Washington – The Pentagon has notified more than 35,000 Army soldiers to be prepared to deploy to Iraq beginning this fall, a move that would allow commanders to maintain the ongoing buildup of troops through the end of the year if needed.
Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said Tuesday the deployment orders, which have been signed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates, do not mean that the military has made a decision to keep the increased level of 20 brigades in Iraq through December. A brigade is roughly 3,500 soldiers.
Instead, he said the decision gives the Pentagon the “capability” to carry the buildup to the end of the year. The replacement forces, Whitman said, would give commanders in Iraq the flexibility they need to complete the mission there.
The announcement, Whitman said, has “nothing to do” with a decision to extend the troop buildup. He said the Pentagon “has been very clear that a decision about the duration of the surge will depend on conditions on the ground.”
Earlier this year, President Bush ordered close to 30,000 additional troops to Iraq to quell the spiking violence, particularly in and around Baghdad. Gates and his military leaders have said that commanders in Iraq will make recommendations in September on whether the buildup has been successful, and whether it should continue or if troops can begin coming home.
According to the Army, the combat brigades would deploy for up to 15 months.
Fort Carson brigades are not among those being notified.
