The Troop Surge Is A Slippery Slope

'Surge' Needs Up to 7,000 More Troops

With the UK withdrawing troops from the Basra area, we have seen a surge of sectarian violence in that area, as well as a covert Iraqi intelligence operation that involved indefinite detention, torture and maltreatment of Iraqi citizens, mostly Shi'ites, by Sunni operatives in the Iraqi military and security forces. Other international coalition partners are also pulling out troops, despite the urging of Bush gang members advocating the big surge of 21,000 more troops.

Some reports by think tank analysts have also indicated that the proposed surge will result in more extensions of tours of duty for individual troops and units, especially Reserve and National Guard units that are needed here for domestic security. Several concerns have been expressed by vets and advocacy groups that there is an unfair and covert draft in place that keeps troops on active duty and in theaters of operation and combat in conflict with the rights of individual members of the military, which has also resulted in a rise of requests for conscientious objector status, administrative discharge, or outright defiance of orders to return to combat, especially in Iraq where several soldiers have identified our activities there as immoral or unlawful. Over 1400 troops have signed a petition that indicates their lack of confidence in the way operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are being conducted, and the failed policies and practices of our efforts there.

More importantly, most military analysts not under the thumb of President Bush and his gang are indicating that the actual number of troops involved in the proposed surge would actually be closer to 41,000... and that was before this report came out indicating a need for an additional 7,000 troops.

President Bush's planned escalation of U.S. forces in Iraq will require as many as 28,500 troops, Pentagon officials told a Senate committee Thursday.

Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England also told the Senate Budget Committee that it will be clear within months whether the so-called surge in forces has succeeded in helping secure Iraq.

"By this summer we would have a much better indication in terms of the success of the program," England said. "And so at that time we would adjust however is appropriate to do so."

In January, Bush said he would send 21,500 more combat troops to Iraq. England said 6,000 to 7,000 support troops will be needed to back up the larger combat force.

England's estimate differed from the Congressional Budget Office's estimate last month that as many as 28,000 extra troops would be needed to support the escalation.

Requests already have been granted for 2,400 support troops, said Adm. Edmund Giambastiani, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He said there are additional requests for 4,000 more.

Existing logistics bases, many of them in and around Baghdad, will limit the number of new support troops needed, Giambastiani said.

There are about 10,000 soldiers in Iraq now associated with the escalation, according to Lt. Col. Carl Ey, an Army spokesman. In all, there are about 140,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq.