Day: March 16, 2007

Friday Afternoon News Dump: Surge Already Growing

Trish

Even more troops than we were told would be are now headed to Iraq as part of the Bush “surge.” I’m shocked that the administration that puts every dollar for the Iraq War through on an emergency basis wouldn’t tell us up front how many troops would be sent in the surge.

No I’m not.

The Bush Team is also master of the Friday afternoon bad news dump, the technique of holding unflattering stories until no one’s paying attention. And what better time to hide a whopper like this than the Friday leading into St. Patrick’s Day weekend?

An article by Reuters posted at 3:36 p.m. Eastern time Friday:

The Pentagon is sending an additional Army brigade of 2,600 troops to Iraq, raising the number of soldiers approved for Bush’s security plan to nearly 30,000

The Pentagon is sending an additional Army brigade of 2,600 troops to Iraq, raising the number of soldiers approved for President George W. Bush’s security plan to nearly 30,000, a senior defense official said on Friday…

Bush approved a plan in January to send 21,500 combat troops to Baghdad and Anbar province to crack down on violence that has been characterized by U.S. intelligence officials as a civil war between Iraq’s Sunnis and Shi’ites.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England told Congress this month that 4,000 to 7,000 additional support troops, including military police, would be needed to augment combat forces.

The numbers released on Friday show the Bush administration has already approved 7,200 support troops. The list includes the Army combat aviation brigade as well as 2,200 detention operations troops and another 2,400 combat and service support personnel.

Liars, liars, liars.

Poll: Insiders Piling On Gonzalez

Buck Banks

If only they could wipe off that perpetual smirk: In National Journal’s poll of Washington insiders, the consensus is that the attorney general is generally a screw-up who probably should lose his job:

Things aren’t looking good for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. After finding himself mired in controversy over the firing of eight U.S. attorneys, two GOP senators seeking re-election next year in their blue-tinted states called for his dismissal.

‘One more example of poor management by the current administration. They couldn’t manage themselves out of a wet paper bag.’

Republican lawmakers continue to pile on the criticism. National Journal’s congressional insiders poll this week reveals that just 48 percent of the 33 surveyed said they are confident in Gonzales’ performance as attorney general.

But at least two of those respondents weren’t enthusiastic in their affirmations. One who answered yes added, “But [my confidence] is rapidly waning.” After offering a lukewarm avowal, another retorted, “Do I have confidence in his ability to avoid jumping up and down with both feet on another political land mine? Nope.”

One-third of the GOP respondents said they didn’t have confidence in the attorney general’s abilities, and 18 percent couldn’t make a call. One of the naysayers claimed to never have had confidence in Gonzales, explaining, “He is a weak administrator and was without ability from the start.” Another blamed the White House: “One more example of poor management by the current administration. They couldn’t manage themselves out of a wet paper bag.”

Democratic insiders were nearly unanimous in their misgivings — 93 percent said they lacked confidence in Gonzales. “The attorney general should move to a Republican campaign committee. It would be more in keeping with what he does,” one offered. And another Democrat who gave a thumbs down quipped, “But I’m sure he already knew that. After all, Gonzales and John Ashcroft listen in on all my calls!”

Of course, Gonzales is not the only administration official feeling the heat these days. A new Gallup poll conducted following the verdict in the I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby trial — which resulted in further media scrutiny of Libby’s former boss, the vice president — shows that just 34 percent of respondents approve of the job Dick Cheney is doing, the lowest Gallup rating to date.