Troop Redeployment Underway in Iraq

It’s just getting harder and harder for the Democrats to come up with excuses for failure in Iraq. The U.S. Department of Defense is reporting that U.S. troops begin coming home tomorrow, November 27:

WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2007 – The first reduction in American forces in Iraq is under way as the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division heads back to Fort Hood, Texas.

The brigade will not be replaced. Roughly 162,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq in 20 brigade teams or their Marine equivalents. If all goes well, this will drop to 15 brigade combat teams over the next eight months, Navy Rear Adm. Gregory J. Smith, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq in Baghdad, said Nov. 24.

Iraqi security forces are attaining the expertise and operational capabilities needed to police their own country, Smith said. Iraqi forces are taking over more of the battle space in Baghdad and around the country.

“Current conditions allow for a withdrawal of the first unit … starting on Nov. 27,” Smith said. “If conditions continue to permit, a total of five brigade combat teams will be redeployed over the next eight months.”

The redeployment of the brigade shows the coalition’s confidence in Iraqi security forces and reflects the overall improved security in the country, Smith said. The brigade – based in Diyala province – will not leave a vacuum in the province.

Army COL David Sutherland, commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, added:

"These concerned local citizens understand that the future of Iraq can be better if they get involved in ridding the province of al Qaeda and participate in the development of their own democracy.

"As I’ve said on numerous occasions, we cannot kill our way out of this.  In Diyala, when the government loses its will, the people lose hope and they turn to other sources to provide that hope.  Today, there is hope in Diyala."

HOOAH!

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Comments

[Mike's America]

I can't wait for Democrats to claim they were instrumental in forcing the start of witdrawals.... I need a good laugh.

P.S. Amy: I'm still having hat problem withtyping comments. (The preceding is NOT a typo). It seems something blocks acharacter or space every so often.

[J Rob]

They are too busy playing games with defense funding to see what's going on. If they were to try to claim credit at this point they would be laughed out of their press conferences

[Amy Proctor]

Mike, I've been saying that for months. That HAS to be the Democratic plan, to relucantly and ever so humbly take credit for success in Iraq. Oh, sure, the 2006 elections forced the hand of Bush, compelling him to change course in Iraq (they deny a change of course has occurred and say Bush is "staying the course", but that rhetoric will change).

Then they'll say that their disgusting and constant cricitism of Iraqis as incapable of Democracy and their leaders incapable of governance and the religious sects incapable reconciliation is what drove Iraqis to accomplish all of the above.

Mark my words.

Mike, I also took out Lady Liberty and the online counter. Hopefully that'll help the typing situation. Let me know. I think it's sped up the page load time if nothing else.

J Rob, it's ridiculous at this point that Dems are still blindly pushing along with their old regurgitated talking points. They probably recite them in their sleep. CNN and other news outlets spend hours evaluating this phenominon and how the Democrats will work around the progress in Iraq.