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No doubt, ‘a huge responsibility’

Feb-17-2004 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

I don't think we've posted this article before. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Link to Full Article]

By Robert Hodierne
Times staff writer

MOSUL, Iraq — Brig. Gen. Carter F. Ham, 51, took control of this northern Iraqi town of 1.7 million and the surrounding four provinces with a force a third the size and possessing almost none of the experience of the troops commanded by the man he replaced, Maj. Gen. David Petraeus.

Gone is the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and soon to be gone is the 503rd Military Police Battalion, which has been the cop on the beat in this violent and unpredictable town.

Those 23,000 troops are being replaced by the Stryker Brigade Combat Team and a single company of military police, about 8,000 soldiers in all.

“A lot of people say, ‘Oh my goodness, how can a brigade replace a division?’ “ Ham asked rhetorically. The answer, he said, is the 101st made progress clearing out the bad elements in the town and has trained enough Iraqi security forces to take up the slack.

(Thanks to Rob & Sue for the link)


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