U.S. general praises Mongolian troops for supporting Iraq coalition

[Judi Lynn]

U.S. general praises Mongolian troops for supporting Iraq coalition




By John J. Lumpkin
ASSOCIATED PRESS
8:20 a.m. January 13, 2004

ULAN BATOR, Mongolia – Gen. Richard Myers, America's top military official, inspected a line of Mongolia's soldiers Tuesday and thanked this central Asian nation for sending troops to support the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

"They are disciplined. They are tough. They are physically fit. They are highly motivated," Myers said as he reviewed troops expecting deployment to Iraq later this month. The first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to visit Mongolia, Myers also met with Mongolia's president and military chief of staff.

A contingent of 173 Mongolian soldiers began serving in Iraq last fall under a Polish-led multinational force. They are operating around Hillah, in the southern part of the country.

Although their area has been subject to mortar and grenade attacks, they have taken no casualties, said Maj. Gen. M. Bombatar, Mongolia's deputy chief of staff. At the end of the month, they will rotate home, and another company will be sent to replace them.
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http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/iraq/20040113-0820-us-mongolia-peacekeepers.html

[private_ryan]

1. 173 troops

trying to integrate and train them will probably take 200 US soldiers.

[yellowcanine]

2. 173 troops - whoa

Even if they were trained by Ghengis Khan himself I think it will take a few more than that to make much of a difference. Why bother? OTOH if they brought some of their horses with them maybe they could supply the U.S. troops with fermented mare's milk. Yummy!

[mobuto]

3. Long memories

The last time the Mongols were in Baghdad they destroyed Arab civilization. Iraq has never recovered. You think they'll remember?