Amid Talk of Withdrawal, Pentagon Is Taking Steps For Longer Stay in Iraq

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - As the Bush administration drops hints about withdrawing troops from Iraq as early as this year, the Pentagon is building a permanent military communications system that suggests American soldiers will be in Iraq for the foreseeable future.

The new network, known as Central Iraq Microwave System, will eventually consist of up to 12 communications towers throughout Iraq and fiber-optic cables connecting Camp Victory, located outside of Baghdad, to other coalition bases in the country, according to three sources familiar with the project. The land-based system will replace the tactical communications network the Army and Marines have been using in Iraq. That network relied primarily on satellites and is much easier to dismantle. The contract for the new communications system covering central Iraq, won by Galaxy Scientific Corporation, is worth about $10 million.

The New York Sun learned of the investment in the communications system at a time when Washington is abuzz with speculation that the president may this year bring home many of the 150,000 American soldiers serving in Iraq. Earlier this week on National Public Radio, Secretary of State Powell said that as Iraqi security services assume more responsibility in fighting insurgents, he would expect the number of American soldiers on the ground there to decline. "With the assumption of that greater burden, the burden on our troops should go down, and we should start to see our numbers going in the other direction," he said.
...
A senior defense policy expert for the American Enterprise Institute, Thomas Donnelly, told the Sun that the kind of investment in the communications system is similar to the systems established during the Cold War in West Germany and more recently in the Balkans, two locations where American soldiers are still serving today. "This is the kind of investment that is reflective of the strategic commitment and intention to continue a military presence in Iraq," Mr. Donnelly said. "This is one of the indicators of an intention to stay, these kinds of communications networks."

http://www.nysun.com/article/7680

[leQ]

1. one thing that i have learned these last four years...

is to expect the exact opposite of whatever the administration says.

[MidwestTransplant]

4. I just expect the opposite of what they expect

because they are ALWASY wrong.

[rodeodance]

13. yes, drop hints one way-while do things the exact opposite

[Just Me]

28. AEI is soooooo,....neo-fascist, pro-corporatist, ANTI-JUSTICE.

They so HATE the concept of economic and social justice that they just can't seem to blend any "minority" voices in their elitist group.

They are very sick narcissistic power freaks.

They really are the epitome of sociopaths,...only, they're better at being sociopathic.

[Just Me]

24. YUP! They LIED about intentions to establish permanent military presence

in the Middle East.

They continue to perpetrate a FRAUD against the American people and the world.

They are the epitome of treasonous leaders!!!!

They are an outrage to Americans, the U.S.A., liberty, justice, democracy and human integrity!!!

They are scum,...a disease.

I do loathe them and want to fight them as I would fight against any disease that threatens humanity.

[whistle]

2. Funny how that works, 14 permanent military bases in an area...

...the size of Texas.

[NYC]

6. This brings to mind a question.

How many military bases are there in Texas?

[punpirate]

10. As far as I know...

Brooks City AFB - San Antonio
Dyess AFB - Abilene
Fort Bliss - El Paso
Fort Hood - Killeen
Fort Sam Houston - South Houston
Goodfellow AFB - San Angelo
Kelly AFB - San Antonio
Lackland AFB - San Antonio
Laughlin AFB - Del Rio
NAS Corpus Christi
NAS Kingsville
NS Ingleside
Randolph AFB - San Antonio
Sheppard AFB - Wichita Falls

What's left of Ellington AFB may still house some Texas ANG, not sure.

Brooks City, Kelly and Goodfellow are mostly AF research and administration. Ft. Sam Houston used to be the point where all Army enlisted medics were trained, not sure if it's still doing that. NASCC and NASK are Navy flight training, primarily.

Makes, about, um, fourteen. :)

Cheers.

[TahitiNut]

14. Fort Sam Houston is inside San Antonio (near north side) not South Houston

AFAIK, it's still the primary training base for medics. Brooks Army Hospital (on the grounds of Fort Sam) is the primary burn center.

[punpirate]

22. I stand corrected. Cheers. n/t

[whistle]

21. There are no coincidences....

...How many military bases are in the U.S. (including Hawaii and Alaska)? How about around the rest of the world? How many military installations did the Roman Empire have at the peak of its power?

[Just Me]

25. Power-mongers don't want you around.

Hush, now. Go back to sleep and STOP THINKING,...you silly human.

