More troops for Iraq

It appears that President Bush is about to perpetrate a fraud on the American people and our long-suffering troops.

According to the Army Manual on Counter-Insurgency we would need about two hundred and fifty thousand troops to successfully pacify and rebuild Iraq.

The additional twenty thousand that the President proposes will just add more casualties and do little in the cause of pacification.

The President must not be allowed to put more of our troops in harm's way. He should begin withdrawal now; there is no way that we can field sufficient troops to make a real difference to creating stability in Iraq.

Sent to Washington Post, January 7th, 2007