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Bush adding 21,500 troops to Iraq force - LIVE thread- speech 9pm EST
Yahoo/AP ^ | 1-10-07 | TerenceHunt

Posted on 01/10/2007 2:30:20 PM PST by STARWISE

Unswayed by anti-war passions, President Bush will send 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq and build the American presence there toward its highest level to quell worsening bloodshed. The move puts Bush on a collision course with the new Democratic Congress and runs counter to advice from some senior generals.

Set to announce his decisions in a prime-time speech Wednesday night, Bush was to acknowledge making major mistakes in Iraq, primarily failing to deploy enough U.S. soldiers and demand more Iraqi troops and cooperation to confront the country's near-anarchy.

In advance of Bush's address, White House counselor Dan Bartlett said U.S. military operations have been "handcuffed by political interference by Iraqi leadership" — but now will proceed under rules allowing troops to confront Shiite militias as well as Sunni insurgents.

(snip)

The new Democratic leaders of Congress met with Bush and complained afterward that their opposition to a buildup had been ignored. "This is the third time we are going down this path. Two times this has not worked," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Why are they doing this now? That question remains."

Senate and House Democrats are arranging votes urging the president not to send more troops. While lacking the force of law, the measures would compel Republicans to go on record as either bucking the president or supporting an escalation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Carried live online by: C-span

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: alqaeda; bush; iran; iraq; presbush; syria; troops; wot
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To: Txsleuth
they are going to have the "rules of engagement" handcuffs taken off..and they can FIGHT NOW!! At least that is what I heard Mary Matalin say...

I have heard that from several sources. I am much relieved.

81 posted on 01/10/2007 3:58:32 PM PST by Bahbah (.Regev, Goldwasser & Shalit, we are praying for you.)
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To: PSYCHO-FREEP

Hopefully, Sadr will get caught in that sweep... that's if the gloves really come off.


82 posted on 01/10/2007 3:58:48 PM PST by SeaBiscuit (God Bless America and All who protect and preserve this Great Nation.)
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To: TexKat
Smart move here...

The general said Kurds, who are Sunni but not Arab, were being used against the Shiite Mahdi Army to overcome the predicted refusal by soldiers from other Iraqi units to fight fellow Shiites

Bringing in the Peshmerga....no loyalty problem here.

83 posted on 01/10/2007 3:58:49 PM PST by Dog (DEMS--- 5 day work week..............errr...nevermind....100 hours...starting...soon .....MAYBE)
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To: STARWISE
Notice how the left calls sending more troops to Iraq a "surge." Surge has the sense of being a wild, out-of-control lunge.

Frankly I'm not in favor of sending more troops to Iraq, but for different reasons than those held by the socialists.

I do not believe we can ever get the Iraqis to a point where them can self-govern. Remember that the Sunni and the Shiite are two sects of Muslims. The notion that America is going to convince Iraqi Muslims to go against the rest of the Muslim world is silly.

The Iraqi solution: Occupy the oilfields and operate them under a U. S. protectorate, withdraw all troops except those needed to secure the oilfields, and move on to the next terrorist nation.

"Democracy" in Iraq will happen when Teddy Kennedy says something sensible.
84 posted on 01/10/2007 3:59:16 PM PST by R.W.Ratikal (q)
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To: Txsleuth

I just want to comment that I'm getting confused on what thread I'm on .. there too much news going on *L*


85 posted on 01/10/2007 4:00:09 PM PST by Mo1 (PLEASE SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC AND DONATE)
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To: SeaBiscuit

The Peshmerga to go after the Sadr forces...this will be something to see.


86 posted on 01/10/2007 4:00:52 PM PST by Dog (DEMS--- 5 day work week..............errr...nevermind....100 hours...starting...soon .....MAYBE)
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To: Allegra

You might be interested in this


87 posted on 01/10/2007 4:02:13 PM PST by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker! (We are going to win!))
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To: Mo1

Tell me about it...I took the itty bitty one for a walk...and I fell overwhelmed with news!!!


88 posted on 01/10/2007 4:02:45 PM PST by Txsleuth (FREEPATHON TIME-Please become a monthly donor, or Dollar a Day donor.)
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To: STARWISE

Tonight is Bush's night to shine if ever we needed a leader the most


89 posted on 01/10/2007 4:03:20 PM PST by StoneWall Brigade ("Modern, bureaucratic, unionized education is a form of intellectual child abuse. " NEWT GINGRICH)
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To: Txsleuth

Are you SERIOUS? They're going to let them FIGHT? Wow. This is the best news for our GI's in a month of Sunday's...

HOOOAH!!!


90 posted on 01/10/2007 4:03:47 PM PST by SE Mom (Proud mom of an Iraq war combat vet)
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To: SeaBiscuit
They will more than likely bypass Sadr, because of the possibility of fueling the insurgency and destabilizing the Shia into a civil uprising.

