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Greetings! You are reading an article from The Mudville Gazette. To reach the front page, with all the latest news and views, click the logo above or "main" below. Thanks for stopping by! December 7, 2009 PriorityBy GreyhawkThe need for speed:
That's from the New York Times version of the White House press release. The Washington Post's version doesn't need quoting beyond the headline: Obama pressed for faster surge. Well, very nice. And a very nice counter to accusations of "dithering." It may even be true. But what follows is what didn't make the press release.
I doubt anyone was surprised. Frankly, the only way the US could have gotten enough troops to Afghanistan this fall would have been to divert some of the Brigades bound for Iraq (along with this). That sort of decision takes a bit of time to execute, of course - certainly after August it was too late. But given the relative need I'm surprised that didn't happen, and very much under the radar tens of thousands of troops flowed into Iraq. The reason for that is the title of this post. The reason Iraq is priority one (and home to 120,000 US troops) at this point in time is unknown to me; I'd like to see an explanation. But speaking of after August it was too late: The timing of Gen. McChrystal's primary assessment remains in flux. It was initially due in mid-August, but the commander was summoned to a secret meeting in Belgium last week with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and told to take more time. Military officials say the assessment will now be released sometime after the Aug. 20 vote. The need for more troops was well known long ago; that McChrystal's report would reach that conclusion was certainly clear in July - when the report was completed. The administration's push back to the end of August for accepting the report - and the separation of the actual troop request from that (and further delay in accepting that document) assured no action could be taken this fall. So when you hear that "dithering" over the reports for the last couple of months didn't cause any delay in getting troops to Afghanistan, you're hearing truth - just not the whole truth. The opportunity wasn't lost while the president was considering the report, it was lost while he was pretending it didn't exist. Posted by Greyhawk / December 7, 2009 4:22 PM | Permalink 3 Comments |
July 19, 2010Dawn Patrol 07/19/2010 [Greyhawk]
Welcome to the Dawn Patrol, our ongoing roundup of information on war and other topics - from the MilBlogs and other sources around the world.
Always updating - refresh for updates.
AFGHANISTANProspects for stability in Musa Qala: challenges and possible solutions -- [Bill Ardolino /Long War Journal - in Afghanistan] Exploding Culverts -- [Kandahar Diary - in Afghanistan] Arbaki -- [Free Range International - in Afghanistan] Weather -- [A Major's Perspective - in Afghanistan] Fête Nationale -- [Field Notes: One Soldier's Perspective - in Afghanistan] Goodbye "FaST" Food (and good riddance) -- [FaST Surgeon - in Afghanistan] IRAQOn The Iran, Iraq Border -- [J.D. Johannes - in Iraq] WAR ON TERROR /TERRORISMSenators Look For Smoking Gun In BP-Lockerbie Link -- [AP] No Link Between BP And Lockerbie Release: UK Envoy -- [NPR news blog] UK's Cameron: Releasing Lockerbie Bomber Was Wrong -- [AP] U.S. AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLDAs Cameron and Obama Meet, BP Will Be Top Issue -- [NY Times] Afghanistan tops agenda for British PM's visit -- [Washington Times] WELCOME HOMEHomecoming -- [Rajiv Srinivasan - home from Afghanistan] STRATEGY & TACTICSISAF, SCR Address Military ROE and Tactical Directives -- [ISAF] SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGYRaytheon's pain gun finally gets deployed in Afghanistan (update: recalled) -- [Engadget] Pain Ray Recalled From Afghanistan -- [Noah Shachtman/Danger Room] The Active Denial System: the weapon that's a hot topic -- [The Telegraph (UK)] World's Fastest Helicopter Boosts Battle Against Insurgents -- [ISAF]
POLITICSIs it time for a real GI Jane? -- [CNN] HUMOR/SATIRE(Need more? Dawn Patrols Archives are here.) Iraq, Afghanistan, War, Terrorism, Military, Politics, Media, MilBlogs, dawn patrol Mudville |
The Mudville Gazette is the on-line voice of an American warrior and his wife who stands by him. They prefer to see peaceful change render force of arms unnecessary. Until that day they stand fast with those who struggle for freedom, strike for reason, and pray for a better tomorrow.
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You give some great insight Greyhawk. But now the ball is in General McChrystal and General Petraeus court. I feel much better about that. Now if the CinC will just go back to sleep and leave Afghanistan to the professionals our soldiers will be able to get the best job done that they can over the next 18 months. After that the Progressives will have their way and we will execute a fast retreat. Home before election season starts under the orders of General Rahm Emanuel.
I have heard of a brigade that was scheduled to go to Iraq for fall winter of 2010. A few months ago, I heard that their pt was changed from flat surfaces to walking up mountains. I inquired if they had ever trained that way before? No, was the answer. The minute I heard that I thought (and said to the individual I was speaking with) that they are changing from Iraq to Afghanistan. That was confirmed last week.
I suppose it was possible that command was just looking for pt that had optimal cardio result, but I was suspicious immediately.
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 12/08/2009 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.