Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Rationalizing Escalation in Iraq

What you are about to witness is a test of whether Washington arm-chair generals are better strategists than real-live generals. Moreover, the arm-chair variety have a track record. Which would you bet on?
As I have noted here before, an increment of 20,000 or so troops will be easily matched and outbid by enemies of the US and when it comes to more troops beyond the "surge" the US does have deep pockets.
With Iraq Speech, Bush to Pull Away From His Generals - washingtonpost.com: "the idea of more troops as one visible and dramatic step the administration could take. One senior White House official said this week the president concluded that more troops are not the only ingredient of a successful plan -- but they are a precondition to providing the security the Iraqi government needs for political reconciliation and other reforms.

Tonight, this source said, the president will explain 'that we have to go up before we go down.'"

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