Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

September 8, 2008 11:07:09 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

The Surge Is Our Last Stand

Posted Apr 3, 07 3:37 PM CDT in World 

(Newser) – "We are in a position of strategic peril," says a retired general who's just back from Bagdhad in a blunt, sobering piece in the L.A. Times. Barry McCaffrey, now at West Point, urges support of the surge and the new strategy to secure Baghdad without  sugar coating the prospects for success, which are grim.

The timetable is short, and not because of Congressional resolutions. If the Iraqis don't make progress towards political reconciliation, the game will be over soon. "By the beginning of the coming year, we will be forced to downsize our deployment to Iraq, or the Army will begin to unravel."

Source Los Angeles Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Petraeus: US Could Be Out of Baghdad by July '09

    Sep 3, 08 12:46 PM CDT
    Petraeus: US Could Be Out of Baghdad by July '09 US troops could pull out of Baghdad by next summer if violence continues declining, David Petraeus told the Financial Times today. “Conditions permitting, yeah,” the top American general said when asked about a withdrawal by July 2009, adding that daily attacks in the capital have fallen dramatically enough that a handover to Iraqi troops was under consideration. More »

  • Deal Would Set Oct. 2010 for US Pullout: Iraqi Official

    Aug 7, 08 1:40 PM CDT
    Deal Would Set Oct. 2010 for US Pullout: Iraqi Official Significant progress has been made on the security agreement being negotiated between Iraq and the US, the AP reports, with two Iraqi officials saying that the deal sets October 2010 as the deadline for a near-complete withdrawal. Legal immunity for troops remains an issue, and contributed to a “very difficult” call yesterday between Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. More »

  • Saddam's Palace Is Tourist Hotspot for US Troops

    Aug 4, 08 12:21 PM CDT
    Saddam's Palace Is Tourist Hotspot for US Troops It’s impractical—not to mention dangerous—for US troops to do much sightseeing in Baghdad, but Saddam Hussein’s ruined presidential complex is one exception. As one of the few places off-duty service members can go, the palace has become a magnet for military tourists, the Wall Street Journal reports. One sergeant has even starting giving tours; so far, he’s shown 3,000 Americans through the ruins. More »

  • Emboldened Iraq Stands Up to Washington

    Jul 10, 08 7:41 AM CDT
    Emboldened Iraq Stands Up to Washington Nouri al-Maliki and the Iraqi government are now openly demanding a timetable for the withdrawal of American forces, reports the New York Times. While nobody expects Baghdad to boot American troops, several military victories and greater political stability have emboldened Maliki, and the increasingly loud demands reflect a new confidence on the part of the Iraqi PM. More »

  • Death of Sadr Aide Sparks Battles in Baghdad

    Apr 11, 08 8:02 PM CDT
    Death of Sadr Aide Sparks Battles in Baghdad The murder of a Moqtada al-Sadr aide triggered heavy fighting in Baghdad today after al-Sadr’s men attacked US and Iraqi forces, Reuters reports. The cleric blamed “the hand of the occupier” for the death of Riyadh al-Nuri, a close relative, and vowed not to forget “this precious blood.” A US commander told CNN that battles broke out when a US patrol, backing Iraqi forces, ran into 10 roadside bombs and sustained heavy fire. More »

  (Getty Images)
  (Getty Images)
  (Getty Images)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Threads (1 of 2)

Tags

Iraq  • Baghdad  • US Army  • troop surge  • American troops  • timetable


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular


Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »