Are the Marines seeking an Iraq exit strategy?
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 — The Marine Corps is pressing to remove its forces from Iraq and to send marines instead to Afghanistan, to take over the leading role in combat there, according to senior military and Pentagon officials.
The idea by the Marine Corps commandant would effectively leave the Iraq war in the hands of the Army while giving the Marines a prominent new role in Afghanistan, under overall NATO command.
The suggestion was raised in a session last week convened by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and regional war-fighting commanders. While still under review, its supporters, including some in the Army, argue that a realignment could allow the Army and Marines each to operate more efficiently in sustaining troop levels for two wars that have put a strain on their forces.
As described by officials who had been briefed on the closed-door discussion, the idea represents the first tangible new thinking to emerge since the White House last month endorsed a plan to begin gradual troop withdrawals from Iraq, but also signals that American forces likely will be in Iraq for years to come. Read more...
I dunno! But here's one woman who wishes her man in uniform would come home...
Safe and sound.
Shouldn't the Afghanistan War be over by now?
afghanistan or iran?
one thing for sure: they are NOT coming home.
The Marine Corps in Afghanistan? I thought Afghanistan was land locked. Oh well.
They can shuffle the deck any way they like -- they're still holding a losing hand.
Isnt there some guy name Osama there? I cant keep up with all these bad guys we are fighting
Uhhh, can you guys begin to fathom the need for the military to deploy it's assets where they are needed?
Iraq is slowly, but surely, becoming stable. When President Giuliani and is striding down Bahgdad, you guys will
be wondering where it all went wrong!
The Senate must act immediately to condemn the Marine Corps for not supporting the troops.
Maybe the Marine Corp is thinking of seceeding from the military and becoming independent? Just like many states are considering secession because they no longer have much in common with this government.
Maybe they're sick of being paid a pittance for their services and going "independent" just like Blackwater? Wouldn't blame them at all. Why the hell should these mercenery murders be paid three and four times what our military is paid?
Spunky @ 7:
they do not know or care where osama bush laden is.
it's now a walmart pic n mix thing.
Are the Marines seeking an Iraq exit strategy?
Isn't everybody?
The Redeployment is most likely for an attack on Iran's eastern border or an incursion into Pakistan. Or maybe the Poppies need to be watched over more closely.
Peace.
John Bolton's Mustache @ 8:
can you get that english thing working please. even as you appear stupid, those of us who are concerned for you want to start by understanding you.
GonzoD @ 2:
-- Knock knock
-- Who's there?
-- Afghanistan
-- Afghanistan who?
John Bolton's Mustache @ 8:
You smoke a lot of weed, do you?
"As described by officials who had been briefed on the closed-door discussion, the idea represents the first tangible new thinking to emerge since the White House last month endorsed a plan to begin gradual troop withdrawals from Iraq,"
Wouldn't that be the 1st tangible new idea since the start of the occupation? OOpps! All the other countries in the coalition of the willing have had that idea too, except they went home.
As described by officials who had been briefed on the closed-door discussion, the idea represents the first tangible new thinking to emerge since the White House last month endorsed a plan to begin gradual troop withdrawals from Iraq, but also signals that American forces likely will be in Iraq for years to come...
Huh? bush never endorsed such a plan. He said a brigade would be home by Xmas because the surge was working so well but even that statement has been debunked. They were coming home anyway. CNN showed the documents on it yesterday. It was written back in Feb 07. The only reason another brigade will not be replacing them is because it is from another country and THEY haven't had their year rest. There will still be more troops in Iraq next summer then there were before the surge.
> You smoke a lot of weed, do you?
Hey, don't knock weed. That was definitely meth talking. No natural plant is capable of generating such delusion.
With this news and the presentation made by forrmer Commander David Chanchez today in Virginia saying there was complete disregard for starndard operating procedure as it related to post-invasion readiness just underscores the complete disarray and instability our armed forces face with regards to the present administration.
Maybe I'm wrong, but Sanchez - reading between the lines of his words - paints a picture of commanders in the field being forced to do things counter to their training and their historic precedent as it relates to post-war strategies. He further stated there was an absence of a unified effort. His comments were not kid gloved. They were blunt assessments of a policy in Iraq gone horribly wrong, compounding problems.
Should the Marines arbitrarily (and unilaterally) decide they will go over here even thought SecDef Gates wants them over here, signals the most dangerous split between each since the days when JFK refused to invade Cuba and then reached out to Russia for a nuclear test ban treaty and further peace overtures.
Here is your "stability."
10/12/07 Reuters: 4 bodies found in Baghdad, 1 found in Mahaweel
10/12/07 Reuters: Gunmen kill policeman in Kut
10/12/07 clevelandbanner: Soldier with local ties seriously wounded in Iraq
10/12/07 NPR: Iraqi Families Sue Blackwater
10/12/07 guardian: Kurdish rebels try to head off Ankara offensive
The main Kurdish rebel group, the PKK, tried to deflect a Turkish attack into its bases in northern Iraq by today claiming it was redeploying into Turkey.
