Pentagon urged to divert troops from Balkans

[Lucille]

This seems to be about 2 things: (1)Punishing Europe for not supporting our little adventure in Iraq, and (2) Covering up to the American people the strain Iraq has placed on our defenses and interests throughout the world.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059479875652

Senior American military officers, particularly in the beleaguered US army, are pushing the Pentagon to withdraw all US peacekeepers from the Balkans to make resources and troops available for overstretched operations in Iraq.


Although the number of US forces in the two Nato operations in the former Yugoslavia is relatively small - 1,500 in Bosnia- Herzegovina, two-thirds of which are logistics personnel, and 2,000 in Kosovo - people who have briefed on the internal Pentagon debate said the army has insisted on the move, arguing, "every little bit helps".

"The DoD wants out," said one former top Pentagon official. "It's driven by the joint staff and the army."

Although the army has made similar arguments in the past, officers are making headway. According to a senior Bush administration official, the current debate began as part of a thorough review of all US commitments abroad, which has gained more urgency as it became clear more than 100,000 US troops would remain in Iraq indefinitely.

"The Balkans have always been essentially a European challenge more than an American one," the administration official said. "Much of Europe seems bound and determined to leave Iraq as primarily an American challenge. Perhaps, therefore, a more clear-cut division of labour is in order."

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