Fewer troops are in iraq....

[charrison]

linkage

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) The number of American troops deployed in Iraq is nearly 116,000, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition said Wednesday. That is at least 10,000 less than previously believed.

As recently as last week, the number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq was believed to be between 125,000 and 130,000. The coalition spokesman, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, did not explain the reduced figure, but his disclosure comes as the U.N. Security Council considers a U.S. draft resolution calling for a multinational force to join the American-led coalition.

The peak number I saw was about 135k in Iraq..

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

I'll be ever so glad when that 116k goes down to zero.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
I'll be ever so glad when that 116k goes down to zero.

It does not happen overnight....

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
I'll be ever so glad when that 116k goes down to zero.

It does not happen overnight....

I know, still I want to see that day.

 

[charrison]

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith

Originally posted by: charrison

Originally posted by: WinstonSmith
I'll be ever so glad when that 116k goes down to zero.

It does not happen overnight....

I know, still I want to see that day.

Well that day is a long way off. I can see quick falloff in forces over the next 12 months, but I have little doubt about 20k or so will be there for years to come.

 

[Ferocious]

It will be quite some time yet.

Otherwise those lucrative contracts with American corporations might disappear.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

There will be 100K+ troops in Iraq for at least the next year. The money Bush requested is not for the purpose of bringing them home. We are begging Kuwait, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to secure their borders but many people are crossing over. Furthermore, Syria and Iran have little motivation to be helpful . . . considering we threaten them on a regular basis (notably, we are a lot quieter as of late). The US taxpayer is going to pay developing countries to send another division but it will be many months before that happens. Additionally, the development of reliable[/b] Iraqi border patrol/security forces will take many months possibly years.