I don't think he could've gotten them even if he had asked. Bremer disbanded the Iraqi army in May 2003, as Washington wanted to train a new one that did not have the stench of the baathists on them, or somesuch (not that there were anything to disband after they were completily wiped out by the ultimately efficcient american army, of course. At least, according to Washington, who initially claimed there would not be any need for more troops). This was Bremer's first notable decision as viceroy in Iraq after he took over after Jay Garner. Garner had on the fifth of May made the unwise statement that an interim government would be appointed in "mid- may", something that likely earned him his retirement from his job in Iraq. Also, he took much shelling for apparently not providing security fast enough during this period. The looting continued, and so on. Of course, this was because he did not want to proclaim something like martial law, and would not presume to have the authority to do so either, wishing that a popular interrim council could take the necessary steps instead, possibly at the same time bringing the US army into a legitimate support position with both the Iraqis and the rest of the world, hopefully losing their "occupier" status. He would for instance, contrary to evidence of course, maintain that his position was a humanitarian aid coordinator, perhaps to further suggest the american role in Iraq after the war had "ended".

He had nevertheless spent his welcome with the suits in Washington by this initiative of his and Bremer took over on the 12th of May. His mission was apparently to pave way in the political process, but without the immediate transition to an interrim government as a stated goal, unlike what Garner had. Instead, he announced that the group Garner mentioned as a possible interrim council: Barzani of KDP, Chalabi of the INC, Jalal Talibani, Allawi, among a few, would not be "a truly representative group" of the Iraqi people (funny, those names seem awfully familiar). And he noted that his office could happen to be in power for a bit longer than previously suggested. Curiously, at the same time a joint british and american proposal found its way to the UN intending to legalize the presence of coalition forces during the interim period. A French proposal that would limit this mandate to twelve months was rejected(by Washington).

In other words, by the current policy at that time it would not have been possible or welcome for Bremer to suggest more american troops in Iraq. It was believed by some key people, strongly, that this would not be necessary. That Bremer now says he could've avoided many problems by pulling in more troops initially, this really tells me that he is just as weak and fickle as the Kurds and Iraqi says he is, and that the diplomats would like us not to remember a single word of what they actually said. Frankly, it appears to me that they're trying to push the blaim onto the policy- makers, instead of admitting that they too employed some serious Bush- o- vision to make things look viable and better than it really was. Pathetic jokers. What comes next, I wonder? "We really didn't want to be in Iraq in the first place, please forgive us, we only followed our job description, even when we lied about how terriffic things were going".

The result is in any case that several american bases is being established in Iraq, and there appears to be no such thing as a withdrawal scheduled in the near future. And on that note, let us all join in feeling sorry for the US and how they regrettably didn't manage to come through with their selfless, nay, noble plan for a popular democracy in Iraq, instead facing endless waves of the evil hordes of the ungrateful hell- spawn in the middle east. Indeed, now a third of the world's oil reserves will regrettably be restricted and regulated by Washington for an indeterminable timespan, instead of being offered on the free market. Instead of an independent Iraqi army and an independent Iraqi government, the US will now be cursed with a military presence and a puppet regime most, especially the terrorist scourge, do not trust pretty much indefinately in the middle east. Yes, the american administration must certainly be weeping their tearducts dry because of their misfortune. Soon the most regretting ones will undoubtedly be heard wailing outside on the lawn in front of the Whitehouse while they cover themselves in ashes and rend their clothes. They'll be screaming to the heavens something like "We beg of You, allow us to hold popular elections in Iraq in spite of everything right now! And please let me get off the hook with that Halliburton business, Lord. I ain't asking for much!".