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US troops may stay in Iraq indefinitely
By Peter Spiegel in Washington
Published: August 21 2003 23:57 |
Last Updated: August 21 2003 23:57


The US commander in charge of all
forces in Iraq said on Thursday American
troops might not be brought home once
international peacekeepers are deployed
to the war-torn country, a reversal that means
150,000 US soldiers may stay in Iraq indefinitely.


General John Abizaid,
the new head of US central command,

said foreign troops and indigenous
Iraqi forces would gradually take over
internal security duties from American soldiers,
but added US troops would then be redeployed
for a "more aggressive posture on external duties",
such as securing borders.

"It depends on the security situation,"

Gen Abizaid said of the role
of foreign peacekeepers.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that additional
foreign troops would cause a corresponding
drawdown of American forces."

The Cencom chief's comments are a
clear break from previous Pentagon
statements on the status of American
deployments.

General John Keane,
the acting chief of staff of the US army,
told a congressional hearing last month
that a Polish-led division in southern Iraq
would replace 9,000 US marines this fall,
and that once another foreign division arrived

 - the US has contacted India, Pakistan and
   Turkey about a division-sized force -

four brigades,
or approximately 20,000 troops,
from the US army would be replaced.

"I believe that that's exactly the
purpose of getting foreign troops in,"

said Paul Wolfowitz,

the deputy defence secretary,
when asked at the same congressional
hearing if American forces would be
reduced when foreign troops arrived.

"We are trying to get other people to fill in for us.

We're trying to get Iraqis to fill in for us."

Donald Rumsfeld, defence secretary,
has tried to remain circumspec
The Rabbi Stiffkugel (Opherian@aol.com)