The media is playing games in reporting on the escalation of troops in Iraq

[ProSense]

Breaking news on ABC

Troop Surge Already Under Way

Reported last November:

57,000 U.S. troops headed for Iraq in early 2007

POSTED: 12:57 p.m. EST, November 17, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- About 57,000 U.S. troops will be sent to Iraq in early 2007 to maintain the current force levels there, Pentagon officials said Friday.

The Pentagon said the routine plan calls for 47,000 active-duty troops, plus 10,000 reserves, to rotate into Iraq early next year.

Troops depart for third Iraq tour

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press Writer Wed Jan 10, 3:24 PM ET

FORT STEWART, Ga. - Twice before, Sgt. Michael Konvicka has picked up a rifle to go to war. Doing it a third time won't be any easier.

"Every time I come back from Iraq, I tell my wife, `I'm done honey, stick a fork in me,'" said Konvicka, 36, of Flint, Mich. "I'm not really looking forward to it. But I've got 10 years in the Army, and I'm not about to throw that away."

Hours before President Bush was to announce his plan Wednesday to increase U.S. forces in Iraq, soldiers of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division said goodbye to their families as they deployed on their third tour.

The 19,000-troop 3rd Infantry, which helped lead the 2003 charge to Baghdad, is the first Army division to be tapped for a third deployment to the war. Barely a year has passed since its soldiers returned from their last yearlong rotation.

link

Lejeune combat team to head to Iraq

Jan 5, 2007 : 1:38 pm ET

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- A Camp Lejeune-based combat team with about 4,500 Marines and sailors will deploy to Iraq by the end of next week as a part of a scheduled troop rotation, officials said.

The Regimental Combat Team-6, led by the 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, will relieve forces in the Anbar province. They are geared to help train and support Iraq security units.

The combat team includes two other battalions from Camp Lejeune along with battalions from Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif. and Camp Pendleton, Calif.

The regiment previously had a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in 2004.

link

DoD link

There are troops that are part of the normal rotation, troops that are being deployed on their third tour. There are no new troops to sustain an escalation, yet the reports are giving the impression that Bush is already defying Congress.

Are they trying to bolster his tough-guy image?

[ProSense]

1. Soldier's Family Speaks Out Against Sending More Troops

Soldier's Family Speaks Out Against Sending More Troops

[bigdarryl]

2. you won't see them being interviewed on FOX CNN or MSNBC

talk about democracy.

[ProSense]

3. UK to cut 3,000 troops from Iraq by May-paper

* Published Date: 11 January 2007
* Location: Reuters Newsdesk

UK to cut 3,000 troops from Iraq by May-paper

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will cut troop levels in Iraq by almost 3,000 at the end of May, the Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday, citing a timetable for withdrawal the newspaper said it had seen.
Within the next two weeks, Prime Minister Tony Blair would announce the reduction to Britain's 7,200-strong force based in the south of the war-ravaged country, it said

The news came as U.S. President George W. Bush prepared to outline plans to send another 21,500 U.S. troops to Iraq.

A spokeswoman at Blair's office and a Ministry of Defence spokesman dismissed the Telegraph story as speculation.

"Our withdrawal from Iraq, we have always said it will be conditions based," the defence ministry spokesman said. "We would like to reduce our force levels as the Iraqis increase their ability to provide security for their own country."

The Telegraph, however, said it had seen a timetable for the withdrawal that would see the number of British troops fall to 4,500 by May 31.

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