Why is Bush saying he might withdraw troops from Iraq ??

[kentuck]

Because he really has no plans to do any such thing. However, his sock puppet, Maliki, is running for re-election and he is not very popular in most of Iraq. So he has decided that he will hand out oodles and oodles of money to Iraqis, a la George W Bush. But, the Iraqis hate the idea of Americans continuing the occupation of their country. Ergo, Bush is going to do his best to get Maliki thru the next election in whatever way he can. He has already given him another dumptruck full of money, with the Congress's blessing. But that is not enough. The Iraqi people need to believe that the Americans are leaving. In my opinion, that is the impetus for the latest comments from Bush and the Administration about pulling troops out of Iraq. They are trying their best to help Maliki thru the election. It's an uphill battle.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. He's taking advice from Senator Aiken

. . . who told LBJ to declare victory and get out.

[FreakinDJ]

2. Election year banter

then in Feb 2009 we go into Iran

Surprise surprise surprise Sgt Carter

[Cleita]

3. Maybe because he needs them to help Israel invade Iran?

He accomplished his mission in Iraq, that is to secure the oil fields for the oil companies.

[kentuck]

4. 9 Americans killed in Afghanistan today...

There is a new battle ground. Same as the old battleground.

[alfredo]

5. He's trying to take away Obama's issues. Obama will tie our economic

woes to the war, and if it appears that the war was ending, then Obama will lose two issues.

Is bush warrant less wiretapping the Obama campaign?

[Drunken Irishman]

8. Except the war might actually benefit McCain.

McCain has always wanted to make it an issue about war, becausee it turns the eyes off domestic policy and puts them on an issue McCain is probably strongest. It also hurts McCain since he's been AGAINST troop withdrawal since the election began. So McCain can either support Bush's policies and look like a bad flip-flopper, or continue supporting his idea we shouldn't pull out, keeping with unpopular opinion...especially if Bush says "we won".

[kentuck]

11. Without the war...

All we will have to talk about is the economy. McCain would not want that, would he?? Maybe he will come out and disagree with Bush, just to show everyone he is not a clone??

[spanone]

20. msnbc was saying earlier that it would help mccain because he was such a supporter of the surge

what horesshit

[Drunken Irishman]

22. They'd try and spin it that way.

But regardless, if the war ends soon, the focus changes to domestic issues. Which will sink McCain, because he can try running on "supporting the surge", but when the economy continues to suck people will ask why he's so focused on a war that's almost over and not looking at the issues here at home.

It's the same reason Bush I couldn't run on the Gulf War in 1992, even though he was only a year removed from one of the most successful wars in American history in terms of quickness and low death count.

[spanone]

24. if this war ends soon, iran waits in the wings...they won't let the focus change

[Drunken Irishman]

25. It's not like we have an infinite amount of time here.

I do not see Bush going to war with Iran.

There just is not enough time. If Bush pulls out, he'll only begin to pull out and that won't start for another month or so and could take up until November.

[alfredo]

23. As long as our troops come home...

[kentuck]

26. If he doesn't bring them home...

Obama will.

[alfredo]

27. True. I'm sure there will an Embassy force if the Iraqi people allow

us to keep our Embassy.

[chelsea0011]

6. He can simply say the surge worked and we can withdraw some troops.

It;s an election year, you know.

[spanone]

7. why does bu$h* say anything? there are political and monetary motives.

[kentuck]

9. Exactly!

You can bet on that.

[CoffeeCat]

10. He's dismantling the anti-Iran-war arguments...

He's making it as easy as possible to go to war with Iran.

There's a great deal of opposition and many valid reason for not doing this (besides the
fact that it's unnecessary and completely crazy).

People used to make the argument that North Korea posed a greater threat than Iran. Many asked, "How
could you go to war with Iran because they might develop a nuclear weapon, when North Korea has one right now?"

Bush sewed up that inconsistency, and now NK is behaving well. Closer to Iran D-day--we'll hear Bush
say that Iran did not cooperate and action must be taken. He'll use North Korea as an example of a
country that cooperated and did not incite war. He'll drive home the point that the US is not the
problem, it's the countries who are evil and uncooperative that force him to go to war.

Bush is also openly discussing Israel's right to strike Iran first. He's getting us used to the idea
of this happening. The neocons know that the world won't stand for US starting war with Iran. So, they're
making it appear as though Israel is starting it. Iran, OF COURSE, will retaliate. We'll become embroiled
after Iran retaliates or some Gulf of Tonkin situation is orchestrated.

As for withdrawing troops from Iraq--that takes the power out of the anti-Iran-war argument that we don't
have enough forces to go to war with Iran. Bush is freeing up soldiers who have been in Iraq--to fight
in Iran.

We're in the run-up to war with Iran. The propaganda is being catapulted at a very steady rate now.

[opihimoimoi]

12. Rule 201.01 NEVER BELIEVE A KNOWN LIAR.Ulterior motives are present

[dkf]

13. Because Afghanistan/Pakistan are starting to get out of hand.

And that is a war the American people may actually support.

[Imagevision]

14. The only troops Bush will return home are the ones whose tour has ended after being backdoor drafted

[kentuck]

16. So he and the Repubs can say they starting pulling troops out...?

Before Obama was elected?? There is always a political calculation. You can bet on it.

[Subdivisions]

15. That's funny because this morning, following Al Maliki's request

for the U.S. to provide a timetable for withdrawal, all the spin this morning has been to the effect of http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/washington/13military.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1215976889-OMN66q6oLoQCbYJeUqF/dA">U.S. Considers Increasing Pace of Iraq Pullout. To which I say: Oh really? I didn't even know we were pulling out to start with.

[kentuck]

17. Must have been a "flip-flop"??

:-) Somewhere?

[Subdivisions]

19. I don't know, but there are other sources for this new sentiment and,

for the 30 seconds I was able to stomach teevee news this morning, the spin was also in that direction. Wolf Blitzer, for the ummteenth time I've personally seen, insulting an Iraqi government official while rudely talking down to him as he spun him 'round and 'round.

I would say that the Iraqis are serious and they've let US officials know it. I, for one, would certainly hate for the US to ignore their wishes now that one of Iraq's "strategic neighbors" is Iran, and by proxy China and Russia.

[LiberalEsto]

18. In order to send them to Iran

What else?

[Tutonic]

21. I'd like to see him wearing that cod piece one final time when he

tells us that the Mission is accomplished and he plans to withdraw. Ohhhhhhh!