you are Devorak.
John Dvorak’s name is in the masthead so it’s pretty amazing that someone with such a profound knowledge of government as you would be stupid enough to spell it wrong. But that’s nothing compared to the knowledge the John didn’t even post that story. This is a communal blog and there are several posters and each one of them are clearly marked at the top of every post.
But on top of that, George W. Bush is a carpetbagging silver spoon baby from New England who stands as a testament to the power of nepotism and deserves no special breaks from the citizens of this nation who he has screwed over with virtually every pen-stroke he’s made in office.
We saw these same incremental troop increases during the Vietnam War. It wasn’t successful then so why would anybody believe it will be now?
9,
he was spelling it phonetically!
#4, I see you have been “corrected” already so I’ll pass.
Why doesn’t Bush understand that he is killing any hope of the next President being a Republican and virtually ruining many Republican Congressmen and Senators from re-election. The latest poll is that over 60% of Americans want us out of Iraq within a year.
The only reason I can think of for staying in Iraq and increasing the men there is so Haliburtan can make more profits supplying the troops.
OFTLO- “But on top of that, George W. Bush is a carpetbagging silver spoon baby from New England who stands as a testament to the power of nepotism and deserves no special breaks from the citizens of this nation who he has screwed over with virtually every pen-stroke he’s made in office. ”
New England? I though he was a for-real, ranch-owning, Texas drawling, shoot-em-up cowboy!!!!
YEEEE HAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!
Increased troop levels such as these have always been on the table for the U.S. military. The extra 4,000 to 7,000 are there as a possibility, which Deputy Secretary England already stated. This idea of the President lying about the surge numbers is not founded on fact. He has stated several times that he will send as many troops as the Generals in Baghdad require.
“On Monday US forces suffered their deadliest losses in nearly a month – when nine soldiers were killed in explosions in Sunni areas north of Baghdad.” Actually, three or four were killed in a shoot-out, where the 20+ Sunni extremists they were fighting were killed or captured. More often than naught the amount of U.S. soldiers killed gets reported not the amount of op-forces killed or captured. Most of this violence is being carried out in Al-Anbar, where more and more Sunni tribes are denouncing Al-Qaeda, as well as their supporters, and the tribal elders are starting to enter the political process.
As far as the surge in Baghdad, there have been tremendous results in a short period of time, a testament that this should have been done a long time ago. Several dozen bomb factories have been discovered, intelligence reports are allowing a lot of arrests to be carried out, and the amount of suicide bombers are being detained to stopped short at the numerous check-points.
Why don’t you replace the Chief with a Chimp? Oh wait… already done.
I’d always wondered what happened to Ronald Reagan’s co-star in BEDTIME FOR BONZO.
Also, I recall one report that the 21K troops, if the support troops were added (that is 21K COMBAT troops) the count would be as high as 48K!
J/P=?
Oh and #12 here’s a story about Haliburton “exploiting” the current situation (http://tinyurl.com/328va2).
“The USACE Resident Office in Fallujah currently has 62 civil works projects valued at $89 million in such areas as the installation of a city
sewer system, construction of the city’s first sewer treatment plant as well as many small potable water plants for nearby communities, repair of various electrical distribution lines and substations, and construction of several public schools and health clinics.”
–“FIRST sewer treatment plant”
— Dios Mios, what a tragedy.
16,
Is that FIRST sewage treatment plant after Gulf War 1 or 2?
Why are you guys so worked up? The Democratic Congress will take care of this…
LMAO
Did a quick google search, and couldn’t find anything about previous projects, something came up about 1981 water treatment project but couldn’t find anything specific. Given the history of Fallujah, home to large amounts of smuggling, narco & sex slave trafficking, and run by local warlords, I find it hard to believe that Saddam invested a lot of money into public infrastructure.
Upon searching for an answer I came across a couple of interesting finds: Postcard from a Capt. (http://tinyurl.com/2e7t5v) and a news article, rather uplifting (the new school looks nice), from USACE (http://tinyurl.com/yqq7df).
