I'm probably one of the few remaining people in the country that doesn't think G.W. Bush is stupid. Truely I don't think that. He might have a lot of faults, but you don't get to be where he is if you're a total fool. That's one of the reasons I don't let him off with the "He's too stupid to know better" line, but also why I watch what he does.
The problem I have with him was highlighed today in this article on Yahoo News. I don't think he's stupid, but he sure seems to think I am.
"I'm encouraged by the increasing size and capability of the Iraqi security forces. Today they have more than 100 battalions operating throughout the country, and our commanders report that the Iraqi forces are serving with increasing effectiveness," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
Okay, fine. But...
One of the few measures the Pentagon has offered the public to judge the capabilities of Iraqi security forces has been the number of battalions that can go into combat with insurgents without the help of the U.S. military.
During congressional testimony on Thursday, Gen. George Casey, top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Gen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said the number of such battalions had dropped since July to one from three, out of the roughly 100 Iraqi battalions.
Knowing we have dropped from 3 to 1, the President says we have 100.
Sigh.
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"I'm encouraged by the increasing size and capability of the Iraqi security forces. Today they have more than 100 battalions operating throughout the country, and our commanders report that the Iraqi forces are serving with increasing effectiveness," Bush said in his weekly radio address."
He doesnt say in what capacity they are operating in, and he did say 100 Battalions, which is anywhere from 30000-100000 troops.
From you again:
"One of the few measures the Pentagon has offered the public to judge the capabilities of Iraqi security forces has been the number of battalions that can go into combat with insurgents without the help of the U.S. military.
During congressional testimony on Thursday, Gen. George Casey, top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Gen. John Abizaid, top U.S. commander in the Middle East, said the number of such battalions had dropped since July to one from three, out of the roughly 100 Iraqi battalions."
The issue here is battalions who are able to enter combat without US Aid, and out of the 100, it seems only 1, which after doing the math is 300-1000 troops. The 100 are still there, they are just not combat-effective yet. I'm not seeing where the descrepency is, and
Basic Training for the US Army and Air Force is 9 weeks, and then up to a year and a half or more of specialized skill training, depending on the skill. Training a new military is not an instant process and I believe it is one that we will just need to have patience with.
-Son
True, but not the point.
At every turn the President has tried to misrepresent the status of Iraqi peacekeepers and their rediness to fight the insurgancy. This is merely another example where he uses real numbers in a context designed to mislead the public into thinking they are more ready than they are.
If the General's context had not been added, you would have thought there was 100 battalions ready to go, which is what the President is trying to imply without directly saying so.
Like the WMD, "Mission Accomplished", "turning the corner" and "trusted lieutenets of OBL", it all points to an inaccurate picture of the status on the ground.
I'd rather know where things are going badly, and what is needed to really make a difference, then provide that support, than have these kinds of statement from the President which actually undermine success.
I'm probably one of the few remaining people in the country that doesn't think G.W. Bush is stupid.
You're not fooling anybody with silly statements like this. ;=)
And what, you're asserting that the majority that voted for Bush has changed it's collective mind about his mental competence? Or did you mean I'm probably one of the few remaining people THAT I KNOW WHO doesn't think G.W. Bush is stupid?
;-)
True, but not the point.
Yes, it IS the point. You suggest Bush lied (and people died!, etc.) and conjured up 99 imaginary battalions to fool the US press and electorate? You say you don't think he's stupid, while lying outrageously about things his generals are more or less simultaneously telling the truth about? That would be stupid.
Then you fall back to "well, he's trying to make it seem like something it isn't" - only, when I read the quote, it didn't make me assume anything that Bush didn't say. Why did it make you do so?
And remember the context (hard to get from a media that reports only body counts, I know): after the invasion we disbanded Saddam's army, and then had a difficult time recruiting and training replacements. Remember that the "insurgents" are and have been working hard to deter enrollment in the Iraqi police and armed forces by making threats and bombing recruiting stations. The point of Bush's statement is to communicate that Iraqi confidence in their new government is up, and that more and more of them are evidently starting to believe that the future the Bush Administration has been trying to sell them on is possible to achieve, your weak and incorrect "gotcha!" notwithstanding.
dff
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