An e-mail:

Mr. Lowry,
I read with interest your article (co-written with William Kristol) on sending more troops to Iraq to stabilize the situation. I completely agree with you – adding more US soldiers would help to stabilize the situation. However, I believe that the tone of your article makes it seem as if sending more troops would be a trifle to a military that is in fact already stretched thin. You mention the re-deployment of “a few thousand” troops to Baghdad from “elsewhere in Iraq”. In fact, the 372d Stryker Brigade was not fighting elsewhere in Iraq but scheduled to return home after having served a year in Iraq. Troops already returned home were sent back, without any more word than that they hoped to be able to return them in four months. Meanwhile, the Navy and the Air Force have been forced to drastically cut manning. I understand the argument for deploying more troops to Iraq. However, it seems to me that the argument that must be made is for a Congressional increase in a uthorized end strength. We are asking a great deal of our military, and they have performed to the highest standards. We cannot continue to ask them to do more with less – there is for everyone a breaking point. Push Congress and the White House to increase military manning. Let the military do more with more, for a change. I thank you for your time.