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| Iraq |
| Bush: More U.S. Troops in Support Roles |
| 2007-09-17 |
| WASHINGTON (AP) - While "formidable challenges" remain in Iraq, President Bush said Saturday, the United States will start shifting more troops into support roles - in addition to the troop withdrawals announced last week. In December, the United States will begin a new military phase in Iraq - one in which "our troops will shift over time from leading operations to partnering with Iraqi forces, and eventually to overwatching those forces," Bush said in his weekly radio address. Bush was following the recommendations of Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq. In a televised speech Thursday, Bush announced he had approved Petraeus' plan to withdraw 5,700 troops from Iraq by the holidays and reduce the force from 20 combat brigades to 15 brigades by July 2008. On Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gates raised the possibility of cutting U.S. troop levels in Iraq to 100,000 or so by the end of next year - well beyond the cuts Bush announced in his speech Thursday. The defense secretary confirmed that he was referring to cutting from the projected level of 15 combat brigades in July to 10 brigades at the end of 2008, and that this would translate to roughly 100,000 troops. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 And this is different from Korea, where we still have troops 50 years later in a 'support role'. So, how about it, where's your withdraw plan for Korea, Donks? Or are you uncertain that some of that Hsu Here's an idea for the Iraqi government. Listening Baghdad? You need to redirect some of the oil money |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-09-17 08:27 |
| #2 In meantime, US troops deserve a break whenever they can get it, so I agree wid Dubya to try and bring some units home while he can - good for the troops and good for national morale and Ratings. NO "REGIME CHANGE IN IRAN > troops will be back soon enuff to face the Spetzlamies. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-09-17 00:50 |
| #1 NO surprise here, but Amers should remember that AQ, etal is down but not out. In the absence of a de facto US-Iran conflict before 2008, US should expect a ST "lull/slow period" or so for AQ + Radical islam to unilater rebuild and re-arm, then attack again. Odds will favor AQ, etc iff no demo "regime change" of any sort occurs inside Iran, and Radical Iran stays Radical Iran for a long while yet. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2007-09-17 00:46 |