Tony Blair – Troops should be out of Iraq by 2008

Tony Blair set a 16-month limit for keeping British troops in Iraq yesterday as he admitted for the first time that they would be a “provocation” if they stayed too long. It was British policy to “withdraw progressively” when Iraq’s own security forces were able to take over. Quoting from a statement by Gen George …

Six questions for Frank Anderson on the Middle East

Frank Anderson worked for the CIA from 1968 until 1995. According to his unclassified biography, he served three tours of duty in the Middle East as an agency station chief, headed the Afghan Task Force (1987-1989), and was chief of the Near East Division. He now runs a consulting practice that focuses on the Middle …

Bush-backed commission prepares to slam his admin’s Iraq strategy

A commission backed by President Bush that is exploring U.S. options in Iraq has agreed that ‘stay the course’ is not working. And intends to propose significant changes in the administration’s strategy by early next year, members say.”There’ll probably be some things in our report that the administration might not like,” said James A. Baker

75% US citizens support bringing home troops from Iraq

A new Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll conducted October 10-11 finds that nearly three in four Americans (73 percent) agree that U.S. troops should start to come home. It seems as though 97% need to support it before Bush even considers it.

Bush keeps revising war justification

President Bush keeps revising his explanation for why the US is in Iraq: initially, the rationale was to stop Saddam Hussein. These days, the justification has become far broader and now includes the expansive “struggle between good and evil.” Vice President Dick Cheney takes it even further: “The hopes of the civilized world ride with …

A Revolt of the Generals?

A top British commander speaks candidly about the grim outlook in Iraq. The straight-talking chief of the British Army, Gen. Richard Dannatt, gave interviews to the London Daily Mail and the BBC that had 10 Downing Street scrambling. But will his more reticent American peers follow his lead? “It’s an absolute fact that in some …