US to send more troops to Iraq?

[The Kernel]

Oh Fuck...

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.S. military planners are preparing to send possibly as many as 15,000 additional ground troops to Iraq if the level of violence increases, CNN has learned.

That word comes as nearly 100 people were killed in insurgent attacks in five Iraqi cities Thursday.

The frequency and intensity of attacks against coalition forces, Iraqi officials and civilians have increased in recent weeks as the June 30 date for the transfer of sovereignty to Iraq nears.

In his confirmation hearing before the Senate Thursday, Gen. George Casey -- who will soon take over as the commander of coalition forces -- said U.S. Central Command is working on contingency planning for increased violence.

"That is CentCom doing some prudent planning in the event the security situation changes," he said. "But it is not a request for forces or even an informal request for forces.

"The insurgency is much stronger than I certainly would have anticipated," he told senators. "I think they have got support from external sources."

U.S. officials have warned for weeks that violence would get worse as the handover approached, and would continue afterward.

A senior coalition military official told reporters Thursday the increased attacks were not unexpected, and warned that more car bombs could be used in the insurgents' effort to terrorize Iraqi civilians and try to derail the fledgling democracy.

On Wednesday, Pentagon officials said a group of Army Reserve soldiers rarely tapped for duty could soon be heading to Iraq.

As many as 6,500 Individual Ready Reserve troops with critical skills needed in Iraq such as military police, infantry and engineers could be called up, Pentagon officials said.

A decision to call up these troops is expected within the next week, according to officials.

[Dargos]

For those who do not know what the IIR(Individual Ready Reserve) is.

When you join the US military, you have an 8 year service obligation.. thats right boys and girls.... 8 YEARS. You have the choice of serving all 8 active or spliting them up between Active, Reserve or National Guard. Those that choose the IIR basicly just go home after letting the government know where you are in case of an emergency.

It really surprises me that they are dipping into the IIR. I always thought they wouldn't do that unless a MAJOR conflict started up.

[Patrick Degan]

Looks like this White House never got acquainted with Mr. Sun Tzu:

Linky

SUN-TZU: THE PRINCIPLES OF WARFARE
"THE ART OF WAR"

Chapter Two: Doing Battle

Sun-tzu said:

Generally, the requirements of warfare are this way:

One thousand quick four-horse chariots,

one thousand leather rideable chariots,

one hundred thousand belted armor,

transporting provisions one thousand li,

the distribution of internal and on the field spending,

the efforts of having guests, materials such as glue and lacquer,

tributes in chariots and armor,

will amount to expenses of a thousand gold pieces a day.

Only then can one hundred thousand troops be raised.

When doing battle, seek a quick victory.

A protracted battle will blunt weapons and dampen ardor.

If troops lay siege to a walled city, their strength will be exhausted.

If the army is exposed to a prolonged campaign, the nation's resources will not suffice.

When weapons are blunted, and ardor dampened, strength exhausted, and resources depleted, the neighboring rulers will take advantage of these complications.

Then even the wisest of counsels would not be able to avert the consequences that must ensue.

Therefore, I have heard of military campaigns that were clumsy but swift, but I have never seen military campaigns that were skilled but protracted.

No nation has ever benefited from protracted warfare.

Therefore, if one is not fully cognizant of the dangers inherent in doing battle, one cannot fully know the benefits of doing battle.

Those skilled in doing battle do not raise troops twice, or transport provisions three times.

Take equipment from home but take provisions from the enemy.

Then the army will be sufficient in both equipment and provisions.

A nation can be impoverished by the army when it has to supply the army at great distances.

When provisions are transported at a great distances, the citizens will be impoverished.

Those in proximity to the army will sell goods at high prices.

When goods are expensive, the citizens' wealth will be exhausted.

When their wealth is exhausted, the peasantry will be afflicted with increased taxes.

When all strength has been exhausted and resources depleted, all houses in the central plains utterly impoverished, seven-tenths of the citizens' wealth dissipated,

the government's expenses from damaged chariots, worn-out horses, armor, helmets, arrows and crossbows, halberds and shields, draft oxen, and heavy supply wagons,

will be six-tenths of its reserves.

Therefore, a wise general will strive to feed off the enemy.

One bushel of the enemy's provisions is worth twenty of our own, one picul of fodder is worth twenty of our own.

Killing the enemy is a matter of arousing anger in men;

taking the enemy's wealth is a matter of reward.

Therefore, in chariot battles, reward the first to capture at least ten chariots.

Replace the enemy's flags and standards with our own.

Mix the captured chariots with our own, treat the captured soldiers well.

This is called defeating the enemy and increasing our strength.

Therefore, the important thing in doing battle is victory, not protracted warfare.

Therefore, a general who understands warfare is the guardian of people's lives, and the ruler of the nation's security.

Of course, we know they never bothered to read Machievelli or Clauzewitz either. But then, this is a White House which wears its illiteracy as a badge of honour.

[Chardok]

*sniff* smell that? Smells like Vietnam.

[Saurencaerthai]

*sniff* smell that? Smells like Vietnam.

"And it's one, two, three, four/what are we fighting for?/Don't know, and don't give a damn!/Next stop is Vietnam!"

[PainRack]

Looks like this White House never got acquainted with Mr. Sun Tzu:

Of course, we know they never bothered to read Machievelli or Clauzewitz either. But then, this is a White House which wears its illiteracy as a badge of honour.

How does the section on the principles of battle work for you? Shouldn't you be concentrating more on the stragetic, like,
"To win a war without fighting battles, that is the supreme way of fighting".

Inspections anyone?

Alternatively, "to win a battle, one must plan". Sun Bin art of war. A working adminstration perhaps?

[Stormbringer]

*sniff* smell that? Smells like Vietnam.

Ah yes, the first rule of modern warfare politics, if it's not your party that started it compare it to Vietnam.



Frankly, this shouldn't suprise any one since the biggest problem has been not having enough troops and proper equipment on the ground to do that job. Not ever war fought can be won strictly from the air you know. Combine that fact with 'allies' bailing or considering it this is rather inevitable. I fail to see how this proves the war is unwinnable.

[Sea Skimmer]

For those who do not know what the IIR(Individual Ready Reserve) is.

When you join the US military, you have an 8 year service obligation.. thats right boys and girls.... 8 YEARS. You have the choice of serving all 8 active or spliting them up between Active, Reserve or National Guard. Those that choose the IIR basicly just go home after letting the government know where you are in case of an emergency.

It really surprises me that they are dipping into the IIR. I always thought they wouldn't do that unless a MAJOR conflict started up.

When's the US likely to get involved in a war bigger then this? An occupation like Iraq is really the only job wherever going to use most of the reserve's, espically maneuver and artillery units for. Anything else will be over or never intense enough on the ground to allow large numbers of reserve units to complete all their redeployment training and ship over. The fact that some units, going to Iraq haven't seen action since Korea is a testament to that.