Washington – The Pentagon announced Monday that more than 92,000 troops will be in the next rotation of U.S. forces in Iraq. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said its exact size will be decided after the Dec. 15 election of a new Iraqi government.
The Pentagon said it has identified some of the major combat units that will deploy, starting in mid-2006 through mid-2008.
It said the units will total about 92,000 troops, but Rumsfeld said that should not be taken as the final figure. The usual troop level this year has been about 138,000, strengthened to about 160,000 this fall out of concern for extra violence during voting in October and December.
Separately, a senior Army general said there is a growing momentum in the training of Iraqi security forces, which now total about 100,000 army soldiers and about 111,000 police forces. Lt. Gen. David Petraeus said the goal is a combined total of 230,00 army and police by mid-December.
The Pentagon said the following major units will deploy:
1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard.
2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfert, Germany.
3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.
3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.
3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.
13th Corps Support Command, Fort Hood, Texas
Division headquarters, 25th Infantry, Schofield Barracks
