We Need More Troops-We need to get out of denial if we are to make rational choices in Iraq.

Wall St Journal ^ | July 29, 2003 | BARRY R. MCCAFFREY

[SJackson]

We need to get out of denial and face reality if we expect to make rational and determined policy decisions on Iraq. It will take no less than two years of inspired leadership, courageous soldiering and $100 billion to put that nation back on its feet. Make no mistake, the air-ground-sea tactical victory by Gen. Tommy Franks's coalition forces was nothing less than brilliant. But to finish the job we need more U.S. combat forces on active duty to sustain the required force levels. We currently have 190,000 U.S. troops directly engaged in Iraq and Kuwait. Without the overall troop strength to support our Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea deployments, we risk breaking the back of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps in the coming 24 months.

[Galtoid]

I caution anyone to be very wary of anyone who served under Bill Clinton. None can be trusted.

[corkoman]

No - instead take all the US troops stationed in Bosnia and elsewhere and have them posted to Iraq. The other countries can fill in the blanks with their own troops.

[LS]

McCaffrey alert. This is the guy who was consistently WRONG in every single call he made during the war. As Rush said, it is a trademark of Dems that they get rewarded for being consistently wrong (in this case, with an opinion column by the WSJ).

[snooker]

Why bother even reading this drivel?

BTW we are getting more troops. 31,000 Iraqis have graduated from their cop school. About 6,000 a week are in the pipelin. This is far better than any US additional troops.

It's just the media that thinks if we keep the big picture from the public then we can convince them that it is all a failure. The Dims last hope for 2004.

Watch Fox News. Watch the facts.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Take them to Bosnia to get in the middle of a ethnic/religious Bosnia write large called Iraq where Americans are being killed like sitting ducks? Don't think so. Bring them home!

[Austin Willard Wright]

That's writ large

[rrrod]

agree 100%..NEVER trust the clinonistas!

[DB]

I totally agree.

Iraqis need to be policed by Iraqis as soon as possible. Not more US troops.

[BluH2o]

BARRY R. MCCAFFREY

A Clintonista butt-boy ... who has rarely been right on any issue where he felt compelled to venture an opinion. Politics has Jimmy Carter, the U.S. army has Barry McCaffrey.

[nathanbedford]

He was cosmically wrong as drug czar.

[OldFriend]

Most of those military types speaking out are in concert with General Shinseki.....nuff said!

[mark502inf]

I caution anyone to be very wary of anyone who served under Bill Clinton. None can be trusted.

Give me a break--Franks, Meyers, Abizaid--every other Marine, Army, or Air Force General & Navy Admiral with two or more stars served as a flag officer under Clinton.

The military knows its chain of command & will follow it regardless of the commander-in-chief's political party--no person who really thought about it would want it any other way.

[Coop]

Hasn't McAffrey been embarassed enough yet?

[jwalsh07]

Give me a break--Franks, Meyers, Abizaid--every other Marine, Army, or Air Force General & Navy Admiral with two or more stars served as a flag officer under Clinton.

That's true but McCaffrey's record as an armchair General sucks. He was as wrong as wrong can be as regards the assault on Baghdad and as such his words should be looked upon with a great deal of skepticism.

[VRWC_minion]

We may need more men but we should look to IRaqi's. No good will come if we do it all for them.

[LS]

First, read the post here on FR about a letter from a Marine. If what this guy says is true, there is some culpability on the part of our troops for their situation (i.e., carelessness, not taking some pretty common precautions).

Second, I love FOX, but some of their people are as bad as Peter Jennings. The morning crews, especially, were totally out ot lunch with the uranium stuff, and seem intent on reporting every battle death as though it was the news of the day---and, to the families, of course, it is---but this distorts the entire picture.

[meenie]

The Pentagon better get there head out of their butt. They can't use the amount of reserve and National guard troops and keep their recruiting up. Instead of grandiose plans to replace the fighters with stealth technology and other new toys, attention has to be given to ground forces and that sector that does the occupation and peace-keeping. Also, we have no business keeping our forces in most of the countries we are in. Bring some of them to our borders and take care of some of our own security.

[stop_fascism]

McCaffrey, however, was the drug csar in the Clinton whitehouse.

[jwalsh07]

If you're trying to say that we are four divisions short of a load, then I agree with you.

If you are saying we should do a 180 and pull out of Iraq, then I disagree.

We have two divisions stationed in Germany, the 1st Infantry and the 1st Armored. They should be removed forthwith and returned to the US.