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Local Stryker soldiers sent to Baghdad

Jul-30-2006 » Filed Under: 3/2 SBCT

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News Tribune staff and news services

About 1,400 Fort Lewis soldiers have been moved to the Baghdad area as part of U.S. plans to bolster forces in the Iraqi capital.
The soldiers make up about a third of the Fort Lewis-based Stryker brigade, which recently began a yearlong deployment in Mosul, the largest city in northern Iraq.

The 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 14th Cavalry Regiment “are currently positioned in the vicinity of Baghdad,” brigade commander Col. Steve Townsend wrote Friday night in an e-mail to The News Tribune.

The rest of the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division will remain in Mosul, he said.

The battalions will be in Baghdad “as long as they are needed,” said Fort Lewis spokesman Lt. Col. Dan Williams, who on Saturday confirmed the information in Townsend’s e-mail.

Williams said the soldiers’ families had been informed of the movement.

The U.S. command in Baghdad formally announced Saturday that it was sending 3,700 troops to the Iraqi capital to try to end the violence there.

It was unclear if the Fort Lewis soldiers were included in that figure.

The Fort Lewis Stryker brigade is replacing the Alaska-based 172nd Stryker brigade in Mosul. The Alaska Stryker soldiers had been scheduled to return home after a year in Iraq when their deployment was extended by four months as part of President Bush’s plan to increase security in Baghdad.

The Strykers will bring quick-moving, light-armored vehicles to patrol the sprawling city of 6 million people. The U.S. military hopes more armor will intimidate gunmen, whose attacks in recent weeks have become more brazen.

“This will place our most experienced unit with our most mobile and agile systems in support of our main effort,” said Gen. George Casey, the top U.S. commander in Iraq. “This gives us a potentially decisive capability to affect security in Baghdad.”

The U.S. statement did not say when the Alaska Stryker soldiers would move to the capital from Mosul, 225 miles northwest of Baghdad.[...]


Comments For "Local Stryker soldiers sent to Baghdad":

how could you have editied my previous comment? it is our right as US citizens.....it was in NO way offensive! now my comment means absolutely nothing and wasnt even at all what i was trying to say. how dare you twist my words,and if this doesnt even get posted i wont be surprised.

Posted by: mistressjade [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 1, 2006 3:45 AM

This is my son's second time out in Iraq and I pray for all our fine young men and women out there. I have also read comments in regards to the 172nd being extended and understand how upset some of the families are but they need to remember that in the military things change from day to day and if it wasn't for the expertise of our Soldiers and the heart that they have in trying to make a difference then where would our country be. Because of all the Soldiers we are able to speak freely and express our concerns. I have another son that was out in Afghanistan the first time my oldest was in Iraq so it was double the heartache. We don't want to see our son's, daughters, husband or any family out at war but our Soldiers signed up knowing there would be a chance of it happening and yes it is hard to leave family members behind but here at home we just need to show our support and stay strong for them.
God Bless our Soldiers and their families.

Posted by: militarymom2 [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 1, 2006 7:38 AM

mistressjade,

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Todd
Site Founder

Posted by: Todd [TypeKey Profile Page] | August 1, 2006 8:50 AM

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