Found this quote from a postcard of Capt Joshua D. Kovacic:
“The Iraqi Engineers that work quietly within our ranks deserve recognition as their country’s true heroes. Risking their own safety
and that of their families, they continually travel alone in and out of Baghdad and Fallujah to assess projects and deal with local
contractors. They have the best interests of this country at heart and have taken it upon themselves to make a difference, no matter the
cost. “
I should have read the USACE article before posting the last one here is an answer to your question, but first I would highly suggest that everyone check out this news letter (P.D.F. @ http://tinyurl.com/yqq7df). It’s something that the main stream media passes up for bombings, but the positive impact of the U.S. military working side by side with the Iraqis in Fallujah will change the citizens lives for quite some time.
“[The sewage treatment plant] will replace the city’s current reliance on septic tanks and involves 32 contracts.” So yes, America was the first to build a sewage treatment plant in Fallujah.
The Vice Chairman of the Reconstruction Committee, Engineer Khalid, “We consider these as gifts from the American people. Our residents understand that millions are being spent to rebuild our community. We appreciate your efforts.” — That right there, is why we fight.
#18 – Why are you guys so worked up? The Democratic Congress will take care of this…
LMAO
Comment by James Hill — 3/7/2007 @ 11:21 am
You know… I thought that joke would get old really quick, but every time you say it remains as fresh and new as the first time you said it.
/sarcasm off
Let’s see… we’ve had about 2 months to fix the historically unprecedented clusterfuck created in 6 years by Bushco.
Obviously, if America isn’t a golden utopia of peace and prosperity by the end of April, all the Democrats will simply resign and admit that the Republicans are superior and bow to your better wisdom.
/crazy fantasy mode off
#18
The Democratic Congress will take care of this? Maybe, if Bushy wasn’t there. We’re CONSTANTLY reminded by this chimp that he’s the Commander in Chief…he’s “The Decider(tm)”, and he can do any damn thing he wants. Congress has no ability to stop him from screwing the country over, other than stop funding. Of course if they do that, folks like you won’t accuse them of hating the troops right? You’ll understand it’s a strategic move to PROTECT our country by ending a disastrous pointless war, not an attack on our troops right? Not likely. Besides, so much ’emergency’ cash has been already authorized that this idiot’s war is funded for at LEAST another year even if we cut off the money today.
#7.
How about sitting reading a children’s book during the 9/11 attack?
I sure get tired of this one, since it may have been the last sensible thing W. did.
In that school, the presidency was safe until people knew enough to decide where he should go. The correct deciders did NOT include the president, since the protection people and the military had far more resources to deal with the situation and more information than he did.
The revolutionary right-wing loonies sure came out in force for this one. Some of them really know how to leave a constitutional and fiscal conservative feeling slimed.
u mean ‘Bush the Butcher”
#20,
It’s something that the main stream media passes up for bombings, but the positive impact of the U.S. military working side by side with the Iraqis in Fallujah will change the citizens lives for quite some time.
So if this is an Army project, then where is Haliburton?
My comment about Haliburton concerned the supplying of the troops, including barracks, feeding them, supplying munitions and equipment, transportation, and washing their dirty undies. The other no-bid contracts are just gravy for Haliburton.
Although I am sure Haliburton is doing some wonderful work in Iraq. I do have a real issue with the process used to award the contracts and as has been shown, the kickbacks and other unsavory financial conduct unearthed.
I still refuse to call this a “surge”. It’s not a surge… it’s a relatively minor (14%) increase in the clearly losing strategy. Upping that to 18.75% isn’t going to swing this war around.
Who honestly thinks this a 14% (or 18.75%) increase is going to work?
I don’t. You probably don’t. I seriously doubt that even Bush thinks so.
I think you guys are missing the real story here. George Bush and the Army are sending LESS troops then the generals are requesting. I’m not sure if this is the same story as what you posted, but the army needs a certain number of support troops to go along with the compat troops, and they are only budgeting 7000 while what’s needed is about 20k. If this is what the article is talking about, then this is not an unadvertised increase, but rather the number of support troops, which is too low.