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January 7th,
2007 - Bush Fleshes Out Iraq Strategy Details 1st news article by the
Associated Press |
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Bush Fleshes Out Iraq
Strategy Details By Deb Riechmann Associated Press January 07, 2007 at 0:0:13 PST Washington - President Bush
worked Saturday to finish his new war plan that could send as many as 20,000
additional U.S. troops to Iraq and provide more money for jobs and
reconstruction programs. In Washington, Bush, who
will announce his plan as early as Wednesday, held discussions with his
national security advisers and then headed out of the White House for a bike
ride. In Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced that Iraqi
forces would launch a new effort to wrest control of neighborhoods in the
capital from Sunni insurgents and Shiite death squads. Military officials say Bush
is considering sending two to five brigades - up to 20,000 troops - to help
tamp down violence that is preventing political reconciliation and rebuilding
efforts in Iraq. The idea of a troop buildup is getting a cool reception on
Capitol Hill and from some military leaders who claim there is no military
solution to the problems in Iraq where 140,000 troops already are deployed. "Based on the advice of
current and former military leaders, we believe this tactic would be a
serious mistake," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in the
Democratic radio address Saturday. Instead, Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
want Bush to begin pulling troops out in four to six months. "Our troops and their
families have already sacrificed a great deal for Iraq," Reid said.
"They have done their part. It's time for the Iraqis to do their
part." Some military officials, familiar
with the discussions, say Bush could initially dispatch 8,000 to 10,000 new
troops to Baghdad, and possibly Anbar Province, and leave himself the option
of sending more later if security doesn't improve. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.,
and Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., say that, at a minimum, another three to
five brigades should be sent to Baghdad and one more to Anbar province. About
3,500 to 4,000 troops are in a brigade. Most of the discussion about
Bush's new plan has focused on U.S. troop strength, but the strategy he will
unveil also will address political and economic issues. "The clear, hold
and build counterinsurgency strategy requires a focus on all three,"
White House counselor Dan Bartlett said. "Our strategy will reflect that
point." Military analysts say Army
Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, who recently finished his tour as the No. 2 general
in Iraq, has recommended a short-term jobs program. Others familiar with the
plan say Bush is favoring: short-term jobs programs and extending micro-loans
to small business; increasing the amount of money that military commanders
can spend quickly on local projects to improve the daily lives of Iraqis. Bush is considering
allocating more money for the Commander's Emergency Response Program, set up
in 2003 to give field commanders money to solve local problems quickly - and
show American compassion and good will. The program was allocated $753
million in the 2006 budget year. The president also has expressed interest in
shoring up job-training programs for Iraqis and the work being done by State
Department teams that coordinate local reconstruction efforts in Iraq,
according to those familiar with discussions. In a move reflecting Bush's
aim to shift gears in Iraq, the White House on Friday announced that Bush has
picked Adm. William Fallon, who commands American forces in the Pacific, to
replace retiring Gen. John Abizaid as top U.S. commander in the Middle East,
and will nominate Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, who headed the effort to
train Iraqi security forces, to replace Gen. George Casey as top American
general in Iraq. Casey is becoming Army chief of staff. Both Abizaid and Casey have
expressed qualms in recent weeks about boosting U.S. forces in Iraq. Abizaid
said an increase of 20,000 could not be sustained for long by the
overburdened American military, and Casey said such a boost should be used
only to advance U.S. strategic goals. Last summer, the U.S.
