Regarding more troops:

By your reasoning, why not just pull 90% of our guys out, because more troops doen't help foster a solution, right?

1) You fight a rebellion by overwhelming military presence. On the street corner, driving down the street, patrolling the market. Thats how you put down a rebillion. Its a time honored tradition. Negotiating with rebels isn't seem to be working very well, is it Tom?

2) The major cause of the rebillion is the sense of chaos and lawlessness suffered by the Iraqis. They see that as our fault and by God, it sure is our damn fault, since we decided we wanted to run their country for them. If we didn't want our soldiers acting as officers of law, then we sure as hell shouldn't have signed up for this. We did, we're there, we have to step up to the plate and put enough soldiers on the street for however many years it takes to get a credible, reliable and not laughable Iraqi security force mustered.

Davin L.