Thursday, June 19, 2003

PERHAPS AT LAST THE 3D ID CAN PACK UP AND GO HOME.

I can't link to the story, its a registered site. But the New York Times reports...
Between 20,000 and 30,000 allied troops from more than a dozen nations will begin arriving in Iraq in mid-August to replace some of the American forces leading the military occupation there, Pentagon officials said today.

The international forces — from countries including Italy, Spain, Ukraine and Honduras — would join divisions led by Britain, Poland and perhaps another country, possibly India, and assume responsibilities for parts of central and southern Iraq.

How many American troops will remain in Iraq depends largely on the security situation there and how many other nations ultimately send forces, officials said. There are now about 146,000 American troops in Iraq, just 5,000 fewer than at the peak of the war. About 12,000 troops from Britain and seven other countries are also on the ground.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee today, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz and Gen. Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Pentagon was aggressively recruiting dozens of countries to contribute forces for peacekeeping and reconstruction duties.

"We have about 20,000 additional coalition troops that have been volunteered by countries to go to theater within the next 60 to 90 days," General Pace said. He said discussions were under way with another unidentified country to provide 10,000 troops.

But both officials acknowledged that prodding other nations to sign up has been difficult, even after a United Nations resolution last month cleared the way for other countries to begin contributing.

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