Will any U.S. troops leave after the Iraqi election on Dec. 15?

[elprincipe]

I'm guessing yes. With suicide attacks being down and claims of winning the war against insurgents, not to mention the recent wave of emphasizing Iraqi security force training successes, I believe that we'll pull out 10-20,000 troops after Dec. 15 if the election goes well. That will mute domestic criticism of the war and allow further claims that we are close to ultimate success.

Agree/disagree?

[kakomu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Iraqi_Army

With a total of 0 Operational Vehicles and only 750 troops that are trained well enough to be deployed independently, I'm thinking no. At least, not for a while.

[mykevermin]

While not quite as cynical as capitalist_mao, I think that while the elections are an important benchmark in handing over power, that it's more crucial to train the iraqi military so that we have more battallions that can function adequately and self-sufficiently.

That being said, I don't know so very much about the nuances of how Americans view Iraq (sure, most disapprove, but that question may oversimplify what people truly think), so I don't know if they view elections as the ultimate task to accomplish before we are considered "done" there. Also, it depends, of course, on how much the military and the Bush administration capitulate their actions to the will of the people; thus far, abandoning his disastrous social security reform is the only time I've seen that happen.

[elprincipe]

That being said, I don't know so very much about the nuances of how Americans view Iraq (sure, most disapprove, but that question may oversimplify what people truly think), so I don't know if they view elections as the ultimate task to accomplish before we are considered "done" there. Also, it depends, of course, on how much the military and the Bush administration capitulate their actions to the will of the people; thus far, abandoning his disastrous social security reform is the only time I've seen that happen.

Well, as you said, most people think it was a mistake that we're involved there, but the same polls show that most people think it would be a mistake to just up and leave without at least having a good chance of stability there. As I said, I don't think we'll just pull all our troops out, but it would fit with recent rumblings even within the administration if we reduced troop levels. I think that can be claimed as a major political victory when Bush/Republicans start saying, hey, look, they had elections and we trained them and now we're starting to leave; we're winning! Or something to that effect.

[kakomu]

I think that can be claimed as a major political victory when Bush/Republicans start saying, hey, look, they had elections and we trained them and now we're starting to leave; we're winning! Or something to that effect.

Unfortunately, the parallels to Nixon's Vietnamization are far too strong. He would have to make sure that the troops are really really well trained, or at least really numerous before he can really claim victory on those terms.

[Msut77]

With suicide attacks being down


Where?

[elprincipe]

Where?

In Iraq. Obviously you aren't following this closely. U.S. generals and Iraqi leaders are claiming that, at least.

[Msut77]

In Iraq. Obviously you aren't following this closely. U.S. generals and Iraqi leaders are claiming that, at least.


No shat in Iraq. But where has this been shown?

[elprincipe]

No shat in Iraq. But where has this been shown?

U.S. commanders and Iraqi officials have made the claim over the past couple weeks in regular briefings they give the media.

Here's what I found in 10 seconds of searching. I suggest you learn to use Google; it's very useful.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10281801/

[usickenme]

one month doesn't a trend make..yet

I found that in 5 seconds of Googling.

The gov't has made at least a half a dozen claims that the insurgency is "in it's last throws".

[E-Z-B]

We won't see any troop reduction levels until we get closer to the 2006 elections.

[elprincipe]

one month doesn't a trend make..yet

I found that in 5 seconds of Googling.

The gov't has made at least a half a dozen claims that the insurgency is "in it's last throws".

*sigh* I don't know why people want to argue just to argue. I gave the facts (they claim suicide attacks are down) and gave my opinion, asked for others.

And not to nitpick, but it's "throes," not "throws" in this case.