U.S. Mulls Higher Troop Level in Iraq for Election

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon (news - web sites) is considering delaying the departure of some troops in Iraq (news - web sites) and speeding the arrival of others already due to deploy to boost force levels for the January elections, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.



News of discussions over increasing the troop strength emerged less than week before the U.S. election, in which President Bush (news - web sites) has been forced on the defensive over the financial and human cost of the Iraq war.


No final decisions have been made on whether or how to increase the U.S. contingent from the current 138,000 to guard against violence intended to derail the Iraq election, defense officials said.


Possibilities include delaying the upcoming departure of the Army's 1st Infantry Division or 1st Cavalry Division from Iraq, and accelerating the deployment of elements of the 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Stewart in Georgia, perhaps a 5,000-strong brigade, officials said.
more:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&ncid=578&e=6&u=/nm/20041026/ts_nm/iraq_usa_troops_dc

What? Shrub actually listening to the Generals???