Shaffer
12-15-03, 08:26 AM
While Camp Pendleton officials were mum and local Marine Corps commanders deferred to their superiors at the Pentagon, some military officials cautioned that the capture of Saddam Hussein on Saturday is not likely to change the nature of the war in Iraq.
Officials warned Sunday that there is still a long, uncertain fight ahead and that the deployment of up to 25,000 mostly local Marines to Iraq during the next few months will continue as scheduled.
"The mission in Iraq is far from over just because this one man has been captured," Marine Maj. Pete Mitchell, a U.S. Central Command spokesman said in a telephone interview Sunday morning from Tampa, Fla. "The capture of Saddam Hussein should have no effect on the deployment schedule or the numbers. The deployment of this second rotation will go as envisioned."
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2003/12/15/news/breaking/12_14_037_03_45.txt
Officials warned Sunday that there is still a long, uncertain fight ahead and that the deployment of up to 25,000 mostly local Marines to Iraq during the next few months will continue as scheduled.
"The mission in Iraq is far from over just because this one man has been captured," Marine Maj. Pete Mitchell, a U.S. Central Command spokesman said in a telephone interview Sunday morning from Tampa, Fla. "The capture of Saddam Hussein should have no effect on the deployment schedule or the numbers. The deployment of this second rotation will go as envisioned."
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2003/12/15/news/breaking/12_14_037_03_45.txt