Mad Hatter Delays Tea Party

Friends,

Petraeus knows the fragility of Iraq and is now starting to withdraw his withdrawal plans. There are now 140,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Bring them home. This is "down the rabbit hole" once again.

Peace and Love,

Rev O

Petraeus advocates delay in troop cuts Los Angeles Times

The move reflects concerns that widespread violence could return to the country.
By Julian E. Barnes, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer September 5, 2008

"WASHINGTON -- Army Gen. David H. Petraeus has recommended that President Bush postpone sharp troop cuts in Iraq until next year, delaying a large-scale shift of combat forces to Afghanistan and reflecting concerns that widespread violence could return to Iraq.'

"In recent months, Adm. Michael G. Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has stressed the importance of increasing the number of troops in Afghanistan to counter a growing threat by extremists. But because of the strains of combat on the armed forces, plans to boost the number of troops in Afghanistan have depended on reducing the size of the force in Iraq."

"One source of the strain, the 2007 troop buildup ordered by Bush, came to an end in July, when the last of 21,500 additional combat troops left. Throughout the year, as the troop buildup was ending, the number of forces in Iraq gradually declined. But Petraeus requested a halt in the troop cuts over the summer while officials assessed conditions."