10/12/07 Reuters: Bomb near playground in northern town kills 1
10/12/07 Reuters: Parked car bomb near police in Baghdad kills 4
10/11/07 guardian: Sunni insurgents form alliance against US
Why do the Marines hate America and want the terrorist to win?
JasonS @ 21:
I stand corrected.
Someone knockin' weed?!?
Curtilingus @ 26:
No, just incoherant arguments.
Curtilingus @ 26:
huh?....noooo.....obviously they haven't tried it.
mudshark @ 28:
I smoked from 1973 to 1993. Not willing to spend time in jail for simple pleasure.
Yea, shit I don't know what to say about afghanistan. That war's goin pretty good without anyone paying attention to it. A few Marines to stabilize democracy and help harvest the opium couldn't hurt none.
Someone remind me why we're there.
Marines must be phony soldiers. Real soldiers signed up to be in Iraq.
xoites defends Constitution @ 29:
27 years. After 20 or so, the pleasure gets complicated. But thanks to our liberal government, I have a license. So its legal! woo hoo.
I am so glad that the Marines are taking a stand..it is almost as good as a Military coup...and someone needs to stand up to the Delusional Leader..
When Gen. Sanchez (ret.) says today that Iraq is a nightmare it is another nail in the arguments coffin that a surge is bringing success to the region.
Sanchez was savaged by Ricks in his superb book "Fiasco" as being totally unable to work with Bremer and being completely out of his element for being in charge of U.S. forces in Iraq. And he was. It dont make him a bad General, just a bad choice by the administration to be the commander of all U.S. forces in Iraq.
Of course the Marines want out, they might feel like they could salvage Afghanistan. They and everyone else dont have a chance in Iraq and only the neocons wont admit it.
xoites defends Constitution @ 14:
Not the GOP.
I think the mustache guy was attempting satire. It's hard to tell any more because a winger will say anything so nobody can tell if it's somebody making fun of wingers or if it's a winger just being a winger.
John Bolton's Mustache @ 8:
well clearly john im sure when sister juilianis walking down the streets of bagdad you wont be with him, chickenshits never join!
John Bolton's Mustache @ 8:
you smoke a lot of weed chickenshit!
Peter Pace,a marine,just retired! Any coincidence that we are hearing about this now?He doesn't want his Marines connected to a debacle!
In general terms, the Marines capture an area, the Army controls it. As for this being the "first tangible new thinking to emerge from the Wh since last month," try "first tangible new thinking to emerge from the WH since Jan 19 2000."
Winnin' the war in Iraq is hard work. Besides, there's lots of good opium in Afghanistan. Oooorah!
GonzoD @ #2
" Shouldn't the Afganistan war be over by now?"
Not quite. If you think Iraq is a problem do some reading on Afghan history . The Iraqi Shities , Sunnis and Kurds are pussy cats compared to the various ethnic groups and war/drug lords in Afghanistan. OK Afghanistan has this Preident,Hamid Karzai , who by the way supported the Taliban at the very beginning . But poor Hamid , has to be looking over his back all the time just in case some sneaky Taliban gets in position to launch a grenade in his direction.Apparently the Taliban bumped of Karzai's father. US and NATO troops in Afghanistan control parts of the country but thats tentative.
As "Joementum @#6" noted
"They can shuffle the deck any way they like .... they're still holding a losing hand."
Wait for it! Wait for it! Wait for it!
The G.O.P.ing Party
will call the U.S. Marines
"phoney soldiers, traitors, and terrorists!"
"SEE WHAT REAGAN HAS ROT!" - Wide-Stance Diaper VP
Hey this administration has left EVERYTHING up to the soldiers regarding this war...provide your own Body Armour and Humvee Armour, your own plan for what to do after you took Bahgdad, your responsible to not follow any order from a person who telling you to commit illeagl acts on POW's (of course they were not POW's mostly they were poeple being picked up by our soldiers becuase nobody gave them any idea who we were fighting overthere. And then our troops were told by civillian contracter posing as the CIA to torture and humiliate their prisoners (I doubt the leash and coller is standard issue for any U.S. Millitary personel, and we don't even know what IS standard issue for Blackwater Mercinaries) and now...after all this bullshit that has gone on...our soldiers...who are too good to be waisted on Dick Cheney's business deal...are finally coming up with their own exit strategy...which is fine with me, if your leaders aren't going to help you...you have to help yourselves...like the Republican nincompoops say "you have to pull yourself up by your own boot straps" and I would like to add "you better do it while you still have feet!"
It's really way past time to get our soldiers out of there, but the idiots in Washington (on both sides) seem to be to bothered with Newpaper and Radio Ad's and when they do concentrate on a real genocide or attrocity it's from 87 fucking years ago! AHHHHHHHH!!!! what happened to our great country?
xoites defends Constitution @ 29:
30+ years for me. Just quit in July. Can't fight these assholes stoned.
At least Afghanistan makes sense. Our country is so f*cked up right now. I want these bastards to be held accountable for what they have done to us.
Ruthless People @ 24:
Because they're just a bunch of liberal cutter-and-runners cowards.
Copyright Fox News (r)
John Bolton's Mustache @ 8:
Hahahahahaha.........that's funny!!! Stable? Won't be for long once Turkey attacks the Kurds to the north.
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