http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2004Dec21.html

"If anti-American violence does hit a new level, pressure is likely to increase on the Bush administration to either boost the U.S. military presence in Iraq or find a fast way to get out.

The adequacy of current troop numbers is one of the questions provoked by yesterday's action, said Charles McComas, a veteran Special Forces soldier who served in Afghanistan before retiring. "Do we have the right forces and enough of them to do the offensive patrolling to reduce the chances of this happening again?" he asked.

A private-sector security expert who recently left Baghdad after more than a year there agreed, noting that the United States originally put an entire division in the Mosul area, the 101st Airborne, but replaced it earlier this year with a force about half that size, only to see insurgent attacks increase. "We have replaced a division with a brigade and think we can offer the same amount of security," he said, insisting on anonymity because his opinions are so at odds with the official U.S. government view."

So what will it be? Witdrawal, resignation and the trust and respect of newly deprogrammed brainwashed cult- disciples? Or a renewed effort to reach for victory? Will Bush have to make another "unpopular" decision, like he says leaders are supposed to do? Very exciting, isn't it.