Word: trooped
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...press conference Wednesday morning, President George Bush made an interesting verbal pivot, which was not lost on senior military officers listening in the Pentagon. Talking about troop levels in Iraq, Bush did not use his usual line that the commanders on the ground would get whatever they need. Instead, he said he would "listen" to the commanders...
...tactical idea of the season. The debate over a surge is now under way - both about how big to make it and about whether to do it at all. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said over the weekend that he was not convinced a surge in troops would work, while Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said his party would support a limited, short-term jump in troop levels...
...November, Gen. John Abizaid, the CENTCOM boss, balked at the idea of a troop surge, telling the Senate Armed Services Committee he didn't need more troops to pacify Baghdad. Besides, he added, a surge presented two additional problems: it would discourage rather than encourage the Iraqis to take responsibility for their security. And it would not be sustainable. Abizaid said U.S. forces that have rotated out of Baghdad and back to the U.S. now lack the equipment to increase the "op-tempo," the Pentagon phrase for work rate...
...what of Reid's support for a troop surge? Well, first, Democrats are split on what to do next, and there has always been a good chunk of the Senate caucus that might well back more, not fewer, troops. Though Democrats pushed the Baker-Hamilton commission behind the scenes (to no avail) to set firm timetables for U.S. withdrawal, Reid's comments are a reminder that they are not yet ready to take such a hard line in public. The public may think Iraq is a mistake and a fiasco; but it may not be ready to bug out. Finally...
...government. Peace would obviously benefit the entire country in innumerable ways, but perhaps most important, it would make a U.S. military withdrawal politically possible. American leaders are paralyzed by indecision and political insecurity, and only peace in Iraq will let them off the hook and open the way for troop withdrawal. I cannot fully understand the rivalry and enmity among the people of Iraq. But the religious and ethnic factions need to learn to live together in peace, or they will live in fear and danger perpetually. BRIAN SCHILL Spring Branch, Texas...