US may increase Iraq force by delaying departures (3-4k troops)

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N26228643.htm

US may increase Iraq force by delaying departures

WASHINGTON, July 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. military, faced with unrelenting violence in Baghdad, may boost its force in Iraq by delaying the scheduled departure of some troops involved in routine rotations, officials said on Wednesday.

As has been done periodically during the 3-year-old war, the military would temporarily increase the size of the U.S. force by extending the overlap between newly arriving units and those leaving.

One defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity because no decisions have been announced, said the idea would be to create "a momentary overlap of at least a brigade" -- meaning roughly 3,500 troops. Another official said the increase might be "from the low 3,000s to the high 4,000s."

This was the latest indication that any significant cut in the U.S. force of about 130,000 in Iraq may be unlikely in the immediate future.

[Roland99]

1. So much for stopping the Stop Loss

Liars.

[partylessinOhio]

2. These troops want to come home when their time is up. Hope they revolt.

[MidwestTransplant]

3. Uh oh, only 3 months until the elections. Better hurry.

[Tanuki]

4. That has to be

terrible for morale. I would imagine that many soldiers are just getting through their time, counting the days till they can be home again. It would be different if this were a true crisis or emergency and everyone else in the country was making sacrifices.

[wakeme2008]

5. They call it Tour 365 for a good reason

during Nam... :grr:

OK if you came down with a social disease right before you were do home they would extend you... Ah the old PCOD. (as I remember :) )

[rodeodance]

6. sad for the families

[bluestateguy]

7. I'm telling you, the pre-election drawdown isn't going to materialize

Wasn't the CW last year and early this year that Team Baby Bush would triumphantly bring home a large number of troops and declare victory in Iraq before the fall elections? It's looking more and more like that will not happen.

[Moderator]

8. kick

[uppityperson]

9. US may increase Iraq force by delaying departures (more stop loss)

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-07-26T222108Z_01_N26228643_RTRUKOC_0_US-IRAQ-USA-TROOPS.xml

The U.S. military, faced with unrelenting violence in Baghdad, is expected to delay the departure of about 4,000 troops due to leave Iraq in the coming days in order to boost the size of the U.S. force, officials said on Wednesday.

In a sign that any significant cut in the 130,000-strong U.S. force in Iraq is unlikely soon, officials also said there are no plans to drop below the current level of 15 combat brigades this fall, as had previously been discussed.

The military, as it has been done periodically during the 3-year-old war, would temporarily increase the size of the U.S. force by extending the overlap between newly arriving units and those leaving....(more@link)
those utter bastards.

[Monkeyman]

10. Nam it was held in for the good of the service

[democrank]

11. Increase the Iraq force?

Simple. Use Stop Loss, plus quietly send more troops over there like the 80 that just left Vermont for an eighteen-month stay!

[Monkeyman]

12. I wonder how many of these troops have PTSD

[MadMaddie]

13. Too many to count...(and many are being ignored)

once again the Admin will cover up the true horrors....How many homeless soldiars are there?

[guruoo]

16. 23 yr old ex-Marine I work with says he was stopped twice from leaving...

First time, his unit was on an aircraft taxiing down the runway to leave Iraq,
when they were called back and told they had to stay an additional six months.
Second time they were stop-lossed their flight was turned around after it
was already in the air, on the way back home.

[Tellurian]

14. The Troops pay with their lives for WH policy..n/t

[Amonester]

15. & THEIR PNAC CRACKPOTS - eom

Sorry for the caps lock. There are no 'h1' tags for replies subject lines when we're mad.

[shadowknows69]

17. I just heard this tonight

A soldier told me a whole Cavalry division? Not sure of the size but, they were scheduled to be rotated back this week and got delayed. Same solider told me that essentially we need to RE-take Bagdhad because we don't have control of much of it.

[Tellurian]

19. Well yeah, we re-take, then fall back..

keeps the prison population busy moving a hole from one side of the yard to the other.
stalling rotation increases troop numbers and also the opportunity of thinning the herd
returning for VA benefits.

The whole thing is perverse.

When will our troops stand up and say: enough is enough?

[llmart]

18. Just another little gift from the Repugs..................

and the cowards in charge. They couldn't serve their country when they were eligible but they have no problem making these guys do mulitiple terms so that some rich little snot-nosed kid (like Neil Bush)can stay home and party.

Let them thank Bush/Cheney/Rummy et al for this.