How many U.S. Troops are in Bosnia now?

[Jacobin]

A RW friend with whom I spar from time to time about IraqNam (he thought Saddam was about to attack us and supported the invasion, but now thinks it was a mistake) says Bosnia is/was a debacle similar to IraqNam.

I couldn't remember how many U.S. Troops are there now and couldn't find it. I know the two military campaigns are completely different, but I need some information. Also, I think we lost zero soldiers in that police action, if I remember right?

Anyone know?

[ohio_liberal]

1. EUCOM website

says 6,900 US troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Not sure how current the info is

http://www.eucom.mil/Directorates/ECPA/index.htm?http://www.eucom.mil/Directorates/ECPA/Operations/main.htm&2


On Edit:

Scratch that. DoD website says US troops turned over authority to EU troops on Dec 2, 2004. So the answer to your question is "ZERO".

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Dec2004/n12022004_2004120208.html

[Jacobin]

2. Thanks for the info and the link

Another RW attempt (my friend) to discredit a Clinton decision by comparing it (wrongly) to a BushDisaster.

And the genocide was stopped

on edit:

I scrolled all the way down to the end and apparently we will maintain a tiny presence there:

'Bosnia has also asked the United States to maintain a presence at the Tuzla base. The base will be maintained and ready to expand if needed. All told, there will be about 150 U.S. servicemembers in Bosnia.'

[ohio_liberal]

3. Exactly...

But remember there are still some troops in Kosovo with KFOR. Less than 1700 I think, but I would have to check.

On edit:

I should note that the DoD is only required to update troop deployments at the end of each fiscal year on Sept 30. So the information is sometimes hard to track down.

[classof56]

4. A relative recently e-mailed me that her Army son is being sent to Kosovo

Said he'll be there until March 2006. He's a Lt. Col. Guess we should be grateful he's not being sent to Iraq. Chances of survival in Kosovo seem much better at this point.

[Jacobin]

8. No U.S. casualties there in 9 years.

He should be fine.

[classof56]

12. Thanks--that's good to know.

His dad was shot in Vietnam, survived, but of course lots of long-term effects and trauma involved. He (the dad) supports Bush, though, so guess Iraq is just fine with him. I do not understand him at all, but am glad he doesn't have to offer his son up to die in Iraq. For now, at least.

[Sparkly]

5. And you may recall in 2000, Republicans whined about the "overstretched

military" because of troops in Bosnia. Remember that? "Clinton has stretched the military so thin!!" I often wonder how they manage their own convenient amnesia of what they said then, when it makes no sense in relation to what they say now.

NOW the military is overstretched!! But since it's a Republican doing it, even without a reason, they think it's okay.

[Jacobin]

7. Yes. and the repukes were 'horrified' that we were attacking a

'sovereign nation that hadn't attacked us'.

hmmm. They are missing their irony gene.

[radar]

6. You are correct - none lost...

"...We accomplished this by prosecuting the most precise and lowest-collateral-damage air campaign in history-with no U.S. or allied combat casualties in 78 days of around-the-clock operations and over 38,000 combat sorties."
JOINT STATEMENT ON THE KOSOVO AFTER ACTION REVIEW
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/1999/b10141999_bt478-99.html

Where the divisions are, as of 8Nov04...
http://www.strategypage.com/fyeo/howtomakewar/databases/wherearethedivisions.asp

[AG78]

9. Different campaigns

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/apr2002/oil-a29.shtml

"Since then Camp Bondsteel has continued to grow, as it spearheads the first phase in a realignment of US military bases in Europe and eastward. The Bondsteel template is now being applied in Afghanistan and the new bases in the former Soviet Republics."

Same reason.

[DCwebmaster]

10. Tell your right wing friend

he is an idiot!!!!

Bosnia was a very succesful peacekeeping operation, I think there were a few troops lost to land mines and vehicular accidents, 0 to hostile fire. Republicans vehemently opposed sending troops there (despite the good they accomplished) and when Bush got into office he said he would pull them out and that US troops should not be invovled in nation builing. It is one of Bush's biggest flip flops. Your right wing friend has no argument. The problem is during the campaign Democrats didnt use the issue enough and the MSM has its typical long/short term memory loss. Clark was invovled in the region and democrats should have used him more to point how Bush, not Kerry was the rel flp flopper.

[DCwebmaster]

11. Typo

REAL FLIP FLOPPER



(Forgive me, was eating dinner and typing at the same time)