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Thread: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

  1. #1
    Ordinarius
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    Default Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    WASHINGTON - President Bush, working to recraft his strategy in Iraq, said Tuesday that he plans to increase the size of the U.S. military so it can fight a long-term war against terrorism.

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    In an interview with The Washington Post, Bush said he has asked his new defense chief, Robert Gates, to report back to him with a plan to increase ground forces. The president did not say how many troops might be added, but said he agreed with officials in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill that the current military is being stretched too thin to deal with demands of fighting terrorism.

    "I'm inclined to believe that we do need to increase our troops — the Army, the Marines," Bush said in the Oval Office session. "And I talked about this to Secretary Gates and he is going to spend some time talking to the folks in the building, come back with a recommendation to me about how to proceed forward on this idea."

    Top generals have expressed concern that even temporarily shipping thousands of more troops would be largely ineffective in the absence of bold new political and economic steps, and that it would leave the already stretched Army and Marines Corps even thinner once the surge ended.

    They also worry that it feeds a perception that the strife and chaos in Iraq is mainly a military problem; in their view it is largely political, fed by economic distress.

    Bush said he has not yet made a decision about a new strategy for Iraq, which he is expected to announce next month. He said he was waiting for Gates to return from his expected trip to Iraq to get a firsthand look at the situation.

    "I need to talk to him when he gets back," the president said. "I've got more consultations to do with the national security team, which will be consulting with other folks. And I'm going to take my time to make sure that the policy, when it comes out, the American people will see that we ... have got a new way forward."

    Bush said his decision to increase the size of the armed forces was in response not just to the war in Iraq, but to the broader struggle against Islamic extremists around the globe.

    "It is an accurate reflection that this ideological war we're in is going to last for a while and that we're going to need a military that's capable of being able to sustain our efforts and to help us achieve peace," he said.
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061219/...bush_interview

    What an idea, commander bunnypants! I wish some kind of military commander had thought of this earlier... and had not been fired by you.
    Who said something about 400,000 troops needed to win? General Inconvenient Truth-Speaker?
    Oh well, late is better than never, the 3,000 service men that died while you were waiting for the truth to settle wont complain.
    Last edited by over-man; December 20, 2006 at 02:58 PM.

  2. #2
    Stalins Ghost's Avatar Citizen
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    I'm simply lost for words on this one. After all that talk of a strategy rethink, he's actually throwing more men into one that is not working. Where does the US leadership team get these crackpot ideas? I was kinda expecting a rather lacklustre "Iraqi-isation" effort ala' Vietnam admittedly, which wouldn't have been the ideal alternative, but at least it'd pull men out of the meatgrinder...
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  3. #3

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Wow. He does this how many years too late?

  4. #4

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    So all we can agree on is that Bush is doing something wrong, whether troops need to be pulled out or needed to be put in in larger numbers many years ago not being a matter of contention.





  5. #5
    Stalins Ghost's Avatar Citizen
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    My thoughts are that its baffeling how they can't reach a middle ground. Funnily enough I don't think we should just drop our gear and run. That would be entirely irresponsible for the mess, no, catastrophy we've made for the world. What we do need to do is rethink the strategy. We should, as the recent report suggested, bring Syria and Iran into the equation. Its their part of the world after all. All the middle-eastern nations infact should be brought in to help this really.
    morecuriousthanbold.com

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    Holger Danske's Avatar Comes Limitis
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    I agree, but there is the danger that involving these countries could resolve in a new "Iran" which would be even worse. Since the US might just think "damn... ohwell let's clean this new mess up"

  7. #7

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    How do you expect poor Bush to send more soldiers when he's desperately trying not to choke from the dreaded pretsels ?

    2004: "send... *cough* *cough* *cough*

    2005:"more... *cough* *cough* *cough*

    2006:"soldiers! finally! now- *cough* *cough* *cough* *cough*

    "Cheney?! it's you who's been giving me ultra-choking pretsels?! DIEEEEEEEEE!!!"


    Made in China.



    seriously, it's about time he sends more soldiers, although he was probably unable because of the 2006 elections.
    Last edited by Your Lame Sister; December 20, 2006 at 07:24 AM.
    "Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live." - Mark Twain

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  8. #8

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    i thought they were going to pullout?
    this is an unexpected turn of events and an unprecedented decision by Bush.

  9. #9
    Valus's Avatar Natura, artis magistra
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    A not so wise descision imo....
    I doubt that a higher number of soldiers will calm the situation down, rather the contrary...
    I thought that the USA was trying to pull itself out of Iraq, hovewer slowly, if so then this is a step in the wrong direction...
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  10. #10
    Bwaho's Avatar Puppeteer
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Merry Christmas boys!
    umm...we don't say the "C" word anymore, it's highly offensive.

    I'm sure what you meant to say was: happy holidays boys!

  11. #11

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Don't be so gullible boys, they won't ever leave as long as there is a single drop of oil in middle eastern ground.

  12. #12
    Last Roman's Avatar ron :wub:in swanson
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Quote Originally Posted by PacSubCom View Post
    Don't be so gullible boys, they won't ever leave as long as there is a single drop of oil in middle eastern ground.
    I still disagree, assuming you mean our troops wont leave (business, that I can see staying) The public will eventually be fed up and demand a withdrawal of the troops. See my post here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showpost.php?p=1385817&postcount=26=
    Last edited by Last Roman; December 20, 2006 at 09:06 AM.
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  13. #13

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Why do you want to get your troops out? can you name one one thing that will be achieved by this? (aside from saving your soldiers butt)
    "Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live." - Mark Twain

    "I am against nature. I don't dig nature at all. I think nature is very unnatural. I think the truly natural things are dreams, which nature can't touch with decay." - Bob Dylan

    "Faith in God means believing, absolutely, in something with no proof whatsoever. Faith in humanity means believing, absolutely, in something with a huge amount of proof to the contrary. WE are the true believers." - Joss Whedon

  14. #14
    Holger Danske's Avatar Comes Limitis
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Looks more and more like Vietnam, without the jungle and reds...

  15. #15
    Last Roman's Avatar ron :wub:in swanson
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Quote Originally Posted by Your Lame Sister View Post
    Why do you want to get your troops out? can you name one one thing that will be achieved by this? (aside from saving your soldiers butt)
    because we shouldn't have been there in the first place. our troops being there now isn't helping. so why be there?
    house of Rububula, under the patronage of Nihil, patron of Hotspur, David Deas, Freddie, Askthepizzaguy and Ketchfoop
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  16. #16
    Ordinarius
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    The best solution would be to give the shia east to Iran, give the sunni west to Syria and then rename Kurdistan to Iraq and declare victory again.

  17. #17
    Legio XX Valeria Victrix's Avatar Great Scott!
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Honestly, who thought up the idea of upping troop levels for a short period of time feasible? Can this guy be fired, immediately please.

    If I'm an insurgent or Sunni/Shiite waiting to gun down some opposite sect members, all I have to do is weather the storm for a few months. They put in another 10,000 or so troops in Baghdad (assuming this will work in the first place, of course), with the STATED goal of only keeping them there for a few months. So, if I'm a smart insurgent/civil warrior, then I just sit tight while security is increased. Americans think the job is done, and they send those extra troops home. Status quo comes back, I continue as if no interruption ever occurred.

    This is monumentally stupid, but coming from Bush it doesn't surprise me. His stubbornness has cost 3,000 American lives already (and untold numbers of Iraqis) so what the hell, why not let another 250-500 die in what should be a plainly visible failed attempt to pull victory from the jaws of unmitigated defeat.


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  18. #18

    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    you shouldn't have been there in the first place? good morning! it's too late to change that! reality is that you are there, and you must do everything in your power to fix the mess you made. and the best solution, at the moment, is sending more soldiers. ALOT more soldiers.
    "Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone, you may still exist, but you have ceased to live." - Mark Twain

    "I am against nature. I don't dig nature at all. I think nature is very unnatural. I think the truly natural things are dreams, which nature can't touch with decay." - Bob Dylan

    "Faith in God means believing, absolutely, in something with no proof whatsoever. Faith in humanity means believing, absolutely, in something with a huge amount of proof to the contrary. WE are the true believers." - Joss Whedon

  19. #19
    Ordinarius
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Quote Originally Posted by Legio XX Valeria Victrix View Post
    Honestly, who thought up the idea of upping troop levels for a short period of time feasible? Can this guy be fired, immediately please.

    If I'm an insurgent or Sunni/Shiite waiting to gun down some opposite sect members, all I have to do is weather the storm for a few months. They put in another 10,000 or so troops in Baghdad (assuming this will work in the first place, of course), with the STATED goal of only keeping them there for a few months. So, if I'm a smart insurgent/civil warrior, then I just sit tight while security is increased. Americans think the job is done, and they send those extra troops home. Status quo comes back, I continue as if no interruption ever occurred.

    This is monumentally stupid, but coming from Bush it doesn't surprise me. His stubbornness has cost 3,000 American lives already (and untold numbers of Iraqis) so what the hell, why not let another 250-500 die in what should be a plainly visible failed attempt to pull victory from the jaws of unmitigated defeat.
    The general wanted to stabilize Iraq from the beginning with more troops(this was before the war), and of course temporarily keep them there, he didn't want us in the mess we are in now. Bush is too late with this idea, the civil war has already started.

  20. #20
    Last Roman's Avatar ron :wub:in swanson
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    Default Re: Merry Christmas boys! You're going to Iraq!

    Quote Originally Posted by over-man View Post
    The best solution would be to give the shia east to Iran, give the sunni west to Syria and then rename Kurdistan to Iraq and declare victory again.
    I was thinking something similar, though we let the Sunni's decide who they want to go to, either Syria or Saudi Arabia.

    you shouldn't have been there in the first place? good morning! it's too late to change that! reality is that you are there, and you must do everything in your power to fix the mess you made. and the best solution, at the moment, is sending more soldiers. ALOT more soldiers.
    maybe you haven't noticed, but things are beyond our control. It'll be a mess whether we're there or not. Might as well save some troops and a couple billion dollars. We should pull out ASAP.
    Last edited by Last Roman; December 20, 2006 at 03:56 PM.
    house of Rububula, under the patronage of Nihil, patron of Hotspur, David Deas, Freddie, Askthepizzaguy and Ketchfoop
    Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company
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