The Army seems to be making noises that we're in Broken Neocon FantasyLand until 2007 or possibly beyond.
The U.S. Army expects to keep its troop strength in Iraq at the current level of about 120,000 for at least two more years, according to the Army's top operations officer.
While allowing for the possibility that the levels could decrease or increase depending on security conditions and other factors, Lt. Gen. James J. Lovelace Jr. told reporters yesterday that the assumption of little change through 2006 represents "the most probable case."
So, in the land where blood feuds are the norm, for even the most trivial of percieved offenses, because the Iraqi's have well-defined sense of honor relating to themselves and their families, we've managed to eviscerate the "Hearts and Minds" philosophy in a way that was not even possible during Vietnam, thanks to the almost-immediate access to information provided by everthing from 24/7/365 News and the internets. Information like this is hard to hide, much less be forgotten:
Army personnel have admitted to beating or threatening to kill Iraqi detainees and stealing money from Iraqi civilians but have not been charged with criminal conduct, according to newly released Army documents.
Only a handful of the 54 investigations of alleged detainee abuse and other illicit activities detailed in the documents led to recommended penalties as severe as a court-martial or discharge from military service. Most led to administrative fines or simply withered because investigators could not find victims or evidence.
Or simply wanted to "make it go away".
A January 2004 probe, for example, found that nine soldiers in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment based at Fort Carson, Colo., and deployed in Iraq "were possibly involved in a criminal conspiracy to rob Iraqi citizens of currency" at traffic-control points. Two members of the unit affirmed the plan in sworn statements and named its participants. But the investigation was terminated after the commander "indicated an intent to take action amounting to less than a court proceeding," the report said.
...
Another case involved a 73-year-old Iraqi woman who was captured by members of the Delta Force special unit and alleged that she was robbed of money and jewels before being confined for days without food or water -- all in an effort to force her to disclose the location of her husband and son. Delta Force's Task Force 20 was assigned to capture senior Iraqi officials.
She said she was also stripped and humiliated by a man who "straddled her . . . and attempted to ride her like a horse" before hitting her with a stick and placing it in her anus. The case, which attracted the attention of senior Iraqi officials and led to an inquiry by an unnamed member of the White House staff, was closed without a conclusion.
The military eventually released her and reimbursed her "for all property and damage" after her complaints, the report said; details of the Delta Force investigation remain classified.
It's gonna be a long, long tour of duty for the troops sent to Iraq by the Coward-in-Chief, deserting little shit that he is.
And if anyone believes that it'll magically get better by next Monday, after the "elections" to appoint Allawi & Co to their prime puppet pulpits, I have some swamp land on the Euphrates to sell you...cheap.
