Printer-Friendly Version

3,500 U.S. soldiers' move to Iraq delayed
By UPI Staff
United Press International
May 10, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Some 3,500 soldiers of the U.S. Army's 2nd Brigade were ordered to stay in Germany while a U.S. force reduction in Iraq is considered, a report said Tuesday.

Defense officials said the delay gives Army Gen. George Casey Jr., the leader of U.S. commanders in Iraq, time to assess the formation of a new Iraqi government as well as insurgent and sectarian violence.

"It's a decision to buy him a little more time to make his overall assessment before you are spending money and moving stuff," an unnamed defense official told The Washington Post.

"It's a very narrow decision just to hold this unit (in Schweinfurt, Germany,) for now," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told the newspaper.

The move, which shows optimism resulting from Jawad al-Maliki being chosen Iraqi prime minister, keeps about 133,000 U.S. troops in Iraq.

U.S. defense officials told the Post that Casey likely will have a fresh assessment of U.S. military needs in Iraq this spring or summer.

Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved