troop surge

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McCain Blasts Dems on Iraq
 McCain Blasts Dems on Iraq 
Apr 7, 2008 3:05 PM CDT

McCain Blasts Dems on Iraq

Presumptive GOP nominee says departure calls are 'imprudent and dangerous'

(Newser) - John McCain slammed his Democratic presidential rivals today over their calls for an Iraq troop withdrawal, calling the notion “the height of irresponsibility.” Speaking to veterans in Kansas City, McCain said a quick departure would be “imprudent and dangerous." The remarks foreshadowed political heat over this...

Security Comes to Fallujah With Saddam-Like Iron Fist

US hails progress, but top cop relies on brutal tactics, says democracy not for Iraq

(Newser) - Fallujah, a hotbed of violence that has shown signs of stability, is trumpeted by the US as a success story of the Iraq war effort. But the security achieved there, largely the work of Faial Ismail al-Zobaie, the city’s police chief and a former insurgent, is the result of...

'Petraeus Generation' Is Making Muslim Allies

CO's learn that gun-blazing ways only sparked insurgency in Iraq

(Newser) - US officers in Iraq and Afghanistan are learning to talk first and shoot later—a sea change for CO's trained to win by force, Newsweek reports. But their early gun battles only sparked insurgency and mired them in baffling street battles. Now, says David Petraeus, “You can’t kill...

Violence Up in Iraq: Pentagon
Violence Up in Iraq: Pentagon
Mar 12, 2008 5:44 AM CDT

Violence Up in Iraq: Pentagon

More recent attacks, but deaths still down 90% since June

(Newser) - Violent incidents in Iraq are up since January, according to a new Pentagon report. The rise is said to be a response in part to US-led operations against militants launched at the beginning of the year, and it includes more "high-profile" suicide bombings aimed at maximizing the number of...

Repeat Combat Tours Zap Troops' Mental Health

Survey finds steep rise in mental problems among soldiers on third, fourth tours

(Newser) - Cutting the time soldiers have between tours of duty helped the Pentagon boost troop numbers in Iraq—but has taken a heavy toll on soldiers' mental health, Reuters reports. An Army survey found a steep rise in mental health problems among soldiers returning for their third or fourth combat tour,...

US to Stall Troop Cuts Over Iraqi Elections

But Baghdad vetoed plan for the ballots earlier this week

(Newser) - US troop cuts in Iraq will stall after July to ensure security for local elections, a Washington official said yesterday. "You can actually increase your own risk if you pull out too many simultaneously," the official said. "This is not a stall tactic." But Baghdad officials...

Iraq Will Make or Break My Campaign: McCain

Says he'll lose if surge fails—then back pedals

(Newser) - John McCain flatly told reporters yesterday that if US policy in Iraq doesn't work, "I'll lose."  But then he quickly asked to "retract" his "stark" pronouncement, adding that he hoped voters would also back him for his ability to run the economy as well as...

Militias Shell Green Zone in Baghdad

Assault on US-protected compound could hurt al-Sadr's credibility

(Newser) - A volley of rockets or mortar rounds hit Iraq’s Green Zone today, causing no injuries except perhaps to the credibility of a Shiite militia cease-fire extended just one day ago. The AP reports that nearly 10 explosions were heard inside the zone, which houses the American embassy, Iraqi government...

Surge: Success or Standstill?
Surge: Success or Standstill?
OPINION
Feb 22, 2008 4:11 PM CST

Surge: Success or Standstill?

Post columnists stake out opposing stances

(Newser) - The year-old troop surge in Iraq has Washington Post op-ed columnists at odds, with Charles Krauthammer saying it’s unreasonable to call it a failure and Michael Kinsley arguing it can’t be deemed a success. The former points to changed hearts and minds, anecdotes of emotional reconciliation, legislation that...

General Plans New Round of Iraq Troop Cuts

Petraeus reveals second withdrawal likely after July

(Newser) - General David Petraeus is preparing new plans to withdraw American troops from Iraq on top of previously announced reductions. The US commander in Iraq said that after more than 20,000 soldiers are pulled out by July, he will recommend further cutbacks later in the year, he told the Times...

