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Iraq
21,000 Troops Notified for Iraq Deployment
2006-06-21
Follow-up on the story Trailing Wife posted last night.
The Pentagon has notified about 21,000 Army soldiers and Marines that they are scheduled to be sent to Iraq late this year as part of the latest deployment rotation. Four major combat brigades from Texas, Alaska and Colorado are scheduled to replace troops returning home from the war, the Pentagon said. Thus, the announcement does not signal an increase in troop strength in Iraq.

In a press release Tuesday, the Pentagon said the planned assignments could change depending on the conditions in Baghdad. The move comes as Pentagon officials and the Bush administration are under increasing pressure from Congress and the public to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq. Combined with last November's announcement of 92,000 American service members scheduled to go to Iraq in the 2006-2008 rotation, this would bring the total U.S. troop level to about 113,000 for that period. That is less than the approximately 138,000 average troop level for the past year, but more than military officials' goal of less than 100,000 by the end of the year.
Posted by:Fred

#12  Good point, Cravish Grolunter8216. anonymous2u, our thanks and prayers go with him.
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-06-21 22:44  

#11  My nephew's going to the sandbox.

and since loose lips sink ships, I'll not say where.
Posted by: anonymous2u   2006-06-21 18:30  

#10  The press will complain once the troops get to kuwait and stay ther until needed.
Posted by: Oldspook   2006-06-21 09:21  

#9  Yes, TW everything their former Baathis handlers stringers tell them. It's not about facts, its about how they feel.
Posted by: Cravish Grolunter8216   2006-06-21 08:42  

#8  Are the press likely to notice something so far from the Baghdad's Green Zone hotel bars?
Posted by: trailing wife   2006-06-21 07:41  

#7  I find OS's analysis facinating, as usual, but wouldn't the press would complain about "hiding" troops in Kuwait?

"Bush Hides Soldiers in Kuwait to Fake Troop Reduction", or something like that.

Ya want paranoid analysis, see Bobby!
Posted by: Bobby   2006-06-21 07:04  

#6  The truth: The Bush administration are under increasing pressure from The press and Democrats (the party of cut an run) to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq.

It's off most people radar.

I hope the Media and the Democrats rot in hell.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2006-06-21 04:45  

#5  Kuwaitis dont mind. They are getting paid and making money off the ports, etc. Plus it makes them VERY safe in terms of anyone deciding to roll up on them and their oil ports (i.e. Iranians like during the Tanker War).

A lot of them still remember who freed them back in 91 - they haven't completely forgotten or gone french (ingrate) yet.


Posted by: Oldspook   2006-06-21 00:53  

#4  el-AP, the Bush administration are under increasing pressure from Congress and the public to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq

No bias here (surely not), but the donks crying for a draw down are proposing at year-end.
Posted by: Captain America   2006-06-21 00:44  

#3  This is just in from John Murtha

Okinawa?


Posted by: Captain America   2006-06-21 00:42  

#2  OS, a question if you know the answer: how do the Kuwaitis feel about a substantial American presence in the (at least) medium-term future? I imagine keeping a brigade in Kuwait is rather visible.
Posted by: Steve White   2006-06-21 00:39  

#1  Rumor central says one bridgade will stay in Kuwait to bring the total to 100K. They will be involved in training Iraqis. Plus its much less expensive to maintain a brigade in Kuwait than it is in the Iraqi theater of Ops (simpler logistics, shorter and more civil log routes, base security etc).

But primarily they will be providing extra punch for offensives and a large amount of operational flexibility (and surprise) for rolling up a place like Ramadi. For example, if you use forces in-country, you have to do a lot of shuffling and prep work, which tips off the bad guys. A reserve heavy brigade can combat-assualt in from over the border without giving the locals much of a heads up while the in-place forces provide cordon and support on short notice.

This is doubly effective if the "outside" brigade is training an Iraqi mixed brigade of a couple of motorised infanty battalions, a battalion of armor and a few mobile companies of "Heavy Police" (Think SWAT teams in technicals). They simply drag the Iraqis along for a "live fire" graduation exercise. We assualt in, with the Iraqi armor side-by-side, the Iraqi infantry mopping up the hard points, and the Iraqi Police taking over security ops permanently for that area.

So - large grian of salt regarding in-theater disposition of forces.

A theater-level operational reserve and proper commitment of it can have a HUGE impact if done right.
Posted by: Oldspook   2006-06-21 00:31  

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