US Has No Idea When Troops Will Pull Out Of Iraq

Independent (UK) ^ | 9-10-2003 | Rupert Cornwell

[blam]

US has no idea when troops will pull out of Iraq

By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
10 September 2003

Under fierce grilling from both Democratic and Republican Senators yesterday, senior US officials admitted they had no idea how long American troops would be staying in Iraq, or when the extra international forces sought by President George Bush would be deployed to help them.

Testifying to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Defence Secretary, and General Richard Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered the first defence on Capitol Hill of President Bush's $87bn (£55bn) funding request, for the US military and reconstruction effort in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Their appearance coincided with reports that some 20,000 National Guard personnel and reservists will have their tours of duty in Iraq and other Gulf countries extended to 12 months to relieve pressure on the 130,000 soldiers on active duty in Iraq. These have already seen their stay extended far longer than expected.

At the same time, claims of poor planning for the post-war period have been reinforced by a new report that US intelligence had warned the administration before the invasion to expect considerable armed resistance to occupying forces.

But according to The Washington Post, such sombre predictions seem to have been brushed aside by the Pentagon's civilian leadership. In February for instance, General Eric Shinseki, who was the Army Chief of Staff at the time, told Congress that "several hundred thousand" troops might be needed in the aftermath - only to have Mr Wolfowitz call his estimate "wildly off the mark". Yesterday Mr Wolfowitz was in the hot seat, trying to explain his previous assurances that Iraq would soon be paying for its own reconstruction. He also had to square Pentagon assertions that US commanders in Iraq believe they have sufficient troops with President Bush's call for an extra foreign division to share the burden.

The $87bn request, on top of the $79bn allocated by Congress last spring, was "a bitter pill for the American people to swallow", said the Michigan Senator Carl Levin, the top-ranking Democrat on the panel. John McCain, the Arizona Republican and supporter of the war, said the Pentagon "clearly underestimated" the extent of the difficulties.

Forced to return to the United Nations, the Bush administration has submitted a new draft Security Council resolution enlarging the role of the UN in post-war Iraq, which it hopes will persuade others, especially Islamic countries such as Turkey and Pakistan, to send forces. This weekend the Secretary of State Colin Powell travels to Geneva to meet the foreign ministers of Britain, France, Russia and China, the four other veto-wielding members of the Council, in an attempt to reach a deal before Mr Bush addresses the General Assembly on 23 September. But, under insistent and sceptical questioning from Mr McCain, Marc Grossman, under-secretary for political affairs at the State Department conceded he had "no idea" when forces for this international division would be going to Iraq. However unhappily, Democrats are likely to join Republicans in approving the $87bn package when it comes up for a vote, probably early next month.But further intense questioning is certain.

But Mr Wolfowitz insisted the spending was essential, to train Iraqi and international troops, and to give US forces what they required to win the war. He claimed that 55,000 Iraqi soldiers were fighting alongside the Allied forces. General Myers added that by 2005, that number would grow to 184,000.

[prairiebreeze]

They make it sound like being honest and not committing to a specific timeframe is wrong. Why in the world would the administration lock themselves into a schedule that may or may not be achievable? Ridiculous UK piece. Again.

Prairie

[AdamSelene235]

If Germany is any guide, I'm guessing around 2061.

[Crossbow Eel]

Clinton pronised we'd be out of Bosina within one year - eight years ago !

[SwinneySwitch]

S. Korea?

[ntnychik]

Let's just announce the date and time of withdrawal from Iraq so the enemy can mass at the border on time with no guesswork. Sheesh.

[AdamSelene235]

Call me an optimist.

[Old Sarge]

Gee, Limey, don't we still have a few airbases we use, from when we were defending your lil' red asses after The Blitz?

[Jorge]

What are these people? 12 years old?

As if we could set a date when US troops will be out of Iraq.
We still have troops in Germany, Japan and Korea.

[Caipirabob]

US Has No Idea When Troops Will Pull Out Of Iraq

When the word "Muslim" makes you feel "warm and fuzzy" and inspires thoughts of teddy-bears, candy-canes and gumdrops.

[Sir Charles]

It seems appropriate to me that the administration is required to adequately defend the position we now find ourselves in, but that in no way lessens the absolute necessity for continuing this war against terrorism in as effective and decisive manner as possible. It seems obvious that mistakes were made and are continuing to be made because of the very nature of this conflict and the lack of prior experience in anything similar. Much rebuilding in our own military command and intelligence structures is required, and it's a learn as you go situation. It also by its very nature must be a once in a lifetime, several lifetimes, endeavor with no let up until total destruction of terrorism as a means of world conflict. It's frustrating that so few other nations, assuming they are not willing and deceitful conspirators in the terrorist's camp, can't see this.

The shortest and longest journeys still have to begin with the first step. If Bush and his team had listened to all the reasons for caution and holding back, some of it probably sound and very reasonable, we would never have taken the first step, and there is nothing I have heard mentioned that would have significantly reduced the cost, in lives and currency, required to achieve the objective which now would seem to be within reach, albeit a long and expensive reach.

I shudder to think what it would be like if anyone other than President Bush were at the helm right now. I hope these men bearing the brunt of criticism will hold up under the pounding, admitting mistakes and maintaining the resolve to continue to do the right thing. Our most sensitive vulnerability would still seem to be the enemy within.

[prairiebreeze]

The media helped that small fact about Clinturd to be conveniently forgotten. They'd be all over Bush if he created the same situation.

Prairie

[Bombard]

Japan????