US braced for bloody pull-out-(Gates.to Clinton,".such planning is indeed taking place")

times online ^ | July 29, 2007 | Sarah Baxter, Washington

[Flavius]

AT THE Army College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Major Daniel Morgan is studying the lessons for Iraq of the Soviets’ chaotic exit from Afghanistan in the late 1980s. The roads were choked with tanks and heavy weaponry, making the demoralised soldiers easy prey for guerillas.

“The Soviet Army actually had to fight out of certain areas,” said Morgan, who has served twice in Iraq.

There is no easy exit from Iraq, but defence secretary Robert Gates has admitted for the first time that the Pentagon is poring over the options. Under pressure from Hillary Clinton, the senator for New York, defence officials are to give a “closed door” briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week about US troop withdrawals.

“You may rest assured,” Gates wrote to Clinton, “that such planning is indeed taking place with my active involvement.”

[Flavius]

“They are starting to think in that direction,” he said. “The Soviet scenario could certainly happen but what really worries me is the example of Vietnam.”

liberal holy grail

every news story every paper every time

[dforest]

Ahhh, there’s nothing quite like making plans to lose!

[mdittmar]

Guess we FReepers should find the relevant letters and post them;)

[Enchante]

"...defence officials are to give a “closed door” briefing to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week about US troop withdrawals. “You may rest assured,” Gates wrote to Clinton, “that such planning is indeed taking place with my active involvement.”"

It's normal that all sorts of contingency planning should occur on myriad issues, but to give in to demands to brief the 'RATs on "withdrawal plans" is a very bad idea!! It is a certainty that the 'RATs and MSM will portray this briefing as "DoD Briefs Senators on Impending Withdrawal" in order to maximize propaganda for the left and for the Islamo-fascists. The scumbags are trying to create a self-fulfilling prophecy by forcing the "planning process" for withdrawal into the international media. Even though this briefing is supposed to be "closed door" we can be sure that the 'RATs will be leaking details as fast as they dare -- and even without details, just the general headlines about "Pentagon Withdrawal Plans" are all the 'RATs and MSM need to run wild....

[elhombrelibre]

They plan for everything all the time. They’d be remiss in their responsibilities if they were not planning for a withdrawal. Plus, the Democrats and some others have indicated they want to get out and damn the strategic consequences or the genocide. If a Democrat or Ron Paul wins, the ignominious surrender will have to be implemented.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

Well if this pullout happens. The blood is on the hands of the Democratic party. Although, I doubt most Americans will feel this way. They will spin it, blame GW or whatever. I for one am sick and tired of the party of treason.

[Man50D]

Congress Critter ping!

[Cringing Negativism Network]

Just so long as “Senator” Clinton explains what happens in Iraq, after our troops leave.

(waiting...)

[P-40]

There is no easy exit from Iraq

Once you get out of Baghdad, you should be just fine.

[familyop]

If our leadership doesn’t take care of business in Iran to finish the War, we should each probably plan ahead for personal security at home.

[txhurl]

Look how this author makes it seem the secdef is groveling before her.

[Flavius]

they are acting like no nation in history of the world occupied an land mass

the idiocy all around is mesmerizing

however the only people i care about are the front line US troops

everyone else can pound sand

[Flavius]

that will be outlawed as hate crime

how dare you protect yourself citizen

[elhombrelibre]

Yeah, just stupid.

[Buffettfan]

Liberals will attempt to do the same thing to Iraq that they did to Viet Nam. They are directly responsible for the mass slaughter after we pulled out of Viet Nam. They have learned nothing from history.

Semper Fi’
Jarhead

[pandemoniumreigns]

The Pentagon plans for everything for petes sake...

This is nothing but a chance for the DBM to splash on the front page tomarrow

GATES CALLS FOR PULL-OUT PLAN...

This is sick and the dems will pounce...

[Vision Thing]

Poor liberal surrendercrats and jihadist. Gates is merely playing psychological operations against them. This is just a head fake to get the anti-Americans all worked up over an apparant American defeat, but Gates knows what every other adult in Washington knows: The Surge is Working.

When the job is done successfully and the next theater of operations opens up in Iran, there’ll be much gnashing of teeth by Team Al Queda and their dainty Democrat cheerleaders.