21,500

[unhappycamper]

That's what the pResident wants to 'surge.' What's missing from that statement is Dubya wants to surge 21,500 combat troops.

Hate to tell ya this folks, but we're talking 40,000 ~ 48,000 more troops in Iraq.

[itsmesgd]

1. it's the tooth to tail ratio

Every combat soldier needs 2-3 support troops.

[unhappycamper]

2. Ding. Ding. Ding.

Welcome home, Brother.

[maggiegault]

3. Yes, Indeedy...

...and guess how that will be accomplished?

Is it just me, or did it just get a bit drafty in here?

[itsmesgd]

7. skills-drafty in here

[itsmesgd]

6. thanks

not a soldier however. I did have other associations with the DoD.

[TahitiNut]

8. Well, the conventional ratio is higher than that, actually.

They're "fudging" it in Iraq partly because it's a hostile OCCUPATION, not a war. The majority of KIAs and WIAs in Iraq are troops in 'support' roles, particularly supply and logistics.

As any Drill Instructor would tell us back in the days of Viet Nam: "You're infantry before you're anything else! Pick up that rifle, Mister!!"

[unhappycamper]

9. I think I've said this before, but in case I haven't: Welcome home, Brother.

Ahhhhh. The old occupation trick, eh?

Please refresh my memory : who/which country was the last to win an occupation?

[TahitiNut]

10. Thank you! To my knowledge, nobody has ever 'won' an occupation.

It's the epitome of "lose-lose" in geopolitics. Some would jump up and give the post-WW2 occupation of Germany and Japan. I can only point out that both Germany and Japan are still the 'hosts' of many thousands of foreign military - ours - at enormous cost to us, and the world.

[unhappycamper]

11. I used up all my triple 'Ding's in post numbah two.

Ding.

Let's face it - we have over 700 permanent military bases around the world. You know it, and I know it: the military-industrial complex that Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about has been here for the last ___ years.

[madokie]

4. thats what hes been say, combat

I never thought of the support personel too. even in telling us a lie he lies

[Broken_Hero]

5. Very good point

That was my first thought, when W mentioned his surge plan....