IRAQ: From Escalation to Build Up

IRAQ: From Escalation to Build Up bumped — UPDATE BELOW

INSANITY.

No one can say I didn\’t warn them. From a
January 9th post:

If you didn\’t watch Charlie Rose last night you probably went to sleep with few worries. On the other hand, if you happened to catch former General Jack Keane on his show you likely had to have a stiff drink before retiring. It likely didn\’t work. The drink, that is. Keane is not only for \”the surge\” Mr. Bush is about to announce. Keane believes it\’s actually the beginning. That\’s correct, the beginning. As Keane sees it, \”the surge\” will create renewed success, which will inspire everyone to hang on, so that in \’08 — that\’s right — we will actually send even more troops to get the job done and secure \”victory\” in Iraq. … ..

Today it became a reality.

The day-to-day commander of American forces in Iraq has recommended that the heightened American troop levels there be maintained through February 2008, military officials said Wednesday. The White House has never said exactly how long it intends the troop buildup to last, but military officials say the increased American force level will begin declining in August unless additional units are sent or more units are held over. The confidential assessment by the commander, Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, reflects the military’s new counterinsurgency doctrine, which puts a premium on sustained efforts to try to win over a wary population. It also stems from the complex logistics of deploying the five additional combat brigades that are being sent to Iraq as part of what the White House calls a “surge” of forces. Buildup in Iraq Needed Into ’08, U.S. General Says

Make no mistake about it. This is what happens when Democrats sound weak on Iraq, airing their inability to use the powers of Congress to hold Mr. Bush accountable by doing what the people of this country elected them to do. It begins with Harry Reid, who has openly stated that he will not cut off funding, but will instead preserve the \”tradition\” of the Senate, which has never denied funds during wartime. It continues with Blue Dog Democrats afraid to \”play general,\” which in translation means do their jobs.

Mr. Bush knows how this works. If his opponents won\’t push him he\’ll do what he likes, and since Democrats don\’t have the will on the war, escalation is now about to turn into build up, which was the plan all along.

UPDATE (1:20): Just received this from Harry
Reid\’s office.

SENATE DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE JOINT RESOLUTION TO TRANSITION THE MISSION IN IRAQ Washington, DC—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today joined Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, Democratic Conference Vice Chairman Charles Schumer, Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray, Senator Russ Feingold, and Senator Evan Bayh to announce a new Joint Resolution to revise U.S. policy on Iraq. Iraq has fallen into a bloody civil war, and as conditions on the ground have changed so must U.S. policy change to meet them. The Reid Joint Resolution builds on the longstanding Democratic position on Iraq and the Levin-Reed Amendment: the current conflict in Iraq requires a political solution, Iraq must take responsibility for its own future, and our troops should not be policing a civil war. It contains binding language to direct the President to transition the mission for U.S. forces in Iraq and begin their phased redeployment within one-hundred twenty days with a goal of redeploying all combat forces by March 31, 2008. A limited number of troops would remain for the purposes of force protection, training and equipping Iraqi troops, and targeted counter-terror options. A full description of the Reid Joint Resolution is attached to this release. \”The President\’s strategy in Iraq is not working, and Congress must decide whether to follow his failed policies or whether to change course,\” said Senator Reid. \”Democrats believe, as does an overwhelming majority of the American people, that the time has come to transition the mission of U.S. forces in Iraq. Hopefully, Senate Republicans will now join Democrats and the American people in calling for a change in course. They must put doing the right thing above protecting the President.\” \”Democrats are united when it comes to changing our mission in Iraq,\” said Senator Schumer. \”What\’s happened here is that Iraq has devolved into a Civil War. And that\’s not what we bargained for. That\’s why Democrats believe we should change the mission from policing a civil war to focusing on counter-terrorism. We want 2007 to be a year of transition. The focus should now be on our own plan to focus on counter-terrorism. Our goal is to ratchet-up the pressure on the President to change course.\” \”Democrats are united in our commitment to changing course in Iraq. We heard the American people and our military leaders. We heard our troops and their families. It\’s time to plan to end a war that this Administration has failed to effectively prepare for and execute. I urge our Republican colleagues to stand united with us in changing course in Iraq,\” Senator Murray said. Senate Republicans have twice blocked the Senate from even debating the President\’s policies in Iraq and have given a green light to the President\’s escalation plan. Last November, the American people made a clear call for a new direction, and Democrats are committed to bringing stability to Iraq and bringing our troops home from a civil war

Note: Art pictured above is 16th century Angelo Bronzino\’s depiction of insanity.