Friday, July 28, 2006
Military RhetIraq: More US Troops to Iraq
Source: Stars and Stripes
Quotes: From article titled, "25,000 stateside troops tapped for Iraq deployment"
Despite hopes for a drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq this year, the number of U.S. troops in country is going up amid rising sectarian violence in Baghdad.
As part of the next rotation to Iraq, 25,000 stateside troops have been tapped to deploy, and 3,500 members of an Army brigade that has been in Iraq for about a year were told their stays have been extended by up to 120 days, according to the Defense Department.
With the extension, the number of brigades in Iraq has increased from 15 to 16, bringing the number of U.S. troops in that country from about 127,000 to about 132,000, officials said.
Ultimately, the number of U.S. troops in Iraq is expected to be between 130,000 and 135,000, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman on Friday.
The announcement on the next rotation comes amid plans to bolster security in Baghdad.
“The facts are that you have a security challenge that has emerged in Baghdad that Gen. [George] Casey along with Iraqi government has said that we need to address, and what you’re seeing is a flexible and adaptable force based on those changing, dynamic conditions that are now being addressed by the application of additional Iraqi and U.S. forces,” Whitman told reporters on Friday.
Quotes: From article titled, "25,000 stateside troops tapped for Iraq deployment"
Despite hopes for a drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq this year, the number of U.S. troops in country is going up amid rising sectarian violence in Baghdad.
As part of the next rotation to Iraq, 25,000 stateside troops have been tapped to deploy, and 3,500 members of an Army brigade that has been in Iraq for about a year were told their stays have been extended by up to 120 days, according to the Defense Department.
With the extension, the number of brigades in Iraq has increased from 15 to 16, bringing the number of U.S. troops in that country from about 127,000 to about 132,000, officials said.
Ultimately, the number of U.S. troops in Iraq is expected to be between 130,000 and 135,000, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman on Friday.
The announcement on the next rotation comes amid plans to bolster security in Baghdad.
“The facts are that you have a security challenge that has emerged in Baghdad that Gen. [George] Casey along with Iraqi government has said that we need to address, and what you’re seeing is a flexible and adaptable force based on those changing, dynamic conditions that are now being addressed by the application of additional Iraqi and U.S. forces,” Whitman told reporters on Friday.
