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U.S. Considers Increasing Pace of Iraq Pullout
NY Times ^ | July 13, 2008

Posted on 07/12/2008 4:45:46 PM PDT by flyfree

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September, according to administration and military officials, raising the prospect of a far more ambitious plan than expected only months ago.

Such a withdrawal would be a striking reversal from the nadir of the war in 2006 and 2007.

One factor in the consideration is the pressing need for additional American troops in Afghanistan, where the Taliban and other fighters have intensified their insurgency and inflicted a growing number of casualties on Afghans and American-led forces there.

More American and allied troops died in Afghanistan than in Iraq in May and June, a trend that has continued this month.

Although no decision has been made, by the time President Bush leaves office on Jan. 20, at least one and as many as 3 of the 15 combat brigades now in Iraq could be withdrawn or at least scheduled for withdrawal, the officials said.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: afghanistan; iraq; oif; timetable; troopwithdrawal

1 posted on 07/12/2008 4:45:46 PM PDT by flyfree
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To: SandRat

No real news here, but at least the NY Times is noticing.


2 posted on 07/12/2008 4:48:40 PM PDT by flyfree
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To: flyfree

How many times has the President said: As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down. What he wouldn’t do...and rightly so...was to commit to a withdrawal date.


3 posted on 07/12/2008 4:59:17 PM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: flyfree

Same end result that the public wanted, but, unlike via the left’s approach we leave Iraq a better place and our own security enhanced.

The left has been very successful in making the public believe that the right and left want different outcomes when in fact it’s that they have different approaches to some of the same outcomes. For example, everyone wants to bring the troops home, but the right wanted to do it responsibilibly and victoriously. The left wanted to do it regardless of the consequences to appease the Soro$ crowd. Be it welfare reform or economic growth, the right’s approach ultimately gets us to the desired end result; however, without the unintended negative consequences the knee-jerk liberals would wrath upon us.


4 posted on 07/12/2008 5:01:31 PM PDT by enough_idiocy (Holding my nose in 2008. I disagree with McCain on lots of issue, but with the Democrats on more.)
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To: Sacajaweau

Yep. Nice when a plan finally starts working out.


5 posted on 07/12/2008 5:01:31 PM PDT by flyfree (http://www.gopplatform2008.com)
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To: flyfree; writer33; AT7Saluki; Liz; MurryMom
The Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September, according to administration and military officials, raising the prospect of a far more ambitious plan than expected only months ago.

THE NEW YORK TIMES ENDORSES DUBYA!

Now, that's news...

6 posted on 07/12/2008 6:13:32 PM PDT by Libloather (July is Liberal Awareness Month.)
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To: Libloather

“The Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September...”

That’s a Sept/October surprise I could really enjoy! If only the GOP has the guts to capitalize on it. Iraq victory and highlight the Democrats’ obstrution of any attempts to drill for more oil. I even hear liberals at work start to say that we need more oil. It’s an issue that could lead to a Republican landslide this year! (I know you are seeing “Republican landslide” and are thinking this guy’s hitting the red wine a bit too much but it could happen.)


7 posted on 07/12/2008 7:06:24 PM PDT by Hamilcar_Barca (If Obama is elected the U.S. Soldiers in Iraq will have died in vain.)
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To: Libloather

“The Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September...”

That’s a Sept/October surprise I could really enjoy! If only the GOP has the guts to capitalize on it. Iraq victory and highlight the Democrats’ obstrution of any attempts to drill for more oil. I even hear liberals at work start to say that we need more oil. It’s an issue that could lead to a Republican landslide this year! (I know you are seeing “Republican landslide” and are thinking this guy’s hitting the red wine a bit too much but it could happen.)


8 posted on 07/12/2008 7:06:36 PM PDT by Hamilcar_Barca (If Obama is elected the U.S. Soldiers in Iraq will have died in vain.)
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To: flyfree

The U.S. has *already* reduced our forces in Iraq by 25%.

By the end of this year, that will be a 50% reduction.

Yes, by the time that President Bush retires...more than half of our forces will have been drawn down from Iraq.

