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Pentagon Considers Moving Troops From al-Anbar Province to Baghdad
ABC News ^ | Nov. 28, 2006 | JONATHAN KARL

Posted on 11/28/2006 6:09:38 PM PST by George W. Bush

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon Considers Moving Troops From al-Anbar Province to Baghdad

Major Strategic Shift Considered to Secure Iraqi Capital

By JONATHAN KARL

Nov. 28, 2006 — - ABC News has learned that Pentagon officials are considering a major strategic shift in Iraq, to move U.S. forces out of the dangerous Sunni-dominated al-Anbar province and join the fight to secure Baghdad.

The news comes as President Bush prepares to meet with Iraq's president to discuss the growing sectarian violence.

There are now 30,000 U.S. troops in al-Anbar, mainly Marines, braving some of the fiercest fighting in Iraq. At least 1,055 Americans have been killed in this region, making al-Anbar the deadliest province for American troops.

The region is a Sunni stronghold and the main base of operations for al Qaeda in Iraq and has been a place of increasing frustration to U.S. commanders.

In a recent intelligence assessment, top Marine in al-Anbar, Col. Peter Devlin, concluded that without a massive infusement of more troops, the battle in al-Anbar is unwinnable.

In the memo, first reported by the Washington Post, Devlin writes, "Despite the success of the December elections, nearly all government institutions from the village to provincial levels have disintegrated or have been thoroughly corrupted and infiltrated by al Qaeda in Iraq."

Faced with that situation in al-Anbar, and the desperate need to control Iraq's capital, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Peter Pace is considering turning al-Anbar over to Iraqi security forces and moving U.S. troops from there into Baghdad.

"If we are not going to do a better job doing what we are doing out [in al-Anbar], what's the point of having them out there?" said a senior military official.

Another option under consideration is to increase the overall U.S. troop level in Iraq by two to five brigades (that's about 7,000 to 18,000 troops).

Generals Casey and Abizaid, however, have both weighed in against this idea. And such an increase would only be sustainable for six to eight months. Far more likely, the official says, will be a repositioning of forces currently in Iraq. "There is a push for a change of footprint, not more combat power."

As dire as the situation is, officials say they expect no decisions on any change in military strategy for at least another two or three weeks, until incoming Defense Secretary Robert Gates is sworn in and given a chance to weigh in on the various options under consideration.



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: gates; gobig; golong; pentagon
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I'd guess the Pentagon believes Gates will agree with this policy or they wouldn't be floating this story.
1 posted on 11/28/2006 6:09:39 PM PST by George W. Bush
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To: George W. Bush
In a recent intelligence assessment, top Marine in al-Anbar, Col. Peter Devlin, concluded that without a massive infusement of more troops, the battle in al-Anbar is unwinnable.

So, Devlin is a cut and runner?

2 posted on 11/28/2006 6:12:43 PM PST by GraniteStateConservative (...He had committed no crime against America so I did not bring him here...-- Worst.President.Ever.)
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To: George W. Bush

I'd say pull them all out of al-Anbar Province, carpet bomb the whole place, then bring them back in to monitor the ashes.


3 posted on 11/28/2006 6:12:50 PM PST by ConservativeMind
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To: George W. Bush

I would add to your guess that since the center of attention is Baghdad they see the need to completely control it. Not too much attention gets payed to Anbar province unless Americans are dying there. Pacify Baghdad and leave Anbar for another day?


4 posted on 11/28/2006 6:13:10 PM PST by saganite (Billions and billions and billions-------and that's just the NASA budget!)
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To: George W. Bush
ABC News has learned that Pentagon officials are considering a major strategic shift in Iraq,

Learned from whom? Pentagon officials CONSIDER every possible strategy. This is just another DBM guess.

5 posted on 11/28/2006 6:13:51 PM PST by Freee-dame
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To: ConservativeMind

I concur.


6 posted on 11/28/2006 6:14:44 PM PST by GodfearingTexan
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To: ConservativeMind

Seal the border and THEN carpet bomb the place


7 posted on 11/28/2006 6:14:46 PM PST by cripplecreek (If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
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To: cripplecreek

I concur again.


