U.S. sending 1,500 more troops before Iraq vote

[U-T]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States is dispatching an additional 1,500 troops to Iraq and extending the stays of more than 10,000 others to bolster security ahead of January's scheduled elections, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The moves will bring the number of U.S. troops in Iraq from nearly 140,000 to an all-time high of about 150,000, the Pentagon said.

Gen. George Casey, commander of the American-dominated multinational force in Iraq, requested the increase to take advantage of momentum gained by recent U.S.-led offensives against an insurgency that has killed hundreds of American troops over the past 18 months, the military said.

"Force posture changes will take advantage of a 'window of opportunity' following successful operations in Falluja," said a news release from U.S. Central Command.

Two battalions of the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are being dispatched to Iraq for up to four months in order to provide security for Iraq's elections, currently set for January 30, the Pentagon said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/12/01/...main/index.html

Ugh, 2 friends of mine are being sent in December and Jan.......I tell you....I looked at them and just told them what I told myself, "Be prepared for anything"

 

[Freak]

Got any interesting stories to share?

 

[Volstorm]

We are having a send off party for a friend who is being shipped out on Saturday. We rented a room and are watching the game there.

 

[U-T]

People have asked me ever since I got back and I am not sure what to say or how to say it.

It's just a different world from here. Something so many people just don't have the faintest clue about.....I mean, not a damn clue and it really aggravates me to here some people spew on about Iraq by reading the ridiculous media.

Anyway, there is only so much I can say and really only a certain amount of stuff that I want to talk about either.....

Just a word of caution....getting shot in an explosion hurts.

 

[Freak]

I understand about not being able to talk or not wanting to.

I have heard a couple of people that have been over there mention the media thing.

 

[U-T]

It's ridiculous.

The NYTimes has no credibility after this war.

Their coverage is so slanted it makes me want to vomit.

Same goes with the Wasington Post at times and other liberal papers.

 

[LadyinOrange]

Are you anti-war, U-T? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. My uncle is retired Army and he says the troops are not as against the war as the news says they are.

 

[Freak]

It's almost anti-patriotic! (If that's a word)

 

[U-T]

Am I against the war? No....I firmly believe what we are doing is the correct thing.

Do I think Bush went towards this incorrectly? I do.

We are short on ammo and several units are short on other supplies. We need help that doesn't seem to come.

As for the 9/11 commission and all of that BS....I could care less what they say. That committee no matter how much crap they want to spew had an agenda, IMO, and missed multiple facts with Iraq and the connections to groups in the Middle East.

I have no regrets about what I did and when I get healthy again, I plan on going back. I love my family but when I start something, I want to finish it.

Sooner or later everything will come out about what we have found in Iraq and surrounding areas.

 

[milohimself]

My cousin in the Air Force is actually eager to go to Iraq... He's in Utah and has told me he's been training feverishly with assault rifles.

 

[rwemyss]

I just hope we can complete our mission sooner rather than later, and get as many of our guys home and safe. I wish we had finished all that crap in the early 90's... but those were different times.

Huge props to you U-T for serving our country and protecting all the rest of us. I can't express the gratitude I feel in words.

 

[volmanjr]

don't worry most of us don't believe a quarter of whats printed in the papers or on TV I agree we should be there I just hope we can finish the job soon .... and My thanks go to you for your service too and I hope the healing process goes well.... God bless

 

[U-T]

Originally posted by milohimself@Dec 2, 2004 2:36 AM
My cousin in the Air Force is actually eager to go to Iraq... He's in Utah and has told me he's been training feverishly with assault rifles.

The Air Force has really gotten the least of the brunt of the men put out in Iraq.

Iraq really doesn't have many fighter planes

 

[allvol]

One of the guys I work with is in the Marine reserves and has been in Iraq for a couple of months now. He is stationed outside Fallujah (sp?). He IM'd me a couple of weeks ago and was talking about the 'slaughter' houses that they had found in Fallujah. He said that the terrorists, insurgents, whatever they are called have been and are treating the common folks over their horrendously.

For the media and liberal groups talking about peace... do they think about the peace of the people that have been living in those conditions for decades? I'm proud of a country that is strong willed enough to fight for those that can't fight for themselves.

 

[U-T]

allvol, what scares me....is the little bit of information shown through the media of those houses....and so forth

I mean, it really is scary.

 

[milohimself]

Originally posted by U&#045;T+Dec 2, 2004 8:09 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (U-T @ Dec 2, 2004 8:09 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-milohimself@Dec 2, 2004 2:36 AM
My cousin in the Air Force is actually eager to go to Iraq... He&#39;s in Utah and has told me he&#39;s been training feverishly with assault rifles.

The Air Force has really gotten the least of the brunt of the men put out in Iraq.

Iraq really doesn&#39;t have many fighter planes [/quote]
Yeah... Well, my family&#39;s got a history with the Force. My dad, grandpa and uncle were all Air Force enlistees, my grandpa served in Korea and my dad was about || this close to going to Vietnam.

 

[U-T]

Oh, I am not saying anything bad about them at all.

 

[milohimself]

Just sharing my family&#39;s military background.

 

[donsargegolf]

Just support the troops, our nation and the decisions our President makes. The things our men are fighting for let US watch this game on saturday. God Bless the USA&#33; :clap: :gun: :machinegun: