lily
09-01-2007, 11:45 PM
Are the troops at the breaking point? (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/31/AR2007083102060.html?wpisrc=newsletter)
Military Briefs Bush On Troops' Welfare
Effects of Lengthy Deployments Discussed
By Michael Abramowitz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 1, 2007; Page A02
President Bush went to the Pentagon yesterday to hear firsthand the views of
top military advisers concerned about the impact of extensive Iraq
deployments on the overall health of the U.S. armed forces.
Administration officials declined to offer details of Bush's private meeting
with Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the
members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bush did not appear publicly after the
meeting but issued a written statement indicating that the discussions
included plans to expand the size of the military and improve coordination
between military and civilian officials in places such as Iraq.
Bush once again urged lawmakers to withhold judgment on what to do in Iraq
until after they hear from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan
C. Crocker, who are scheduled to testify before Congress on the progress of
the U.S. strategy in Iraq.
"It is my hope that we can put partisanship and politics behind us and
commit to a common vision that will provide our troops what they need to
succeed and secure our vital national interests in Iraq," the president
said.
Yesterday's meeting was the latest in a series of consultations for Bush as
he considers how long to keep in place the extra 30,000 troops he sent to
Iraq this year, after his announcement of a new war strategy in January.
Bush has given strong indications that he would like to keep the troop
increase in place for some time, repeatedly saying that security has
improved, but his aides note that he has made no final decision. Most
officials say he will have to begin drawing down troops by April, as the
15-month deployments of brigades begin to run out.
One major element of the internal debate is whether the military can handle
the continuing strain of the current deployment of 160,000 troops in Iraq.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff generally have been more skeptical of the troop
increase than Petraeus and other commanders now in Iraq. The chiefs' mandate
is to consider the long-term condition of U.S. forces and the nation's
global military posture. Petraeus's predecessor in Iraq, Gen. George W.
Casey Jr., is now chief of the Army. Casey was known to be an advocate of
drawing down troops, and he opposed the new strategy, according to military
insiders.
In anticipation of yesterday's meeting, which lasted about an hour and a
half, Pentagon officials stressed that the chiefs would give their
unvarnished opinions on such matters. Later, a senior Pentagon official said
Bush "wanted to check on how the all-volunteer force is holding up under the
strain of multiple, lengthy deployments."
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that though
Gates and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the Joint Chiefs chairman, see the
president at least once a week, Gates "wants to provide ample opportunity
for senior military leaders to share with the president the current military
situation and the way forward. This was part of that." Petraeus did not take
part in this session.
Interest in the views of the Joint Chiefs has increased in recent weeks
because of news reports that they want a faster drawdown of forces in Iraq
than Petraeus does. Last week, for instance, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
(D-N.Y.) asked the Senate Armed Services Committee to call Pace to testify
about his views. Senate and House committees are scheduled to hear from
Petraeus and Crocker during the week of Sept. 10.
Military Briefs Bush On Troops' Welfare
Effects of Lengthy Deployments Discussed
By Michael Abramowitz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 1, 2007; Page A02
President Bush went to the Pentagon yesterday to hear firsthand the views of
top military advisers concerned about the impact of extensive Iraq
deployments on the overall health of the U.S. armed forces.
Administration officials declined to offer details of Bush's private meeting
with Vice President Cheney, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and the
members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Bush did not appear publicly after the
meeting but issued a written statement indicating that the discussions
included plans to expand the size of the military and improve coordination
between military and civilian officials in places such as Iraq.
Bush once again urged lawmakers to withhold judgment on what to do in Iraq
until after they hear from Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan
C. Crocker, who are scheduled to testify before Congress on the progress of
the U.S. strategy in Iraq.
"It is my hope that we can put partisanship and politics behind us and
commit to a common vision that will provide our troops what they need to
succeed and secure our vital national interests in Iraq," the president
said.
Yesterday's meeting was the latest in a series of consultations for Bush as
he considers how long to keep in place the extra 30,000 troops he sent to
Iraq this year, after his announcement of a new war strategy in January.
Bush has given strong indications that he would like to keep the troop
increase in place for some time, repeatedly saying that security has
improved, but his aides note that he has made no final decision. Most
officials say he will have to begin drawing down troops by April, as the
15-month deployments of brigades begin to run out.
One major element of the internal debate is whether the military can handle
the continuing strain of the current deployment of 160,000 troops in Iraq.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff generally have been more skeptical of the troop
increase than Petraeus and other commanders now in Iraq. The chiefs' mandate
is to consider the long-term condition of U.S. forces and the nation's
global military posture. Petraeus's predecessor in Iraq, Gen. George W.
Casey Jr., is now chief of the Army. Casey was known to be an advocate of
drawing down troops, and he opposed the new strategy, according to military
insiders.
In anticipation of yesterday's meeting, which lasted about an hour and a
half, Pentagon officials stressed that the chiefs would give their
unvarnished opinions on such matters. Later, a senior Pentagon official said
Bush "wanted to check on how the all-volunteer force is holding up under the
strain of multiple, lengthy deployments."
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that though
Gates and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the Joint Chiefs chairman, see the
president at least once a week, Gates "wants to provide ample opportunity
for senior military leaders to share with the president the current military
situation and the way forward. This was part of that." Petraeus did not take
part in this session.
Interest in the views of the Joint Chiefs has increased in recent weeks
because of news reports that they want a faster drawdown of forces in Iraq
than Petraeus does. Last week, for instance, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
(D-N.Y.) asked the Senate Armed Services Committee to call Pace to testify
about his views. Senate and House committees are scheduled to hear from
Petraeus and Crocker during the week of Sept. 10.