Can someone help with troop movement rates?

[tekisui]

From a Reuters http://blogs.reuters.com/afghanistan/2010/05/02/u-s-troop-numbers-in-afghanistan-set-to-overtake-iraq/">article today:

There are currently around 90,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan and just under 100,000 in Iraq. The United States is adding roughly 2,000 more troops each month in Afghanistan as part of a build-up to beat back a resurgent Taliban while drawing down more than 5,000 from Iraq.

By the end of the summer, the troop strength in Afghanistan will hit 100,000 while the number in Iraq would have fallen to half of that. It’s a dramatic shift since Obama was inaugurated as U.S. president in January last year when there were just 35,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Is the rate of withdrawal going to increase sharply in the coming months to meet the numbers? In Iraq, 5,000 a month times 4 months (May-August) is just 20,000. That is only about half as many as are set to leave Iraq by the end of August. Will there be a significant increase in withdrawal numbers? How will we reach the goal?

[tekisui]

1. Is the Iraq withdrawal truly on schedule?

[spanone]

2. that's what they say....we shall see

[neverforget]

5. According to my friend who is a Major in the Army at FOB Warhorse,

there are still more than 100,000 troops in Iraq and it's behind schedule. That was in early April but things could have changed since then.....

[tekisui]

6. I am starting to question the 'withdrawal on track' line that we're hearing

from the generals. It isn't quite adding up. Unless someone who knows more about it than I can explain how 5,000 a month will equal 40-50k in 4 months.

[tekisui]

3. Is it logistically possible to move 20,000 additional troops out of Iraq

in one month? Or are the rates set to double to 10,000 a month?

[tekisui]

4. kick