Cut and Run - The Game Begins

Rumsfeld Meets Generals In Secret

So They Don't Get Blown Up

Secretary of Defense, Donald "The Army We Weren't Prepared to Send" Rumsfeld told the Iraqis to get with it today. Rummy is pissed at the slow pace at which Iraq is turning into a Jeffersonian Democracy and wants the folks over there to make something happen.

Oh, by the way, in honor of Rummy's visit top US General, George Casey, said that the US was working on plans to begin the withdrawal of troops early in 2006.

[Casey] told reporters that a ``fairly substantial'' withdrawal of U.S. troops could go ahead in the spring and summer of 2006 if the Iraqi political process is not derailed and the insurgency does not grow.

Pentagon officials have provided little detail in discussing the possible withdrawal of forces from Iraq. The most specific estimate has come from Lt. Gen. John Vines, who runs day-to-day military operations in Iraq. He said in June that a reduction of ``four or five brigades'' - perhaps 20,000 troops out of the current 135,000 - was possible sometime next year.

General Casey didn't mention that President Bush, just one month ago said that setting a timetable for troop withdrawal would be a "serious mistake". In fact, last week in a joint appearance with the Australian Prime Minister, Bush reiterated his opposition to setting up some sort of timeframe for withdrawal.

So.... Today, the top US general in the region starts talking about a withdrawal timetable that looks suspiciously like the one leaked in a British report that was immediately discredited two weeks ago by the same crew that appears now to be following that agenda to the letter.

The Iraqi armed forces are years away from being capable of effective military action. In fact the number of combat ready Iraq soldiers is probable less than one fifth the size of the insurgent forces that they face.

The Bush Administration apparently believes that people automatically believe whatever they say to be true, even if what they say today is 180 degrees from what they said yesterday.

Who will be the last American to die before the withdrawal is complete and Iraq is plunged into civil war?

(photo Reuters)