CNN - "Pentagon cancels deployment of 3,500 U.S. troops to Iraq"

[TomCADem]

More from Iraq:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/10/17/u.s.iraq.troops/index.html

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More than 3,000 U.S. troops scheduled to deploy to Iraq won't go after all, as the military tries to draw down troop levels in the war-torn country, a Pentagon spokesman said Saturday.

The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division will not replace a North Carolina National Guard unit already in Iraq, Lt. Col. Eric Butterbaugh told CNN. The 3,500-troop combat team, based in Fort Drum, New York, was to leave in January, he said.

" reflects a thorough assessment of the security environment in Iraq and continued improvement in the ability of the Iraqi security forces to safeguard Iraqi citizens and institutions," Butterbaugh said.

The National Guard unit is still on schedule to return home, which will speed up the drawdown of forces, he said.

The troop withdrawal in Iraq coincides with a debate in the Obama administration on whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. As of Friday, 250 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the start of the year, according to a CNN tally based on Pentagon numbers.

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[jenmito]

1. K&R

[vaberella]

2. Well this is great news. First he's already getting rid of camp sites in Iraq

now the troops are going down. All we have left is Afghanistan. Oy...maybe he'll finish our position in both countries during his presidency. Well I hope so.

[hokies]

13. What about that billion dollar embassy in Iraq?

I wish people would stop giving Obama credit for sticking with the timetable that the Bush administration negotiated with the Iraqi government.

[vaberella]

14. No.

The Bush admin didn't negotiate anything, they just were planning on leaving around the same timetable. It was Obama who did the negotiations. Secondly, the Billion dollar Embassy was built and created by Bush. You blame Bush for that, they do have personnel there and Obama wanted to help with Nation building, which I'm all for, to be honest. You don't fuck up a nation and leave it a mess.

[hokies]

15. The Iraq War is still following the Bush-negotiated timetable

What happened to "1 to 2 brigades per month"?

[druidity33]

18. There still are over 100,000 troops

in Iraq. And just as many, if not more, contractors. Obama's plan calls for troops to stay in country to staff and defend the 'Green Zone'. He has not given a definitive date of withdrawal that i know of. I suspect that in the end, we will have large bases (and a mission) that needs somewhere in the nature of 20-30,000 troops to support. Permanently.

Would you disagree with anything i just stated?

[flyarm]

3. good!! in fact great ..as long as they don't get sent to Afganistan!

keep them home!!!!!!!!!

and get the rest home pronto!

[hokies]

17. But you already know we'll be sending more to Afghanistan

sorry to be the messenger. :hi:

[flyarm]

19. yes I already know that and i oppose it with all my might! I just wonder where the rest of the dems

are opposing it..it seems winning at all costs made the anti war dems lose their minds and their values and principles!

[girl gone mad]

4. The upside of a weak dollar.

But let's hope we can avoid conflict in Iran.

[GoldenOldie]

5. Grandson and cousin's son are two of the 3,500 from Ft Drum

The next question is will they now be deployed to Afghanistan???

[vaberella]

11. Let's hope it's not the case. n/t

[valerief]

6. Great news. nt

[patrice]

7. Best news I've had all day.

[boppers]

8. Accomplished Nothing?

:shrug:

[The_Casual_Observer]

9. coincides with a debate in the Obama administration on whether to send as many as 40,000 more U.S. t

[Obamacare]

10. Thank God!!

Its about time we pull out of Iraq, next stop Afghanistan!!

[hokies]

12. 1 to 2 brigades per months = 2 to 3 brigades per year

Change I can believe in. :eyes:

[hokies]

16. So does this mean an extra 2,000 support troops will pull out as well?

Don't trust the numbers people. We were bamboozled with the Afghanistan troop increase earlier this month when we found out that support troops aren't included.