Pace Reminds Americans U.S. is a 'Nation at War'

DoD - American Forces Press Service ^ | Nov. 8, 2003 | Jim Garamone

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Pace Reminds Americans U.S. is a 'Nation at War'

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8, 2003 – The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the United States is winning the war in Afghanistan and Iraq and that America is making progress in the global war on terrorism.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace also said the rotation plan for troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is a good one and a signal that the United States is in for the long haul.

Pace conducted a round robin series of interviews with television stations in Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Dallas and Seattle Nov. 6.

He said since Sept. 11, 2001, "we have been a nation at war and we are winning this war in Afghanistan. We are winning this war in Iraq. We are winning this war against the global networks and we will continue to do so. But it requires commitments of not only the individuals in uniform who are doing this, but our entire government and, indeed, our citizenry."

Pace praised Congress for passing the $87 billion supplemental request. The money includes $20 billion for rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of that money will go to training Iraqi security forces – a goal of the Bush administration since the fall of Baghdad.

The vice chairman explained that the Iraqis taking over a greater share of the security burden will help the nation along the path to self-government. If all goes well the next force rotation will mean a cut in U.S. troops levels in Iraq from 130,000 today to about 105,000 in May 2004.

But the total number of security personnel will actually go up, he said. "We started out with about 160,000 U.S. troops and zero Iraqi troops and about 12,000 non-Iraqi coalition members back in May (2003)," he said. Today there are about 118,000 Iraqis participating in security forces in the country. Officials estimate that number will grow to about 150,000 Iraqis in June 1004 and to about 200,000 by the end of the year.

Iraqi security forces have taken over much of the policing, the border patrols and infrastructure protection. "Those are the kinds of security positions that the Iraqi forces will be replacing coalition and U.S. forces," Pace said. "There will still be three very, very capable, competent U.S. divisions on the ground in Iraq. There will still be two very capable and competent coalition force divisions on the ground. So our capability to take this fight to the enemy will be sustained."

Pace said President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld have repeatedly told Army Gen. John Abizaid, the chief of U.S. Central Command, and Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of Combined Joint Task Force 7, that they can have whatever resources it takes to win the war.

"These are the numbers that those commanders on the ground who are working this problem day to day say they need to get the job done," Pace said.

But security alone is not enough. Transferring governance to the Iraqi people is important so the Iraqis don't see the United States and its allies as occupying forces.

"We are there to turn over their country back to them with a constitution that they have written, with a form of government that they have selected, that will allow them to live free and be part of the community of nations," Pace said.

The general said the United States will continue to take the fight to the enemy, but will also work to improve infrastructure and speed the political process. All these must go hand-in-hand, he noted.

More than 47,000 reserve component service members are part of the next Iraq and Afghanistan rotation. Pace said recruiting and retention for the reserve components has remained high, but it is something DoD must keep an eye on. "We don't want to assume that just because right now the numbers are good that they'll stay that way," he said.

Pace said first, the DoD must ensure the missions assigned reserve component personnel are good ones. Second, DoD must be careful to not call on the reserve components too often. "Number three, we need to make sure that we take care of their families and that we respect the absolute right for them to know when they're going to be called up, how long they're going to be on active duty, and when we're going to let them go back to their civilian jobs," he said.

Pace commented on current operations in Iraq. He said there are always spikes in violence, but the American people must see the whole picture. He said there is more electrical power than under Saddam. The country is exporting oil again. The health system is up and working and receiving necessary upgrades.

"There are 97,000 Iraqi students who have applied to the university system," he said. "That's more than they've ever had in recent times. There are many, many ways you can measure progress in a country.

"This not to make light of a single death to a U.S. or coalition soldier. Each one of those is a tragedy. But we are winning this war," he concluded.

[Burkeman1]

Right. Have power do they? Actually they most likely do since Mushareff controls little more than the main cities and his own dictator compound. Just like the puppets we have in both Kabul and in Baghdad control nothing more than the buildings they meet in. Actually same thing even in Pristina!

[Burkeman1]

You are more optimistic than I. I hope you are right on all counts.

[Radix]

Does not one person see how absurd it is to wage a "war against terrorism"?