It's truly dicey at this point.
91 posted on 01/10/2007 4:04:05 PM PST by PSYCHO-FREEP
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To: TexKat

"Al-Maliki has named an Iraqi general who was taken as prisoner of war by U.S. troops during the 1991 Gulf war as the overall commander of the new security operation.

Lt.-Gen. Aboud Gambar, a Shiite, will have two assistants, one from the police and one from the army, the military officers said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal the information."

hmmmmmm.


92 posted on 01/10/2007 4:04:18 PM PST by SeaBiscuit (God Bless America and All who protect and preserve this Great Nation.)
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To: bnelson44

Emerging details of a troop surge, expected to be confirmed by U.S. President George W. Bush's prime-time press conference Jan. 10, indicate some 16,000 extra U.S. troops will eventually reinforce Baghdad, with another 4,000 in Anbar province. This surge is almost certain to entail a shift in tactics consistent with the recently published Counterinsurgency Manual (FM 3-24). These tactics involve increased visibility for U.S. troops and will -- at least at the beginning -- entail higher casualties. But the surge is not fundamentally driven by military concerns; the choice to surge and the timing are largely politically motivated.

Some details of the surge are evident from looking at current troop deployments. The 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of the 82nd Airborne Division is now arriving in Kuwait to serve as a force in reserve. They will likely be the first additional unit surged north -- once again leaving U.S. forces in Iraq without a brigade-size reserve force. The U.S. Marine 5th and 7th Regimental Combat Teams (RCT) currently operating in Anbar are likely to be held over past their scheduled departure from Iraq in February. The U.S. Army 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment (Airborne) has already moved into Anbar to reinforce the 5th RCT and conduct operations in the Al Karmah region, northeast of Al Fallujah. Many foreign fighters who escaped the dual assaults on Al Fallujah in 2004 sought refuge in Al Karmah.

http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=282757&selected=Analyses


93 posted on 01/10/2007 4:04:24 PM PST by TexKat (Just because you did not see it or read it, that does not mean it did or did not happen.)
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To: Dog
Playing Poker with George Bush

Great blog. Thanks for the link. Things are going as Bush told us they would, way back in 2001. Hard work over a long time. Quiet successes.

94 posted on 01/10/2007 4:04:49 PM PST by syriacus (IF Truman cut + ran after 3,000 deaths, THEN the Korean War would have ended in 5 weeks.)
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To: Bahbah

Do you know what else I have heard all afternoon??

About the REPUBLICANS that aren't backing Bush's plan. I haven't heard the name of ONE that is...even though we know there are...Lieberman has NOT been mentioned.

BTW..Sam Brownback (R) POTUS candidate, 2008....does NOT approve of Bush's plan...but, guess where he is??? Not in Washington doing his job...no...he is in IRAQ...probably for photo-ops!!!

I love how he goes to IRAQ...to discount his own POTUS/CIC!!!!

grrrrrrrrrrr


95 posted on 01/10/2007 4:05:22 PM PST by Txsleuth (FREEPATHON TIME-Please become a monthly donor, or Dollar a Day donor.)
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To: TexKat
Al-Maliki gives Mahdi Army blunt choice: disarm or face American onslaught

This is probably the best thing I have read in the lead up to tonight's address.

96 posted on 01/10/2007 4:06:00 PM PST by Dolphy
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To: Dog

Yes, but did you read further down where Maliki picked a Shite General to command the operation or do I misunderstand?


97 posted on 01/10/2007 4:06:00 PM PST by SeaBiscuit (God Bless America and All who protect and preserve this Great Nation.)
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To: SeaBiscuit

That's fine. A Shiite general going after a Shiite militia is fine... if he will do it. Give him a chance.


98 posted on 01/10/2007 4:07:08 PM PST by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker! (We are going to win!))
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To: Dog; Mo1; Howlin
"The Iraqis have to step up," White House counselor Dan Bartlett said.

This seems to be the biggest buggaboo. Brit's panel was all over the Iraqi's not cooperating, not pulling their weight, not even showing up to hold cleared territory.

Panel basically says that this is Bush's "last chance". Meaning the Iraqi's last chance.

Wanna bet the sectarian and Iranian backed violence escalates and Iraqi forces are paid to stay home?

Regardless, I'll be back after supper. Thanks for the ping

99 posted on 01/10/2007 4:07:17 PM PST by prairiebreeze (The liberal agenda hates you. And your family.)
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To: SeaBiscuit

I have heard that Sadr...and his cohorts are going to be major targets...and al-Maliki knows it!!


100 posted on 01/10/2007 4:07:59 PM PST by Txsleuth (FREEPATHON TIME-Please become a monthly donor, or Dollar a Day donor.)
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