[GraniteStateConservative]

"On Thursday, Gen. John Abizaid, head of U.S. Central Command, said he wanted to increase his combat power in Iraq by 10,000 troops. By preventing the 1st Armored from rotating home, he would accomplish that because it would supplement forces that recently arrived to take its place."

That's calling for more troops and it's calling for them in a way that is politically expedient for the WH-- which is the preference of Rove. It's stretching the troops thin and risking morale for political gain. All because they are dead set against bringing in fresher troops because they don't want to talk about it on the talking head shows.

[McGavin999]

This "insurgency" is going to be over in a couple of weeks. Sending troops now wouldn't even make sense unless they were specific troops with specific disciplines. They could hardly get there before the trouble was over.

If Abazid asks for more troops, he is requesting a different mix, not more bodies.