General Abizaid and troops for Iraq

General Abizaid told the Senate Armed Services Committee that we may need more troops in Iraq, at least temporarily, to help that country’s security forces and prevent the turbulent nation from tearing itself apart. Not so fast, General.

Senator Carl Levin, the committee’s ranking Democrat and soon to be chairman, on whether the American options might include lowering troop levels, replied, “Yes, senator, it goes all the way from increasing our U.S. combat forces, all the way down to withdrawing our U.S. combat forces.” (NY Times)

Asserting that last week’s elections had sent a message that “stay the course” is not acceptable, Mr. Levin said, “The Iraqi political leaders do not understand that there is a limit to the blood and treasure the American people are willing to spend.”

I can't imagine that anybody is going to entertain increasing troops in Iraq. Even temporarily. "Temporarily" is a dangerous word; it turns into "permanently" before we know it. the teach