Lance in Iraq does the work of hundreds of journalists AND fights a war at the same time.

Except for those sharp guys at The Washington Times, of course.

Much ado about nothing

I've noticed that the "big troop reduction" story has been recycled (here and here, for instance) in the last several days. Whether members of the media are ignorant of the military planning process or they have a desire to cook up a story that doesn't exist (more likely), there is nothing new to report. Back in March, the Washington Times said:

The drawdown will begin, if the situation permits, in OIF-4, which will get underway in earnest in the summer of 2006. Some OIF-4 units will deploy this summer.

"Later-deploying (brigade combat teams) in the next (troop) rotations will be adjusted based on conditions on the ground and acknowledging more Iraqi participation," Cody told reporters.

The plan to decrease the number of troops rests on Iraqi security forces' ability to handle the insurgency, which requires training, equipment and field experience, most of which is being provided by the U.S. military.
I was told when we mobilized (June, 2004) that we would be the last big deployment and OIF 4 would be much smaller. If the Washington Post wants to now report that as a double-dog top "secret memo written for British Prime Minister Tony Blair" then so be it. Sometimes I wonder if search engines are not allowed in newsrooms.