armytimes.com: Combat brigades in Iraq under different name

[Thiebear]

I was excited that we were getting it done.

Renaming them is just ridiculous.

I guess it doesn't matter how we draw down as long as we are winning and drawing down at all. But the direct lying is not worth it if your getting outed by the ARMY TIMES...

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/08/dn-brigades-stay-under-different-name-081910/

Combat brigades in Iraq under different name

7 Advise and Assist Brigades, made up of troops from BCTs, still in Iraq

By Kate Brannen - Staff writer

Posted : Saturday Aug 21, 2010 16:10:59 EDT

As the final convoy of the Army’s 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, based at Fort Lewis, Wash., entered Kuwait early Thursday, a different Stryker brigade remained in Iraq.

Soldiers from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division are deployed in Iraq as members of an Advise and Assist Brigade, the Army’s designation for brigades selected to conduct security force assistance.

So while the “last full U.S. combat brigade” have left Iraq, just under 50,000 soldiers from specially trained heavy, infantry and Stryker brigades will stay, as well as two combat aviation brigades.

[twa]

Don't see the problem,names(designations) matter in some circles.

State has also vastly expanded it's security and transport 'workers' and equipment.

[10fttall]

You mean the FIFTY THOUSAND troops still there aren't all cooks and secretaries? Well color me surprised!

[Landryslegend]

In before the stampede comes of people saying .."NO BIG DEAL ,NO BIG DEAL ,NO BIG DEAL".........Even though we all KNOW they wouldnt be saying that if One Term Barry werent the president. But ANYTHING that happens under his watch..........wont be admitted to, actually CANT be admitted to. Just the way some are.

So, if I shoot someone with a rifle, but call the rifle a widget instead of a rifle, will it be any less deadly????????

[Hubbs]

Um... duh?

We always play politics with military terms. Hell, we've played politics with military terms to fight entire wars. See: Korea, Vietnam, the War Powers Resolution.

[Destino]

"This way, the brigade can shift the bulk of its operational focus from security force assistance to combat operations if necessary."

So it's not just the name that changed is it? Their mission seems to have changed as well. The selection of troops was made so that if the situation demanded it these troops could immediately switch from assistance to offensive and defensive postures.

Why exactly are we supposed to have a problem with this? Should we have stripped the remaining soldiers of their ability to defend themselves and selected troops unable to do the job should the situation change? People are grasping at straws here.

[Destino]

So, if I shoot someone with a rifle, but call the rifle a widget instead of a rifle, will it be any less deadly????????

No but would you argue that the following reasons for having a rifle are all the same: (A)kill the enemy, (B)defend a foreign government, and © just in case the situation changes and you need it but being asked to work on something else

[Bang]

In before the stampede comes of people saying .."NO BIG DEAL ,NO BIG DEAL ,NO BIG DEAL".........Even though we all KNOW they wouldnt be saying that if One Term Barry werent the president. But ANYTHING that happens under his watch..........wont be admitted to, actually CANT be admitted to. Just the way some are.

So, if I shoot someone with a rifle, but call the rifle a widget instead of a rifle, will it be any less deadly????????

So, by this I'm going to assume that you believe that we should NOT leave some combat ready troops behind to insure the peace.

Whether that is unbelievably naive, ridiculously optimistic, or just plain stupid i'm not sure.

Why, if i didn't know better, I'd think that it was just some **** from someone who can't help but ridicule "one term Barry" no matter how correct his action is and no matter how much historic precedence there is for it.

You know, precedence like pretty much every winning army throughout the history of mankind has done.

So, I wonder,, which is it?

Naivete?

Optimistic?

Stupid?

Hack?

I must admit, I'm stumped.

~Bang

[Corcaigh]

Renaming them is just ridiculous.

I disagree.

The Advise and Assist Brigade concept was publicized in early 2009. The units have had extensive training for their new role of coaching and support. The point is that you cannot have the host nation developing the needed skills if the US Army does the heavy lifting whenever bullets fly.

The AABs are there to coach, mentor and provide support. Not "kick ass". But they have the needed skills if the host nation security forces fail to the point where overall national security is at risk.

[Landryslegend]

So, by this I'm going to assume that you believe that we should NOT leave some combat ready troops behind to insure the peace.

Whether that is unbelievably naive, ridiculously optimistic, or just plain stupid i'm not sure.

Why, if i didn't know better, I'd think that it was just some **** from someone who can't help but ridicule "one term Barry" no matter how correct his action is and no matter how much historic precedence there is for it.

You know, precedence like pretty much every winning army throughout the history of mankind has done.

So, I wonder,, which is it?

Naivete?

Optimistic?

Stupid?

Hack?

I must admit, I'm stumped.

~Bang

Actually my post wasnt directed at the president or the govt at all, but at SOME of his supporters. Reason being, I know that if this went down under Bush that liberals would be in full shrill about it. For the record, I see nothing wrong with leaving the 50,000, or the course of action taken. As I said, more a post about how some on the left think/act.

[Corcaigh]

As I said, more a post about how some on the left think/act.

No.

Your post is an illustration of how some on the right speculate about how some on the left might think/act in a hypothetical situation.

You created a straw man and then attacked it. Bravo.

[Bang]

No.

Your post is an illustration of how some on the right speculate about how some on the left might think/act in a hypothetical situation.

You created a straw man and then attacked it. Bravo.

Pretty much.

It's difficult to complain that someone did exactly what you're doing.

~Bang

[Prosperity]

I disagree.

The Advise and Assist Brigade concept was publicized in early 2009. The units have had extensive training for their new role of coaching and support. The point is that you cannot have the host nation developing the needed skills if the US Army does the heavy lifting whenever bullets fly.

The AABs are there to coach, mentor and provide support. Not "kick ass". But they have the needed skills if the host nation security forces fail to the point where overall national security is at risk.

since Mission Accomplished the role of the military has been to coach, mentor and provide support for the Iraqis. It's just that the Iraqi military kind of sucks and the providing support part leads to a lot of US casualties, though we do quite a bit of ass kicking at the same time

but still it's good that we'd use less people even if the overall goal is the same

[Destino]

Actually my post wasnt directed at the president or the govt at all, but at SOME of his supporters. Reason being, I know that if this went down under Bush that liberals would be in full shrill about it. For the record, I see nothing wrong with leaving the 50,000, or the course of action taken. As I said, more a post about how some on the left think/act.

So you're post was about what your imaginary liberal boogyman would have done. Totally awesome.

[Corcaigh]

since Mission Accomplished the role of the military has been to coach, mentor and provide support for the Iraqis. It's just that the Iraqi military kind of sucks and the providing support part leads to a lot of US casualties, though we do quite a bit of ass kicking at the same time

My point was that, as announced by the Army leadership 18 months ago, the AAB concept is an active program where additional training has been provided to help those US Army brigades develop skills to get the Iraqis to take more leadership.

This is not some recently concocted PR stunt to make the president look good by renaming combat brigades.

[Landryslegend]

So you're post was about what your imaginary liberal boogyman would have done. Totally awesome.

Why thankyou, And remember..........the Tea party is made up of raging racists! LMAO! Hmmmm, whats that again about creating strawmen??

[mardi gras skin]

This is not some recently concocted PR stunt to make the president look good by renaming combat brigades.

This is one of the major problems Obama is having right now. It looks like a PR stunt. We all remember his forceful promises to WITHDRAWAL our troops. He never said anything about training those soldiers for a different mission and keeping 50,000 of them in Iraq.

It feels very much like "read my lips, no more taxes."

[Bang]

This is one of the major problems Obama is having right now. It looks like a PR stunt. We all remember his forceful promises to WITHDRAWAL our troops. He never said anything about training those soldiers for a different mission and keeping 50,000 of them in Iraq.

It feels very much like "read my lips, no more taxes."

Well, no one should have to have been told we were leaving troops behind. It's a given.

We still have soldiers everywhere we've fought except Vietnam.

~Bang

[Landryslegend]

Well, no one should have to have been told we were leaving troops behind. It's a given.

We still have soldiers everywhere we've fought except Vietnam.

~Bang

Exactly. Which is the reason I used to laugh at people back in 06 when they would say that if the Dems take congress we are leaving Iraq. Ummm, no we arent. Not EVER. We NEVER do regardless of which political party sits in power.

Like I posted before, the United States has been in a state of perpetual war since 1941, whether we choose to believe it or not.

[Landryslegend]

Why, if i didn't know better, I'd think that it was just some **** from someone who can't help but ridicule "one term Barry" no matter how correct his action is and no matter how much historic precedence there is for it.

~Bang

Here is the deal Bang. I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that this President and Democrat controlled congress is bad for our country. I believe that to the fullest. So If I in fact do believe that, then I have no choice but to act on it in the only way I can. I do this by highlighting as many of their faults as I possibly can, on a daily basis. I do this as a way of getting people to dig up the info on their own, this way they come to their own conclusions.

Listen, if I truly believe that they are bad for our country, then it is my DUTY to do everything in my power to see that they are defeated. One look at the polls will quickly tell you that there are a great many of us who feel that way. In fact, we are now the majority and growing stronger by the day. THAT is the reality of the situation. In November we throw them out, in 12 we do the same. Not a doubt in my mind. And truthfully, if we can all be honest for a minute, I really dont think there is all that much doubt in anybodys minds anymore. Pretty easy to see which way the wind is blowing if you really want to, and lemme tell ya,....it surely isnt to the LEFT. Not by a long shot. The night of November 2nd will be cause for celebration, BIGTIME celebration. November 3rd its right back to work. One last doofus to throw to the ash heap of history. You too will see that the name ONE TERM Barry will be proven to be quite correct.

[Thiebear]

So like Mission Accomplished.

We probably shouldnt have said the last combat unit is out of Iraq then?

Simple: Say we hit the 50k goal and leave it at that...

[Landryslegend]

I can tell you one thing that I KNOW for sure.......My state traditionally goes democrat. Man, not this year! From governor, to senate, and right down the line it looks like its going to be a conservative sweep. We seem to be blowing the democrats out of the water at every turn.

[Thiebear]

psst: Topic... get back on it.

[Landryslegend]

psst: Topic... get back on it.

I agree, I was more just kind of answering Bang as to why I post some of the things I post.

[twa]

So like Mission Accomplished.

We probably shouldnt have said the last combat unit is out of Iraq then?

Simple: Say we hit the 50k goal and leave it at that...

Because like Mission Accomplished there is more to the story.

the designations matter in the overall scheme