Iraq: Go big, go long or go home

Suddenly, the Iraq war has turned into a football game with only 3 possible plays:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A
Pentagon panel has outlined three basic options for improving the situation in Iraq -- pull out, send more U.S. troops or reduce the size of the force but stay longer, The Washington Post reported on Monday.

The group was likely to recommend a combination of a small short-term increase of U.S. troops and long-term training for Iraqi forces, the newspaper reported, citing senior defense officials.

The options have been dubbed "Go Home," "Go Big" and "Go Longer" by insiders.

Sources who have been briefed on the review, led by Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the group had concluded there were not enough U.S. forces to "Go Big," sending in thousands more troops, the Post said.

"Go Home," the quick pullout option, was rejected as likely to push Iraq directly into a full-blown civil war, the Post said.

The Pentagon group devised a hybrid plan, "Go Long," which calls for cutting the U.S. combat presence combined with a long-term expansion of the training and advising of Iraqi forces, the newspaper said.

It has been reported last week that the Pentagon was working on its own game plan in preparation to counter the upcoming Iraq study group recommendations and this is obviously the work of Coach Rumsfeld who has yet to win a game and is rightly being fired resigning so newly drafted Coach Gates can step out of retirement to lead the team to victory. It looks like it's going to take more than a Hail Mary (pass) to win this cup, however. The players are tired. The benches are empty and nobody knows where the ball is anymore because the playing field has become rather bloodied.

I vote for 'go home'. If they can play games with Iraq, I can play armchair quarterback.