Tauscher Statement on Escalation

Backwards, again (0.00 / 0)

The bill to increase authorized end strength is a classic example of putting the cart before the horse.  In the national security arena, one should go from threat to strategy to force structure to budget.  Her bill increases pieces of the force structure without any connection to a strategy -- or lack of one -- and no definition of "threat".  However, I suspect her bill will become the vehicle to backfill armed forces personnel after escalation rather than an enabling one.  The GOPigs will escalate not matter what, unless the Congress defunds the operations and Maintenance account for Iraq in the next Defense Appropriations Bill. 

For a glimpse into what the GOPigs are thinking -- and possibly a preview of Wednesday's speech on strategy from the head GOPig -- go here (caution, .pdf file):
http://www.aei.org/d...

For the PowerPoint slide version, go here (caution, another .pdf file):
http://www.aei.org/d...

For the web site with the executive summary in html, go here:
http://www.aei.org/p...

(This topic easily leads into the larger disconnect among (the lack of an) overall national security strategy and its component parts:  military strategy, political strategy, and economic strategy; the lack of a government-sponsored economic strategy itself; and the lack of a cabinet-level department to implement one.  Maybe some other time.)

 

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by: Airpower @ Mon Jan 08, 2007 at 01:17:31 AM UTC

From what I hear (0.00 / 0)

This AEI plan is pretty much what Bush is going with.  Thanks for the link.

It's getting to the point of ridiculous.  An extra 20K troops will do very little to solving the problems, but will put that many more troops (who are likely just to have their tours extended) in harm's way.  The American to Iraqi ratio will drop very little and the police are still in league with the death squads (or are the death squads).  Seriously, when are they going to get real about this situation?

I think?

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by: Brian Leubitz @ Mon Jan 08, 2007 at 15:16:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sneak Preview -- Part Two (0.00 / 0)

Just reviewed what looks like a "sneak preview" of the new, revised, updated, overhauled, latest Iraq strategy in a 56-slide pdf format available here:
http://www.aei.org/d...

Looks like Tauscher's bill to increase the services fits right in (see slide 42)

Also, here is a direct link to the web page with the Executive Summary of the report from American Enterprise Institute:
http://www.aei.org/p...

Time to get serious about Tauscher's primary challenge?

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by: Airpower @ Mon Jan 08, 2007 at 07:25:24 AM UTC