thedrifter
03-14-07, 03:40 PM
Marine: Proper troop buildup takes time
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
Wed Mar 14, 1:24 PM ET
The military buildup in Iraq is likely to take longer than the American people or Congress want to wait, the Marine commandant said Wednesday.
While not mentioning Congress, Gen. James Conway also told reporters "it would be very disruptive" to commanders and troops in Iraq if there were a sudden move to stop the buildup now and start a withdrawal. He said it will be difficult for Marines to sustain the higher troop levels into next year.
Conway's remarks came as lawmakers continue to argue about Democratic proposals to limit the deployments in Iraq and force President Bush to commence a withdrawal.
It is still not clear if the troop increase that Bush ordered in January will be a short-term boost or a longer-term requirement, Conway said. He said that decision needs to come from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, who is making battle plans based on promised troop levels.
"I think he would say ... don't jerk the rug out from under me before I've had a chance to do what I was sent here to do," said Conway.
Conway said that time will be needed to make continued progress in Anbar province, a focal point of the Sunni insurgency where Marines are primarily working. Of the 21,500 extra combat troops Bush said he is sending to Iraq — plus thousands of extra support troops — 4,000 are Marines headed to Anbar.
"There's another timeline out there that I think the American people and arguably the Congress is prepared to give us, and my concern right now it that they're not matching up especially well, because I think we accept it's going to be a longer term requirement," he said.
He said sustaining the increase in troop levels can be done but will come at a cost. In some cases, he said, Marines will have to return to Iraq with less than seven months back home to train and prepare.
Marines generally do seven-month deployments, and the goal is to return home for as much as a year, but that extended time at home has not been possible due to the demands of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
"It's very difficult for troops to sustain that kind of tempo over time," he said.
Most of the extra troops Bush is sending to Iraq are heading to Baghdad to quell to escalating violence there.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates had suggested that the buildup could begin to be reversed this fall if the plan began to yield progress on the security, economic and political fronts. But in recent days military leaders have indicated it may take longer, and possibly stretch into 2008.
Conway also said Marines are likely to be used to fill "a good chunk" of the call for extra trainers for Afghanistan. Bush over the weekend sent Congress a request to fund about 3,500 new U.S. troops to train the Afghan Army and police.
That request comes on top of Bush's plan in January to send another brigade to Afghanistan. A brigade is roughly 3,500 troops.
On the Net:
Marine Corps: www.usmc.mil
Defense Department: www.defenselink.mil
Ellie
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
Wed Mar 14, 1:24 PM ET
The military buildup in Iraq is likely to take longer than the American people or Congress want to wait, the Marine commandant said Wednesday.
While not mentioning Congress, Gen. James Conway also told reporters "it would be very disruptive" to commanders and troops in Iraq if there were a sudden move to stop the buildup now and start a withdrawal. He said it will be difficult for Marines to sustain the higher troop levels into next year.
Conway's remarks came as lawmakers continue to argue about Democratic proposals to limit the deployments in Iraq and force President Bush to commence a withdrawal.
It is still not clear if the troop increase that Bush ordered in January will be a short-term boost or a longer-term requirement, Conway said. He said that decision needs to come from Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, who is making battle plans based on promised troop levels.
"I think he would say ... don't jerk the rug out from under me before I've had a chance to do what I was sent here to do," said Conway.
Conway said that time will be needed to make continued progress in Anbar province, a focal point of the Sunni insurgency where Marines are primarily working. Of the 21,500 extra combat troops Bush said he is sending to Iraq — plus thousands of extra support troops — 4,000 are Marines headed to Anbar.
"There's another timeline out there that I think the American people and arguably the Congress is prepared to give us, and my concern right now it that they're not matching up especially well, because I think we accept it's going to be a longer term requirement," he said.
He said sustaining the increase in troop levels can be done but will come at a cost. In some cases, he said, Marines will have to return to Iraq with less than seven months back home to train and prepare.
Marines generally do seven-month deployments, and the goal is to return home for as much as a year, but that extended time at home has not been possible due to the demands of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
"It's very difficult for troops to sustain that kind of tempo over time," he said.
Most of the extra troops Bush is sending to Iraq are heading to Baghdad to quell to escalating violence there.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates had suggested that the buildup could begin to be reversed this fall if the plan began to yield progress on the security, economic and political fronts. But in recent days military leaders have indicated it may take longer, and possibly stretch into 2008.
Conway also said Marines are likely to be used to fill "a good chunk" of the call for extra trainers for Afghanistan. Bush over the weekend sent Congress a request to fund about 3,500 new U.S. troops to train the Afghan Army and police.
That request comes on top of Bush's plan in January to send another brigade to Afghanistan. A brigade is roughly 3,500 troops.
On the Net:
Marine Corps: www.usmc.mil
Defense Department: www.defenselink.mil
Ellie