Now why would * be bringing 2 Army divisions home?

[R3dD0g]

Why would he be increasing the distance between the troops and the 'bad guys' by 3500 miles? How does this enhance our security?

It could be economic retaliation against the Germans and other Europeans. 70 - 90 K troops and families have a significant financial footprint. The economy around those bases will be devastated. This is what I was thinking when I first heard the announcement.

But, then I watched * in MI and saw troops in Sanibel Island and read some blogs quoting polls that consistently show * behind. And it hit me like a hammer between the eyes. * knows he's gonn'a lose this election and there will be rioting in the streets and he wants those troops at home to quell the protests.

This motherfucker is gonn'a declare martial law after his theft is found out!

[NewHampshireDem]

1. Well, that's only if you believe that * can bring 70K home in 3 months ...

His plan actually calls for a realignment over 10 years.

A more realistic take on it is that he is making a desparate pitch to reclaim the military vote. "Bringing the troops back home" is a good political move--Kerry can't exactly argue against it, can he? Despite any logical problems, it has a high emotional value.

[R3dD0g]

4. True. But, the troops wouldn't require their heavy armor.

Just their humvees and rifles on the streets would be enough to ensure * has another 4 years.

[CaptainClark23]

31. I beg to differ

"Just their humvees and rifles on the streets would be enough to ensure * has another 4 years."

If it came down to Martial Law, it would take a hell of alot more than humvees and rifles. You'd need an Armored Division to secure Brooklyn alone.

And even then...well, you can see for yourself the success our military has in quelling armed insurrection in an urban environment.

[stavka]

2. The 1st Armored and 1st Infantry are great for fighting the Soviets

Pretty useless against guerillas.....way too heavy, but given their tail, I can understand why the Germans hate to see them leave. Imagine having 100,000 hotel guests you can count on to boost your economy!

[wtmusic]

3. Not as extreme as it might seem

plus he's running out of soldiers to send back to the ME if he's reelected.

[Maeve]

5. He's not. It just sounded good for his hand-picked audience of the day

It will last a news cycle and then fade, like the "let's go to Mars" and "hydrogen cars" speechifying.

[spanone]

6. 'the families' may come home, those poor guys will be off to Iran.

He's Only Just Begun...

[Cloud]

7. You know what scares me?

Is if all the attack ads against Kerry work and Boosh manages to convince the American people that Kerry is weak on terror. If he wins in November he will become more dangerous. Think he is right wing now? You haven't seen anything yet. He is actually trying to appear moderate to win some swing voters. If he wins the election he won't have to worry about being re-elected. He will let his true colors show. Believe me. Lame Ducks are dangerous.

Kerry has a 5-7 point lead in most polls. I am scared that the lead will disappear.

[Slit Skirt]

9. either that or arrange for another terrorist attack....

or cancel the election.....either way he'll need troops to hold back the angry masses.

[Jackpine Radical]

8. Yeah, wow. And another thing--he needs to have volunteers here,

couldn't do it nearly so well with draftees. The big difference between a volunteer & a draftee is that you can't always count on the draftee to shoot at (or bayonet) the homefolk.

[ShaneGR]

10. Scheduled redeployment isn't until 2006

At least that's what I read.

[HereSince1628]

11. Ideas on why he is bringing them "home."

1a) He needs to retrain them and prepare them for middle east duty in order to avoid the draft.

1b) He can't really invoke a draft except as a last resort. Well, this would be a "we've tried everything else" sort of move.

2) He wants to bring millions of dollars to reward American communities in places that are basically RED (DeLay is begging for help in Texas). This is consistent with the current trend of republicans to appeal to their base rather than try to win swing votes or cause defections in democrats.

3) He is stupid enough to think the arithematic of sending 130K troops overseas and bringing 100K back home will make it look like his administration has actually reduced American force deployment overseas, thus making us look more peace-loving.

