W surges to Iraq

Posted By Uncle Jimbo

AL-ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq - President Bush, briefed by U.S. military commanders and Iraqi leaders, said Monday some American forces could be sent home if security across Iraq improves as it has in Anbar province, a former hotbed of Sunni insurgency.

But the president, flanked by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, did not say how many troops could be withdrawn or how soon.

Despite intense pressure at home for cutbacks, Bush said decisions about troop levels "will be based on a calm assessment by our military commanders on the conditions on the ground — not a nervous reaction by Washington politicians to poll results in the media.

"In other words," the president told cheering troops, "when we begin to draw down troops from Iraq it will be from a position of strength and success — not from a position of fear and failure."

Wow it's almost like W is on board with the whole Victory idea. Maybe he's reading the NY Times that neo-con rag.

I love the staging of bringing Maliki to Anbar, the heart of what was the Sunni insurgency. It does two things, it reminds Maliki and the Shia that we took care of the Sunnis and now they are our friends, it also brings the dialogue out of Baghdad where it has been quagmiring. Anbar and the other Sunni enclaves deserve recognition for deciding a free Iraq is probably a nicer place than the Islamic State of No Smokia.

This looks like a Torii gate, so I wonder if these are 3rd Division Marines, from Okinawa.

The defeateds have often said this conflict can't be won militarily, and they have been right. But it can be won if the security situation allows some actual reconciliation. Maliki knows that while he is the rightful leader of an un-reconciled Iraq, if he doesn't get an oil law and some other progress done he is toast. And that is not the voice of American imperialism, that is Iraqi political reality. Too many Iraqis are ready to stop the madness, it's just a question of who gets to be on their one dollar bill.

Frederick Kagan does the proper serious look at this at NRO.

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Comments

[tommygun]

Uncle Jim,

I think the tide is turning in our favor. I was in Davis Square Somerville, MA today - on the border of Cambridge - and the moon bats could only muster about a dozen surrender monkeys to join their protest. Most of them not old enough to know any better and clearly still victims of a public high school.

Compare that w/ our Pres going to the former "new home" of AQ that has now been cleared thanks to our brave troops and contrast those messages. I think most people would prefer to stand w/ the troops for security in Iraq and at home. I think today's message from these two events is that clearly most americans will as well.

I won't give up the fight - however but this sure is a good sign and will help me rest easier knowing that even in MA not everyone is for surrender - although sadly our elected officials appear to be.

[TexasGal]

it's just a question of who gets to be on their one dollar bill

LOL.. wouldn't it be a kicker if that ended up being GWB!

[rick554]

Did you notice the cheer GWB got from the TROOPS when he said the Washington politicians and media wouldnt be making the TROOP withdrawl decisions? These guys get it . The surrender wont be for a while, and there may be dark days ahead, but we've turned a corner. The left knows they are losing, which makes the fight in DC that much more important. The TROOPS took away the battlefield in Iraq, the blogosphere is on the attack here on the internet. It's all going to come down to Washington DC. And we must win THAT battle. I, for one, wont live to see the day we arent free. I thank God everyday for George W Bush!!
Rick 554
Ps: Dick Cheny too!!! :-)

[Ojoe]

Man, this is good, Bush in Iraq. I almost want to listen to "Pacifica" radio just to hear them spit.

[Arch]

Bush is great with the troops. What he did and said was perfect. After ripping Pelosi and Reid on the supplemental and passing the FISA bill, they look the fools and the Republicans look like the adult supervision we sorely need.

The President made a commitment. Telling the troops and the Iraqis that we will not fold is one thing from Washington, but taking the SecDef and SecState to Iraq and making that pledge there was perfect. Taking Maliki to al Anbar was a stroke of genius. Anyone else notice how nervous he was?

I'm actually looking forward to the next Zogby poll.

See you all in Washington on the 15th.

Arch

[Willy]

BTW,
HMLA 269 is a Marine light and attack helicopter attack squad out of Jacksonville, N. Carolina.
Willy

[jordan]

rick, I was happy to hear that lusty hoorah when Bush was speaking. They want to complete the mission, not be pawns in Washington's political games. Also, these aren't the helpless victims the media portrays them as. They're a fighting force that wants to win.

As Kagan and others have said previously, the Marines became the strongest tribe in Anbar, and the people like to back the strong horse. Through sheer will and moxy, fighting an uphill battle against the enemy over there and public opinion at home, our Marines "made it happen".

We should all be grateful, but not overstate the progress. Appearing to do so only invites attacks of "propagandizing" and "selling" these latest developments. I'm sure Crocker and Petraeus will hit just the right note.

[Fenris]

Jordan, the Marines never say "hoorah." Ever. Never ever.

[jordan]

They don't? Maybe those on the tape weren't Marines. Listen to the video, and tell me what they're saying. It sounded like hoorah to me.

[Synova]

I know that it's dreadfully important and I always get mixed up. Perhaps someone who knows could give us a quick run-down of which service makes which appreciative noise?

[JihadGene]

Meanwhile...back on the Oprah/ Andy Griffith luvin Norf Korean grounds known as Chicago/Mayblerry DPRK,
we find Great Reader KIM Jong Il interrupted by General Wang...

WANG- Great Reader!

KIM- Hoe-Lee Cow! (catching breff) Wang, you almost give Great Reader heart Aflac! Why floor you interrupting me when I'm rooking at J.C. PLENTY's mail odor cata-wog?

WANG- Very slorry Big Daddy BlossMan! But I was monitoring cromments on Brack Five web-slight, and now me confused about... WHAT US MARINES BE YELLING... in front of the Tex-Axis-of-Evil, Lame Dluck Plesedent,Floored F-250 Truck Drivin, Toeknee Blair Luvin,
Al Anbar Visitin,
George DubbleWoo BLOOSH???!!!

KIM- Okay Wang...The Doctor is now in...yoo just tell ole Doctor KIM Jong PHIL all abrout it...

WANG- (stretched out on sofa)
BlossMan Doctor Phil, do US Marines yell HOORAH! or are they yelling of OORAH?

Dr PHIL-
Due to's the recent turning of evlents in Americlan Culture...it too has ebidently afflected deese US MA-LEAN's!

WANG- Butt what be da answer, Great Doctor?

Dr PHIL-
................It be..........

Oprah.

GENERAL WANG- SHAZAM!!!

KIM- Now get ohfishwall Limo ready, Wang. Were headin to Mount Pilot! Otis says there's a still up there and I need some more Jin-Roe ASLAP!

WANG- Well, GOLLLLLY!!!

[Fenris]

Jordan, just drop the "H," my man; ooh-rah.

The H is for the Navy (hoo-yah) and the Army (hoo-ah).

We Marines consider both to be what our battle cry would sound like if one were to attempt it while male genetalia were in one's mouth.

I've never heard the Air Force yell anything, which I find wholly appropriate.

[Deltabravo]

Slapping JG on the back again just because he's clever.

Fenris, go sit in the corner. Right now. You can come out when you can apologize to the Navy. ;-)

[Caper2]

Hey, for a while, the Blue Boys tried to shout AIRPOWER instead of Hooah or any other service connected shouts.

Like the Blue Smurf battledress, it didn't go to far.
:)

El Coqui

[Fenris]

I see what you mean, DB, and I do wholeheartedly apologize.

Hopefully the Navy can forgive me for misspelling 'genitalia' the way I did.

[rick554]

Yeah We in the "Force" can afford to be silent. But some of us Shout ................ "TO THE HORSE"!!
God bless our TROOPS
Rick 554
PS ARMY dads say whatever the frig they want!!!