June 25, 2006, U.S. Commander in Iraq proposes to cut and run
General George Casey has proposed a number of planned troop reductions of American forces in Iraq, including some reduction by [politically critical] September, and a reduction to about half of the number of combat brigades by the end of next year. It is unclear what effect this will have on total number of troops.
Why doesn't General Casey want to stay the course? Doesn't he know that an announced reduction in the American military presence only benefits our enemies? Sheesh. Somebody check Casey's voter registration card: he's doubtless a traitorous Democrat.
[In some sense, these troop reductions are coming much slower than I anticipated would be politically necessary (to wit, under 100,000 troops by October). The Congressional G.O.P. Republicans will be betting heavily that this year's stupid wedge issues for the hicks and rubes (gay marriage... again, and immigration) will offset general bad feelings about the war. The good news is that gasoline prices have stabilized, by and large. Still, one would think that maybe the GOP has run out of steam and won't hold Congress. That's not how you bet, of course.]