Combat brigades in Iraq under different name

[unhappycamper]

Combat brigades in Iraq under different name
By Kate Brannen - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Aug 19, 2010 17:20:29 EDT

As the final convoy of the Army’s 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., entered Kuwait earlier today, a different Stryker brigade remained in Iraq.

Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division are deployed in Iraq as members of an Advise and Assist Brigade, the Army’s designation for brigades selected to conduct security force assistance.

So while the “last full U.S. combat brigade” left Iraq today, just under 50,000 soldiers from specially trained heavy, infantry and Stryker brigades will stay, as well as two combat aviation brigades.

Compared with the 49,000 soldiers in Iraq, there are close to 67,000 in Afghanistan and another 9,700 in Kuwait, according to the latest Army chart on global commitments dated Aug. 17. Under an agreement with the Iraqi government, all U.S. troops must be out of Iraq by Dec. 31, 2011.

There are seven Advise and Assist Brigades in Iraq, as well as two additional National Guard infantry brigades “for security,” said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Craig Ratcliff.

[Selatius]

1. I wouldn't consider our chapter in Iraq over until all those troops are home. nt

[nightrain]

2. and how about all the "contractors"/mercenaries too?....

[old mark]

3. Hell, we still have troops in Korea...I would not be surprised if we had

"advisors" in Iraq for decades...or in Afghanistan, either...


mark

[Kaleva]

4. And we still have troops in Germany and Japan.

[Selatius]

5. Nah. Like the Soviet Union before us, we will reach bankruptcy and have to pull up the garrisons.

When the Soviet Union formally dissolved, the largest peace-time movement of Russian troops and equipment began...back to Russia. They could no longer afford such a huge footprint. Likewise, we will come to that point eventually, if anything for bleeding ourselves dry trying to impose our own form of control over people who have nothing to do with us or want anything to do with us.