military and Iraqi army flooded the capital with 12,000 additional troops to
quell violence. By October, the U.S. military said the operation had not met
expectations and the situation was disheartening. And the second half of last
year ended up being one of the most violent periods in the central and
western sections of the Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. Bush is expected to continue
his briefings with lawmakers next week, culminating in a meeting with
bipartisan leadership on Wednesday, according to lawmakers and aides. External link: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/news/2007/jan/07/010701508.html Pelosi hints at denying Bush
Iraq funds Associated Press Jan. 7, 2007, 9:38AM Washington - House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi said newly empowered Democrats will not give President Bush a
blank check to wage war in Iraq, hinting they could deny funding if he seeks
additional troops. "If the president
chooses to escalate the war, in his budget request, we want to see a
distinction between what is there to support the troops who are there
now," she said in an interview broadcast Sunday. "The American people
and the Congress support those troops. We will not abandon them. But if the
president wants to add to this mission, he is going to have to justify it and
this is new for him because up until now the Republican Congress has given
him a blank check with no oversight, no standards, no conditions," said
Pelosi, D-Calif. Her comments on CBS'
"Face the Nation" came as Bush worked to finish his new war plan
that could send as many as 20,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq and provide
more money for jobs and reconstruction programs. Bush is expected to announce
his plan as early as Wednesday. When asked about the
possibility of cutting off funds, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer declined
to say whether Democrats might do so, saying only that the current strategy
clearly is "not working." "I don't want to
anticipate that," said Hoyer, D-Md., on "Fox News Sunday." Some military officials,
familiar with the discussions, say Bush at first could send 8,000 to 10,000
new troops to Baghdad, and possibly Anbar Province, and leave himself the
option of adding more later if security does not improve. "Based on the advice of
current and former military leaders, we believe this tactic would be a
serious mistake," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said
Saturday in the Democratic radio address. Pelosi and Reid told Bush in
a letter last week that Democrats oppose additional U.S. forces in Iraq and
want him to begin withdrawing in four months to six months American troops
already there. Pointing to the November
elections that ousted Republicans from control of the House and Senate,
Pelosi said on CBS the public is "watching to see what difference this
election can make. The president ought to heed their message. ... We should
not be obliged to an open-ended war." She said Democrats are not
interesting in cutting off money for troops already in Iraq - "We won't
do that" - and that her party favors increased the overall size of the
Army by 30,000 and Marines by 20,000 "to make sure we are able to
protect the American people." "That's different though,
than adding troops to Iraq," Pelosi said. The speaker stopped short of
stating categorically that Democrats would block money for additional troops
in Iraq. But she did say, "The burden is on the president to justify any
additional resources. ... The president's going to have to engage with
Congress in the justification for any additional troops." Sen. Joe Biden, chairman of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it would be a "tragic
mistake" if Bush chooses to increase troops. But Biden, D-Del., said
cutting off funds was not an option. "As a practical matter
there is no way to say this is going to be stopped," Biden said
regarding a troop increase, unless enough congressional Republicans join
Democrats in convincing Bush the strategy is wrong. Biden added that it probably
would be an unconstitutional violation of separation of powers if Democrats
were to block Bush's efforts as commander in chief after Congress had voted
to authorize going to war. "It's unconstitutional
to say, you can go, but we're going to micromanage," Biden said. Although most of the
discussion about Bush's anticipated plan has focused on troop strength, his
strategy also is expected to address political and economic issues. Military analysts say Army
Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, who recently finished his tour as the No. 2 general
in Iraq, has recommended a short-term jobs program. Bush is said to favor
short-term jobs programs, making micro-loans to small business and increasing
the amount of money that military commanders can spend quickly on local
projects to improve the daily lives of Iraqis. Bush is expected to continue
his briefings with lawmakers this week, culminating in a meeting with
bipartisan leadership on Wednesday, according to lawmakers and aides. Since the attacks of Sept.
11, 2001, Congress has approved about $500 billion for Iraq, Afghanistan and
other terrorism-fighting efforts. The White House is working on its largest-ever
appeal for more war funds - a record $100 billion, at least. It will be
submitted along with Bush's Feb. 5 budget. "This war cost a
trillion dollars if it ended now," Pelosi said. "But more important
than that, the lives lost, the casualties sustained, the lost reputation in
the world, and the damage to our military readiness. For these and other
reasons we have to say to the president, in your speech ... we want to see a
plan in a new direction because the direction you've been taking us in has
not been successful. "So when the bill comes
... it will receive the harshest scrutiny. What do we really need to protect
our troops? What is there for an escalation? What is the justification for
that?" Associated Press writer Deb
Riechmann contributed to this report. External link: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/politics/4452815.html |