Gates: U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq Could Begin By The End Of 2007

[sabra]

http://www.ecanadanow.com/world/2007/02/06/gates-us-withdrawal-from-iraq-could-begin-by-the-end-of-2007/

Gates: U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq Could Begin By The End Of 2007

Washington (eCanadaNow) - The US military could begin withdrawing troops from Iraq by the end of 2007 if the new strategy aimed at quelling violence in Baghdad succeeds, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said Tuesday.

A decision to begin pulling US forces out will also depend on whether the Iraqi government can run the country effectively and take responsibility for security, Gates said.

“I would hope that if our operations are successful this year, that we would be able to begin drawing down our forces toward the end of the year,” Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

...

Gates said the troop increase “is not the last chance” to prevail in Iraq and said he was examining alternatives in case the plan does not work.

“I would be irresponsible if I weren’t thinking about what the alternatives might be if that didn’t happen,” Gates said.

[More Than A Feeling]

1. Let me guess: the alternative is stay forever?

NOT NEWS! Few who matter think this is going to work. I might as well send them a story about how I'm going to spend my lottery winnings, assuming my plan to win the lottery succeeds.

[Tellurian]

6. Snow job..using the word "could"...

Mightily used by the Sweepstakes Scams. "You COULD be a Winner!"

succeeded by the commercial depicting a safety glasses clad woman sawing her sofa in half w/chainsaw.
while the husband, reading the fine print...bellows over the din, "IT SAYS- COULD!"

[villager]

2. ah, so we "surge" this year to ignore the results of the '06 elections

but draw down at the end of this year to prep for '08, and the next Rethug candidate?

[Benhurst]

3. Yeah. Sure. Or 2008, 2012 or never.

More bullshit to placate the masses.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Yeah, what's another wasted year? If that doesn't work,

just keep extending it.

Jerk.

[ProSense]

5. Kerry complete handover by November 2007

Press release.

[Amused Musings]

7. If the military is leaving,

why, last time I checked, is it still building up US military bases into permanent fortresses?

[Eugene]

8. AFP: Gates says US forces could be "repositioned" if Iraq fails

Gates says US forces could be "repositioned" if Iraq fails

by Jim Mannion

38 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he could envision circumstances
in which the United States would "reposition" its forces in Iraq to get them out of harm's way.

In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gates went further than any
administration official in discussing what the United States might do if its strategy to
stabilize Iraq fails.

"I hate to get into hypotheticals, but I certainly can see circumstances in which we would first
of all reposition our forces to take them, to try to move them out of harm's way, and then see
where we go from there," he said.

The defense secretary was testifying about an administration request for 716.5 billion dollars
in defense spending, including more than 235 billion dollars for US military operations in Iraq,
Afghanistan and elsewhere this year and in 2008.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070206/pl_afp/usiraqmilitary_070206194949

[damntexdem]

9. DU: U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq Could Begin By The Beginning Of 2007

Like today, for example.

[struggle4progress]

10. Maybe pigs could fly too

[Morgana LaFey]

11. Promises, Promises. nt

[ProudDad]

12. I doubt that he checked with the White Boy's House

* is planning on dumping the whole mess onto the next guy...