Let’s start off with a favorite of mine: those permanent American military bases. Despite what the US ambassador to Iraq said the other day, it looks like the Pentagon still wants to hold on to them:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States may want to keep a long-term military presence in Iraq to bolster moderates against extremists in the region and protect the flow of oil, the Army general overseeing U.S. military operations in Iraq said on Tuesday.
While the Bush administration has downplayed prospects for permanent U.S. bases in Iraq, Gen. John Abizaid told a House of Representatives subcommittee he could not rule that out:
More on the flip side . . .
Abizaid said that policy would be worked out with a unified, national Iraqi government if and when that is established, “and it would be premature for me to predict.”
Let’s see. Ambassador makes noises that we don’t want a permanent presence in Iraq. Then the US commander in the region says we can’t leave until a “national unity” government is firmly established. Sounds like permanence to me.
Meanwhile, our ground forces may have been keeping a low profile, but the fly boys have certainly been picking up the slack:
BAGHDAD, Iraq – American forces have dramatically increased airstrikes in Iraq during the past five months, a change of tactics that may foreshadow how the United States plans to battle a still-strong insurgency while reducing the number of U.S. ground troops serving here.
A review of military data shows that daily bombing runs and jet-missile launches have increased by more than 50 percent in the past five months, compared with the same period last year. Knight Ridder’s statistical findings were reviewed and confirmed by American Air Force officials in the region.
The numbers also show that U.S. forces dropped bombs on more cities during the last five months than they did during the same period a year ago. Airstrikes hit at least nine cities between Oct. 1, 2004, and Feb. 28, 2005, but were mostly concentrated in and around the western city of Fallujah. A year later, U.S. warplanes struck at least 18 cities during the same months.
This is getting to resemble the course of events in Vietnam more and more with each passing day.
And if you were expecting any troop withdrawals from Iraq by American forces — don’t. Or at least not yet. Indeed, it looks like just the opposite may occur:
WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld hinted Tuesday that U.S. troop levels may increase slightly in Iraq in the coming days because of pilgrimages connected to the holiday of Ashura.
His comments, while linked to the holy celebration, came as sectarian violence spiked again in Iraq, with the execution-style killings of at least 87 people, including about 29 bodies piled in a mass grave in a Baghdad neighborhood.
Hundreds of people have been killed since the Feb. 22 bombing of a Shiite mosque in Samarra, creating concern that the country may be tipping toward civil war.
More troops for the holy days! Guess they don’t really expect the civil war sectarian strife to end any time soon, do they. Oh, and by the way, who does Rummy blame for all this “tension”? Why, Iran, of course:
Rumsfeld said that there was evidence, which he did not specify, that Revolutionary Guard troops “have been and/or are in Iraq,” and that it would be reasonable to suggest Iran’s government was responsible.
“It’s entirely possible there are rogue elements and they’re just there on their own or they’re pilgrims. Not likely,” Rumsfeld added.
U.S. charges about Iranian weapons and personnel in Iraq have added to tensions between the United States and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
Bush said on Monday, referring to improvised explosive devices, “Some of the most powerful IEDs we’re seeing in Iraq today includes components that came from Iran.”
By the way, when General Pace was specifically asked about whether he had proof that IED’s were coming from Iran, and whether Iranian forces had been used to “stir up trouble in Iraq, this is what he had to say:
Asked whether the United States has proof that Iran’s government was behind these developments, Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Pentagon briefing, “I do not, sir.”
So, Bush and Rumsfeld are just basically lying their asses off obviously not on the same page as the head of the Joint Chiefs. I wonder what Rummy and the good general had to say to each other after that press conference?
But hey, don’t worry folks. There’s good news to relay as well. Four Georgia Republicans tell us the troops in Iraq are “winning the war”:
ALBANY, Ga. – Morale is high among the Georgia National Guard members wrapping up a deadly, one-year tour in Iraq and they can return home proudly, knowing that they played an important role in shaping the new Iraq, four Republican members of the state’s congressional delegation said Tuesday.
Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson and Reps. John Linder and Phil Gingrey made that assessment soon after their return from a five-day visit to the Middle East. They accompanied Maj. Gen. David Poythress, the state’s adjutant general and commander of the Georgia Army and Air National Guard.
“Their morale is good and strong,” Gingrey said. “It’s because of the men and women of the 48th that we are winning the war.”
The brigade has built a generating plant for a town that never had electricity, built a school to replace a mud structure and dug wells to provide fresh water to a town where children were being sickened from filthy, contaminated water, according to the lawmakers.
They saw two young children who had been badly burned by an exploding kerosine heater being treated at a 48th Brigade field hospital.
“That opportunity to visit the medical facilities, for me as a physician, was an eye opener,” said Gingrey, who represents Georgia’s 11th congressional district. “It’s obviously free care and lifesaving care.”
While the Georgians are proud of their accomplishments in Iraq, they are anxious to return home, the lawmakers said.
“Who wouldn’t be anxious to get back to good ‘ol Georgia?” asked Gingrey.
Isakson noted that several have re-enlisted while they were in Iraq. The brigade was mobilized in 1990 for the first Persian Gulf War, and many were demoralized because they never got a chance to take part in the war.
The lawmakers said their visit with government and business leaders in Dubai convinced them that there are no hard feelings over the port debacle.
“All of us came away with a good feeling about the good people of Dubai, particularly as a partner with America in the war on terrorism,” said Linder, the state’s 7th District representative. “This is a country that is booming economically. I think we need to begin to understand that these are first-rate allies.”
Boy am I relieved to hear that. I’ll rest much easier knowing that some of our Republican hack politicians congressional leaders and the Georgia National Guard have everything in the Middle East well in hand. Won’t you?
