US may extend troops' Iraq stay

Woodmonkey · 11-07-2005, 14:45

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US may extend troops' Iraq stay

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The United States is considering keeping combat-hardened troops in Iraq beyond their scheduled tour of duty to beef up forces battling to quell the worst violence since the fall of Saddam Hussein a year ago.

New flashpoints flared up across Iraq yesterday as US- led forces faced a two-front war against Sunni Muslim guerillas and Shiite militiamen.

The development came as:

• Explosions sounded across central Baghdad, and police said they had come from inside the "Green Zone" where the US-led administration in Iraq has its headquarters. "Those were not controlled explosions," a US spokesman said. "We are checking on them."

• Lieutenant-General Ricardo Sanchez, the top US general in Iraq, said coalition forces did not have control of the cities of Najaf and Kut, where Shiite militiamen have seized key buildings.

• The director of the main hospital in Falluja said between 280 and 300 Iraqis had been killed and at least 400 wounded in fighting this week, as US Marines mounted a major mission to root out guerillas.

• Brigadier-General Mark Kimmitt, deputy director of operations for the US Army in Iraq, said no foreign soldiers had been captured by the radical Shiite militia in the Iraqi holy city of Najaf.

• A number of foreign civilians - including a British contractor, three Japanese and seven members of a South Korean church group - were reported to have been kidnapped in Iraq. Arab television Al Jazeera aired a video showing the Japanese trio, including one woman, it said were taken hostage by an Iraqi group vowing to "to burn them alive" if Japan does not leave Iraq

For the rest of the story, please click on this link to the full story in the Military Discussions Forum - http://www.trackpads.com/forum/showt...17#post2218617

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Snowden · 11-07-2005, 17:49

I hope this won't be necessary. Scotto's son, Alex, is due home before Christmas. I hope he will come on home.

DocDiggs · 11-07-2005, 18:27

Surprise!

Snowden · 11-07-2005, 18:57

Not really - but who thought we could come out of there and leave peace behind? It was a foolish idea.

Woodmonkey · 11-07-2005, 21:20

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Originally Posted by Snowden

Not really - but who thought we could come out of there and leave peace behind? It was a foolish idea.

Most of us did, and do, Marianne. It took 10 years to finally control the Nazi's after WW2. Unfortunately, they did not send up enough soldiers to close the Syrian and Jordan borders and foreigners are pouring across them to fight with the remnants of Baathists who want their power to terrorize the majority back. The foreigners are desperate to prevent democracy.

I don't like this though, they need to beef up the military numbers.

filthybeast · 11-08-2005, 11:31

If thats the detail then thats it. If the headshed says extend then you stay. I been in plenty of places where I was extended. I wanted to go home and be with Momma and the kids but duty has to come first with a Troop.