Posted on 12/06/2004 8:02:26 PM PST by Happy2BMe
10,000 Troops Get Iraq Extension
Associated Press
December 2, 2004
WASHINGTON - With the insurgency still a threat to Iraq's planned elections, the U.S. force is about to expand to its highest level of the war - even higher than the initial invading force in March 2003.
The force will grow from 138,000 today to about 150,000 by mid-January, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
Extra troops are needed to bolster security before the national elections scheduled for Jan. 30. The increase in troop strength also underscores the fact that, despite enormous effort and cost, American commanders have yet to train and equip enough Iraqis for security duty.
Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy commander of Central Command, which is responsible for U.S. military operations throughout the Middle East, told reporters at the Pentagon last month that the insurgents have managed to intimidate many Iraqis into not cooperating with the Americans.
The expansion of the U.S. force also recalls assertions made by some Bush administration officials when the invasion was launched that although stabilizing the country would not be easy or cheap, it certainly would not require more U.S. troops than it took to topple Baghdad.
s it turns out, the post-invasion period has been far costlier in blood and treasure than almost anyone predicted. When President Bush declared major combat operations were over May 1, 2003, the United States had about 148,000 troops in Iraq - slightly more than when the war began two months earlier and more than were there when Baghdad fell in early April.
The Pentagon said Wednesday that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld approved a plan to send 1,500 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, N.C., to Iraq this month and to extend by 60 days the combat tours of about 10,400 soldiers and Marines in Iraq who were to come home in January.
Most of those whose tours are being extended will serve two months longer than the 12-month tours the Army set as a standard limit to avoid putting too much stress on troops and their families.
The 12,000-troop increase is to last only until March, but it says much about the strength and resiliency of an insurgency that U.S. military planners did not foresee even a year ago, when they were focused on capturing deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
Pentagon officials said they preferred to expand the force in Iraq mainly by keeping some troops there longer rather than sending thousands of fresh troops from the United States.
"They are the most experienced and best-qualified forces to sustain the momentum of post-Fallujah operations and to provide for additional security for the upcoming elections," a Pentagon statement said.
The military normally is reluctant to extend soldiers' combat tours because of the potential negative effect it could have on their families, and thus on their willingness to remain in uniform. In this case, Gen. George Casey, the most senior U.S. commander in Iraq, decided it was necessary to keep up pressure on the insurgents while providing security for the elections.
One unit, the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division, is being extended for the second time. Its soldiers originally were told they would be going home in November at the end of a 10-month assignment, but in October they got the news they would remain until mid-January. Now they are being extended until mid-March.
Rumsfeld's decision also applies to:
-About 4,400 troops of the 2nd Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division, which is operating in north-central Iraq. They will stay until mid-March, instead of departing in early January. Those soldiers' home bases are mostly in Hawaii.
-About 2,300 members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Okinawa, Japan, Hawaii and California, who will stay until mid-March instead of leaving in January.
-About 160 soldiers of the 66th Transportation Company, based in Germany. They were due to depart Iraq in early January but instead will stay until early March.
The Army generally relies upon the 82nd Airborne to keep one of its three brigades on short-notice alert year-round to deploy abroad if there is a crisis. Shortly before the October elections in Afghanistan, about 600 members of the 82nd Airborne were sent there to strengthen security.
Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., a critic of the administration's handling of the war, said the Pentagon's announcement confirmed that the effort to stabilize Iraq would take years, with no certainty of success.
"This announcement makes it clear that commanders in Iraq need more troops and that this will be a long and very expensive process for the United States," Reed said. "It is still not clear whether Iraq will emerge from this chronic violence as a viable and stable country."
I couldn't agree more. You could offer these guys 5,000 dollar bonuses, and they'd turn it down in a minute to go home.
Been there done that.
Good post.
Approx. Jun/Jul 04...told of a date change and early return, December 04
October 04, .... told they were "extended" to January (actually return to original plan.)
Now, Dec 04, ... Could be as late as March before return.
Must be nice.
My trooper started in '03 (still gone).
SpecOps?
Just advance party. It has the added bennies of also being the last ones out.
I guess some are just lucky. :>)
Chin up...we're praying for you.
(My son's been there since last Feb.)
God is able. More than able.
Continued prayers for God's guiding hand.
"I don't have much sympathy for troops who have their tours extended. They knew what they were in for when they joined up,"
I'm not so sure about that. Your typical National Guard guy naturally thought the nation he would be be guarding would be the United States, as against a foreign invasion. So he figured, "I'll drill one weekend a month, do my two weeks active duty a year, and if the foreign invasion comes, I'll be ready." He wasn't figuring on something like this.
In post 34 you said: "The war has been won. What we are doing now is more like babysitting than fighting a battle for survival like WWII was."
Then in post 35 you said: "The terrorists will still be bombing, the militias will still be fighting."
You are suggesting that terrorists bombing and terrorists (militants) fighting is equal to babysitting.
By the way, this is the war on Terrorism. Until terrorism is defeated the war is not over.
Of that I have no doubt whatsoever. But I was replying to quite another question, which was: "When will we be united again and start singing "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again, Hurrah"?
My point wasn't that Juan, Guptah, Mfumbe, Chen and Kareem aren't great soldiers, it was just to illustrate that it will be impossible for America to feel as united as we once were, back when for most Americans "Johnny" was their son, their brother, their husband, or their neighbor. I simply do not believe that all this radical diversity of philosophy, culture, religious beliefs, politics and heritage is conducive to national unity. For true unity people of a nation need more in common with each other than standing on the same dirt. The truth is that it would make me happy to be wrong in this belief, but I see unity and patriotism on the wane. My prayer is that a deep Christian faith will return again, from sea to shining sea. I believe that faith is what used to unite us, and the anti-Christian forces out there are what's dividing us.
True, but bear in mind that the draft didn't create a big emmigration to Canada or anti-war protests all over the country. Nor did it create a hatred for Presidents Roosevelt or Truman. There will always be people who are opposed to war, but today, (unlike back then), these folks find it necessary to viciously attack our President, try to destroy our military's reputation and morale, and divide and weaken our nation. Because America was more closely knit back then, people just would not get away with this sort of treacherous behavior.
We went through the same wishful thinking when we "negotiated" with Al Sadr. We thought once he laid down his arms the violence would subside. It didn't. Then when Bremer handed the keys to Allawi in the middle of the night we expected the violence to subside. It didn't. Now we're hanging our hat on the January election thinking that once the Iraqis vote the terrorist will just walk away. We need to wake up and understand that these terrorists will continue to fight as long as we have boots on the ground in their country. The election won't make a difference.
Thanks, DrE.
I'm glad my dear cousin is still set to come home March 1st. My heart and prayers to those who have to stay longer.
"Your typical National Guard guy naturally thought the nation he would be be guarding would be the United States, as against a foreign invasion."
Except the US has NEVER been invaded in the modern era. All wars are fought in some he!! hole far from the US. When you join the military, you shouldn't expect to be treated fairly. The military OWNS YOU. I guess this is a surprise to many people. Not sure why?
Remember we were told once Saddam is caught things would turn around, and then once we take Fallujah things would turn around!
We should just put in place a Dictator like the Shah of Iran who is on our side to destroy the Radical Muslim uprising!
As a whole, I agree with you. However, isn't Indonesia a relatively succesful democracy?
There isnt a War on Terrorism. That is the equivalent of saying in WW2 we are in a War against Blitzkrieg!
The enemy is Radical Islam!
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