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Bush to pull 8,000 U.S. troops from Iraq

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Finally. And will Bush now start focusing on capturing bin Laden "dead or alive" or do large-scale crimes against humanity not warrant his attention until it is politically expedient?

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pulling from Iraq and pushing them to Afghan, feel sorry for the troops.

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Bring them all home.

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rjd jr

Bring them ALL home? All of these 8000? All troops in Iraq? Or all of us in uniform overseas globally? So simple to say bring the troops home isn't it?

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Stay the course till he's out. No change in policy.

That makes it easier for John McCain to keep troops in Iraq if he wins. Halliburton won't lose a cent. < :-)

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This is a token pre-election ploy. If it looks like we can draw down troops it is a win for the GOP during the election. But doubt it will last. The GOP are just playing politics with the 8,000. At least they get to come home for a short time. And I hope their removal does not put others in harms way.

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USNinJapan2 - Don't let logic and thoughtful questioning get in the way of his statement! Everyone should go home now, wherever they are. Then the world will be wonderful once again...

Or maybe not.

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"Iraqi forces are becoming increasingly capable of leading and winning the fight."

Thanks to the surge, which Obama was against.

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This is a token pre-election ploy.

What evidence do you have of this besides your personal dislike for George Bush?

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This is a token pre-election ploy.

I would have to agree, since looking at the numbers at first glance (8,000 troops) many Americans would say "Wow! That's great. So many troops returning home." However, considering that there are 146,000 troops in Iraq now, that represents only a small fraction (5.4%). It would still leave over 130,000 troops in Iraq alone. If Bush wanted to seriously make a significant change, he would allow a greater portion of the troops to return home.

I am however, all for this move, since more troops are needed to be shifted to Afghanistan, as it is increasingly becoming overrun with the Taliban again. I for one have no idea, why Bush and Co. didn't make sure stability was reached in Afghanistan first, before invading Iraq. It is what policymakers like Obama were espousing all along: "Put out one fire before starting another." Now, we are dealing with two "Hydras" that seemingly won't go away: Iraq and Afghanistan.

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"Iraqi forces are becoming increasingly capable of leading and winning the fight."

For now, because the Iraqi government has reached ramshackle balance. However, the Americans can not stay there forever to babysit the Shia government. Wolfowitz vision of a stable and democratic Iraq that would start a "democratic domino" in the region has failed spectacularly.

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Freakashow - The administration didn't have time to. If they had waited much longer, then questions like where are the WMD would have been ask by too many people. The media might start checking their notes and putting two and two together. Unfortunately the media was complicit in the attack of Iraq.

Then once they got in, they stripped Afghanistan of as many troops as they could.

They have plans to continue fighting in Iraq until the Iraq gov't actually kicks the US out. And if it's up to the republicans, that will be never.

So this 8,000 troops going home is a nice start, but no way anything but a tiny start. < :-)

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buddha4brains:

" Finally. And will Bush now start focusing on capturing bin Laden "dead or alive "

It does not matter a wet fart if Bin Ladin is alive or dead. He is already a jihadist legend. And the Jihad goes on, regardless. We stupid kuffars should stop chasing this silly idea that the jihad against the non-islamic world is centered around one particular man. That is so stupid.

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pulling from Iraq and pushing them to Afghan, feel sorry for the troops.

You must be one of those despicable liberal softy peaceniks, feeling sorry for the troops! Where is your patriotism! They signed up for the job, so the CinC has every right and every duty to run them through the meatgrinder at whim without so much as a sorry or benefits when they get back.

--Cirroc

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You mean one of those peaceniks like myself?

CavemanLawyer we were attacked by the Taliban and they used Afghanistan with the blessing of the country's leaders to train, plan and set in motion their plan to kill innocent Americans.

We went into Afghanistan, I thought with the dedication to do the job, and george bush only used it as a stepping stone to Iraq.

We should have done the job fighting terror where it came from and then bring our troops home.

But george bush didn't do that.

Even this 8,000 is just a token amount. 8,000 is supposed to be a big number to impress the public. B/S!! It's just something to sooth the voters till after the elections.

There's a difference between patriotism and stupidity. The george bush administration used patriotism as a tool to suck citizens into buying into the george bush Memorial War in Iraq.

The peaceniks understood going into Afghanistan. We were attacked. We were called Un-patriotic and Un-American for calling george bush and his war what it was. The hoodwinking of the American people. And that's being gentle. < :-)

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It does not matter a wet fart if Bin Ladin is alive or dead.

Does this mean you don't think he was the mastermind of 9/11 then? Because I want to see that guy captured and tried, but I won't cry if he winds up dead. But to suggest it does not matter!!

We stupid kuffars should stop chasing this silly idea that the jihad against the non-islamic world is centered around one particular man. That is so stupid.

What you don't get is that our only legitimate beef is with bin Laden, his org, and those that supported him and his org. Everyone else has every right to think and do as they want as long as we are not involved.

Yet again, you think the exact same as what you accuse others, only you take a different side. That is the only significant difference.

Consider you idea of holding entire people's at fault for the actions of a few flatly rejected.

--Cirroc

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A token act to try and make a legacy. Doesn't matter if they all came home tomorrow dubya's legacy as a F up is written.

But while the GOP is patting themselves on the back and drinking champaign remember there are more heroes in Iraq than "I was a POW" Mcsame.

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[We went into Afghanistan, I thought with the dedication to do the job, and george bush only used it as a stepping stone to Iraq.] Yeah Iraq should have been taken care of in the last century. Not this one. Shame on the Useless Nations.

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Is if fair to say that George Bush's plan to reduce the number of troops in Iraq has been met with criticism from the Left?

That's politics for ya, I suppose....

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more proof the liberation of Iraq has been an imesurable success. so much heartbreak on the left and those that wanted the US to fail but once again triumphant.when President Bush hands over the reigns to Mr McCain in november we'll see Iran being liberated next

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I just found out today that Joe Biden was the author of the surge. Liberal media. Yeah, right.

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General Shinseki was the true author of the surge. And to USN, I mean bring all the troops home, and yes it is simple as that. I'll keep mentioning how convenient the blind pro war supporters seem to switch their viewpoints. When they crow about how great things are in Iraq, how things are so successful (based on a surge strategy that was first proposed by a general whose name was drug in the mud for it), when you tell them, great, so let's get the troops out, suddenly they turn around and scream, b-b-b-but there will be chaos if the troops all leave! Notice also that now the pro war supporters think the Iraqis are all doing so well, yet they scream they are not ready yet when calls for troop withdrawal are urged. How utterly convenient.

What? So which is it? It's easy for armchair generals out there sitting at their computers to decide what's best for the troops. They are not the ones patroling in 130 degree heat, manning checkpoints, doing raids, doing humvee runs wondering if the next patrol will be their last one. They're not the ones risking death or mutilation while their loved ones worry back home. Who are they to presume what's best for the troops, if they were the ones having to go back to Iraq year in and year out endlessly, let's see how enthusiastic they would be.

Let the Iraqis fight and die for their country, what part of this don't the pro war supporters understand? If it's so great and successful in Iraq, fine, so be it, pull our troops out and let Iraqi people and government stop sponging and being dependent on the U.S. to do the bulk of the security and fighting.

Come on people, it's been FIVE years already, a pre school kid could learn how to do basic security ops faster than these Iraqi troops. They won't fully function until they learn to do it on their own.

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General Shinseki wasn't the "true author of th surge". He wanted several hundred thousand troops in Iraq way back when, which may or may not have been the right thing to do at that time.

Bush used how many for the surge versus how many Shinseki wanted?

Shinseki may have been right - again way back when - but the latest is apples and dates.

Thomas

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adaydream at 02:10 PM JST - 9th September

Excellent post. There are a lot of sensible people who believe we did the right thing in Afghanistan and the wrong thing in Iraq. Shame on Bush. Shame on those who supported Bush in 2004 after the truth was clear.

