[Cannoneer No. 4]

These innovative vehicles are destined to eventually replace the heavy Abrams M1 battle tank and the Bradley M2 fighting vehicles in Iraq.

I actually think the armor and mech inf will eventually redeploy, most likely to prepare for operations against Syria or Iran, or put back into storage in Kuwait, or brought home, leaving Strykers and armored humvees as the primary mounts of the US Army remaining in Iraq. I think one of the six Stryker Brigades is going to be in Iraq pretty much continously for awhile.

We are going to have troops in Iraq for decades, but they need not necessarily be armor/mech troops, or, if they are, the heavy brigades would likely occupy former Republican Guard kasernes and spend most of their time at NTC West while Constabulary troopers run the roads in wheeled vehicles.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Stryker brigade rolls into Iraq from Kuwait

The Stryker brigade rolled into Iraq on Wednesday and brought along the Fort Lewis weather.

It rained all morning on the five convoys that pushed north across the border, making it a cold, nasty ride, especially for the soldiers riding in open humvees.

But when they arrived here some 250 miles later at this Army camp south of Baghdad, nobody'd been shot at and nobody'd been hurt."

I just want everyone to make it there safe," said Spc. Victoria Wright, before her convoy pushed off about 4 a.m. at the Kuwait-Iraq border.

She got her wish.

To read more from embedded reporter Michael Gilbert about the Fort Lewis-based Stryker brigade's first foray into Iraq, read Thursday's edition of The News Tribune.

(Published 10:29AM, December 3rd, 2003)

[gatorbait]

We are going to have troops in Iraq for decades, but they need not necessarily be armor/mech troops, or, if they are, the heavy brigades would likely occupy former Republican Guard kasernes and spend most of their time at NTC West while Constabulary troopers run the roads in wheeled vehicles.


Give a cigar! Exactly. and I have to believe that rationally, the Ft Knox types read their history and understand this concept as well. Armored cars are fine for some jobs, Tanks are fabulous for some jobs. .The rub is in wisdom of application.