Are you on drugs? What would be more absurd, waging a war on terrorism, or just sitting around while they knock down our buildings while people are still in them, and terrorize us in every conceivable way? Do you really think that we have a choice in this matter?

We wage a war against terrorism, or we die.

[Burkeman1]

I know how you feel. When 9/11 first happened I was an angry man and made some posts on this site that I regret. I also went onto "Arab Chat" sites and said some pretty mean things.

But I cooled out.

A war on "terrorism"? How insane is that? Does it have an end? What is the blowback to our freedom? War in Iraq? Does that make USA citizens safer at all? Why are we in Iraq?

Please tell me in one paragraph why US soldiers are in Iraq?

?

[chance33_98]

The Democrats' Case Against Saddam Hussein (Dems nailed, yet again)

Headline Rundown and links on Iraq - Things the democrats have conviently forgot...

Saddam Abused His Last Chance, Clinton -clear and present danger to safety of people everywhere 1998

Gore repeats that Saddam MUST GO - June 2000

What the democrats want you to forget

Iraq is a Regional Threat, capable of as much as 200 tons of VX nerve agent (1999 Clinton report)

Czech military reports say iraq has smallpox virus in weapons stockpile (and camelpox)

2/7/1998 : Arab media: Clinton will strike due to sex scandal (&links to tons of arab news on clinton)

Iraqi chemical weapons buildup reported (Sept 2001 Report)

Clinton, Gore rally domestic support for strike at Iraq, "unholy axis" (1998 Must read)

statement President Clinton from 1998 on the air strikes

Iraq Liberation Act of 1998 - Full Text, Sense of Congress - Remove Saddam

[america-rules]

The way you are talking you should just go lay down and stay under the covers. You have already been defeated - the terrorists beat you !

[Burkeman1]

These posterboard "Patriots" are worse than worthless. Most of them have my name and address and even phone number! Funny! I have yet to recieve one phone call from any "outraged" freeper! I sent my name, address, and phone number to a bunch of freepers who called me a coward and, save for one man from West Virginia, never heard a word since from theses "brave" men!

Don't take them out to the woods- they might pee themselves!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Burkeman, I can point you to a hundred good reasons, and 130,000 great US troops and 100,000 US civilians and over 20,000 Coalition allies and over 100,000 Iraqis now working together, risking their lives to remove some of the nastiest characters in history - along with the terrorists who are arriving to become martyrs for Allah.

I not only know this war is just, I believe it is one of the most difficult and noble in US history. NO, I don't want to argue. I don't even want to talk to you tonight.

[Radix]

I could write at length about Iraq, and why we are there. The weapons of the terrorists are not just bombs and planes, and murder and mayhem. They have targeted our Economy, and with that the Economy of the entire World. The 9-11 attack on our Economy is their version of bombing us back to the stone age, where they reside. Iraq through Sadaam's regime, was a sponsor of these terrorists.

[Burkeman1]

Fair enough. I don't want to argue either. This war will go one regardless of who wins the White House. The Democrats might even expand this war! The welfare state will also grow and expand and become entrenched along side the warfare state! But never mind.

[ladyinred]

It IS a war on terrorism, and as the President said it is a different war than this country has fought before. The nature of the enemy should make that clear without us being told. Yes, those killing our troops in Iraq are terrorists. They are members of Saddam's group still loose, they are terrorists crossing the borders into Iraq from Syria et al. These people are like animals, and if we don't stop them there, we can't stop them here.

[Radix]

Is this the right room for an argument?

 

 

Discourse is a good thing. I learned some years ago from an Attorney, (who happened to be one of the most effective teachers that I have ever encountered, but I digress.) in a Law Course that "reasonable people tend to sometimes disagree." That is what, FR.com is all about, as I see it. I certainly would not want to see threads where everyone just agreed with each other about everything all of the time. Gee, that would almost be akin to somthing like incest.

 

Hmm, did I just make a pun by accident?

[Burkeman1]

Even Rumsfield said that he didn't know where the attacks were coming from and was calling for a "matrix" to show where? How did that go?

[Burkeman1]

I don't post sketches from famous comedians?

[Burkeman1]

And if the Germans won WWI it would have changed USA how?

[Burkeman1]

NOt a laugh- you die- good bye.

[Burkeman1]

NOt a laugh- you die- good bye.