[NYC]

23. So there will be just as many bases in Iraq as there are in Texas.

Thanks.

[DELUSIONAL]

3. When I was in the 5th grade I learned that the military ALWAYS lies

And I am way older now -- and things have not changed -- the military always lies -- and politicians always lie.

So who do we believe? Their actions.

My guess is that as long as Iraq has oil -- there will be no military departure from Iraq.

The corporations are paying the bushies tons of money to secure the oil fields. It doesn't matter how much securing the fields will cost American taxpayers and American families the corporations WILL keep the oil.

[no_to_war_economy]

5. what the roman empire website would look like

! look at all those locations in Iraq !

http://www.aafes.com/downrange/home.htm

[cliss]

7. Let's see if I've got this straight...

They're building permanent bases in Iraq. They're going to build the world's biggest embassy in Baghdad, the American Embassy with 3,000 employees.

In the meantime, they've been forced to increase the number of troops from 135,000 to 150,000. The insurgents have created so much havoc that the US can't even control them with increased troops.

Also keep in mind that the Taxi Meter is ticking....ticking....to the tune of $4.9 billion per month....if that's really what it is. It could be more.

In the meantime, they build up peoples' hopes by going around telling lies like this. When will people understand that they're just playing with them?

They will NEVER be able to pull it off. NEVER. I think Stan Goff got it right when he wrote, "The beast bleeds, and they know it".

[rodeodance]

15. but but-Bush said just yesterdday--"Yes, it was worth it"......

[leftchick]

16. That is the absurdity of it all!

Hello! Anyone remember a mess hall in Mosul/ The Green Zone? The US Military can't even protect their soldiers from sabotage how in the hell are they going to protect all of these new targets? It is a disgraceful disgusting waste of lives and treasure. I wish people would wake the fuck up! Conservative indeed! :puke:

[saigon68]

17. Killing Time and a "SHIT LOAD OF RAG-HEADS"

Before the return of JAYZEUS to the world. The Chimpanzee and Little Johnny Asscrack can't wait !!!!!!

[pinniped]

8. Why are they building bases when the Iraqi people can supposedly...

ask them to leave anytime? Weren't the assclowns touting that line a few months ago?

They must be so000000000000000ooooooooooooo sure the Iraqi people won't ask them to leave.

More BS double-talk from the assholes.

Never believe a word these assclowns say. They are always talking out of their ass.

[saigon68]

18. Allawi the CIA Puppet has already WON the "SELECTION"

The Amerikan sheep haven't realized it yet.

[daleo]

9. Meanwhile the U.S. debt deepens and the dollar falls

As Bush invests more hundreds of billions in the quagmire, and calls up 40 to 60 year old reservists to fight. Ever hear of imperial overstretch?

[ausiedownunderground]

11. Suckers!

[Redstone]

12. Planned obsolescence in action!

"up to 12 communications towers throughout Iraq and fiber-optic cables connecting Camp Victory"

Let's see, how much C4 does it take to knock down a microwave relay tower. Half a pound? Or one RPG. Or some Primacord. Or a cutting torch and twenty minutes.

Fiber-optic cables are routinely cut by accident in this country by people using that sophisticated weapor of terror and mass destruction, the backhoe.

Sounds like a job-security program to me, because they'll be replacing this stuff every month or so.


Redstone

[Mika]

20. My thoughts exactly

Good luck keeping those towers standing.

[yorkiemommie1]

19. it will be 'FINE"

with the Red voters. They can wrap their minds around any bs * feeds them.

[Solly Mack]

26. Psst.....come closer . It's a permanent rotation

"They" won't tell you that but I will.

[number6]

27. Iraq; a big rock around the neck of USA

:( :( :(

[Hissyspit]

29. Neo-Cons Have No Intention of NOT Having A Permanent Military Presence

Pardon the double-negative.

This was part of the whole neo-con concept. Maybe someone else can post the details. I have them around the house here somewhere, but I have tons of crap from around the last 4 years or so around the house... It's impossible to keep up with these people in Washington and stay organized.

[catzies]

31. Welcome to DU, Hissyspit!

:hi:

Yeah, is is hard to keep up with those crooks. We knew all about this years ago from the good people at PNAC; www.newamericancentury.org is well-known here at DU. ;) Glad you found us!

[Darranar]

30. Wow, what a surprise!

:eyes: