WP: Army Plans To Keep Iraq Troop Level Through '06

[kskiska]

Year-Long Active-Duty Stints Likely to Continue

Tuesday, January 25, 2005; Page A01

The U.S. Army expects to keep its troop strength in Iraq at the current level of about 120,000 for at least two more years, according to the Army's top operations officer.

While allowing for the possibility that the levels could decrease or increase depending on security conditions and other factors, Lt. Gen. James J. Lovelace Jr. told reporters yesterday that the assumption of little change through 2006 represents "the most probable case."

Recent disclosures that the Pentagon plans to beef up training of Iraqi security forces and press them into action more quickly has fueled speculation that the Bush administration could be preparing to reduce the number of U.S. troops significantly this year. As more Iraqi troops join the fight, the thinking goes, U.S. troops could begin to withdraw.

But Lovelace's remarks indicated that the Army is not yet counting on any such reduction. Indeed, the general said, the Army expects to continue rotating active-duty units in and out of Iraq in year-long deployments and is looking for ways to dip even deeper into reserve forces -- even as leaders of the reserves have warned that the Pentagon could be running out of such units.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33540-2005Jan24.html

[bluestateguy]

1. OK I guess I was wrong

This all proves that I was mistaken.

The war with Iran will be in 2007 then, not 2006.

[NMDemDist2]

2. not at all, as soon as the draft starts, they can send the raw recruits

over to Iraq and have the battle trained troops ready to go.. Iran in March 06

[Divine Discontent]

3. I GUESS

many have given up on complaining about Iraq, because I'm surprised this story has so few comments.

This is sickening, and has the BIGGEST impact of any story on DU right now, even the search & seizure one. Thousands will die from this action continuing in such a large scale for 24+ months, and the costs are going to be GIGANTIC & frankly, will make our country go into default... OH WAIT .....

[shadowknows69]

4. it's time to hit the streets

we need to wake up the rest of the country. despite what they say I doubt they have any intention of getting our troops out in 2007 either. we need a million people in the streets of DC on march 19 and demand that shrub and rummy answer our questions about withdrawal. I'm willing to help organize a bus charter or even just a carpool from upstate NY if anyone is interested. I have video gear too so it would be a documented for any networks that would want some freelance footage as well.

[shadowknows69]

5. kick this topic n/t

[Redstone]

6. So when do you guess North Korea will

grab the opportunity to invade South Korea?

It's not like we'd be able to do anything about it, short of nuking them. And they'll nuke Japan if we do.

Way to make the world a safer place, bushboy.

Redstone