Gates says US troop numbers will be drawn down failing political progress in Iraq by summer

[bonito]

No link, but the pressure is finaly working imho altho not fast enough for me.






After talks with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad, US defense secretary Robert Gates told a news conference: The Bush administration will take progress into account in its summer decision whether or not to bring home some of the thousands of extra troops sent to tamp down violence.

“Our commitment to Iraq is long-term but it is not a commitment to having our young men and women patrolling Iraq’s streets open-endedly.” He said he hoped the Iraqi Council of Representatives would not recess for the summer without passing legislation on political reconciliation and the sharing of oil revenues.

Gates arrived in Baghdad the day after almost 200 people, mostly Shiite and all civilians, died in suicide bombings in the capital, the most violent day since the US-Iraqi security crackdown began two month ago.

[babylonsister]

1. Wow. I don't believe him. nt

[bonito]

2. Nether do I

But at least their lying in the right direction.

[Monkeyman]

5. We Heard that before many many times

[merh]

10. This is what it is about, what it has always been about and

will always be about "without passing legislation on political reconciliation and the sharing of oil revenues."

[Patsy Stone]

3. From Think Progress

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/01/petraeus-caucus/

April 1, 2007

Mitchell: Petraeus Held Closed-Door Strategy Meeting With Republican Caucus

This morning on the Chris Matthews Show, NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell revealed that Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, met “very recently” with the Senate Republican caucus to discuss their strategy on Iraq legislation.

“Petraeus went to the Republican caucus and told them, I will have real progress to you by August,” Mitchell said. The Republicans claim they told him that after August, they will end their support for the war. “They have told him at a caucus meeting as very, very recently, that if there isn’t progress by August — and real progress means not a day of violence and a day of sanity — that they will pull the plug.”

Video at link.

[yellowcanine]

4. So in other words we will have lost 6 months and lots more soldiers just so Bush could have his

little "surge" and not have to admit that he was wrong?

[Patsy Stone]

6. Yes

:mad:

[babylonsister]

12. That's the deal. The asshole blivet thinks because he read a whole "3"

books about George Washington, LAST year (I think not), and people are still writing about the legitimate first prez, that when he's long dead people will still be writing about him.
To me, that's sick; regardless of how history views him, he'll be long dead so he doesn't give a shit?

[yellowcanine]

13. When Bush is long dead people will still be writing about what a screw up he was.

And learning the lessons of how NOT to go to war and fight terrorists,
of how NOT to interact with Congress,
of how Not to run the Justice Department like a political ward
of how Not to spy on your own citizens and deny Constitutional rights, etc.

[frogcycle]

7. everyone in the world knows that

the ONLY reason we are not already pulling out is bush's ego. If he can't find a way to blame it on the dems, and has waited long enough to not look like he's doing what daddy said, then giving the Iraqi's an ultimatum in which he can look tough while withdrawing may be his only option. As long as he "gets it" that the dems are not going to cave and just give him a free pass to "ride it out" and dump it on them, he may feel the need to find another way to weasel out.

As long as that means getting out, I say let him play that game. Let him think he will come out smelling like a rose. History will say whether he actually saved face. That's less important than saving lives.

Maybe Pelosi should tell him how manly she thinks he is for standing up to Maliki, tell him it makes her all hot to think of him just pulling the troops out and leaving Maliki twisting in the wind.

[Ilsa]

8. If he means it Bush* will fire him. nt

[PA Democrat]

9. Jonathan Alter was on Countdown tonight and he actually stated

that Bush's strategy is to avoid dealing with the failure of Iraq and hold out so that he can pass the mess on to the next president

[Gloria]

11. In the last few day, the Financial Times (UK) published a story that

says Iraq oil reserves could be double what is known and that it is a "gold star" area.

I doubt we'll be leaving, since "stability" is needed before that oil can be drilled. Now, if it is divided up it may help end some of the divisions that are causing the violence, but who knows?

[Disturbed]

14. The Sunnis want a fair share of the oil revenues and power.

It doesn't seem that the Shi'ite dominated Govt. will give much of that up. This Civil War will rage on for a few more years. Al Q is not going to melt away either. Dems have agreed to have a large portion of US Troops in Iraq indefinitely. There will still be a large contingent of US Troops and Mercs in Iraq well beyond '09.

[bemildred]

15. Isn't this "setting a deadline", giving "aid and comfort" to the enemy?

Why does he hate America?

[KharmaTrain]

16. We Are Already Trapped

With the admission that our military is going to play bad cop in "cleaning up" Baghdad, we're now the target for all sides. Al Sadr first ended the prohibition of his forces from attacking American troops and then withdrew his people from the government...all but assuring Malaki will fall and even more turmoil will follow as no one faction is strong enough to dominate. In the meantime the country will fracture along militia and sectional lines...drawing our military into deadly ambushes and encountered with the same people we were trying to "train" and arm just a few weeks ago. Then what?

Does anyone really think things will get better in a few months after a long, hot summer? Will our troops perform better with most of them on extended stays and seeing the situation continue to deteriorate around them? That there will be a stable government in Baghdad that can assert any type of authority that can ramp down the violence? And in the middle of all this crap are our young men and women who are already bunkered down. What's the exit strategy here? I only see one...they'll be forced to shoot their way out...and getting out will not be the "cakewalk" it was getting in.

[bigtree]

17. that's what he wants us to believe, but . . .

Surge is not 'last chance' for success, Gates says

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) asked Gates what happens if the surge plan fails:

"It is not the last chance," Gates replied. "We, at this point, are planning for success."

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-gates6feb07,1,3034293.story?coll=la-headlines-politics&ctrack=1&cset=true