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November 28, 2005

Bush Laying the Groundwork for an Iraq Pullout

Even as President Bush was rejecting a withdraw from Iraq last week, NBC News reported the Pentagon was planning for just that. We can presume the Pentagon was planning logistics for that pullout, and now it seems the President is laying the groundwork for the political dimensions of withdraw.

The Los Angeles Times reports Bush will give "a major speech" on Wednesday "in which aides say he is expected to herald the improved readiness of Iraqi troops, which he has identified as the key condition for pulling out U.S. forces."

"The administration's pivot on the issue comes as the White House is seeking to relieve enormous pressure by war opponents. The camp includes liberals, moderates and old-line conservatives who are uneasy with the costly and uncertain nation-building effort... The developments seemed to lay the groundwork for potentially large withdrawals in 2006 and 2007, consistent with scenarios outlined by Pentagon planners."

Posted by Joshua Claybourn at November 28, 2005 12:00 AM

Comments

Of course, there's a big difference between the Murtha plan--unconditional complete withdrawal within 6 months--and the Pentagon plan for "potentially large withdrawals" over the next two years.

Posted by: Eric Seymour at November 28, 2005 12:01 PM | permalink

Sure -- though it certainly makes the Murtha plan look less "you crazy! you surrendering to terrorists!" and more "that's not the wisest way to go about more-or-less completely getting out of Iraq, but its merits are a matter for debate" But there is approximately no difference between the Pentagon plan and, e.g., the already extant Biden plan.

Posted by: philosopher at November 28, 2005 02:13 PM | permalink

While I normally hate to make lengthy posts I felt that Eric's post required it. Here is the complete text of Murtha's resolution. I checked several places and this seems to be accurate. Where is six months mentioned? Where is unconditional mentioned? Is it complete withdrawal when a strike force is left in the immediate area in case of a major crisis?

"Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to "promote the emergence of a democratic government";

Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;

Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;

Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;

Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,

Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;

Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;

Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;

Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That:

Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.

Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.

Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy."

Posted by: Jim S at November 28, 2005 11:10 PM | permalink

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