U.S. Troops Could Be in Iraq in 4 Years (General Franks)

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=544&ncid=716&e=3&u=/ap/20030710/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_iraq

WASHINGTON - American troops may still be in Iraq four years from now, Gen. Tommy Franks told Congress on Thursday.

The wartime commander told the House Armed Services Committee: "I anticipate we'll be involved in Iraq in the future. Whether that means two years or four years, I don't know."

There are nearly 150,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, some of them under fire from anti-U.S. forces. "We need to not develop an expectation that all of these difficulties will go away in one month or two months or three months," Franks testified.

The general said the troop strength would be held at the current level at least through the end of the year.

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[WhataBildeberger]

1. whatever happened to

"weeks, not months?"

[saigon68]

6. NOT if we win in 2004

Out of there in the time it takes the UN to take over

[lcordero]

2. try 20 to 40 years...

EOM

[indepat]

3. Or as long or longer as US forces have been on the Korean

peninsula?

[lcordero]

12. In that case, try as long as US Forces have been in Germany

EOM

[cjbuchanan]

4. And the cost has doubled

Take a look:
http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=43E30E56-60E8-438F-ABC107302FB98B0E

Under pressure from Democratic senators, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has doubled his estimate of the cost of military operations in Iraq. Responding to questions from Democratic Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Mr. Rumsfeld phoned Pentagon financial officials and reported back to the committee that cost estimates have now reached $3.9 billion a month. This figure, which is for military operations only and does not include reconstruction costs, is almost double the $2 billion a month estimate issued by the Bush administration in April.

Costing more lives
Costing more money
Do you feel safe yet?

[indepat]

17. No but there's still work to be done

elsewhere.

[sandlapper]

5. How long were Occupation Forces in Germany and Japan?

Both of those nations had some history of Constitutional governance and were essentially orderly societies anyway. We were still there for 5 or 6 years as purely Occupiers. Iraq has no Constitutional or Democratic government history and they are hobbled by a religion of feudalism. I don't see the US out of there for at least 5 and more probably 10 years.

[Braden]

7. did anyone else notice this?

"under fire from anti-U.S. forces."

can we not admit they are Iraqi forces? Or would AP be admitting that there is an organized element to Iraq these days?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. a gorier picture would help that message

really.

[ozymandius]

9. Do you have a 14-year old son or daughter?

Start educating them now on what evil awaits them if they go near a recruiting station.

[bluestateguy]

10. Oh now were up to 4 years

All the more reason why the Democratic nominess should call for a pullout within 72 hours of Inauguration Day.

[underpants]

11. Anyone vets here remember 2 on 4 off guard duty?

10 divisions
8 deployed
4 in Iraq
2 in reserve (what kind of troops is a whole other matter)

Without considering people leaving the service (if they can).

Yep sounds like 2 on 4 guard duty to me.

[lcordero]

13. I'm hoping that I don't come up on "stoploss" in March 2004

I might reenlist though considering that my Guard unit is a brass-heavy rear supply unit.

[jpak]

14. At one death per day and $3.9 billion a month

That comes to 1440 dead and $187 billion over 4 years.

Militarily insignificant casualities.

Economically insignificant contribution to national debt.

Yup - it's worth it.

[Imalittleteapot]

15. 4 = 10 at least. n/t

[Solly Mack]

16. They will be there forever...as a permanent duty station

just like Kuwait..6 month duty rotations..we are already building bases over there for this eventuality.