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McNeoCon-"when President Bush hands over the reigns to Mr McCain in november we'll see Iran being liberated next" What exactly do you think liberated means? I do not think that it means what you think that it means.

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Hoss, the lady you're addressin' is only posin' as a Republican.

She's only havin' her fun when you take her seriously and waste your time makin' an argument.

It's true, Hoss.

Adios.

USAR

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Joe Biden authored the surge

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmRXH7RkCZQ&feature=related

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It's pretty amusing this latest development - Bush is announcing troop reduction plans for a time when his ass has been removed from the oval office.

Heh, what a result.

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It's pretty amusing this latest development - Bush is announcing troop reduction plans for a time when his ass has been removed from the oval office.

It would be amusing if it weren't so dumb at the same time. Bush needs to pretend he is doing something and he needs something to be remembered by.

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“For all the good work we have done in that country, it is clear we must do even more,” Bush said.

I just love that line! LOL

Translation= We still have a few contractor friends that we still need to pay off.

Oh yeah, if only I knew Bush or Dick! I too could be in there racking it in off the blood of the finest military ever seen on earth!

Way to go you two, they never heard the old saying,"Never fight a land battle in Asia".........Or my favorite one,"Never fight a two front war"

Amazing how a complete boob like Bush could screw up all he had!

To think I voted for that dunce!

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Bush to pull 8,000 U.S. troops from Iraq

McCain will send them elsewhere.

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"Joe Biden authored the surge"

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Joe Biden authored "the surge success is a fantasy" after he opposed it. He said it was a "fantasy" because Iraq still doesn't have a "unity" government where everything is love and kisses lol....

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Presto,

Amusing the actions - not the consequences...

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SuperLib:

Is if fair to say that George Bush's plan to reduce the number of troops in Iraq has been met with criticism from the Left? That's politics for ya, I suppose....

Just more proof that the further left someone goes, the more impossible they will be to please.

The Left's changing posistions on the war, both inside and outside of congress, has been comical. When Rumsfeld was trying to make progress using the least number of troops he thought possible, left-wing critics in and out of congress were calling for more troops to be sent to get the war over quicker. Once Rumsfeld was replaced, McCain pushed for the surge, and Bush finally agreed, that same faction of the Left suddenly changed their minds and declared that increasing troop levels would only get more soldiers killed (ironically, Rumsfeld's previous argument for not raising levels). Now that the surge they were for-before-they-were-against has succeeded, they try to give credit to anybody but the troops, as that would send credit back to Bush and even McCain.

It's called spinning themselves into a corner. Nice.

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JoeBigs:

Way to go you two, they never heard the old saying,"Never fight a land battle in Asia".........Or my favorite one,"Never fight a two front war"

Like fighting Germany and Japan at the same time?

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"Like fighting Germany and Japan at the same time?"

Heh, you had international support for that one bud...

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We had it in Iraq too. What, you thought every single soldier was an American?

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Madverts-There was the coalition of the willing, lest we forget. The strongest and largest group of nations all allied in the fight against terror.

Saddam was killed before he could attack us.

Bin Laden will be facing justice soon, you bet your bottom dollar buddy!

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WhiteHawk- It`s like talking to a brick wall.

liberals cannot face the facts even when staring them straight in the face.

Iraq is almost safe, now Iran and Pakistan backed Taliban, you`re next , with Bin Laden.

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WhiteHawk and ModerateGuy2008- Great posts from both of you, true patriots!

Iraq is more secure by the week, it is a success story, the Dems dont want to admint it though. They dont even agree that the surge was pure genius.

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"Iraq is almost safe"

Almost?

Hehn that's good.

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Sorry, the 3.2 soldiers from Muldavia and the 50 vodka suppers from Gerogia made all the difference.

When 15 members of your so-called coalition don't want to be named, heh, you know your arguments' as weak as a day old giraffe...

