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Troop Rotation

Jan-13-2004 » Filed Under: Iraq News

NYT reporter Eric Shmitt wrote an interesting article last week detailing the logistics involved in the upcoming troop rotation in Iraq. Excerpt:

During this rotation, about 110,000 fresh troops will flow into Iraq to replace 125,000 who have been there for about a year. The first 200 returning soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division arrived home this week in Fort Campbell, Ky. Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division were also heading home, to Fort Bragg, N.C.

At the peak period of overlapping forces, commanders will be able to capitalize on having as many as 200,000 troops in Iraq. But the rotation also poses new risks as American officials say they fully expect guerrillas to try to exploit the transition to new, less experienced troops.

"The shifting focus of their attacks is relentless," said Maj. Gen. Stephen M. Speakes, the senior Army officer here overseeing the troop rotation. "But this will not be a period of vulnerability."

Blogger Phil Carter, along with other observers, thinks that the Army might use this overlap to conduct increased offensive maneuvers in Iraq this spring.

(article via Intel Dump)


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