Thursday, September 14, 2006
U.S. General - not enough troops in Al Anbar
Security
In response to an intelligence report released in August by a senior Marine intelligence officer, Col. Devlin, Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer, the commanding general of coalition forces in Al Anbar province said Tuesday that he had enough troops for his mission - training and recruiting Iraqi forces - but not enough to defeat the battle with the insurgency, which includes al-Qaida, Sunni Arab nationalists, remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime and competing local tribes.
Col. Devlin said the political and security situation in Anbar had deteriorated so much that only more aid and another 10,000 to 15,000 troops could turn things around. The Bush administration has said that American commanders in Iraq have never asked for more troops and would get them if they did. Privately, however, many U.S. officers say their troops are stretched too thin, not only in Anbar but also in Baghdad and elsewhere. Some critics have suggested that Anbar be written off and the 30,000 coalition troops in the province moved to Baghdad or Mosul.
Col. Devlin said the political and security situation in Anbar had deteriorated so much that only more aid and another 10,000 to 15,000 troops could turn things around. The Bush administration has said that American commanders in Iraq have never asked for more troops and would get them if they did. Privately, however, many U.S. officers say their troops are stretched too thin, not only in Anbar but also in Baghdad and elsewhere. Some critics have suggested that Anbar be written off and the 30,000 coalition troops in the province moved to Baghdad or Mosul.
