Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Stay the course?

Apparently that's what the lead general in the Iraq War thinks.  From AFP at Yahoo News:
 
The US military commander for the Middle East said that American troops levels in Iraq should not be reduced as he faced a barrage of intense and often hostile questioning in Congress.
 
[General John Abizaid said, ...] "Under current circumstances, I would not recommend troop withdrawals," Abizaid told lawmakers.  But he added: "I do not believe that more American troops right now is the solution to the problem."
 
So, what exactly is the solution?  More of the same.  That hardly seems encouraging since what has been taking place since the US invasion has led to escalating violence, of which the general himself said, according to the report, the US and Iraqi forces have four to six months to get the levels of sectarian violence down before it tips into civil war.
 
Sen. McCain, a war supporter to be sure, but still realistic, said, "I regret deeply that you seem to think that the status quo and the rate of progress we're making is acceptable. I think most Americans do not."
 
It is not acceptable for the safety and security of either the United States or of Iraq. 
 
We can only hope that the pressure the newly elected majority Democrats seek to apply for removal of troops will bear fruit.
 
GP

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