thedrifter
12-27-06, 07:34 AM
Gates signs order to deploy U.S. Army brigade to Kuwait
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Lolita C . Baldor
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates has signed orders that will send the 82 nd Airborne Division’s 2 nd Brigade to Kuwait shortly after New Year’s, senior defense officials said yesterday.
The soldiers, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., are expected to be deployed to Iraq early next year, and the move could be part of a short-term surge of troops to the battlefront. The 82 nd Airborne unit — which would include as many as 3,300 soldiers — will replace the 15 th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which has been deployed to Iraq.
Army officials said that they were not aware a decision had been made on sending the unit to Kuwait. But two senior defense officials, who requested anonymity, said Gates signed the order yesterday.
Also yesterday, incoming Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr., a potential Democratic presidential candidate, said he would oppose any effort by President Bush to increase U.S troops in Iraq as part of a new strategy.
Meanwhile, Gen. James Conway, the commanding general of the 1 st Marine Expeditionary Force during the assault on Baghdad in 2003 and the battle with insurgents in Fallujah in April 2004, said that based on discussions with field commanders, he does not see a need for a temporary surge of more Marines into Al-Anbar.
"They could probably use a few more troops, but I do not see a surge in a strict sense in terms of battalions," he said.
Information from the Los Angeles Times was included in this story.
Ellie
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Lolita C . Baldor
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Robert Gates has signed orders that will send the 82 nd Airborne Division’s 2 nd Brigade to Kuwait shortly after New Year’s, senior defense officials said yesterday.
The soldiers, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., are expected to be deployed to Iraq early next year, and the move could be part of a short-term surge of troops to the battlefront. The 82 nd Airborne unit — which would include as many as 3,300 soldiers — will replace the 15 th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which has been deployed to Iraq.
Army officials said that they were not aware a decision had been made on sending the unit to Kuwait. But two senior defense officials, who requested anonymity, said Gates signed the order yesterday.
Also yesterday, incoming Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph R. Biden Jr., a potential Democratic presidential candidate, said he would oppose any effort by President Bush to increase U.S troops in Iraq as part of a new strategy.
Meanwhile, Gen. James Conway, the commanding general of the 1 st Marine Expeditionary Force during the assault on Baghdad in 2003 and the battle with insurgents in Fallujah in April 2004, said that based on discussions with field commanders, he does not see a need for a temporary surge of more Marines into Al-Anbar.
"They could probably use a few more troops, but I do not see a surge in a strict sense in terms of battalions," he said.
Information from the Los Angeles Times was included in this story.
Ellie