Iraq Tours to Cut by 3 Months This Summer

Top Army general plans to return to yearlong stints

(Newser) - American soldiers deployed to Iraq this summer will likely serve shorter tours, the AP reports. Soldiers at war today are serving 15 months and coming home for a year before going back to Iraq for another tour. War tours are expected to be shortened to 12 months for units leaving...

Iraqi Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 33

Blast occurs as US defense secretary surveys troop surge

(Newser) - A suicide bomber killed at least 33 people and injured 45 in Iraq today just hours before US Defense Secretary Robert Gates made a surprise visit to Baghdad, the BBC reports. The car blast, sparked by six barrels of explosives, toppled buildings, and officials say more bodies may be dug...

Bush May Stall Iraq Troop Cuts
Bush May Stall Iraq Troop Cuts
Jan 30, 2008 4:49 AM CST

Bush May Stall Iraq Troop Cuts

Levels could be at least as high as last year when president leaves office

(Newser) - President Bush is signaling that troop reductions in Iraq may slow or stop after this summer, reports the New York Times. Insiders say Bush is preparing Americans for the possibility that troop levels may be at least as large as they were a year ago when he leaves office. Troop...

Bush Urges Economic Boost
Bush Urges Economic Boost
UPDATED
Jan 28, 2008 8:52 PM CST

Bush Urges Economic Boost

In Union speech, prez also backs climate change accord and troop funding

(Newser) - In his final State of the Union speech, an upbeat President Bush plugged his $150 billion stimulus plan today and urged lawmakers not to "load up the bill," CNN reports. He also advised cutting $18 billion in "bloated" programs, promised to veto pork-barrel funding, and asked policymakers...

US Sees Huge Gains in Baghdad Security

City sees dramatic improvement in security from a year ago

(Newser) - US and Iraqi forces have secured 75% of Baghdad's neighborhoods, a sharp increase from pre-surge days, USA Today reports. The combined forces "basically own the streets," said a US colonel. Military figures say that 356 of 474 of the city's neighborhoods have returned to some semblance of normalcy,...

Bomber Hits Baghdad Funeral
Bomber Hits Baghdad Funeral
Jan 1, 2008 8:09 PM CST

Bomber Hits Baghdad Funeral

Suicide attack kills 30, wounds 38 on day many celebrated New Year's

(Newser) - A suicide bomber killed 30 and wounded 38 at a Baghdad funeral today, shattering a mostly peaceful New Year's day with the worst bomb attack in months, Reuters reports. The attacker was likely a friend or relative of the mourners who brazenly passed the neighborhood's high military and police presence,...

Iraq Seeks to Break Up Sunni Fighter Units

Shiite-led gov't fears US-backed militias will become rival force

(Newser) - Iraq's Shiite-dominated government is demanding that Sunni militias who are helping fight Islamic extremists eventually disband, fearing they will otherwise turn into their own military force. The militias, called Awakening Councils, or Concerned Local Citizens, comprise more than 70,000 Iraqis, including former insurgents, and are funded by the United...

Army Seeks to Shorten Tours
Army Seeks to Shorten Tours
Dec 9, 2007 1:02 PM CST

Army Seeks to Shorten Tours

As security improves, military leaders push to cut 15-month tours to 12 by summer

(Newser) - With violence slowing in Iraq, many Army leaders want to drop the 15-month tours of duty imposed on soldiers earlier this year to sustain the surge, the AP reports. “We can’t sustain that,” says Army Chief of Staff George Casey, the former top commander in Iraq who...

Drop in Iraq Violence Gives Petraeus Breathing Room

But general won't yet talk of a turning point

(Newser) - US Gen. David Petraeus said today that declining violence in Iraq has given him greater flexibility with troop deployment, the AP reports. But while Petraeus remains quietly optimistic about American prospects in Iraq, he played down any talk of a turning point. "There's nobody in uniform who is doing...

Bush Agrees to Long-Term US Presence in Iraq

Details of 'enduring' relationship will be worked out in 2008

(Newser) - President Bush today agreed to an "enduring" economic, political, and military relationship with Iraq, laying the foundation for a long-term US presence. The deal replaces the UN mandate currently governing US troops, restoring some measure of Iraqi sovereignty. Iraqis envision 50,000 US troops providing security in exchange for...

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