"Rumsfeld memo admits Iraq strategy failing"... comments?

Answer 1

rumsfeld was at least at the army navy game today. bush wasnt. you may wonder why im biching about this well.... these young men will be our officers being deployed to iraq even the navy boys cuz some go into the marines... shows how appreciative bush is. also america is soo unapreciative of these men. i bet most men + women in military have family history of it.....

Answer 2

This was obvious before the invasion to any body who knew the history of Iraq

Answer 3

Nope...lost interest. Not in the War, but in having anything to do with this constant need for validation by Dems. We'll see what kind of "fix" falls in place with the change of power. I'm not very optimistic, but we can hope! (BTW..I have no party affiliation and voted for some of both in last election)

Answer 4

Well, yeah.... and?

It still doesn't mean that the invasion was wrong.

IT means that what we've been doing isn't working right now.

History will judge Bush kindly for the decision to invade, and harshly for their conduct of the post-invasion occupation.

Answer 5

This is what he said, and he never used the word FAILING.

"In my view it is time for a major adjustment," Rumsfeld wrote in a Nov. 6 memo to the White House. "Clearly, what U.S. forces are currently doing in Iraq is not working well enough or fast enough."

Specifics on his options checklist:

_"Publicly announce a set of benchmarks agreed to by the Iraqi government and the U.S. ... to chart a path ahead for the Iraqi government and Iraqi people (to get them moving) and for the U.S. public (to reassure them that progress can and is being made)."

_"Significantly increase U.S. trainers and embeds, and transfer more U.S. equipment to Iraqi security forces."

_"Initiate a reverse embeds program ... by putting one or more Iraqi soldiers with every U.S. and possibly coalition squad."

_Aggressively beef up Iraqi ministries by reaching out to U.S. military retirees and Reserve and National Guard volunteers.

_Conduct an accelerated drawdown of U.S. bases, noting they have already been reduced from 110 to 55. "Plan to get down to 10 to 15 bases by April 2007, and to 5 bases by July 2007."

_"Retain high-end ... capability ... to target al-Qaida, death squads, and Iranians in Iraq, while drawing down all other coalition forces, except those necessary to provide certain key enablers" for Iraqi forces.

_Provide U.S. security forces "only for those provinces or cities that openly request U.S. help and that actively cooperate."

_Stop rewarding "bad behavior" with reconstruction funds and start rewarding "good behavior."

_"Position substantial U.S. forces near the Iranian and Syrian borders to reduce infiltration and, importantly, reduce Iranian influence on the Iraqi government."

_Withdraw U.S. forces from vulnerable positions and move to a quick reaction force status, operating from within Iraq and Kuwait, to be available when Iraqi security forces need assistance.

_"Begin modest withdrawals of U.S. and coalition forces (start `taking our hand off the cycle seat') so Iraqis know they have to pull up their socks, step up and take responsibility for their country."

Rumsfeld also listed a handful of "below the line" (less attractive) options that included continuing on the current path, moving a large fraction of all U.S. forces in Iraq into Baghdad, increasing U.S. forces substantially, setting a firm withdrawal date and pushing "an aggressive federalism plan" that would lead to three separate states — Sunni, Shia and Kurd.

Answer 6

Duh. Us veterans could have told him that before they even attacked Iraq.

Answer 7

BUMSFELT? how many?