Because this one is going so well, you know.
New reports say that we’re to have a second surge. If current Pentagon plans are followed, there will be over 200,000 American soldiers in Iraq by the end of 2007, the largest troop presence we’ve had there to date.
This is completely stunning news. There will likely be tons of analysis of this across the web, but some initial thoughts:
(1) The White House and the Pentagon are officially completely unresponsive to the wills of the people and Congress. If you weren’t already convinced.
(2) Michael Hirsh was 100 percent correct.
(3) This is a full renunciation of the Rumsfeldian way of making war. A lean fighting force can beat an opposing army but it can’t secure the peace — we should have had 200,000 troops or more at the beginning of the war. If we had, there’s a small chance we’d be in a position to withdraw victoriously today.
(4) Will this make the Democrats reconsider dropping timelines for withdrawal from their latest Iraq funding bill?
