Last night I watched the Frontline program: Endgame. It reinforced my views about Iraq and Bush. It was like watching the Athenians at the Battle of Syracuse. Bush is modern day Alcibades.
Tours have been extended to 15 months. After 90 days in a combat unit will typically suffer 8% psychological causalities. When the Marines took
Falujah they suffered 25% casualities. This was the worst combat the Marine Corps has seen since the Battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive.
If the DOD recycles troops in and out of combat then it stands within reason the numbers are BAD. I remember reading somewhere if a unit suffers a 60% or more reduction in combat effectiveness then it all but ceases to exist (except on paper). We can't fight ANY war this way. Our volunteer force is all but hostage to a policy gone MAD.
This White House has never had a cohesive or clear policy on a post-Saddam Iraq. It is ALL politics! Rumsfeld never wanted a change in his tragic strategy because of the cost. Sec. of State Rice overruled him when she went behind Rummy's back. The cabinet was so compartmentalized State couldn't and wouldn't talk to Defense and vice versa. No wonder the Iraq looks like it was gerryrigged with duct tape.