NYT/AP: Number of U.S. Troops in Iraq Climbs

[DeepModem Mom]

Number of U.S. Troops in Iraq Climbs
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: August 23, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The number of U.S. troops in Iraq has climbed back to 138,000, driven up in part by the need to control the escalating violence in Baghdad and the decision to delay the departure of an Alaska-based Army brigade.

The increase comes as the U.S. Marine Corps is preparing to order thousands of its troops to active duty in the first involuntary recall since the early days of the war.

No more than 2,500 Marines will be recalled at any one time, but there is no cap on the total number who may be forced back into service in the coming years as the military helps fight the war on terror. The call-ups will begin in the next few months, and most of the Marines are expected to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Troop levels in Iraq had been declining, from about 138,000 for much of last year to a low of about 127,000 earlier this summer, amid growing calls from Congress and the public for a phased withdrawal. Part of the latest increase is due to the overlap of units that are currently moving in and out of Iraq. But much of it comes from the decision late last month to delay the departure of the 172nd Stryker Brigade for four months. The brigade had served its one-year deployment and was beginning to head home to Alaska, but was instead ordered into Baghdad....

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''Since this is going to be a long war,'' said (Marine Col. Guy A.) Stratton, ''we thought it was judicious and prudent at this time to be able to use a relatively small portion of those Marines to help us augment our units.'' Some of the military needs, he said, include engineers, intelligence, military police and communications....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Marines-Call-Up.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[bluestateguy]

1. Where's that pre-election troop withdrawl everybody speculated about?

I told you it would not materialize.

[LynnTheDem]

2. "involuntary recall" ... "forced back into service"

Gee, sure glad America is free! :sarcasm:

"forced back into service"

[Felix Mala]

3. Unlike LBJ, Bush too big a WUSS to stand before the 'Mercan people

and tell them what he is doing.

[Supersedeas]

4. Mission Accomplished???