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SuperLib - There will alwys be critism, good or bad, when george bush does something with troops in Iraq.

Either the republuicans will worship his efforts.

Or the left will point out the part they don't agree with.

But I guess your posts aren't critism at all.

But I see again that you agree with and support george bush's policies and actions.

Bring the troops home from Iraq. Support Afghanistan properly. < :-)

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Bring the troops home and properly support the actions in Afghanistan, the country that allowed the attack on the U. S. < :-)

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adaydream- The troops will leave Iraq when the president decides it is safe to do so. Iraq will not be left undefended against Iran and their Taliban and Pakistani allies.

Afghanistan will have an increase in troops, they will do a better job there. The surge was such a success, Iraq is almost pacified.

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This has been a hyped war from the beginning. Bringing home 8,000 troops isn't enough. Going back into Afghanistan and doing the job right is something that george bush has no idea how to do. < :-)

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Awwww, Iraq is almost pacified. So sweet. < :-)

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The 8,000 troops can now have a well earned break, they did a great job, and i totally support them.

Bush makes tough decisions seem easy, with his relaxed style. has anyone ever seen sucha modest president?

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Smoke and mirrors. This is an empty declaration for one. And, it's a plan that actually takes the troops out of Iraq at a slower pace than originally anticipated.

Legacy boy is getting desperate and will say anything to avoid the tag that should be branded on his forehead:

W.P.E.

Taka

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Great to see how the pro war crowd seems to cover their bases as it sees fit.

As stated before, they scream at people who dare mention anything negative about the situation in Iraq, saying things are great, liberal negativity, etc. etc.

Then when you say, fine, let's bring all the troops home, then they scream, nooooooo, we can't do that, it will be chaos, etc. etc. etc.

How utterly convenient. I'll say it forever, easy for the armchair generals sitting on their computers to best judge how our troops should be utilized, they are not the ones risking life and limb day in and day out, year in and year out for something the Iraqis should have been doing years ago, something that a pre school child could learn to do in weeks.

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WhiteHawk at 12:45 AM JST - 10th September Like fighting Germany and Japan at the same time?

Hm I must re-read my history books because I could swear the US was not the sole provider of troops in WWII. Or 90% of the troops fighting in both theaters...

Let us do the math

US 19,000,000

USSR 35,000,000

British Commonwealth 11,000,000

Chinese Communist could not find the figures

Chinese Nationalist same here

Look like that in WW II the US supplied maybe 25% of the troops

Now let us take a look at the Iraq War and the other war, you know the one where Bin Laden is hiding in.

Hmmm something real odd here, it looks like the US makes up 90% of the troops. Let us see in WWII we made up 25% or of the troops while in O.I.L. we make up 90%.

The US is in a two front war and there is no way of trying to say we are not. The dangerous part of this is that some folks think it is not harming our Military readiness by doing this.

We have already began to see the result of placing our assets in too many locations.

This has made our "Friends" the Russians bold enough to make a move against one of our allies. If we had stayed in the right theater instead of making such a fool hardy move as to invade Iraq when we did Russia would have stayed in its place.

But now we have Putin and their Military thinking we are weak.

Bush and his pitbull are not the brightest bulbs in the lamp and they proved it by their actions in the past. Greed leads this administration and most Republicans. Just ask Ted Stevens......

Sad statement about the state of the Republican party.

You know instead of firing Shiseki they should have promoted him.

Let us remember what he warned

GEN. SHINSEKI: I would say that what's been mobilized to this point -- something on the order of several hundred thousand soldiers are probably, you know, a figure that would be required. We're talking about post-hostilities control over a piece of geography that's fairly significant, with the kinds of ethnic tensions that could lead to other problems. And so it takes a significant ground- force presence.

For his honesty he was retired...

Sad sad sad administration.....

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WhiteHawk at 12:51 AM JST - 10th September We had it in Iraq too. What, you thought every single soldier was an American?

Nope we make up only 90% of the troops......

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