2100 pairs of boots not on the ground in Iraq
SSG E sends a link to Defense News which reports that 2100 Marines will be positioned in Kuwait as the Quick Reaction Force for Iraq operations;
Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF) Central Command will be equipped to perform noncombat evacuation, humanitarian assistance, infrastructure support, tactical aircraft recovery, fixed-site security and theater sustainment missions, said Brig. Gen. John Love, assistant deputy commandant for plans, policies and operations.
Plans to deploy the unit predate the conflict in Iraq and Syria with the Islamic State. Love, who spoke Sept. 25 at the Modern Day Marine expo, made no reference to the militant Islamic group or where the unit would be deployed, and a Marine Corps spokesman would say only that the Marines would be based in multiple locations.
Evacuations and aircraft/pilot recoveries are “noncombat” operations until they aren’t. I lost count, but I think this doubles the number of troops now involved in operations in Iraq. It’s good planning to have that large QRF ready outside of Iraq, but it’s unfortunate that the White House was unable to be honest with the American people from the beginning regarding how many troops will be involved in this mission.
Category: Marine Corps, Terror War
And they still won’t be honest, even after the number of troops there exceeds the 10k we plan on keeping in the Stan.
The war never ended. It just kinda hit a lull until the bad guys could recover, recoup, and take over again.
Yep. Anyone who believes this is the “last increment” of US troops to be devoted to this mission is IMO engaging in wishful thinking.
“but it’s unfortunate that the White House was unable to be honest with the American people from the beginning regarding how many troops will be involved in this mission.”
Well I for one am shocked. SHOCKED I tell you! The White House not being up front and transparent about their plans for “no boots on the ground”? What’s next I ask, the IRS gonna lose some emails or something? Oh, wait, that’s already happened. Just like Fast and Furious. Just like Benghazi. Just like death from above…I mean death from the VA. Just like John Kerry managing to alienate most all allies and especially our one reliable ally in the ME, Israel. Folks, I hate to think it but it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. God bless and protect out troops, wherever they serve, under this Commander In A Golf Cart. They need it.
There was an Army BCT left in Kuwait for this explicit reason (regional QRF) in 2011. I’m sure there was a rotation in place to relieve them. I wonder if this is in addition to that, instead of that or what? Anyway, I’ll bet that all of the tearing down of facilities at the camps in Kuwait is regretted now and there are construction/civil engineering hustling to accommodate these troops.
‘it’s unfortunate that the White House was unable to be honest with the American people from the beginning’ – Hmmm….
Well, I think the background for the lack of honesty is that this is being done piecemeal, kind of like patching that hole in the gutters because you get dripped on every time you go through the back door.
There isn’t any plannimg going on here. That’s my impression. This is being done more as ‘oh, let’s try this and see if it works’ and less as ‘we need to slowly prepare to ramp up the action’.
This is just making me shudder to think what idiotic idea is coming up next.
Who are they trying to fool by trying to redefine what QRF truly is?
QRF for “humanitarian assistance”?
Only if it means helping bad guys have their full of a lead diet.
“In the final analysis, it is their war. They are the ones who have to win it or lose it. We can help them, we can give them equipment, we can send our men out there as advisers, but they have to win it,
But this is not our fight alone. American power can make a decisive difference, but we cannot do for them what they must do for themselves, nor can we take the place of their neighboring partners in securing their region.
Two different quotes, two different eras. One started with 700 advisers, one is re-opening with 500, now 2100…thus far the outcome has not been much different. American lives spent on nations unable to maintain their sovereignty and without long term planning or consideration. Here’s hoping this current effort has some facet of planning that stabilizes the region post conflict prior to us abandoning it to its’ own devices.
Marines are in Kuwait to built a camp for the fleeing
Iraq army. Everyone needs a place to go.
Hmmm. Not that they are really concerned with lying to us infidels out here, but maybe if they off load the Marines and other non-combatants wearing sandals they can stick with that “no boots on the ground” meme?