Mission Creep : 5,000 U.S. Troops in Iraq

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Wed Apr 20, 2016 at 08:49:00 AM EST
Tags: Iraq, Syria, ISIS (all tags)

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Time Magazine reports on the slow but steady increase of U.S. troop presence in Iraq. Apparently, it's in preparation for the upcoming battle to retake Mosul from ISIS.

Unless you have a loved one in the U.S. military, you probably haven’t been aware of the slow-but-steady increase in American troops on the ground inside Iraq.... On Monday, Pentagon officials said the total U.S. troop presence in Iraq would grow by more than 200 troops—to a deployed force of 4,087—as Baghdad and Washington prepare to take Mosul back from ISIS.

Troops on temporary assignment in Iraq, those guarding diplomatic outposts—or those rotating in to replace troops who haven’t left yet—aren’t included under that 4,087 ceiling. When they are, Pentagon officials say, the total U.S. troops presence in Iraq is creeping toward 5,000.

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While 5,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the 170,000 troops there in 2007, it is still mission creep.

Even if 5,000 U.S. troops end up inside Iraq, that’s less than 3% of 170,000 U.S. peak in 2007. After an eight-year occupation that killed 4,491 American troops and cost an estimated $2 trillion, Obama has no desire to re-enter that quagmire. He has steadfastly ruled out ground combat for U.S. troops, although their training and defense assignments are bringing them closer to the front lines.

It's far different than Obama's plan when he announced the airstrikes. Remember, he said the U.S. would only launch airstrikes to protect the Yazidis, American personnel and American interests.

These military operations will be limited in their scope and duration as necessary to protect American personnel in Iraq by stopping the current advance on Erbil by the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and to help forces in Iraq as they fight to break the siege of Mount Sinjar and protect the civilians trapped there.

...In addition, I have authorized U.S. Armed Forces to provide humanitarian assistance in Iraq in an operation th