Rumy:Surprise! Troops may have to stay longer

[Stravo]

Rumsfeld: Troops May Stay Longer in Iraq
48 minutes ago

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - American commanders are considering whether to send more forces into Iraq (news - web sites) to help quell a surge in violence, and some troops scheduled to leave soon might have to stay longer, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Wednesday.


In the clearest signal yet that U.S. officials are likely to take steps to increase the overall number of troops in Iraq, the defense secretary said officials would "be managing" the pace of troop rotations to ensure that seasoned troops now in Iraq would remain to see the current spate of violence through.

Rumsfeld said the commander of American forces in the region, Gen. John Abizaid, and his deputies have not asked yet for more troops or an order delaying the departure of any soldiers.

"You can be certain that if they want more troops, we will sign deployment orders so that they'll have the troops they need," Rumsfeld said at a Pentagon (news - web sites) news conference with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Myers.

In Congress, leading Democrats suggested that talk of sending more troops was reminiscent of Vietnam. Republicans urged resolve.

"We must win," said Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore. "We must not have the will of the American people broken by the naysayers."

Rumsfeld also said the military had captured some of the people believed responsible for last week's killing and mutilation of four U.S. civilian security officers.

He denied that the violence in Iraq was spinning out of control.

American forces are in the midst of a rotation, as troops who have been there a year are replaced by fresh forces. That gives the United States the advantage of thousands of extra forces there during the switch over to deal with new fighting that has broken out in cities across the country.

"We're taking advantage of that increase, and we will likely be managing the pace of the redeployments to allow those seasoned troops with experience and relationships with the local populations to see the current situation through," Rumsfeld said.

Abizaid has been looking into the question of where additional troops would come from, should they be needed. Abizaid spoke with President Bush (news - web sites) and his national security team via a secure video conference call Wednesday and did not ask for extra troops, a senior defense official said after the news conference.

Asked if orders to go home had been put on hold, the official said, "Not yet." That official spoke on condition of anonymity.

Rumsfeld said the violence, which has claimed nearly three dozen American lives since last weekend, is the work of a few "thugs, gangs and terrorists" and was not a popular uprising over the U.S.-led occupation.

"The number of people that are involved in those battles are relatively small," Rumsfeld said. "And there's nothing like an army or a major large elements of hundreds of people trying to overthrow or to change the situation. You have a mixture of a small number of terrorists, a small number of militias, coupled with some demonstrations and some lawlessness."

Myers said the fighting came in two broad categories. West of Baghdad in cities such as Ramadi and Fallujah, the main opposition is "former regime loyalists," including supporters of former president Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), and anti-American foreign fighters loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

In Fallujah, where the civilian contractors were killed and mutilated, raids by troops have netted the arrests of nine people, including some believed responsible, Rumsfeld said.

In the eastern sections of Baghdad and in a half-dozen cities in southern Iraq, the fighting is the doing of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and those who support him, Myers said.



Rumsfeld and Myers said al-Sadr had between 1,000 and 6,000 followers. A Central Command official said Monday that his Al-Mahdi Army numbers about 3,000 fighters.

It's unclear whether al-Sadr's militia is the only group fighting in those areas, Myers said.

American and coalition forces do not control the holy Shiite city of Najaf in southern Iraq, Rumsfeld said. Iraqis asked the coalition to stay out of the city during a pilgrimage, Rumsfeld said. Al-Sadr's militia has been active in Najaf.

Rumsfeld and Myers repeatedly referred to al-Sadr as a murderer. Al-Sadr has called on his followers to reject the occupation.

While those attacking U.S. and coalition forces share al-Sadr's anti-American philosophy, there's no evidence of nationwide coordination of the fighting, Myers said.

"It's not a Shiite uprising. Sadr has a very small following," Myers said.

That's right boys and girls, did you see that last line. They have a small follwoing. That's why we're sending more troops and others have to stay. Hike up your pants - it's getting pretty deep.

[Montcalm]

One more reason for Islamic fundies to scream louder "DEATH TO AMERICA"

[Iceberg]

You sure Comical Ali isn't working for the Bush Administration these days?

[Darth Wong]

Don't worry, they'll stick to their schedule and pull out by June 30. Of course, what that means is that Bremer will go home. The troops will stay.

[Chardok]

Can you say snowball? The more we put the screws to this muqutadadtadatdmuamquatadta Al Hibachi guy, the more people will flock to him. One senator said he heard ehoes of early Vietnam. I agree. As sick as this may sound, we need to seriously up the ante in terms of military don't-fuck-with-ussedness, or pull out all together and let them have a giagantic allah-wank. Personally, I'm very close to simply saying we should wash our hands of the whole of the middle east and let them rip each other to shreds.

