Kuwait: First Stop In Iraq Troop Surge?

Pentagon Plans To Move Troops Into Kuwait; Speculation Of Major Surge In Troop Strength

(CBS/AP)  Meanwhile, the commander of U.S. forces in the strife-ridden Iraqi province of Diyala said Friday that tribal leaders and some political groups in the province are turning to terrorists and insurgents for protection rather than trust Iraqi soldiers and police.

"This sort of unity only worsens the sectarian divide and encourages further violence," said Col. David Sutherland, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. He spoke to reporters at the Pentagon by a satellite video connection from his headquarters near the city of Baqouba, northeast of Baghdad.

"Public perceptions of corruption, inequity and fear are the driving force behind support to terrorist organizations," Sutherland added. "These are not new problems in Iraq but problems that developed out of a desire for personal and financial gain."

Sutherland said he is trying to turn that around by putting Iraqi police through more rigorous training, placing more U.S. advisers in the Iraqi army and police units and through Iraqi efforts to recruit a police and army force that better reflects the sectarian makeup of Diyala, which is about 55 percent Sunni, 30 percent Shiite and 15 percent Kurd.

Currently, the Iraqi security forces in Diyala are predominantly Shiite, he said.

Sutherland said he is working out arrangements to expand the use of U.S. adviser teams with Iraqi security forces, reflecting the view of senior U.S. commanders that such an expansion can speed the development of competent Iraqi forces.

The Army is considering ways it can speed up the creation of two additional combat brigades — a move intended to expand the pool of active-duty combat brigades in order to relieve some of the strain on the Army from large-scale deployments to Iraq.

Under the plan being developed, the new brigades could be formed next year and be ready to be sent to Iraq in 2008, defense officials told The Associated Press. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the plans were not final.

The Army's chief of staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, told a commission Thursday that he wants to increase the half-million-member force beyond the 30,000 troops authorized in recent years. And he warned that the Army "will break" without thousands more active duty troops and greater use of the reserves.

[mh4cbs1]

US Troops:

Join West Point graduate Lt. Watada and say NO MORE!

Refuse to go back to Iraq for the NeoCon SOBs. Why must the middle class always fight, die and pay the bill for these super-wealthy War Profiteers and NeoCon freaks who want to establish their 'New Workd Order'.

Your oath of loyalty is to the CONSTITUTION, not to a President who Abuses his Office by LYING us into Invading a country that was NOT a threat. If you all start to refuse to follow Bush's Illegal War Orders, he will have no power!

[mh4cbs1]

What we patriotic Americans need to do is

JAIL BUSH and CHENEY for their War Crimes and throw away the key.

If you love America, if you support the troops, impeach these NeoCon maniacs and Jail them.

[mh4cbs1]

Hey Bush, haven't had enough "Shock and Awe" yet??

Didn't think so. Maybe after another couple hundred thousand dead it will be easier to steal their Oil. Then again, maybe Saudi Arabia will join the fight to help the Sunnis and Iran will do the same to support the Shiites.

Don't execute your old FRIEND Saddam yet, you may want to put him back in power. Ah, the good old days, when we had a US-friendly brutal dictator like Saddam in charge. That usually works so much better than "democracy", cuz the people may not like US stealing their resources, skimming the profits from their economy, and running their country though our puppet regimes.
(read Perkins - Confessions of an Economic Hitman)

[barbaer2]

how many more must die?