Army Plans to Keep 145,000 Troops in Iraq

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- The Army has approved a plan for rotating fresh troops into Iraq and bringing home those who have served for nearly a year.

The plan calls for maintaining troops at their current level of about 145,000 by rotating in one-for-one replacements, defense officials said Tuesday.

The troop rotation plan has been sent to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld for review and details were to be announced Wednesday.

The plan calls for new troops to serve one-year tours, one official said, commenting on condition of anonymity.

The subject of replacement troops has been a sensitive issue because some soldiers with the 3rd Infantry Division have been in the region since last fall.

more..................

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-us-military,0,1050234.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[MattNC]

1. I don't understand

why this large of a force (145,000) will be needed for over a year. And I don't see the need for the Stryker Brigade to be included. It's my impression manpower is not the problem, but just a lack of troops who are capable of peacekeeping and other policing duties.

moving them over there for Syria or Iran? who knows..

[umcwb]

2. Locking - Dupe

Please continue here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=28177&mesg_id=28177&page=



Very gracious of you Khephra,
UMCWB
DU LBN Moderator