November is a Referendum on Impeachment of the Bush Crime Family... do
your part to save humanity.
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It's as clear as your face, which is mighty clear, that before this
election, this November, there's going to be troop reductions in Iraq
and the President will then claim some kind of progress or victory.
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/25/levin-iraq-troops/
Sen. Levin: Administration Planning Reduction of Troops in Fall to Help
Win Elections
This week Gen. George Casey, the top American commander in Iraq,
announced U.S. troop reductions in Iraq by the end of 2007.
On when those troops will be withdrawn, the New York Times reports:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/world/middleeast/25military.html?hp&ex=1151294400&en=e7b313b95d1640d2&ei=5094&partner=homepage
If executed, the plan could have considerable political significance.
The first reductions would take place before this falls Congressional
elections, while even bigger cuts might come before the 2008
presidential election.
Today on Fox News Sunday, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) reiterated that the
timing of the troop withdrawals is politically motivated:
[Troop withdrawals] shouldn't be a political decision, but it is
going to be with this administration. ...
It's as clear as your face, which is mighty clear, that before this
election, this November, there's going to be troop reductions in Iraq
and the President will then claim some kind of progress or victory.
Watch it:
http://images1.americanprogress.org/il80web20037/ThinkProgress/2006/levintroops.320.240.mov
Conservatives have criticized progressives for suggesting a
redeployment of troops in Iraq, saying they wanted to "cut and run."
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/06/21/gop_wants_cut_and_run_label_to_stick/
But it looks like conservatives are willing to adopt redeployment when
it will help them get re-elected in the fall, instead of now, when it
is good policy.
Full transcript below:
WALLACE:
Alright, Senator Levin, there's also a report today that General
Casey, the top commander of all foreign forces in Iraq, has laid out to
plan to the Pentagon under which 7,000 U.S. troops would be pulled out
by September and an additional at least 30,000 by the end of 2007.
Now, you've been asking for a timetable.
You put out a resolution this week that called for getting some troops
out by the beginning of the year and a timetable for further
withdrawals.
Are you willing to take yes for an answer?
LEVIN:
Of course.
Frankly, it's one of the worst kept secrets in this town that
there's going to be reductions in our forces, redeployments in our
forces, before the election.
I mean, it's obvious what's going on here.
When we offered a resolution -- not with a fixed timetable for the
final departure of american troops -- most Democrats voted against
that.
That was the Kerry resolution.
We didn't think there should be a fixed timetable for the ending, but
we did, almost all the Democrats, including all of the Democratic
senators who are considering running for president, then coalesce
around the so-called Levin-Reed resolution, which urged simply the
President to begin the phased redeployment of American forces from Iraq
by the end of this year.
The White House didn't want to do that, and so it was rubber stamped
by the Republican-dominated Senate.
They just went along because the White House said no.
But let me tell you something -- it will be the greatest shock in this
town, it would be like a tornado hitting this town, frankly, if
there's not a reduction in our forces prior to the election.
It will be timed for that by the administration, and i don't have the
slightest bit of doubt that --
WALLACE:
This is twice you have linked this to the election.
Let me ask you -- do you think the decision to pull troops out is a
political decision or a military decision?
LEVIN:
It should be a military decision.
General Casey at the Pentagon a few days ago said he believes there
will be fairly substantial troop reductions this year.
Of course, when we say military decisions, ultimately, it should be a
civilian decision, but it shouldn't be a political decision, but it
is going to be with this administration.
It's as clear as your face, which is mighty clear, that before this
election, this November, there's going to be troop reductions in Iraq
and the President will then claim some kind of progress or victory.
________________________________________________________
We've all pretty much guessed that, haven't we.
Harry
(see all of Harry Hope's excellent posts as they break, put this link
in your browser, use it, this is a search on google groups, on the
author Harry Hope sorted by date... nothing fancy):
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=&start=0&scoring=d&enc_author=-nIhFBQAAACtBOUGAhN9cSve8yYdFJBuOPANdqfI6prRsqjc7uCt1A&
.
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