4) He hasn't said so yet but much of our force structure will become faster, lighter units which will be moved into former Warsaw Pact nations thus tightening the encirclement of "the Russian beast" and hopefully for old cold warriors like Cheney making permanent these countries' positions outside Moscow's military control.

5) He wants to hurt OLD EUROPE. Let them buy the chocolate they eat with their own Euros rather than the Dollars we pour into their local economies.

6) The invasion of Cuba will require troops. Punishing Mexico for its shakey support of US foreign policy will take even more.

7) His policies have worked so well for the recruitment of America-haters that we now need 100K troops to directly confront the threat of terrorists within our borders.

9) The 2nd Republic of Texas ain't gonna be caught short of troops during a rebellion.

[kayell]

21. Theory number 10 for your list

(just cause you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you)

Notice that the troops being brought home are the ones who haven't spent the last year and half learning to distrust * enough that they might not follow his EVERY order. Maybe he thinks he'll need an army on US soil in say...November or January.

-----------------------------------
:hi: Hi Agent Mike!

[never cry wolf]

37. Theory #11

While I agree with the thread starting post, that thought occured to me too, although the logistics involved point to a longer term plan.

Keep in mind, building new bases costs money, ALOT of money. Closing bases and cleaning up the haz mat costs alot of money as well. Who is gonna profit? yeah, you get it!

I agree with all of these theories, it's a win-win-win, etc. for the BFEE!

[oasis]

26. Food for thought. (eom)

:think:

[neuvocat]

12. He's not bringing them here.

He's lying about those numbers. They're all going to Iraq.

[jukes]

13. i think it's

a backup plan. they're def covering bases.

[Philosophy]

16. More true than you realize

We have all these empty army bases here that will just be going to waste since we'll be in a permanent state of war as long as * remains in command.

[LynnTheDem]

14. But wait...

Idiot doesn't say he's bringing them HOME...he says he's moving them. Dollars to oil they'll just be moved to places such as our good buds Uzbekistan (stay well away from large boiling pots).

Note also Rumsfailed said today this would all take "several years".

Just more bullshite & rhetoric to distract from the current realities of total SNAFU and FUBAR in Afghanistan and Iraq and the USA. imo.

[alcuno]

15. Spite!

This ia a petulant, spiteful bunch running our government. They are babies and still mad at "old Europe."

[readmylips]

17. bush made the statement at the War Veterans....

Conference, same conference Kerry will be speaking at this week. Veterans sitting behind bush didn't look too happy or could actually hear that the bastard was lying and playing politics with military personnel and their families. The guy can't do anything right now, it will take 8 to 10 years for what he's talking about. He'll be out of office.

[TrustingDog]

18. how would they be coming 'home'?

the unusually large carrier deployment of late may somehow be connected. perhaps.

always suspicious.

[iwantmycountryback]

20. The troops are going "somewhere"

All I've heard from Republicans is that the troops will be going to "new places", they didn't even say they were coming home. I think some will certainly be going to Iraq, either that or Bush is trying to regain the military vote much of which you'd think he's alienated. (I guess that whole lying about WMD's thing wasn't such a great idea after all)

[kodi]

19. US based retraining before additional foreign deployment

standard.

[NickB79]

22. 70,000 troops in Humvees vs. millions of pissed-off citizens with guns

My money's on US citizens. Contrary to popular opinion, there are a LOT of gun-owning Democrats in the US, many millions in fact. I doubt 70,000 troops would be enough to contain the widespread uprisings that would occur if marshall law were imposed. That's assuming all of those troops would be brainwashed enough to fire on US citizens, the very people they have sworn to serve and protect.

[Cronus Protagonist]

23. Two words: Martial Law

No elections.

SHOVE IT! - Drop Bush Not Bombs! - Hero Kerry AWOL Bush
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[Norquist Nemesis]

24. Echo here

My thoughts exactly. Martial Law.

The whole thing doesn't make sense to me. :shrug:

19 terrorists flew airplanes on 9/11/01. Is he saying we need all those troops back in the US for protection? Wow!! What a ratio of soldiers to terrorists! Or is to to 'protect' us? ...

