CNN is reporting that the 1st Brigade of the 82cd Airborne Division will soon be deploying to Iraq for 4-6 months as well as the 3rd Brigade of the 82cd Airborne Division has had its tour extended.
Over at my
Fester's Place I have a comprehensive analysis of this action.
Here are the highlights:
First next summer will be horrendous as this reinforement will increase US strength in the country to at least 17 brigades while the rotation plan assumes only 14 US brigades in country by next June. So between a more active insurgency and fewer US forces, we'll see more casualties next summer.
Second this will not be good for retention and reconstitution. The 82cd Airborne is projected to be either C-3 or C-4 combat ineffective already and that was assuming the 3rd Brigade would come back in February and the 1st Brigade would be rested.
Thirdly the US has given up on the idea of maintaining a strategic reserve. We have only nuclear, naval and aerial policy options if North Korea wants to push a hardline over the next twen months.