[theski]

Chardok wrote

Personally, I'm very close to simply saying we should wash our hands of the whole of the middle east and let them rip each other to shreds

If only if it was that easy.. Unless we come up with a true energy plan.. Increase our drilling and Oil shale production and build more Nuke plants we are in the Middle east to stay

[Montcalm]

Chardok wrote

Personally, I'm very close to simply saying we should wash our hands of the whole of the middle east and let them rip each other to shreds

If only if it was that easy.. Unless we come up with a true energy plan.. Increase our drilling and Oil shale production and build more Nuke plants we are in the Middle east to stay

There are other energy source,but i guess the all powerfull oil industry is doing everything they can to slow it down.

[theski]

Montcalm wrote

There are other energy source,but i guess the all powerfull oil industry is doing everything they can to slow it down

You can never replace Oil in the worlds economy .. To many things run and are made with it... It also fuels the worlds ag and food production

[Chardok]

Montcalm wrote

There are other energy source,but i guess the all powerfull oil industry is doing everything they can to slow it down

You can never replace Oil in the worlds economy .. To many things run and are made with it... It also fuels the worlds ag and food production

It's eventually got to go, you know that. The oil argument will last for only so long. I'd bet in most of our lifetimes we will see that shaky argument go away, then, the middle east will degenerate into exactly what it is, a frothing hole of shit and sand, with a bit of sand mixed in for variety.

what I mean with my incorherent babbling is, the oil won't last forever.

[Montcalm]

Montcalm wrote

There are other energy source,but i guess the all powerfull oil industry is doing everything they can to slow it down

You can never replace Oil in the worlds economy .. To many things run and are made with it... It also fuels the worlds ag and food production

Are you sure it can't, before oil it was coal that ran the economy,and maybe something else will in the future.

[theski]

To.. Chardok and Montcalm


I should have noted my comments with... "In the near term IE..20-30 years" Sorry

[Vympel]

I love it how Sadr's several thousand strong militia is a "small following".

[Darth Wong]

I love it how Sadr's several thousand strong militia is a "small following".

A year from now, they'll be saying that the whole country of Iraq is a special case and not representative of world Muslim opinion

[Pablo Sanchez]

A year from now, they'll be saying that the whole country of Iraq is a special case and not representative of world Muslim opinion

Don't joke, it could become true. The Shiite militias might completely take over, and then they would contradict majority Sunni opinion on doctrinal issues... but they would still be with the rest of them on the whole "Death to America, Death to Israel" issue.

[HemlockGrey]

So what's the deal with Bremer? Is he a complete Adminstration shill, or is he trying to make the best of a bad situation?

[Vympel]

So what's the deal with Bremer? Is he a complete Adminstration shill, or is he trying to make the best of a bad situation?

If it sounds like a duck ....

[Durandal]

So what's the deal with Bremer? Is he a complete Adminstration shill, or is he trying to make the best of a bad situation?

If it sounds like a duck ....

Bremer's gone way past sounding like a duck. He tastes like one.

[Meest]

"The number of people that are involved in those battles are relatively small," Rumsfeld said. "And there's nothing like an army or a major large elements of hundreds of people trying to overthrow or to change the situation. You have a mixture of a small number of terrorists, a small number of militias, coupled with some demonstrations and some lawlessness."

Then few paragraphs down....

Rumsfeld and Myers said al-Sadr had between 1,000 and 6,000 followers. A Central Command official said Monday that his Al-Mahdi Army numbers about 3,000 fighters.

Just me or did anyone else find that amusing? Seems every few days they contradict their own words, sometimes in the same report.

[lance]

3,000 is only 30 hundreds, so it isn't as much of a contradiction as it is using vague terms.

[The Dark]

3,000 is only 30 hundreds, so it isn't as much of a contradiction as it is using vague terms.

Except that Rummie said there weren't "elements of hundreds of people."

I'm actually in favor of moving more soldiers there if we're not pulling out completely. The current situation is almost identical to the Vietnamization that occurred when we slowly pulled out while arming the South Vietnamese, only to find out that a half-trained military's not a replacement. Basically, I agree with Dr. John Santosuosso (not sure about spelling), the Mid-East expert here at FSC, that we're going to be stuck in Iraq for probably the next 10-20 years. Hell, we still haven't completely pulled out of Japan and Germany, and we occupied them in 1945.

[lance]

Maybe they are really bad at math and english?

[consequences]

"We're taking advantage of that increase, and we will likely be managing the pace of the redeployments to allow those seasoned troops with experience and relationships with the local populations to see the current situation through," Rumsfeld said.

So they're going to graciously allow troops that have been living under constant threat of hostile fire for over a year to continue to get shot at, keep the additional troops that were supposed to be allowing them to go home there, and claim that they aren't increasing troop strength? Fuckers.

[Sea Skimmer]

The theater commander wants two more infantry brigades. We have two infantry brigades doing absolutely jack shit in South Korea. The solution is simple.

[Howedar]

Indeed it is. Invade North Korea!

[Sea Skimmer]

Indeed it is. Invade North Korea!

Well I was thinking more withdraw the troops, then use the money saved to buy a few complete army corps off the Chinese.