U.S. expects 140,000 troops in Iraq after surge

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - The United States expects to have 140,000 troops in Iraq in July after withdrawing five combat brigades, leaving a force larger than before it began pouring in troops last year, the Pentagon said on Monday.

Army Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also told reporters that the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is expected to climb to an all-time high of 32,000 troops by late summer, from about 28,000 today, as thousands of Marines take up combat and training duties.

"These force posture levels are truly conditions based and driven by the mission requirements and the assessments of commanders on the ground," Ham said at a Pentagon briefing.

There were some 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq before President George W. Bush ordered a surge of about 30,000 more to curb rampant violence that threatened to plunge the country into all-out civil war.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25602446.htm

[blayne]

1. That is completely disgraceful.

Bush got just what he wanted by lying as usual, and he will get away with it as he has come to expect.

[postulater]

2. Three thousand nine hundred seventy-two

All to enrich the War Criminals.

[Javaman]

3. escalation by any other name is still escalation. nt

[ReformedChris]

4. Thats 140,000 Soliders Too Many nt

[bdamomma]

5. how many more must die for lies.

this is immoral :-(

We have 3,968 dead soldiers.


and I don't expect to hear anything like withdrawal from that stupid Betrayus either, just stretching it out, and who cares how many die for *'s lies.

[Ghost Dog]

6. You have many more than that, if properly counted.

And where are the figures for the seriously physically and mentally injured?

[grytpype]

7. Pentagon Releases Projections for Forces

Source: New York Times

The Pentagon is projecting that when the United States troop buildup in Iraq ends in July there will be about 8,000 more troops on the ground than when it began in January 2007, a senior general said Monday.»

Lt. Gen. Carter Ham, head of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that by July the troop total was likely to be 140,000. There were 132,000 troops there when President Bush approved orders to send five more Army brigades to Iraq to improve security and avert civil war.

...

Asked if the total would be below 132,000 by the time President Bush leaves office next January, General Ham said, “It would be premature to say that.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/washington/26troops.html?ex=1361768400&en=43baa2e20543aeb0&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

---

Hey... I thought the surge was supposed to enable the troops to come home!!! What happened? Were we mislead somehow? Damn!

[blayne]

8. I may be a noob, but this is a dupe.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3197253

[seriousstan]

9. You learn quick, low post count makes you suspect around here.

Good luck

[keopeli]

10. Good job, Blaine, and Welcome!

[humbled_opinion]

11. Do you play WOW too?

The Noob reference is a WOW icon.

[blayne]

12. No. Just Halo.

But I really don't even get a chance to play that anymore.

[humbled_opinion]

14. That too my kids are addicts to both Halo and WOW.... cya..

[Az_lefty]

13. guess the surge didn't change a damned thing!!!!

:grr: