15,000 More U.S. Troops Told to Prepare for Iraq

Reuters ^ | 09-26-03

[Brian S]

Fri September 26, 2003 09:13 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military, faced with reluctance by other nations to send forces to Iraq, on Friday night activated 10,000 Army National Guard troops to go there and put 5,000 more Army Guard soldiers on alert for likely service in Iraq.

The mobilization order for the 30th Infantry Brigade from North Carolina and the 39th Infantry Brigade from Arkansas, each with 5,000 troops, to mobilize over the next two weeks had been expected. They were earlier alerted for replacement rotation into Iraq, where the United States now has about 130,000 troops.

The Army also announced on Friday night it was alerting the 81st National Guard Brigade from Washington state, also with 5,000 troops, to be prepared for a likely call to active duty in Iraq.

[Pharmboy]

Even the New York Times reported today that a poll among Iraqis showed about 70% are happy that the Yanks threw Saddam out. Let's get the job finished.

I would hope that the additional troops will make it safer for all of our men and women over there.

[ARCADIA]

At least we will have effective troops and there will be no strings attached by the UN.

[tsmith130]

These are replacement troops, not additional, correct? Or am I reading the story wrong?

[Pharmboy]

It's hard to say for sure. Either they had been activated for rotation and are now going there just for that, or they were originally activated for rotation but are now going to be additional troops.

[Rome2000]

NPR is doing weekly reports about how spouses of our fighting men feel betrayed by Bush and the GOP over the "long" deployments" in the WAR ZONE.

Of course, the liberal media ignores the sacrifice of the guard during peace time, but goes looking for malcontents the minute they are called to active duty.

The leftist media is actualy a bigger threat to our nation than the enemy.

At least we can kill the enemy.

[tsmith130]

I have a feeling that this was previously planned and the troops are replacements. Reuters, in it's continuing effort to skew all stories to make the US look bad, purposely wrote it this way to confuse people.

[demlosers]

I'd say they are replacement troops who will replace a division in a few months probably 6 months. That's the 1 year mark for many U.S. troops in Iraq. Giving them plenty of lead time to prepare.

[GraniteStateConservative]

There is a risk of a political loss from the families of these guardsmen/women since the expectation is that Guard and reserve members would be pulled from their jobs, homes and children only for emergencies, and even then only for as long as they are urgently needed. Most of these guardmembers signed up based on that assumption.

You also risk a drop in new sign-ups if they discover that they are not really going to be helpers in the effort, but more like the core.

The problem is that we need the civil affairs expertise of these troops-- but lawyers and doctors and such from other countries would serve our needs equally well.

This makes it more critical that Bush repeat to the public why the war was/is noble.

[OldFriend]

The military has announced that they have met or exceeded ALL recruitment goals.

[demlosers]

NPR is doing weekly reports about how spouses of our fighting men feel betrayed by Bush and the GOP over the "long" deployments" in the WAR ZONE.

Good ole NPR, those wimps sure like to put-out crappy whine news.

[mystery-ak]

Yes, they are replacement troops...as soon as they get there and are operational, my hubby can come home.

[tsmith130]

I hope that is soon, for your sake...and HIS! BTW....tell him THANK YOU AND WELL DONE!

[mystery-ak]

Soon.....between Feb and April...no exact date yet...he's been gone since last Feb.....he does get a 2 week leave in Nov though!!!

[tsmith130]

In time for turkey with all the trimmings!?

[mystery-ak]

...you betcha!

[GraniteStateConservative]

I'm talking about reserves-- part-timers. They are just now being asked to bear a heavier load with extended stays and larger call-ups. That hasn't filtered, yet. It may not hurt recruiting for that. I hope not, but I may be wrong. These people are civilians who serve. They have more traditional lives and have a different expectation about their commitment. The wives, particularly, may run away from Bush next year.

[Libertina]

You are so right! Our guys can do the job. No need to join our courageous troops with weak "allies."

[CheneyChick]

It won't hurt recruiting, but will hurt retention....

[Brian S]

I thought of you when I heard of the RR policy enacted.

I do hope it is soon for you and yours!

God Bless and ping us all in bold, breaking news...when he is home!

[q_an_a]

The marine general in charge of the 1st expeditionary unit, that managed 7 provinces; told PBS tonight that he sent home 15,000 troops 6 weeks ago. M. Warner was left with mouth open stuttering. "Are you telling me that we don't need more troops? I mean general we hear that the military is under mannned."

The general said, "I don't know about others, but we sent 15,000 home, did not lose a single man by death after the fall of Bagdad and just finished turning over all duties to either the Poles or the Spanish. Our tropps are now out of Iraq.

Someone call the media and talk with this guy, to get a new story, one that matchs the facts.

[siwrcw03]

The MEDIA!?

State FACTS??

Now THAT would NEVER sell any newspapers or garner any ratings!

Disaster, turmoil, and negative happenings are what makes the news cycle so much fun.

Truth is the first casualty of war, but, for some odd reason, I always thought it would be the ENEMY media that distorts the truth...not OUR OWN media.

I am so silly.

Rick

[cookcounty]

"The general said, "I don't know about others, but we sent 15,000 home, did not lose a single man by death after the fall of Bagdad and just finished turning over all duties to either the Poles or the Spanish. Our tropps are now out of Iraq. "

Thanks for posting this. The only thing that may need clarification is that these Marines were in the Shi'a area which has seen almost no attacks on US forces. The hotter action is in the triangle,where the Army is, 4th ID and some elements of 101st AA.

As a loyal old Army putz, I just wanted to make sure that people didn'r think "hey if the Marines can put a cap on it, what's wrong with the Army?"

Actually, I'm glad they pushed the Army hard in this one. they're a much more serious set of warriors than it was just a couple years ago.

