US to replace British forces in southern Iraq

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

American troops will move into southern Iraq early next year to replace departing British forces, the top U.S. general in Iraq said.

His comments came as Iraq's major parliamentary parties reached a compromise Sunday to allow approval of a resolution allowing all foreign troops other than Americans to remain in Iraq until July 2009. Britain has said its 4,000 troops will withdraw from the southern port city of Basra by the end of May.

Army Gen. Ray Odierno, the overall commander of U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, said in an interview with The Associated Press late Saturday that he is considering moving either a brigade or division headquarters — about 100 personnel — as well as an undetermined number of combat troops to Iraq's second-largest city.

Moving a headquarters unit to Basra would essentially give the U.S. complete responsibility there and across the rest of the country for providing training and support to all Iraqi security forces.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081221/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_i...

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Iraq Lawmakers To Vote Monday On Non-US Forces
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[acmavm]

1. OF FUCKING COURSE WE WILL! Why not? It's where the jobs are, right?