Posted on 01/10/2007 2:30:20 PM PST by STARWISE
Unswayed by anti-war passions, President Bush will send 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq and build the American presence there toward its highest level to quell worsening bloodshed. The move puts Bush on a collision course with the new Democratic Congress and runs counter to advice from some senior generals.
Set to announce his decisions in a prime-time speech Wednesday night, Bush was to acknowledge making major mistakes in Iraq, primarily failing to deploy enough U.S. soldiers and demand more Iraqi troops and cooperation to confront the country's near-anarchy.
In advance of Bush's address, White House counselor Dan Bartlett said U.S. military operations have been "handcuffed by political interference by Iraqi leadership" — but now will proceed under rules allowing troops to confront Shiite militias as well as Sunni insurgents.
(snip)
The new Democratic leaders of Congress met with Bush and complained afterward that their opposition to a buildup had been ignored. "This is the third time we are going down this path. Two times this has not worked," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Why are they doing this now? That question remains."
Senate and House Democrats are arranging votes urging the president not to send more troops. While lacking the force of law, the measures would compel Republicans to go on record as either bucking the president or supporting an escalation.
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Carried live online by: C-span
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Major Strategic Shifts
Iraqis Are in the Lead in Ensuring Success –U.S. in Support Role
•Place the responsibility for success on the Iraqis
•Recognize and expect that sectarian violence must be addressed by Iraqis
•Encourage Iraqis to reach national reconciliation
•Urge Iraqi Government to serve Iraqis in an impartial way
The Primary Mission Is Helping Iraqis Provide Security to the Population
•Help Iraqis provide greater levels of security in Baghdad in order to enable political and economic progress
•Help Iraqis create the security environment in which political deals needed to sustain security gains can be made
•Bolster Iraqi capabilities and transfer responsibility to able units as part of this effort
Moderates Will Be Vigorously Supported in their Battle with Violent Extremists
•Counter extremist portrayalof Iraq’s conflict as Sunni vs. Shi’a, rather than moderates vs. extremists
•Recognize and act upon the reality that the United States has a national interest in seeing moderates succeed
•Build and sustain strategic partnerships with moderate Shi’a, Sunnis, and Kurds
We Will Diversify our Political and Economic Effort in Iraq to Achieve Our Goals
•Increase attention to developments outside of the International Zone –emphasize flexibility
•Help Iraqi provincial governments deliver to their constituents and interact with Baghdad
•Extend the political and economic influence through the expansion of our civilian effort
We Will Further Integrate Our Civil and Military Efforts
•Harness all elements of national power; further augment joint civilian-military efforts throughout theater
•Resource at levels that assume a resilient enemy and realistic assessment of Iraqi capacity over the next 12 months
Embedding Our Iraq Strategy in a Regional Approach is Vital to Success
•Iraq is a regional and international challenge
•Intensify GOI and USG efforts to expand regional and international help, counter Iran and Syria meddling
•Invigorate diplomatic efforts to improve the regional context
We Must Maintain and Expand Our Capabilities for the Long War
•Acknowledge that succeeding in Iraq is the immediate challenge, but it is not the last challenge
•Ensure we have adequate national capabilities to fight the long war, on the military and civilian side
http://www.whitehouse.gov/nsc/iraq/2007/iraq-strategy011007.pdf
Do we know the breakdown of combat troops vs support?
10,000 troops with 11,500 back field staff is not much.
I can't WAIT for this speech!!
Amen!!
Leni
***And 30,000 troops died in Korea during 2 1/2 years while Truman was president. That's 10 times as many as have died in Iraq under Bush.
34,000 Americans gave their lives for Korean freedom.***
Now THERE'S a good post we don't usually see. Thanks for the information.
Me too,I don't agree with this President on alot of issues,but he is one helluva CIC.
Thank you, Starwise!! BTTT!!!!!
I want names. Which Republicans?
Thanks Howlin.
``Our past efforts to secure Baghdad failed for two principal reasons: There were not enough Iraqi and American troops to secure neighborhoods that had been cleared of terrorists and insurgents,'' Bush will say, according to the excerpts. ``And there were too many restrictions on the troops we did have.''
Reducing the U.S. commitment now would result in troops ``being forced to stay in Iraq even longer, and confront an enemy that is even more lethal,'' Bush will say.
In attempt to head off skeptics of greater military involvement, Bush's aides in briefings emphasized that the administration is pressing Iraqis to take a greater role and Maliki has committed to cracking down on the militias that are fueling sectarian violence and spending the money necessary to make progress on rebuilding.
(snip)
Iraqi forces will be operating under new rules of engagement that will give them greater freedom to combat armed groups, including Shiite militias such as the Mahdi Army, the administration officials said. Many among Iraq's Sunni Muslim minority have complained that the Shiite-dominated government has countenanced Shiite militia violence against Sunni civilians.
``Some members of the Iraqi Security Forces, notably the police, are contributing to sectarian violence,'' a White House fact sheet on the new strategy says.
The administration officials refused to disclose what the U.S. will do if the Iraqis are unable to meet these commitments, saying that would be counterproductive to the effort and helpful to U.S. adversaries.
Still, they described Bush as increasingly impatient with Iraqi leaders' failure to live up to previous pledges and determined to hold them to their new promises. The president will make it clear tonight that the U.S. commitment to Iraq isn't indefinite, although he will set no timetable, they said.
According to information provided by the administration, as many as five combat brigades, or about 17,500 soldiers, would be sent Baghdad to help clear the capital city of insurgents. Another 4,000 troops, or two Marine regiments, will be sent to Anbar province. About 80 percent of the sectarian violence occurs within a 30-mile radius of Baghdad, according to the administration officials."
Hey Howlin thanks for the ping
It's celebration b***hes Dubya going lay smack chat on Demo appeasers
80,000 troops short and 100,000 Cadillac's short. Anyone that rats out those Iranian and other Arab bad guys get a car.
You were blessed, MamaB....prayers for you and your family.
Thanks for posting that. Here is another link to a PDF on the Q&A today for the speech tonight for those interested.
http://media.newsbusters.org/media/2007-01-10IraqQA.pdf
Will do.
We mourn for the 3,000 Americans killed in the war.
Where is the outrage of the left for the over 14,000 a year who are killed by drunk drivers.
Anyone up in 08, they would rather cut and run than risk losing an election.
Senators have very, very, very, very, very, very, cushy jobs.
Mark Levin is on now are ripping the dems in their fight against the President on the war
Hi, Starwise :) Do you know if the speech tonight will be from the Oval Office?
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