Something's up.

[radfringe]

25. Bush*'s plan: Troops START return in 2006

http://www.freep.com/news/nw/troops17e_20040817.htm
Bush plan would close military bases overseas
Bush's plan: Troops start return in 2006

Question: Why announce a half-completed plan that won't take effect for two more years?
Answer: It's an election year.

-don't think it has to do with imposing martial law or putting down riots or protests. bush* can't bring home the troops in Iraq, so he's going to stump on the notion he is bringing troops home and "forget" to mention these troops are/were located in Europe/Asia

[oasis]

27. Thanks for calming things down a bit. The hand wringing was intense.

Good, logical summary.:thumbsup:

[radfringe]

30. also 2006

is midterm elections -- it's a ready made platform for repugs
"WE BROUGHT THE TROOPS HOME - VOTE FOR US"

[TNOE]

33. They can't bring the DEAD troops home they sent for nothing

the wounded will be going home without arms, legs, eyes, etc. Certainly they won't be stupid enough to BRAG about that.... oh wait a minute, my bad, what am I thinking, only the sleazy Republicans could turn around a Vietnam Hero against an AWOL to their benefit...... nevermind.

[Skidmore]

28. He can accomplish a couple of things in regard to Iraq

and his greater designs on the ME:

1. He needs fresh troops for those already in Iraq and recruitment is down. These are fresh bodies to be moved to areas where he wants to fight and right now he's spoiling to add Iran to that list.

2. He can pay for the Iraq debacle by cutting the expense of maintaining other bases abroad and their infrastructure. This way he has additional revenues already earmarked and doesn't have to raise taxes to support his war effort--gonna gut the military to save his rich friends, just like Poppy did.

[GarySeven]

29. To order the arrest and detention of liberal "terrorists"

Bush FULLY INTENDS to shut down the national elections and declare a state of national emergency. Then, with full dictatorial powers he will begin the arrest of Democrats, non-Christians and other "enemies of freedom" on the grounds that, as opponents of the Administration, they are "friends" of terrorism. Be ready people. Prepare either to fight or flee -- or both -- during the first days of confusion when Bush declares martial law.

Those of you who have lived in countries where coups d'etat are the order of the day could be helpful to many members of this board who do not understand what is about to come down on the American people.

[TNOE]

32. 10 YEARS - What does HE know that WE don't?????

You may be right Gary.... see how the Nazibrownshirts go for that stunt - I'm not so sure the Christians would be safe - they will know their next. Bush is NO Christian and those that think so are seriously deluded.

[genius]

34. Maybe he'll be using them on us. Perhaps it's public relations1

In a month he'll ship them to Iraq. He needs someone he can send to Venezuela.

[NewJeffCT]

35. Bush likes to capitulate to terrorists

1) Osama bin Laden, a Saudi, gets 15 Saudi nationals to fly planes into the WTC and Pentagon, destroying the Twin Towers, in part due to anger at US troop presence on holy Saudi soil. Bush's response is to eventually withdraw our troops from Saudi Arabia.

2) Outed Valerie Plame, a key WMD CIA operative, who was involved in a WMD sting operation. Another victory for the terrorists.

3) Outed Mohammed Khan, one of the few who infiltrated the upper echelons of Al Qaeda. I'm sure Osama & Ayman were happy to find out about the double agent in their midst and are probably giggling like school girls over Bush using Khan's name as justification for an Orange Alert.

4) And now, after 50 years of wanting US troop withdrawals from South Korea, North Korea finally gets its wish not long after Bush inspired them to re-start their own WMD program.

This is frightening.

[0007]

36. Building 14 military installation in Iraq is gonna require

about around 5000 well trained soldiers. Not counting the private contractors who will be guarding the base and the necessary folks that Halliburton will provide to take of the troops. Now bring in the pilots and the planes and bomb the living fuck out of Iran and any other country that isn't gonna kowtow to our super power.

14 x 5000 = 70,000

Bring the troops home.