Radio France – The Petraeus Report – Analysis
Radio France Internationale: The US President George W. Bush Hill announced the withdrawal of 30,000 US troops deployed in Iraq. This message is directed at two audiences. In the US Congress the commander of US troops in Iraq, general David Petraeus, warned legislators that a rushed withdrawal would have grave consequences, and announced that “surged troops” could be withdrawn in the summer of 2008. For his part, Bush said his Iraq policy is base upon recommendations from his commanders in the field. However the questions raised are whether the troop movements are political in nature or part of a military strategy. The answer of Grant Smith, Director of Research of IRmep in Washington, DC.
Grant Smith, IRmep: Many in America perceive the Petraeus report and forecast troop reduction as a purely political move. That’s because, number one, the net affect of withdrawing troops sent as part of the so called “surge” basically leaves the same number of troops that were there before the escalation. Number two, now that the political season of US presidential campaigns is arriving, if there is no positive news and moves with respect to Iraq, it will have a negative effect on Republican candidates. But there is a building domestic public opinion that these heavily publicized numerical troop movements have been all but completely politicized.
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