RSSThe Source: Troop Drawdown Has Liberals Panicked
J.J. Jackson* | June 16, 2008
The Source reports:
There is preliminary information circulating among Democrats on Capitol Hill that they don’t know what to do with. Ahead of General Patreaus’ report which is expected to provide recommendations for troop levels in Iraq beyond this summer, memorandums and data are circulating that point to a possible call by the General to reduce “significantly” the combat troops in Iraq as the country quickly stabilizes and Iraqi brigades are more and more capable of taking not just the lead in defending their nation, but almost every aspect of their own security.
One House staffer told me, “It’s possible that a call to reduce the troop level below 100,000 soldiers may be on the horizon.” Indeed some of the memos suggest that levels of 90,000 may be called for by the end of December this year but more likely next year.
This has those that have constantly referred to the Iraq War as “lost” or the surge as a “failure” scrambling for the hills and preparing to defend against such a call or at least spin it in their favor. One consultant to a Republican congressman told me, “We fully expect the Democrats to try and claim a victory on this if a drawdown is set in motion. That they have won the debate and the President is finally conceding the need to bring the troops home.
“We’ll take that in stride. And it is still speculation and the situation on the ground can obviously change and if violence increases a drawdown of 30,000 to 50,000 troops may not be practical but it certainly looks doable.”
A Democratic aide snapped at me when I asked about the drawdown, “We’re not going to let the President get the high ground on this issue. We see it as a purely political move to try and appease people that have been against this continuing occupation of Iraq.”
When I asked if the current situation was not better and if so wouldn’t it make sense to adjust troop levels in accordance I was told, “We don’t see any improvement on the ground in Iraq.”
If current trends continue, troop levels in Iraq could be recommended at under 50,000 by the end of next year however that goal is most likely to be set for three years from now and those that remain would be in a purely advisory role, some reports suggest.
Keep your ear to the ground on this one and you have permission to publish this if you like.
Let’s see what happens with Patreaus’ report later this year. I think it is due in September.
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