Are We Going to Wait for the Iraqis?
25 February 2006 9:34 am by Taylor Marsh
Are We Going to Wait for the Iraqis?
The only Iraqi battalion capable of fighting without
U.S. support has been downgraded to a level requiring them to fight with American
troops backing them up, the Pentagon said Friday. The battalion, made up of
700 to 800 Iraqi Army soldiers, has repeatedly been offered by the U.S. as
an example of the growing independence of the Iraqi military.
Pentagon:
Iraqi troops downgraded
No Iraqi battalion capable of fighting without
U.S. support
The only battalion battle ready and independent has been downgraded
so that we no longer have one single Iraq fighting force capable of fighting
without our soldiers standing by their side. Read that sentence again if you
really want it to sink in.
To say this is incomprehensible is an understatement.
To say every American should sit up and see years and years of
additional sacrifice and spending sprees in the money pit that has become the Republican's Vietnam, also known as George W. Bush's presidency, is to also realize that something has got to give.
We are getting nowhere or at least we're getting nowhere that allows
any reasonable hope that we can disengage. The longer we stay the more incoherent
Bush's Iraq policy becomes. Because it's now obvious that no matter how long
we stay and train, every time there is an officer or troop rotation, the Iraqi
battalions become less battle ready. To a man, they are not standing on their
own two feet.
Again, we are not going forward.
Still not convinced? Do a Google search and read about the “progress”
made by the Iraqis. See it dance back and forth. Listen or read some of Joe Biden's
comments over the last 18 months, which have been ignored by everyone. He's
the one who challenged Bush, Rummy and everyone else on the fighting competence
of the Iraqi force numbers from the beginning. He disputed every single piece
of propaganda dispensed by Terror Guy and Deadeye.
Overall, Pentagon officials said close
to 100 Iraqi army battalions are operational, and more than 100 Iraq Security
Force battalions are operational at levels two or three. The security force
operations are under the direction of the Iraqi government.The numbers are roughly the same as those given by
the president last month when he said 125 Iraqi combat battalions were fighting
the insurgency, 50 of them taking the lead.
Level two or three doesn't cut it. But at this rate, we will never
be able to leave.
One
of my readers, EddieD, in response to blaming our inept, incompetent and
obviously out of touch commander in chief for where we find ourselves today,
said the following: “But put the real blame where it truly should rest
— on the shoulders of the American people. I blame every single person who
was stupid, idiotic, naive, clueless enough to vote for King George. This war
is as much their fault as anyone else's.”
That's a broad point, but it's time to narrow the discussion.
Today, every single one of us must start speaking out about this war. It's time
for a drastic change in course. The Democrats have put forward a new
strategy for Iraq, which I would like each of you to read. My first post
on it was in October
2005. Obviously, the majority of leaders in our party are reluctant to
push this forward and who can blame them? They aren't hearing about it from
their constituents. But there is only one body who can affect this war today
and it is us, the people of this country.
It's obvious President Bush is in the deep end of the pool and
can't swim or tread water at all, but he's not going under because we keep getting treated to Terror Guy pontificating on “stay the course.” However, his unchecked incompetence has now become a
contagion of catastrophes. Today we learn the the UAE
actually gave $1 million to Terror Guy's library. That it's really 22
ports, not just 6 and that Homeland
Security was even against the deal. The Administration, however, stands
by their “stay the course” mentality, whether its Iraq, or allowing
a country that helped bin Laden hide his money.
Tomorrow on Russert's
“Meet the Republicans,” there is not one Democratic
senator invited on to discuss the port deal, not one. Senators Menendez and
Clinton have led this fight, so why didn't one of them get invited on to discuss
the deal? The president's Dubai port debacle is being opposed by AMERICANS,
not just Republicans and partisans.
Send Timmeh
an email – be polite – but let him have it.
This is the same thing that happened on Iraq. Now, with the help
of Russert's “Meet the Republicans,” the Administration will have
his party across the Sunday airwaves to make the case for selling our security
to the highest bidder. Even Rep. King, who was a rabid opponent of the port
deal, is now sounding conciliatory.
Democrats have taken the lead on national security. Yet we won't
have one representative on the most watched Sunday program in this country.
Wake up and smell the propaganda, because if you think there's a liberal media,
you've been snookered by the RedStateRacists
and the RapistRighters,
and the dumbest
blonde on the planet. No, I'm not talking about Ann Coulter.
