Pentagon eyes withdrawing Marines from Iraq -- to Afghanistan
Major Marine Corps forces could be transfered to Afghanistan
The US military has three priorities, according to a top military official who spoke Thursday to the Washington Post.
First, keeping troops on the ground in Iraq. Second, keeping troops on the ground in Afghanistan. Third, bringing troops home to the United States to make sure they have time to train.
And one other thing -- according to top Pentagon officials -- withdrawing the Marine Corps from Iraq so they can be redeployed in Afghanistan.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen told reporters last year that a plan by the Marine Corps commandant rejected last year is being considered for 2009.
"Should we be in a position to move forces into Afghanistan, I think that certainly would come back into consideration," Mullen told reporters Thursday. He asserted that the forces must have a hard time having "a foot in both countries."
Talk of drawing down troops in Iraq has been a top concern of Democrats in Congress and on the campaign trail. The US spends about $435 million a day -- $3 billion a week, or $12 billion a month keeping troops on the ground in the country.
Afghanistan has been a lesser priority of the Bush Administration, even though it was the real based of Osama Bin Laden and contained al Qaeda training camps. Today, it is the largest supplier of opium -- which is used to produce heroin -- in the world. Under orders from the Pentagon, the Marines have not destroyed poppy plants, reassuring villagers they "won't be touched" in order to keep from alienating the local population -- even though the Taliban generates up to $100 million a year from the harvest, and will use it against US troops, according to an article Wednesday by the Associated Press.
Gates told reporters Thursday the Pentagon is still examining options to augment US troop levels in Afghanistan next year but there is no plan to extend the deployment of 3,200 marines currently in the country.
At the briefing, Gates also said he was open to increasing benefits under the GI bill, which provides servicemembers the money to go to college after completing their terms of service -- but only if the mandatory term of service was raised to six years.
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