Bush to Redeploy 4400 Troops - to Iraq

Look out for exploding heads in the liberal camp. While in the middle of their squabbling over the troop surge of 21,500 troops into Iraq, Bush has apparently decided they needed an extra scoop on their hot fudge sundae. He has approved 4400 new troops to be added to the already controversial surge number.

Many blogs including LASunsett over at PYY are posting the videos of the PR attacks by the anti-war crowd on one of their most loyal congressmen - David Obey - WI. Obey voted against the war and wants to do everything he can to end it. There is just one little problem - he is a realist and the anti-war crowd can never be accused of having two feet in reality. They ask him why he isn't doing this or that. One less than informed guy asks the congressman why he doesn't filibuster! Obey knows he does not have the votes to overcome any filibuster in the Senate or a veto by Bush. Twice he opens his jacket to ask if they see any magic wand in there.

The additional troops are telling me that Bush is trying to ride a wave of recent successes in Baghdad resulting from the troop surge. The shuffling of the lead positions in the Iraq war effort seems to have brought an improved recipe for now. If more success comes of it and we reach a tipping point where those opposed to the surge are forced to admit it was a good idea; we may see the war effort head into a new phase where everybody is behind victory. I realize many critics will think it is far too early for such talk and may never be willing to swallow such talk no matter how well things get.

There is a group of heavy hitting bloggers who do not think it is too early for victory talk. They have banded together and formed a new blog consortium called the Victory Caucus. I love their mission statement:

• Deliver the perspectives and news on the war effort which the mainstream media neglects to help the American public understand the nature of our conflict and its true progress

• Provide tools and infrastructure to help citizens who are committed to victory organize into a recognized and influential caucus

• Identify opportunities for the caucus to act and exert influence on America’s leaders and to directly aid and support the men and women of our military

See the "Our Beliefs" section here for a well written statement of the stands taken by the caucus. Some cannot grasp how damaging it would be to leave Iraq without it being stabilized. Regardless of whether one agrees with us going into Iraq, all must realize it would be damaging to how some very dangerous elements in the world view our committment in any future war effort. It would send a message that all that is necessary is huge anti-war propaganda effort to make us lose our will. Leaving Iraq too soon would also cause huge ill-will for the U.S. when thousands are slaughtered in the violence that would happen after our departure. Let's hope it does not come to that and that the new troops with a new plan will achieve victory.