dead.

Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno is the torture general.

we are screwed.

U.S. commanders in Iraq recommend a ’surge’

WASHINGTON — Top U.S. military commanders in Iraq have decided to recommend a “surge” of fresh American combat forces, eliminating one of the last remaining hurdles to proposals being considered by President Bush for a troop increase, a defense official familiar with the plan said Friday.

The approval of a troop increase plan by top Iraq commanders, including Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, comes days before Bush unveils a new course for the troubled U.S. involvement in Iraq. Bush still must address concerns among some Pentagon officials and overcome opposition from Congress, where many Democrats favor a blue-ribbon commission’s recommendation for a gradual withdrawal of combat troops.

But the recommendation by the commanders in Iraq is significant because Bush has placed prime importance on their advice. The U.S. command in Iraq decided to recommend an increase of troops several days ago, prior to meetings in Baghdad this week with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, the defense official said….

Blank Kludge @ 72

A surge of interest provoked me to search BBC for items related to prospective escalation to come. IANALibrarian, so amateur searching terms produced artcles about oil price surges etc. Skipped to 10th resluts page. Found pre-war stuff.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2624195.stm
Use ‘build-up’ and ‘boost’ to describe ongoing ‘deployments’. Then the sub-head -

Final surge

Privately, Pentagon officials caution against seeing this as a final surge in deployments.

And the signs are that the US military is still pacing its build-up to keep its options open, with more deployments to come.

A little further:

Raising the stakes

For the moment, the Bush administration remains anxious to insist that war is not a foregone conclusion.

But it is raising the military stakes, as well adding to the pressure on Baghdad.

related articles are along a sidebar ‘frame’
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2773759.stm
Monday, 17 February, 2003, 22:23 GMT
Saudis warn US over Iraq war

Regime change

Regime change would lead to the destruction of Iraq, and would threaten to destabilise the entire Middle East region, Prince Saud said.

If the choice is you destroy Iraq in order to get Saddam Hussein, it is a self-defeating policy, isn’t it? I mean, you destroy a country to get a person out – it doesn’t work

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal
“If change of regime comes with the destruction of Iraq, then you are solving one problem and creating five more problems.

“That is the consideration that we have to make, because we are living in the region. We will suffer the consequences of any military action.”

Regime change can only be a possibility if it is done “indigenously”, he said.

“There has never been in the history of the world a country in which a regime change happened at the bayonets of guns that has led to stability.”

The worry is rising fundamentalism in America and the West – not in the Middle East, he said.

“Our worry is the new emerging fundamentalism in the United States and in the West. Fundamentalism in our region is on the wane. There, it’s in the ascendancy. That’s the threat.”

Just remidiating myself. Only had OTA TV news access at the time (and even with just that knew our man was absolutely pushing the button, no matter how he made it sound. And lying about why.

And a good nite to all.

and Ali’s comment on Al Hakim:

“It is his murderous present that disturbs me. He is quite prepared to murder every single Sunni every single Christian every single Shia everyone who gets in his way. He is quite prepared to split Iraq as long as he gets the south. His son runs a HUGE oil smuggling operation. The man is scum. Much of the evil that happens in Iraq today is his doing.”

Smuggling oil successfully in Iraq these days! Damn.

Scarecrow I don’t know how you do it, but you do it so well.

May the troops come home now? /grumble

Montag, I did indeed (earlier) find and read your reply about the history of “privitization” aka “open the door to the mercenaries” (my words). It was very informative. Also, the comment that followed added more to the picture.

As I was reading your comment, I was metaphorically shaking my head, and thinking what a waste it was that such great comments sometimes don’t get the readership they deserve at FDL. If I am ignorant about the history of privitization, at least a few other readers must be as well. I will spread the info and comment via email to some key FDL folks who will be interested.

Meanwhile, for the rest of you, here is the comment from Montag that I am talking about. Alas, we are again at the end of a thread!

http://www.firedoglake.com/200…..ent-427866

It should be obvious by now. The only sure road to peace in the Middle East is to bomb Iran. Just ask the Israeli government. They’re bound to confirm the premise.

Whew good thing the Irani won’t respond to any military attack.

Siun — thanks for the mfi links on our favorite “moderate.”