If At First Your Surge Doesn't Succeed...

The Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders showed Monday.

The little-noticed second surge, designed to reinforce U.S. troops in Iraq, is being executed by sending more combat brigades and extending tours of duty for troops already there.

..."It doesn't surprise me that they're not talking about it," said retired Army Maj. Gen. William Nash, a former U.S. commander of NATO troops in Bosnia, referring to the Bush administration. "I think they would be very happy not to have any more attention paid to this."

Lawrence Korb, an assistant defense secretary for manpower during the Reagan administration, said... "The administration is giving itself the capability to increase the number of troops in Iraq,"... "It remains to be seen whether they actually choose to do that."

Well let's see, if you weren't planning on increasing troop levels, why would you send them there? If you really are preparing the troops, just in case, isn't that the definition of a surge? Evil bastards...