Report: Marine Corps Seeks Iraq Exit, Redeployment to Afghanistan

[Hannibal]

Top Marine Corps brass is lobbying the Pentagon to allow its forces to vacate Iraq for the purpose of leading the fight in Afghanistan, according to a New York Times report.

Marine Corps Commandant James T. Conway proposed the idea during a session with Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and several regional military commanders, said the article.

Click here to read The New York Times story on Marine Corps redeployment.

The arrangement would leave ground combat in Iraq primarily to the U.S. Army. Currently, there are 25,000 Marines serving among 162,000 American troops in Iraq and no major units serving in Afghanistan, according to the Times article.

Marine units serving in Afghanistan would be able to command ground and air assault capability while the current Army forces there rely on the U.S. Air Force for air support.

The idea is intended to improve the balance of forces between the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts and help reduce strain on troops.

Gates and Mullen have not discussed the redeployment in public and senior military officials say no former proposal has been entered, said the Times story.

[cato2]

I have to wonder what effect this will have on moral. On the situation in Iraq itself. Things are ratcheting up in Afghanistan, stretching further the resources available for the Commanders in the field.