[glock rocks]

Yes, they are replacement troops...as soon as they get there and are operational, my hubby can come home.

Woo Hoo !! BUMP, mystery-ak !!

[Lysandru]

The leftist media is actualy a bigger threat to our nation than the enemy.

At least we can kill the enemy.

Yes, this has been my new mantra over the past 3 days. I honestly believe that the Media is a bigger threat than Al-Quaeda now. Al-Quaeda cannot destroy public support for the war-- but the treasonous Bush-bashers (because hosing Dubya matters more than the good of the U.S. or Iraqi people) and the Media allies can convince The Sheeple that the effort is not worth it.

[getgoing]

MIKE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We can't wait for our Texas sons arrival home. Mystery, I started to "hope he'll be home for the holiday" but the 1st would be better! Congrats!

[mystery-ak]

Yes, Mike called the other night to tell me he is taking his 2 weeks R&R in Nov.....he is giving all the holiday dates to troopers with young children.....he is to call back soon with the date...we will celebrate Thanksgiving early with all the trimmings....then he goes back until Feb-April(no return date has been given yet)....we haven't seen him since Feb.

[OldFriend]

They're in the MILITARY. Armies fight wars. Our country is at war. We suffered the worst attack on our soil in history. They thought they'd just keep in taking their reserves paycheck and never have to defend their homeland?

[OldFriend]

TRUTH does not fit the media agenda.

[manna]

... he is giving all the holiday dates to troopers with young children ...

Your Mike is a nice guy.

[contessa machiaveli]

why do we send the reseves and guardsmen into iraq? why not rotate them into places like germany and japan and send the active military there.

this seems so wrong, and while people did sign up for the guard, they are leaving behind families and jobs for military duty in a war zone.

is there a fellow freeper who can explan this reasoning to me?

[RobbyS]

Many are being sent to Germany, Bosnia, et all. As for "war zone,"remember that as many soldiers have died in "noncombat" incidents as in combat. The military is a dangerous business.

[xzins]

This is not what the National Guard was intended to do.


I like my president, but he needs to sit Rumsfeld down and get him to see the truth.

1. If we don't call for an expansion of the active force, then it will take that much longer to bring it on line. Start now and bite the financial bullet.

2. Give Rumsfeld this guidance: Streamlining the force should not end in its Deadlining.

Sleek and fast is nice in combat, but it means very little in peacemaking and occupation. The first can be done with fewer troops, but the latter requires a mass of troops.

A deadlined vehicle in the Army is often one that has been overworked and under-maintained.

[fortaydoos]

When and where did you serve under fire?

[wku man]

"NPR is doing weekly reports about how spouses of our fighting men feel betrayed by Bush and the GOP over the "long" deployments" in the WAR ZONE."

Yeah... wouldn't you just love to line up these whiners, and the NPR Commies who file their sob stories, show them a copy of the contract they or their loved ones signed, then beat them over the head until they realize that IT'S A WAR!!!! What the hell do they think they signed up for?

If Sam Kinnison were still alive, he'd be the perfect man to deliver the message.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[RobbyS]

I think he is also thinking about civilianizing a lot of miliary jobs. I mean a LOT! Either handing the job to civil service or out-sourcing. Not as expensive as military people are apt to think since civilians have much longer careers. But of course some services (especially the Navy) don't like civilians because they don't salute.

[RobbyS]

My son is 2ACR.

[Travis McGee]

It's a "war." That's what you sign up in the reserves for.

[xzins]

The problem with civilians in military support roles is when the bullets start to fly.

They don't HAVE to go, AND they don't HAVE to stay.

[GraniteStateConservative]

We send them because Europe and Asia won't send enough lawyers and doctors and nurses and civil engineers and plumbers and such to Iraq. Those skills are held by part-time military people, ie. the guard/reserves. The regular grunt in the military is useless for these needs. They are useful for other needs-- in fact they were mostly done when Bush landed on the aircraft carrier.

[wku man]

"My son is 2ACR."

Outstanding! I was with B Trp, 1-2 ACR in the 80s, over in Germany. God bless him, and God bless the Toujours Pret Regiment.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Of course the president has the authority to call up reserves-- for two year stays, I think-- but that's not what the reserves are all about. They have a totally different focus. It's also the case that we shouldn't have to be as extended as we are. Bush should have done a better job of lining up reconstruction commitments from other countries before the war was even over.

We broke Iraq, so to speak, so it makes sense that we'd be in the role of fixing it, but we should have been able to get help. We've been more than friendly to practically every country on the globe and they gave us the middle finger. I can understand not wanting to get involved with the war, but we aren't using these reserves to fight Fedayeen. They are doing civil affairs-- any European troops or from other civilized areas could assist us, but they refuse. That has to be called a failure of some sort by the State Dept or the Pentagon. All I can suppose is that Bush assumed that he'd get help post-war. He had to have known we didn't really have the resources to occupy Iraq mostly alone.

[RobbyS]

I was thinking of maintaining the stateside bases. It works with the Germans. But during the Cold War the key civilans were down in the bunkers with everyone else.

[BushisTheMan]

Tell me again why my tax dollars are going for NPR? /sarcasm off

[BushisTheMan]

Your Mike sounds like a wonderful person. God bless him and the rest of our troops serving our nation and protecting my family as well as their own. He's a patriot.

Contrast this with the dirty, rude, violent youths in the anti-war group who sponge off their parents, probably can't pass a test at their schools, destroy property, and pronouce that they want our soldiers to kill their officers.

This is why we need to keep our volunteer army.

[mystery-ak]

Mike isa good guy, just like thousands of others in Iraq...that's why we have the greatest military in the world.

Don't get me started on all those anti-war punks..LOL