The San Francisco Chronicle has an interesting article on whether Bush is planning a secret second surge in Iraq. He might be increasing the number of troops there -- up to 200,000 troops -- by redeploying more forces and keeping other troops in Iraq longer than their normal rotations.
The Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders showed Monday.
The little-noticed second surge, designed to reinforce U.S. troops in Iraq, is being executed by sending more combat brigades and extending tours of duty for troops already there.
The actions could boost the number of combat soldiers from 52,500 in early January to as many as 98,000 by the end of this year if the Pentagon overlaps arriving and departing combat brigades.
Would you put it past him? I certainly wouldn't. It's not like he has any trouble with going beyond what he is authorized to do. And it's not like the Democrats ever hold him accountable (let alone the Republicans). Well, since this surge is going so well, why not try another? I'm sure we'll soon be hearing stories of how much progress we're making in Iraq because of the new and improved second surge.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 6)
31. Gosh, with all of this anti Bush hate do you realize how you are all just adding to the negativity that is already surrounding us. Try "Being the Change you want to see in the world" instead of blaming. What exactly have you done lately to aid in the need for world peace? Throwing out negative comments just adds to it.
Tea at 1:31PM on May 22nd 2007
32. SAN FRANCISCO, GIVE ME A BREAK. AS LIBERAL AS YOU CAN GET. THEY HATE ANYTHING THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE WAR. THEY WILL SAY ANYTHING EVEN BEFORE THEY KNOW IF IT'S TRUE. BRAINDEAD HIPPIES.
AL GONN at 1:30PM on May 22nd 2007
33. Some dorks evidently know which end is up. Let's talk conversative talk, and leave behind the history of our meddling in the Mid-east for the past 60 years.
I haven't had anyone of the neo-conservative pro-Bush bent answer this or address these issues. Is selling T-Bills to China to finance this war a wise and prudent thing to do? Who has the potential to be our biggest enemy? During the past six years, the dollar relative to other hard currencies is worth 25% less. Essentially our money has been devalued.
A good conservative likes to know what they're getting for their money. Have we been buying a pig in a poke?
In the battle of winning friends and influencing people, exactly what kind of "democracy" or "protection of our vital interests" do we think we're going to accomplish? Sadam understood the West much better than Al-Sadr, or the likes of what we'll probably end up with. On Iran, how do we contain a technology over 60 years old? Never in history has this been accomplished. Why no squawk over Israel going nuclear decades ago? It seems we are chasing our tail, and China is bulking up on US Dollars and other hard currencies. Perhaps Nikita's "we will bury you", should be the Chinese equivalent of "we will buy you". Wake up to the real threat undermining America and stop wasting/squandering our resources!
Iraq is a black hole, and will consume more and more.
Dan at 2:09PM on May 22nd 2007
34. Whomever thinks that Bushit's "surge" is working has got to be smokinh shit-dope. The only surge that
will work is for congress (BOTH PARTIES) to surge a
cut off date up THE KING"S ass!!! Then send SHOTGUN
CHENEY to Iraq....for good. The above two dweebs
have f----d up this great nation big time. Can we get rid of them before the next election?????????
mdembree at 2:30PM on May 22nd 2007
35. Dick Cheney's whipping boy is at it again. 200k troops? For what?????? They don't even know who they're shooting at! Unfortunately, more G.I.'s get killed everyday and what the Bushyheads haven't figured out yet is this: The "so-called" enemy(who didn't draw first blood)are more than willing to sacrifice 50 of their own to get 5 G.I's. If they can spill just a drop of American blood, it's all good to them because the message is this: THEY DON'T WANT THE U.S. THERE, PERIOD! Bush'll take the slaps and get rich, Cheney will hide up under his rock grinning, and get richer and who's paying for it? Your Sons and Daughters literally, with their blood, that's who! The media has played it's part in keeping us from the reality of this mess also, while they keep giving us an update on Britney and Paris, as if they really matter to any of us at all, we're not seeing the flag draped caskets coming back from Iraq, like we used to see during Viet Nam. Can any of you out there remember the last time you seen that, or a realtime combat shot? FOOD FOR THOUGHT, GROUNDS FOR RESEACH!
Peace
Clint Flournoy at 3:07PM on May 22nd 2007
36. thank god for george bush and are mighty armed forces that are kicking our enemies asses,imagine for a minute if jimmy carter were president,our nation would be fying a yellow flag of defeat,most of you liberal nutball bloggers here sound more like an abstract rosie o'donnell,a mental he-she get a life you fools,after we win this battle it will be time to deal with the liberal losers in this country--hang harry reid
john schmidt at 2:25PM on May 22nd 2007
37. IT ALWAYS AMAZES ME, HOW CITIZENS BACK HERE HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS THAT OUR MILITARY DOESN'T HAVE. FEW CIVILIANS THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN IN THE MILITARY OR IN A WAR JUST CAN'T POSSIBLY KNOW WHAT THEY THINK THEY DO.
I BELIEVE THE SURGE IS HELPING AND I BELIEVE MORE TROOPS WILL DEFINITELY HELP. I WOULD SURE RATHER TRY, THEN NOT TRY. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT TRYING WOULD BE MUCH TOO GREAT.
Emily Cinicola at 2:32PM on May 22nd 2007
38. I think we should ship all of these Muslims back where they came from and bring our troops back HERE to protect the borders. And I AM from a military family with a son in the army as we speak.
DK at 2:42PM on May 22nd 2007
39. This country could not stand being run by Cheny while Bush is hiding in Irac pretending to be fightinh so do not even suggest it. Cheny is 3 times as bad as Bush. (If that is possible)
AMERICA, YOU ARE GETTING EXACTLY WHAT YOU ASK FOR SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ACT TO SAVE YOUR OWN COUNTRY. CLINTON WAS IMPEACHED BECAUSE OF A SEX ACT AND YOU LET THE REPUBLICIN PARTY MURDER OUR OWN TROOPS TO PASSIFY BUSH, SO HE CAN SAY TO DADDY THAT I DID WHAT YOU WANTED.
iMPEACH BUSH AND STRIKE AGAINST 1 OIL CO. AT A TIME OR SIMPLY SHUT UP BECAUSE YOU DO NOT CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR COUNTRY
fRANK
Frank Jessie at 2:46PM on May 22nd 2007
40. war on terror understandable, but fighting war to protect the flow of oil? we could have been well on our way to re-building the energy infrastructure of this country with the money we've spent. Which in turn would stem the terrorism, the only reason were in the war on terror is because of our horrible foreign policy which relates directly to oil and oil company profits. We need to start fixing our problems (energy) and leave these poor people poor. We're giving them the money they're using to bomb us and our soldiers. Cause and effect caught in a vicious cycle
Greg Lyon at 3:39PM on May 22nd 2007
41. Of course, there'll be those who think there's a military answer to this but, like most americans with short memories, they thought there was a military answer to Viet Nam too and what happened? They still got chased away, in shame! How do you give a military answer to a oil and profit question and as far as winning something is concerned, nobody has yet to say what the prize is! It's just like a schoolyard fight: After it starts, everybody forgets why it did. Sending these men and women over there is like putting fish in a barrel and the people who're cheering this madness on also give us thinkers an inside clue because people will ignore common sense and reason when it comes TO MONEY! These people have a vested FINANCIAL interest(i.e, gov't worker or company with a defence contract). If it were their sons/daughters who were being marched to their deaths, they'd have an entirely different take on this!
Clint Flournoy at 3:11PM on May 22nd 2007
42. Our democracy is quickly becoming a dictatorship. It has become a government of Bush by Bush for Bush and we the people are not even taken into consideration. We are victims of the "boiled frog syndrome" we are slowly feeling the heat, but doing nothing about it. Unless we make some noise and demand change, we may just wind up boiled and burnt and unable to do anything about it, just like our brave soldiers in Iraq. This war is not about politics....it is a war against religious fanatics....It's a war we can't win. For the sake of our soldiers and of our nation as a whole, I really hope I'm wrong. To the next 200,000, I salute you.
jjandav18 at 3:19PM on May 22nd 2007
43. I am a Republican. When the rhetoric started in Washington, I thought it was a bad idea to leave Afghanistan and invade Iraq. I never believed in the intell on WMDS..just felt they lost a great deal in the first gulf war... and I had little faith in what Chalabi and others told this administration about Iraq. We paid Chalabi 250,000 a month for years for BS. OK..I wrote everyone..and yes I do mean everyone..in the Senate..and most in the House..and expressed my feelings..It did nothing they still invaded Iraq..I have written the AF committee because of our troops..too many times to Iraq..I voted against everyone who was proBush, prowar..and defended Rumsfeld.. they lost and I still see no changes...I continue to write.....Just what the hell can we do..March on Washington without all the nuts with an ax to grind..just ordinary people who are tired of no accountability from the Iraqis. billions going down the drain..Iraqis thinking it is OK to kill our troops...and our troops doing all the work of the Iraqi gov and troops. The Iraqis will never do what needs done the longer we stay..the more dependent they will be on us..No army.....oh we need 2 more years..no laws passed...oh we need more time.
Janet at 3:20PM on May 22nd 2007
44. I guess this is the administration of surges. Surging gas prices. Surging oil company profits. Surging bankruptcies among the poor and middle class. Surging tax cuts for the wealthy. Surging deficits. Surging homelessness...
bob at 3:33PM on May 22nd 2007
45. Common People lets keep it real
"We Can't Win"
True, in the middles east no one can win. The war will never end. But with that kind of mentality why fight against crime? Why is there a war on drugs. Why try and stop poverty? These are issues that will never go away, but are fights that no matter how bleak or futile our efforts seem, you fight till your dying breath not because we can stop crime, drugs, poverty and terrorist nations, but to not let them run rampant in our world!"
"Iraq(Middle East) is not our country why should our military die over there?"
First people need to realize that the United States of America will always be at war with terrorist groups and innocent people will die. Rather than waiting for the fight to come on our land, we must keep the fight on theirs to protect the contents of our borders and for the safety of our way of life. Nothing beautiful or poetic about war. This isn't "the Red Badge of Courage" or "For Whom the Bell Tolls." This is real life. It is a hard pill to swallow. But a pill that must be swallowed
2nd, If people are so concerned about the men and women in the military, let the troops double up. You win more fights and have fewer casualties, fighting 5 on 1 rather than 2 on 1. If we really want to show our appreciation for the dedicated men and women who protect our way of life, vote for politicians that will pay them what they deserve. Majority of military are paid just enough so that if they are married with children they can collect welfare. Let them do their job which is "war" in hopes to protect the United States of America's way of life and people and lets help them by raising their pay so that they can financially take care of their loved ones.
"Remember the past"
Should we become like the Greeks who thought they could preserve their way of life by Knowledge and intellect? Losing not only wisdom but their country, Or be like the Romans who after occupying much of the world, lost it all by losing their understanding that might does not make right, but keeps their country strong and intact.
Bush seems to understand a lot more than people give him credit for. I am glad he does not go by popular opinion and does what needs to be done for the sake of his country.But Please take some public speaking classes...better yet take the whole course. Thank you Bush for "Keeping It Real!"
Keep it Real at 3:50PM on May 22nd 2007