Marines Want Out of Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Marines Want Out of Iraq
Deutsche Presse-Agentur | October 11, 2007[br />

Washington - The U.S. military is considering a suggestion that it shift the Marine Corps away from operations in Iraq and instead send the troops to Afghanistan in a bid to reduce strain on U.S. forces, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Marine Commandant General James Conway made the proposal during a meeting of top military leaders with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates last week, sources familiar with the discussion told the newspaper.

The move would free up Army forces currently stretched between both conflicts to focus solely on Iraq.

The military has been strained by extended tours of duty in the two countries, leaving troops less time at home and for training and limiting the number of soldiers available in case of emergencies elsewhere.

It was not clear how the idea had been received.

There are 160,000 U.S. troops in Iraq as part of a beefed-up presence in the country, and President George W. Bush has said he wants to reduces that number by 30,000. Of the troops in Iraq, 25,000 are Marines, but there are no major Marine units in Afghanistan, the paper said.


Article at: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,152377,00.html

[NYVet]

1. A misleading title...

The Marines want to go to Afghanistan and allow the Army to consolidate their attention on Iraq while they focus on Afghanistan.

[Captain Hilts]

2. They didn't want 'in'. nt