Call Goes Out For U.S. Reinforcements
March 26, 2003 PM CBS NEWS
As the war many hoped would be short enters its second week, the U.S. military is calling for reinforcements, CBS News has learned.
The commander of American ground forces in Iraq, Lt. Gen. David D. McKiernan, has asked the Pentagon to fly in part of an armored cavalry regiment from the states, about 700 soldiers, to help protect the supply lines in southern Iraq which have come under unexpectedly fierce attack from Saddam's so-called Fedayeen fighters, CBS News Correspondent David Martin reports.
The 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Polk, La., and the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment from Fort Carson, Colo., will be deployed.
In Washington, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the increase of the force size in Iraq was pre-planned and has nothing to do with how the war is going.
"We are increasing the number of forces in the country every day," Rumsfeld said.
The news of reinforcements comes as 1,000 U.S. paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne landed in northern Iraq and seized an airfield, and the Army's 3rd Infantry pulled within 50 miles of Baghdad. |
