The Coming Military Offensive Against the July 2011 Timetable

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/08/12-8

Published on Thursday, August 12, 2010 by FireDogLake

The Coming Military Offensive Against the July 2011 Timetable

by David Dayen

The military has put together a game plan, set up their strategy and deployed their troops into the field. They are ready to storm with full-spectrum pressure to achieve their objective.

talking about winning the war in Afghanistan, whatever that means these days. I’m talking about winning the war on the end of the war in Afghanistan.

American military officials are building a case to minimize the planned withdrawal of some troops from Afghanistan starting next summer, in an effort to counter growing pressure on President Obama from inside his own party to begin winding the war down quickly.

With the administration unable yet to point to much tangible evidence of progress, Gen. David H. Petraeus, who assumed command in Afghanistan last month from Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, is taking several steps to emphasize hopeful signs on the ground that, he will argue, would make a rapid withdrawal unwise. Meanwhile, a rising generation of young officers, who have become expert over the past nine years in the art of counterinsurgency, have begun quietly telling administration officials that they need time to get their work done.

..more..

[Individualist]

1. K&R

[MadHound]

2. Not unexpected,

What's going to happen ultimately is that a few hundred troops will be withdrawn so that Obama can say he kept his promise. Then the illegal, immoral war will continue forthwith.

[zipplewrath]

3. That was the plan from the start

Start an nonspecific draw down in 2011 and shield himself for the run up to 2012. "I've started to draw down" will be his constant refrain. Every time he's a tad exposed, he can always withdraw another 2000 or so. 2000 a month for 12 months would have him down to around 70,000 troops still there.

[EFerrari]

4. Btw, I saw a report on BBC news last night that made me go "hmmmmm".

The report basically said, Iraq is falling apart and the Americans are leaving because the Democrats are worried about their upcoming election. That was a little weird.

[G_j]

5. indeed

sounds like some speculation going on as far as the politics.