Head of CentCom orders hundreds of staff to Qatar

[Khephra]

Head of CentCom orders hundreds of staff to Qatar
By JEFF WILKINSON and JOSEPH L. GALLOWAY
Knight Ridder Newspapers

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. John Abizaid, has ordered hundreds of his staff members to move to CentCom's forward headquarters in Qatar to cope with the increased pace of military operations in Iraq.

The shift in staff - with Abizaid himself expecting to spend more time in the region - reflects the military's view that large-scale operations will continue in Iraq for an extended period.

The latest of those operations - dubbed "Iron Hammer" - continued Friday as a U.S. Apache helicopter gunship killed seven suspected guerrillas near Tikrit. On Thursday night, F-16 fighter jets destroyed a building near the Syrian border that was suspected of being used to stage attacks.

Senior Army officers, who asked not to be named, said 300 to 400 staff members would return to Qatar and join 150 staffers who've been there since active combat ended last spring. The size of the forward headquarters staff has ebbed and flowed with the pace of operations.

more............

http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/special_packages/iraq/7255852.htm

[fishnfla]

1. The wars next phase is occurring now

Bremer is going to take a back seat. The Generals are back in charge.

The admin wants the iron hammer to nail the next election

[Snazzy]

2. What's needed: Operation Really Big Pretzel

(sorry!)

[ElsewheresDaughter]

3. it's the build up to do syria....disguised as op hammer?

[bemildred]

4. I doubt it.

I am vaguely anxious about Saudi Arabia,
but they seem to have their hands full with Iraq,
and diverting troops to occupying some more hostile
territory is not a good fix for that.

[hang a left]

5. Does anyone know how many Centcom staff members were

in Qatar during "Shock and Awe" Because this is making me nervous