Article

2007-11-26 Iraq

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Steve White 2007-11-26 15:08|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 "50,000 U.S. troops, down from the current figure of more than 160,000.
That's been the goal all along, of course, "

Oh really? I think 50,000 is probably a large commitment, long term, than most Americans envisage.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2007-11-26 16:05|| 2007-11-26 16:05|| Front Page Top

#2 to clarify, I think even for those americans who are realistic enough to envision a long term presence at all, 50,000 is on the high side for the majority.

I suspect there will be considerable opposition (including in the military) to a perm force of more than a brigade or so.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2007-11-26 16:07|| 2007-11-26 16:07|| Front Page Top

#3 50,000 was the troop presence in Korea, IIRC. Not a bad level for hardship deployments.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2007-11-26 16:09|| 2007-11-26 16:09|| Front Page Top

#4 look at the patterns of spending by the us military over the last few years -- were in for the long haul.

Posted by dan 2007-11-26 16:30|| 2007-11-26 16:30|| Front Page Top

#5 There are still 50,000 US troops in Germany for no good reason. Move them out.

Posted by ed 2007-11-26 16:34|| 2007-11-26 16:34|| Front Page Top

#6 50,000 is not that large a presence. We need to stay away from the nyumbers game and look at the capability to meet the requirement. Let the requirement dictate the number of troops. Then we can unass Kuwait.

Posted by 49 Pan">49 Pan 2007-11-26 16:44|| 2007-11-26 16:44|| Front Page Top

#7 Of course they want us to stay. Just as the South Koreans and Germans want us to stay. Initially for defense, later to suck on Uncle Sam's wallet. It's the way of the world.

Posted by rjschwarz 2007-11-26 16:51|| 2007-11-26 16:51|| Front Page Top

#8 I suspect there will be considerable opposition (including in the military) to a perm force of more than a brigade or so.

Oh, I hope so. Those are the ones who need to see the door.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2007-11-26 16:57|| 2007-11-26 16:57|| Front Page Top

#9 Iraq's government, seeking protection against foreign threats and internal coups, will offer the U.S. a long-term troop presence in Iraq in return for U.S. security guarantees as part of a strategic partnership, two Iraqi officials said Monday.

No problem. To make it happen, just apply for and get your lobbying permit and make a sizable deposit to:

Hillary Presidential Campaign Fund
Obama Presidential Campaign Fund
Edwards Presidential Campaign Fund
with teasers for each presidential library
as well as
Nancy Pelosi For Congress and Harry Reid for Senate campaign funds

You'll be amazed how much they can turn on a ~~dinar~~ dime.

Posted by Procopius2k 2007-11-26 17:36|| 2007-11-26 17:36|| Front Page Top

#10 LH, I think the 50K figure was for all forces. Likely only 25 Army, no big.

Posted by Thomas Woof 2007-11-26 18:34|| 2007-11-26 18:34|| Front Page Top

#11 This is only news to people who have not been paying attention. We have been hardening structures in Iraq for a while now. We would need 50,000 or so merely to safeguard the noncombat personnel and equipment which has been brought over, and that assumes an orderly "retreat". Iraq is important in itself, but it is also a very valuable strategic location for pressuring Iran. There is a higher justification for a U.S. presence there than the tripwire force in South Korea and certainly more so than for the European bases.

Posted by Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-11-26 19:20|| 2007-11-26 19:20|| Front Page Top

#12 Balad AFB. Put an Army cantonment there as well - its already an air and logistics hub for all of Iraq. Set up patrol posts, like the old Border Camps in Germany for rotating patrols.

Pretty easy. and you cna sink 50K troops pretty easily and safely there.

Posted by OldSpook 2007-11-26 20:20|| 2007-11-26 20:20|| Front Page Top

#13 As I've long suggested, for a long time now, the US has planned the following:

1) A Status of Forces agreement with Iraq for several bases, much like what we had with Germany.

2) One of these bases to be the HQ of Africa Command, whose interests are not Iraq, but the ME, NE and E Africa, and some Central Asia, and the associated oceans: Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, western Indian Ocean. This would also be the heart of a network of other installations outside of Iraq, but in the region.

3) We continue to provide Iraq combat air forces, ADA, anti-missile defenses, and advise on the further development of the military and defense structure. In doing so we also provide a missile and air shield to Israel, and form the southern part of missile defenses for Europe.

Posted by Anonymoose 2007-11-26 20:52|| 2007-11-26 20:52|| Front Page Top

#14 Pull all but a brigade from Europe. Leave a Stryker BDE near Graf for the sake of exercisee.

Move the whole kit and kaboodle to Iraq and CONUS. Grab all the old POMCUS sets (if any are left) and give them to the Iraqi Army, and get them trained up on how to use them.

Posted by OldSpook 2007-11-26 20:54|| 2007-11-26 20:54|| Front Page Top

#15 What's POMCUS, OS?

Posted by Grunter 2007-11-26 21:42|| 2007-11-26 21:42|| Front Page Top

#16 "Prepositioning Of Material Configured in Unit Sets." The equipment and basic load for a unit would be in theater requiring only the soldiers to be flown in and issued the load. Otherwise it would take a lot of valuable time to move said equipment to port, loading, shipping [usually by sea], unloading and then then moving to the assembly area.

Posted by Procopius2k 2007-11-26 23:49|| 2007-11-26 23:49|| Front Page Top

23:53 Zenster
23:49 Procopius2k
23:43 Zenster
23:38 Zenster
23:25 Zenster
23:21 Zenster
23:09 Zenster
23:05 Skidmark
22:58 Skidmark
22:56 Skidmark
22:54 Skidmark
22:48 Silentbrick
22:47 Zenster
22:44 Ptah
22:17 Justrand
21:51 Leonard Plynth Garnell
21:48 mrp
21:44 OldSpook
21:42 Grunter
21:33 trailing wife
21:25 Nimble Spemble
21:24 trailing wife
21:17 Nimble Spemble
21:05 WTF