My Talking Points - Rumsfeld Memo

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/world/middleeast/03mtext.html

Initiate a reverse embeds program, like the Korean Katusas, by putting one or more Iraqi soldiers with every U.S. and possibly Coalition squad, to improve our units’ language capabilities and cultural awareness and to give the Iraqis experience and training with professional U.S. troops.

Why hasn't this been done? Why are they only now considering an idea that intelligent people would have thought to do 3 years ago, it should have been part of pre-war planning. How in the world have they been trying to train security forces? Without language skills and lacking in not only the religious aspect but knowledge of a culture going back to ancient civilization. Sometimes this war leaves me breathless in it's lack of thought.


Conduct an accelerated draw-down of U.S. bases. We have already reduced from 110 to 55 bases. Plan to get down to 10 to 15 bases by April 2007, and to 5 bases by July 2007.

5 bases by July of 07? This sounds like 5 areas of Iraq are going to have massive American military installations.
occupation (n.) Invasion, conquest, and control of a nation or territory by foreign armed forces.

Mission Accomplished?



Initiate an approach where U.S. forces provide security only for those provinces or cities that openly request U.S. help and that actively cooperate, with the stipulation being that unless they cooperate fully, U.S. forces would leave their province.

This is Bush's war. Bush is responsible for protecting innocent human life. There are rules of war and International Humanitarian laws. Our president stated he was going to hold other world leaders to account. The same needs to be said of him.


Stop rewarding bad behavior, as was done in Fallujah when they pushed in reconstruction funds, and start rewarding good behavior. Put our reconstruction efforts in those parts of Iraq that are behaving, and invest and create havens of opportunity to reward them for their good behavior. As the old saying goes, “If you want more of something, reward it; if you want less of something, penalize it.” No more reconstruction assistance in areas where there is violence.

Dear Iraqi citizens,
You will no longer be given water, electricity, oil, gas. You made the mistake of being Iraqi when we came to liberate you.


Position substantial U.S. forces near the Iranian and Syrian borders to reduce infiltration and, importantly, reduce Iranian influence on the Iraqi Government.

Again, this is common sense. If he needed more troops he should have said so. Troop strength has been, according to the pentagon, adequate from the time of the invasion. Why now? Again, what in Gods name have they been making our soldiers do if not secure the country of Iraq? What an outrage! If our leaders had fought this war with one degree of intelligence, a desire to stay no longer than necessary - as we and the Iraqi's have been promised, had the "Noble Cause" we've been told of, and personally felt or even empathized with those who have lost those they love, instead of reducing the body count to ONLY a NUMBER
this fiasco would have been over for the last 3 years.


Provide money to key political and religious leaders (as Saddam Hussein did), to get them to help us get through this difficult period

Yeah and we haven't heard Osama mentioned since before the mid term elections.


Initiate a massive program for unemployed youth. It would have to be run by U.S. forces, since no other organization could do it.

What in the hell do U.S. forces know about training unemployed youth? Many of them were unemployed, fresh out of high school with no job skills. Being in the military and working for a living are entirely two different life skills. As Rumsfeld has been known to say, you're mixing apples and oranges.