U.S. to add 10,000-11,000 more troops in Iraq to help support efforts in Fallujah and with January elections

Gen. John Abizaid says that soldiers and Marines currently in Iraq will have to extend their tours of duty, and those who are rotating to Iraq will have to leave the U.S. earlier than expected. In related news, reports show that more new recruits are going through infantry training regardless of the specialty for which they signed up. Apparently, all new recruits are learning infantry responsibilities either in lieu of or in addition to their specialties. Further, all of these new recruits can expect to spend part of their enlistments in either Iraq or Afghanistan.

News reports also indicate that because of a shortage of staff officers, particularly Majors and Lt. Colonels, several Pentagon staffers have been reassigned to duties in Iraq to fill urgent vacancies. The war on Iraq is quickly becoming a demanding exercise for the U.S. military. Some reports indicate that the Army and Marines have been as creative as possible in assigning and reassigning troops.

With the addition of the 10,000 new troops in Iraq, the U.S. military presence will become nearly 150,000 strong. The U.S. is making every effort to emphasize to other hostile (or potentially hostile) nations that the U.S. is NOT stretched too thin in Iraq. However, actions and protestations tend to indicate otherwise. "Methinks he doth protest too much."

Read more details in the CSMonitor's "Terrorism and Security Daily Update" from 29 Nov 2004.