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US war commander
says no new buildup for Iraq
Washington—America’s war commander in Iraq told Congress Wednesday
he is unlikely to endorse any fresh buildup of troops even if
security in the country deteriorates, signaling that the limits of
the US military have been reached for now.
Gen. David Petraeus, closely questioned by lawmakers for a second
day, described Iraq as a frail state still struggling to provide its
own security. That volatile situation figured in his recommendation
to President Bush that a gradual pullout of US troops be halted this
summer — a recommendation Bush is expected to embrace in a speech
Thursday.
But Petraeus also spoke of the burden on US ground forces, and Bush
will address that, too. In his speech at 11:30 a.m. EDT, Bush will
announce plans to cut the combat tours of active-duty soldiers from
15 months to 12 months. The reduced deployments will not apply — at
least initially — to any soldiers currently serving in Iraq, unless
conditions improve to the point that commanders believe some could
go home early.
Petraeus said, “I am keenly aware of the strain” on the military,
noting his own deployment since 2001. “And I can tell you that there
is nothing that a commander feels more than, in fact, the losses
that we have sustained over there.”
His resistance to the idea of any renewed increase of troops for
Iraq reflects — at least in part — the reality that the rotation
pool of some 1.3 million soldiers and Marines has been exhausted.
Army soldiers in particular have faced repeated tours in Iraq and
Afghanistan, and senior officers warn that the service’s “strategic
reserve” is at an all-time low.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike
Mullen, says current troop commitments in Iraq make it impossible to
send extra forces into Afghanistan.
Andrew Krepinevich, president of the independent Center for
Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, noted that
Petraeus’ promise to the House Armed Services Committee was a
limited one. The four-star general is expected to resign his command
position at the end of the year.—AP
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