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Richard Haut
millennium club
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1115
Location: Nice, France
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 Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:05 am Post subject: Petraeus's arithmetic |
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shortly the number of US troops in Iraq will reach 170,000.
America no longer has any reserves. The existing Army Brigades are either already in Iraq or Afghanistan or being moved on rotation - aside of those with duties elsewhere.
Britain is reported to be down to 500 non-committed troops (yes, 500).
apart from extending tours of duty or reducing leave time, there seems little that can be done. Maybe there will be a troop reduction by next year. Maybe not. Statements about policy indicate that the so-called surge will not be reduced and the Army has said that it will increase the number of Brigades from 38 to 48. When ? By 2012.
the Army is fulfilling its committments in numbers, but only just. Britain is apparently reduced to a single Brigade at Basra airport and has in reality suffered an ignominious defeat in Basra (according to al-Sadr the British are already withdrawing).
this leaves two problems for Petraeus. Firstly, the campaign is so badly conceived that his troops are dependent on one single main supply line from the south. Basra is crucial to its protection. Without the Brits in Basra, he will have no choice but to use considerable numbers to attempt to enforce it. Secondly, and what nobody seems keen to mention, is that, with British casualty rates at 10% in Afghanistan, how many of Petraeus's troops are killed, injured, or fall sick and now cannot be replaced ?
will he get support from Iraqis ? al-Maliki apparently has demanded, directly to Bush, that Petraeus be removed. But, like the surge, Petraeus stays.
perhaps from the back of a classroom at West Point, a Cadet is raising his hand to ask "but why didn't von Paulus ..... ?"
welcome to Stalingrad.
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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Ed Ziomek
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 461
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
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| Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:17 am Post subject: thank you again... |
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Rich...again you give me news I haven't read on this side.
Can anyone blame Petraeus for trying to make the "silk purse out of a sow's ear"? God bless him for his efforts, but I detest the disgraceful idiots who are putting our best and finest young heroes at the bottom of a slimy pit, and telling them to climb out with dignity!
Forget Iraq for the moment. 30 days ago, we were going into Iran. 2 weeks ago, it was Pakistan. Now my noble State Senator Lieberman is talking more trash about Syria!
And now for the ultimate insult...a Comedy show about Iraq?
"Daily Show comics venture to Iraq..."
http://tv.yahoo.com/show/29840/news/urn:newsml:tv.reuters.com:20070820:dailyshow_dc__ER
Except for the welfare of my wife and children and grandkids...I would be looking for another country to live.
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Ed Ziomek |
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Ed Ziomek
Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 461
Location: Stamford, Connecticut
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| Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject: Rich...has the President been lobotomized? |
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Rich...from your part of the world, can you explain the gaffe that the President laid on the world... comparing Iraq with VietNam?
I thought he was supposed to AVOID the historical comparisons!
Oh, and in the same speech, he mentioned Pearl Harbor with Japan, and Korea too! Talk about "uplifting, inspirational" moments, this may have been his biggest gaffe ever!
So if Petraeus's math is bad, what is with Bush's brain?
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Richard Haut
millennium club
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 1115
Location: Nice, France
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| Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2007 1:17 am Post subject: |
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Perhaps the comparison is that, as during the Vietnam war when Bush was permanently grounded as a National Guard pilot for being "too drunk to fly", he is back on the drink.
His statement that "one unmistakable legacy of Vietnam is that the price of America's withdrawal was paid by millions of innocent citizens", coming from Bush, sounds like a threat.
However one of the most cowardly and repulsive statements came from Sen. Carl Levin who said that Iraqis should "count us out of your civil war."
I was told recently about a building - very stylish, notable building - that went a bit over budget and was somewhat controversial in design (very, very famous and admired architect). What has that got to do with Bush, Levin and Iraq ? There were large and vicious demonstrations outside the building (in Europe). Why ? Because the architect is American ....
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Richard Haut has worked with the architectural profession for over 25 years and produces the weekly Richard Haut's Competitions, which has given architects details of many thousands of projects for which they can apply across Britain and Europe. |
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