U.S. To Send More Troops To Iraq

[Bronco_Beerslug]

But not until after the election of course.

-----------------------------------------------
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon (news - web sites) is considering increasing the U.S. force in Iraq (news - web sites) for the January elections by delaying the departure of some troops and speeding the arrival of others, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.
News of discussions over increasing the troop strength emerged a week before the U.S. presidential election, with President Bush (news - web sites) under pressure from his Democratic challenger over the financial and human cost of the Iraq war.

No final decisions have been made on whether or how to increase the U.S. contingent from the current 138,000 to guard against violence intended to derail Iraq's parliamentary elections, defense officials said.
Possibilities include delaying the upcoming departure of the Army's 1st Infantry Division or 1st Cavalry Division from Iraq, and accelerating the deployment of elements of the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart in Georgia, perhaps a 5,000-strong brigade, officials said.

The Pentagon also could deploy soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. It sent 1,100 82nd Airborne soldiers to Afghanistan (news - web sites) in September to boost security for the presidential election there. Polling took place in Afghanistan on Oct. 9 with little violence.
Gen. John Abizaid, who as head of Central Command is the top U.S. commander in the region, has said more troops will be needed to safeguard the election but that would be achieved primarily through more U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces.

The Pentagon has acknowledged broad problems in training and equipping Iraqi security forces, but Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said this month roughly 50,000 more would be on the job before the elections.

The officials said it was not decided what number of U.S. troops would be on the ground for the elections.
But they noted the Pentagon raised the U.S. presence in Iraq by about 20,000 troops this spring by delaying the scheduled departure of some troops by three months and hastening the arrival of others.

ANNOUNCEMENT DELAYED

"I think they're definitely going to extend some guys," said an Army official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official added he did not expect any announcement until sometime after the U.S. election.

"The bottom line is: will soldiers be disappointed? The answer is yes. When asked to do the mission, will they do it? The answer is yes," the Army official added.
Bush's Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), noting pressures on the existing all-volunteer U.S. forces by the hostilities in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, has even suggested that Bush could be forced to seek a draft if troop shortages grow. Bush has denied he would impose a draft.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...=564&ncid=1480

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Public Opinion Poll Indicates Iraqis Favor Kerry over Bush in U.S. Presidential Race. What Happened to the Flowers for "Liberator" Bush. 10/28

http://www.voanews.com/english/2004-10-26-voa50.cfm

[Crushaholic]

The Iraqi elections are in January. There's no reason to send them now. I don't see how you can read into this that Bush is afraid to deploy more troops before the U.S election...

[patteeu]

If this is true, I assume you will applaud this move since you've been complaining about a lack of troops. Right, Beerslug?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by patteeu

If this is true, I assume you will applaud this move since you've been complaining about a lack of troops. Right, Beerslug?

What about lame duck bush's failure to get allies to commit troops and to help shoulder the responsibilities and costs of his nation building enterprise?

[mosca]

no matter who president was, they weren't going to get support for this invasion from some of the international community. too much misguided anti-americanism going on.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by mosca

no matter who president was, they weren't going to get support for this invasion from some of the international community. too much misguided anti-americanism going on.

The lack of support wasn't due to "misguided anti-Americanism."

On the contrary, after 9/11, support and sympathy for America from the international community was at an all-time high.

There was no support for the invasion because anyone with two brain cells to rub together could see it was a sham and a grievous mistake.

[watermock]

First, we are suposed to accept someone who has a glowing Heroin addict.

Second, he isn't willing to look at facts. If you think "support and sympathy" was at an all time high you on major drugs. There was not a single thing done in the international community.

Name one thing! Gee we are sorry was as far as it got. The international community didn't do a god damn thing. Name one thing! Just one.

You can't one god damn thing that our "allies" did.

I'm calling you out dipshiat. What have they done?

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Originally Posted by patteeu

If this is true, I assume you will applaud this move since you've been complaining about a lack of troops. Right, Beerslug?

No! He won't send the needed amount of troops there. He also is adding troops by extending stays once again and speeding up the departure of others who may not be getting all the training needed.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

The lack of support wasn't due to "misguided anti-Americanism."

On the contrary, after 9/11, support and sympathy for America from the international community was at an all-time high.

There was no support for the invasion because anyone with two brain cells to rub together could see it was a sham and a grievous mistake.

Please. It had nothing to do with the international community having better judgement and recognizing it as a mistake. It had to do with money and relationships that those countries didn't want interrupted and uncovered, IMO. As James Carville once said, "It's the economy, stupid."

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Bronco_Beerslug

No! He won't send the needed amount of troops there. He also is adding troops by extending stays once again and speeding up the departure of others who may not be getting all the training needed.

Somehow, I knew you wouldn't applaud.

Off-topic: is that you in your avatar picture?

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Originally Posted by patteeu

Somehow, I knew you wouldn't applaud.

Off-topic: is that you in your avatar picture?

If you have been following my Iraq contentions you know I have been calling to either get out of Iraq or get the needed troops there to provide security.
To police that country we need at least another 100,000 troops there. Bush's plan will have us fighting insurgents through infinity.

Yep, that's me. Is that you in your avatar?

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Bronco_Beerslug

If you have been following my Iraq contentions you know I have been calling to either get out of Iraq or get the needed troops there to provide security.
To police that country we need at least another 100,000 troops there. Bush's plan will have us fighting insurgents through infinity.

I follow your Iraq contentions religiously.

Where do you get the 100,000 number? Is that what Shinseki says?

Originally Posted by Bronco_Beerslug

Yep, that's me. Is that you in your avatar?

, no that's not me. I've been thinking of changing it, but I can't decide. I was just curious. Nice boat.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Originally Posted by patteeu

I follow your Iraq contentions religiously.

Where do you get the 100,000 number? Is that what Shinseki says?



, no that's not me. I've been thinking of changing it, but I can't decide. I was just curious. Nice boat.

His and a lot of other people. The problem with training Iraqis to police themselves is there is a large number of insurgents among them. Also, with all the religious factions there, Many new Iraqi "police" will bend to the whims of these people.

Thx, hope to get out tomorrow if the wind dies down a little to get some Red Snapper before the season closes on the 1st.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Bronco_Beerslug

His and a lot of other people. The problem with training Iraqis to police themselves is there is a large number of insurgents among them. Also, with all the religious factions there, Many new Iraqi "police" will bend to the whims of these people.

Well, since I don't see us deploying another 100,000 troops to Iraq, I hope we can find a way to field a reliable Iraqi force to fill the gap. I agree with you that there are some sticky problems, but we have to make the transition to Iraqi's policing themselves sooner or later so hopefully it will work out.

Originally Posted by Bronco_Beerslug

Thx, hope to get out tomorrow if the wind dies down a little to get some Red Snapper before the season closes on the 1st.

I just figured out that you are near Port Aransus. My wife and I used to vacation there when we lived in Austin. It's a nice area. Good luck with your fishing tomorrow.