Victoriously. Leaving stability there. Leaving an ally there.

The NY Times can put that into their pipes and smoke it.


9 posted on 07/12/2008 7:11:43 PM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: Southack

“Victoriously. Leaving stability there. Leaving an ally there.

The NY Times can put that into their pipes and smoke it.”

I sure pray you are right. It’s what I’ve prayed for since the beginning. I will be very pleasantly surprised. Elated actually. I don’t want the deaths of our best and bravest to have been senseless. I don’t agree with the nation building approach because I don’t believe it’s the one that minimizes casualties on our side but nobody can argue against the fact that there has been no major terrorist attack in years now.

It’s impossible to prove how many lives have been saved because of the difference the coalition forces have made and are making. Yet, President Bush gets almost no credit and probably never will. No matter how much I disagree about some aspects of this, I do give him credit for this and I give the coalition forces credit for it too.


10 posted on 07/12/2008 7:39:04 PM PDT by LaurenD
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To: flyfree
Resting refitting, refueling and turning east?
11 posted on 07/12/2008 8:30:38 PM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: enough_idiocy

” The left has been very successful in making the public believe that the right and left want different outcomes when in fact it’s that they have different approaches to some of the same outcomes. For example, everyone wants to bring the troops home, but the right wanted to do it responsibilibly and victoriously. The left wanted to do it regardless of the consequences to appease the Soro$ crowd. “

Not quite. The left WANTED to LOSE the war in order to EMBARRASS BUSH. Winning is the worst possible outcome for them. You could see it foreshadowed on their faces at the emergency address following 9/11. “What are we going to have to do to beat him? What’s it going to take?” They don’t care about the troops, they care about their own little narcissistic power trip. That’s why they are evil, not misunderstood.


12 posted on 07/12/2008 8:45:13 PM PDT by Humble Servant
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To: Hamilcar_Barca
It’s an issue that could lead to a Republican landslide this year!

It's not impossible. About 75% of the public wants to drill for oil with over $4 gallons of gasoline. Independents are really P.O. at this Congress according to the latest Rasmussen Poll. Independents and moderates tossed out the GOP in 2006.

13 posted on 07/13/2008 2:01:16 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: Southack

“Victoriously. Leaving stability there. Leaving an ally there.”

Not only an ally but probably one of the most capable armies in the world given their training and on the job experience.


14 posted on 07/13/2008 2:09:20 PM PDT by moose2004 (Go Ahead, Make My Day)
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To: Humble Servant
Not quite. The left WANTED to LOSE the war in order to EMBARRASS BUSH.

As David Horowitz brilliantly explained in Unholy Alliance, Radical Islam and the American Left, Islam and the Left have the same near term goal, our defeat.

Their long term goals diverge, but hey, they are in the same bed today and are having a great time.

15 posted on 07/13/2008 2:29:45 PM PDT by Jacquerie (Barack Obama - A god for the Godless.)
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To: flyfree; Ernest_at_the_Beach
I've said for years on here that Iraq was going to work.

Now, I can say with all conviction that it is working.

We've got the Big Mo (momentum) going big-time now.

16 posted on 07/14/2008 12:43:19 AM PDT by Allegra (If you lived here, you'd be home by now.)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
Such a withdrawal would be a striking reversal from the nadir of the war in 2006 and 2007.
s/b
Such a withdrawal would be a striking reversal from the nadir of the war in 2006, which led to the successful troop surge.
or better yet
Such a withdrawal is the direct result of the successful troop surge.
Thanks neverdem.
17 posted on 07/14/2008 10:41:37 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_________________________Profile updated Friday, May 30, 2008)
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To: Libloather
THE NEW YORK TIMES ENDORSES DUBYA!

We would all endorse Dubya if it were only true. Alas, the last 7.5 years have made us all so accustomed to Bush Administration lies and misleading statements that we know most everything they say is false, even when their pronouncements are coated with a thin veneer of truthiness.

18 posted on 07/15/2008 9:04:44 AM PDT by MurryMom
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