8 posted on 11/28/2006 6:15:15 PM PST by GodfearingTexan
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To: Freee-dame

your right. possible pentagon shell game also.


9 posted on 11/28/2006 6:15:49 PM PST by bobby.223
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To: ConservativeMind

Thats exactly what SHOULD be done. Stop with the PC Crap pull out of this nest of killers and wipe the place out.

makes a good lesson for the next place we are forced to pull out of.


10 posted on 11/28/2006 6:16:05 PM PST by sgtbono2002 (The fourth estate is a fifth column.)
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To: George W. Bush

Long past time to carpet-bomb Anbar province.

Should be round-the-clock bombing aids, non-stop, so that any semblance of normal life cannot be conducted.

Bombings should be preceded by leafleting advising the people to kill the local al-Quaeda operatives if they want the bombing to stop.

Once the population of a given city or area drops below a certain level, due to evacuation or death from the bombing, send in the tanks followed by giant earth moving equipment to level the place and move on to the next city.

.


11 posted on 11/28/2006 6:17:12 PM PST by Westbrook (Having more children does not divide your love, it multiplies it!)
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To: Westbrook

I like the way you think.


12 posted on 11/28/2006 6:18:50 PM PST by bobby.223
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To: GraniteStateConservative
So, Devlin is a cut and runner?

I certainly wouldn't say that. A good commander gives his best assessment. His superiors either accept his advice or assign a new commander and/or resources.

If ABC is giving the straight news here, the Pentagon is ready to move to a new strategy and wants to implement it now. Probably before the Dims start their hearings which is pretty smart politically.

A lot of politics is going on right now, some of it from the Joint Chiefs.
13 posted on 11/28/2006 6:19:12 PM PST by George W. Bush
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To: George W. Bush
"The region is a Sunni stronghold and the main base of operations for al Qaeda in Iraq....."

What better reason do we need that that--to just LEVEL THE AREA???

14 posted on 11/28/2006 6:20:21 PM PST by stockstrader ("Where government advances--and it advances relentlessly--freedom is imperiled"-Janice Rogers Brown)
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To: Westbrook
Long past time to carpet-bomb Anbar province.

I'm almost too tired to type 'carpet-bomb' and 'Sadr' in the same sentence again. So I'm with you.

We should have been much tougher much earlier. A successful occupation often requires ruthless methods.
15 posted on 11/28/2006 6:22:20 PM PST by George W. Bush
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To: Westbrook; bobby.223

We should've done that to Fallujah 3 years ago.


16 posted on 11/28/2006 6:23:39 PM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: ConservativeMind

Team Bush doesn't have the political will to carpet bomb anything right now. And, if we do give up Anbar al-Qaeda will have a base in the heart of the Middle East.


17 posted on 11/28/2006 6:27:19 PM PST by jmc1969
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To: bobby.223
I like the way you think.

Thanks.

Too bad the president doesn't think that way.

In fact, because he does not think that way, he should never have invaded Iraq.

Because if you do NOT think that way, there is NO WAY you can win ANY war.

My question is, so are we there to win or just to provide targets for the MoHamHead savages?

.

18 posted on 11/28/2006 6:33:50 PM PST by Westbrook (Having more children does not divide your love, it multiplies it!)
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To: George W. Bush
A successful occupation often requires ruthless methods

I don't find a lot of room for optimism here. Our civilian leadership needs to grow a set and do what they've so far refused to do - use brutal and unrelenting force. First, KILL SADR. Second, if you associate with terrorists - you're dead. If you give them shelter - you're dead. If your village is found hiding them - remove the women and children then bomb the *@&# place into dust.

Fighting a half-assed war gives you half-assed results, and we're losing too many good men because of all this PC bullsh*t. Finish it right or get them hell out.
19 posted on 11/28/2006 6:39:43 PM PST by reagan_fanatic (A liberal is a suicide bomber without the guts)
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To: reagan_fanatic

everything we do, has to be cleared with the "iraqi democracy". we gave them their precious friggin democracy way too soon, and its come back to bite us bigtime.


20 posted on 11/28/2006 6:41:44 PM PST by oceanview
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