More U.S. Troops Seen In Iraq By Summer

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-iraq-usa-troops.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will probably have more troops in Iraq this summer than it did before pouring in forces last year -- even after a planned drawdown, a U.S. general said on Friday.

There were some 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq before President George W. Bush ordered a surge of about 30,000 more to curb rampant violence that threatened to plunge the country into all-out civil war.



"It's likely that... the (total) number will be a little bit larger than the 132,000 or so that was the number of personnel on the ground pre-surge," said Army Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, director of operations on the Pentagon's Joint Staff.

Sattler said he could not be more precise yet as commanders had still to complete their plans, but a Pentagon source said the number could be as high as 140,000.



WHERE exactly are they getting these troops from? Where's the break for these guys?

[Timmy5835]

1. Sorry, No Break

You will see no break in this until after Bush is gone and a Democrat installed.

[Donnachaidh]

2. I don't see either of the candidates giving them a break either.

we'll get lots of parsing of *troops for protection* versus *battle troops*. But these guys will remain pawns for the time being.

[leftchick]

3. "combat troops" withdrawn

that leaves about 75,000 or so "support troops" in Iraq and surrounding permanent US bases to, as they say: "Protect our vital national security interests in the Mideast". aka: our OIL. :puke: