Pentagon Maps Plans for Iraq Surge

12/29/2006

WASHINGTON (AP) - As President Bush mulls over possible changes in Iraq policy, military planners are mapping out a number of options for a surge of U.S. troops, if that is one of the decisions he makes.

Pentagon officials said Friday that any surge of forces into Iraq would be done by extending units currently there, moving units into Iraq earlier than planned, or shifting them from other locations around the world.

The most immediate and likely move would be to shift the 2nd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division from Kuwait - where it is expected to deploy early next month - into Iraq, said the officials, who requested anonymity because no decisions have been made.

That brigade is being sent to Kuwait to serve as the reserve force, and military commanders have routinely moved the reserve force into Iraq when needed. A typical brigade is about 3,500 soldiers, and moving them in would give an instant boost of troops.

Several officials said that military planners have been working on an array of options, but no one will know what units could be affected until the president decides how many troops he needs, and how quickly they have to be in Iraq.

Another popular option would be extending Marine units already in Iraq. Currently the 5th and 7th Regimental Combat Teams are serving in Western Iraq. Both are scheduled to move out early next year, but could be ordered to stay for a longer period of time. Each regimental team has about 7,000 marines.

The Army's 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division is scheduled to come home early next year, and that Army unit has already been extended for about 45 days. It likely would not be extended again, the officials said.

Several other Army brigades are scheduled to deploy to Iraq for the normal rotation of units to the battlefront and some of those could be moved in more quickly if needed, although some were in Iraq less than a year ago. The Pentagon has tried not to send any units back before they have had a year home.

A surge in troops has been one of the options under discussion by the administration, but it would likely be coupled with other political and economic improvements.

While in Iraq last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates talked about the importance of rebuilding neighborhoods and other Iraqi facilities more quickly in regions that had been cleared by troops and deemed secure.

Short-term jobs programs, offering micro business loans to Iraqis and reopening existing factories are among ideas being discussed by reconstruction experts, but it's unclear which ideas Bush is embracing.

Frederick Barton, who co-directs the Center for Strategic and International Studies' post-conflict reconstruction project, said jobs programs have worked after past conflicts, but that they often are not matched with the needs of the people, and create a short-term positive effect but little civic pride. He said micro loans also work but might not be effective or used unless stability can be achieved in Iraq.

"The best economic step that they could take is to push the Iraqi government to produce a wealth-sharing agreement on oil," Barton said. "That would, by far, be the biggest contribution."