December 13, 2006
AS THEY STAND UP...:
Iraqi Army to Widen Role in Baghdad (MICHAEL R. GORDON and SABRINA TAVERNISE, 12/13/06, NY Times)
Iraq has presented the United States with a plan that calls for Iraqi troops to assume primary responsibility for security in Baghdad early next year. American troops would be shifted to the periphery of the capital.Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq’s national security adviser, said in an interview that the plan was presented during the meeting in Amman, Jordan, on Nov. 30 between President Bush and Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki.
“I think it is extremely important they reduce their visibility and they reduce their presence,†Mr. Rubaie said of the American troops in Baghdad. “They should be in the suburbs within greater Baghdad.â€
Is anyone more disconnected from reality than the Realists? Posted by Orrin Judd at December 13, 2006 10:28 AM
Interesting to contrast this with the news reports that the President wants to increase american troop strength. Including a final offensive against al-sadr.
Wonder which will turn out to be right.
Posted by: mc at December 13, 2006 11:10 AMMc - they may not be mutually exclusive if the troop buildup and offensive against Sadr happens early '07 and the Iraq forces, assuming the US offensive goes well, starts stepping in after that
Posted by: AWW at December 13, 2006 11:52 AMWe can't send enough troops to control things if we start targeting the Shi'a.
Posted by: oj at December 13, 2006 12:02 PMSomething doesn't ring true about this. They don't need us for clearing houses and kicking down doors; they need us for combined arms, combat support and combat service support.
There has to be another explanation for this. It looks like we may by shrinking from the consequence of disassembling THE FORMER IRAQ, which will be a final solution the the Baath question. The only reason for such a short leash on the so-called "Iraqi" army is they we do not expect them to "work for a government of national unity." By this way of thinking, we are doing the snuffy work (and taking the casulties) because we are trying to keep a lid on on the factional conflict.
Let it go, I say. Maximize the contradictions. Confusion to the enemy.
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Odd it is that no one is discussing the effect on the "government of national unity" of the ccming necktie party.
Maybe the former president will be found dead of natural causes one of these mornings, the way he should have been found in the first place.
Posted by: erp at December 13, 2006 3:44 PM"Is anyone more disconnected from reality than the Realists?"
Yes the Shi'a
Posted by: h-man at December 13, 2006 4:41 PMThe Shi'as would topple the kingdom in a week. The Sa'uds are kidding.
Posted by: oj at December 13, 2006 6:17 PM