NOV 27, 2003
Thousands more US troops headed for Iraq
WASHINGTON -- Several thousand additional Marines will go to Iraq next year, the Defence Department said on Wednesday in an update that indicated the total US force will not be reduced as much as planned.
Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld also approved the mobilisation of 9,900 Army, 1,290 Navy and 3,208 Air Force reserve personnel for the rotation which will begin in January, to replace the 130,000 troops who will be completing one-year tours of duty in Iraq.
He also put on alert 4,228 Army, 1,290 Navy and 2,381 Air Force reservists, to let them know they may be mobilised for duty in Iraq. The specific units alerted and mobilised on Wednesday were not disclosed; the Pentagon says they can expect to be on active duty for up to 18 months.
The Pentagon had announced on Nov 6 most of the details of its rotation plan, which called for relying more heavily on the National Guard and Reserve, while reducing the total number of American troops to about 105,000 by the time the rotation was completed in May.
Although no numbers were provided by the Pentagon, it appears the total number by May will be closer to 110,000, counting the additional Marines.
The Pentagon has struggled to set the troop rotation for 2004 because of the US inability so far to persuade its international partners to contribute significant troops.
Turkey had offered to send thousands but has balked in the face of Iraqi political opposition; South Korea has offered 3,000 troops, but it has not yet said whether they would be combat troops -- as preferred by the Pentagon -- or support forces to do humanitarian work; Japan also has offered support forces but has not said when they would be made available. -- AP
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