The hired help knows that more hands make less work for them. There is no doubt that more U.S. troops would make each individual grunt's life "easier". But would it work in the long run? I say get the troops out of harm's way.
I also disagree with the Commanders. While no amount of U.S. troops surged into Iraq either temporarily or in a sustained manner will lead to a U.S. victory, neither will decreasing U.S. troops lead to the Iraqi army "standing up". The Iraqi army will never stand up because it is a puppet army.
Nothing the U.S. has had a hand in establishing, equipping, training, or funding will survive the inevitable eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops. Just like the South Vietnamese puppet government, the Iraqi puppet government will collapse when the U.S. is forced to leave Iraq (either driven out by the Iraq insurgency or driven out by exhaustion and bankruptsy).
Take your pick from the headlines below. Neither paints a full and accurate picture. News "coverage" of Iraq lags 6 months behind the real time situation on the ground. We will see just how things stand today in June 2007. They will be worse than now and 6 months worse than we are told they are even then.
Gates Hears Doubts From War Commanders
quote:U.S. soldiers in Iraq urge Gates to send more troops
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, The Associated Press
Dec 21, 2006 3:34 AM
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Defense Secretary Robert Gates is hearing doubts from war commanders about what could be accomplished by a possible increase of U.S. troops in Iraq, but some of the troops on the ground say it would be a good idea.
The new defense leader is on a visit to Iraq with a high-level entourage to assess options for calming violence in the country as President Bush considers sending thousands more troops.
Gates, on only his third day on the job, was briefed Wednesday by U.S. military officials and Iraqi leaders.
His itinerary is being kept secret in advance for security reasons. The trip, which was not disclosed until after he landed in Baghdad early Wednesday, came as Bush deliberates over a new war strategy expected to be unveiled next month.
Originally expected before Christmas, the new policy was delayed it in part to hear recommendations from Gates after his return to Washington.
"Secretary Gates is going to be an important voice in the Iraq strategy review that's under way," Bush told reporters at a White House news conference Wednesday.
After meeting with top U.S. generals at Camp Victory, Gates said Wednesday that he had only begun to determine how to reshape U.S. war policy. "We discussed the possibility of a surge and the potential for what it might accomplish," he told reporters.
He acknowledged that that rushing thousands more Americans to the battlefront could prompt Iraqis to slow their effort to take control of their country, calling that "clearly a consideration" in mapping out future strategy.
"The commanders out here have expressed a concern about that," Gates said.
Top U.S. commanders also have worried that even a short-term troop increase might bring only a temporary respite to the violence - or none at all - while creating shortages of fresh troops for future missions.
quote:
By Kristin Roberts
Reuters Thu Dec 21, 5:08 AM ET
U.S. soldiers in Iraq urged their new boss on Thursday to send reinforcements, after their generals told Defense Secretary Robert Gates they were concerned a surge might delay the time when Iraqis take control.
Stung by defeat at mid-term elections last month, President Bush is expected to announce a new strategy in January for the unpopular war, which has so far killed nearly 3,000 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis.
Bush said on Wednesday one option under review was a short- term increase in U.S. troop levels but that he had not yet made up his mind.
Gates, in his first week on the job after replacing Donald Rumsfeld, is consulting widely for advice on the war effort.
He met U.S. commanders and the Iraqi defense minister on Wednesday and is due to meet Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Thursday. He said U.S. commanders had expressed concern that a surge in U.S. forces might delay the time when Iraqis can assume control for security.
On Thursday he had breakfast with ordinary soldiers to sound out their views on troop levels, a timeline for training Iraqis, sectarian leanings in the Iraqi security forces and the "caliber and discipline" of Iraqi soldiers and their military leaders.
"Sir, I think we need to just keep doing what we're doing," Specialist Jason Glenn told Gates.
"I really think we need more troops here. With more presence on the ground, more troops might hold them (the insurgents) off long enough to where we can get the Iraqi army trained up."
No soldier present said U.S. forces should be brought home, and none said current troop levels were adequate, as some commanders have argued.
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