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Debate Grows Over Beefing Up U.S. Force in Iraq
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who has moved to run for president in 2008, said that "without additional combat forces, we will not win this war."
(By Mark Wilson -- Getty Images)
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Michael Vickers, director of strategic studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, said a surge could have enormous costs down the road, when U.S. officials would need to rotate fresh troops into Iraq. He also doubts the value of having more troops even temporarily.
"In the past year, we've had between 125,000 and 140,000 troops there, and the daily attacks have almost tripled," Vickers said.
Americans have soured on the war in part because U.S. casualties have continued to mount, particularly in October and the first half of this month. Simply having more troops on the ground, or repositioning troops already in Iraq to the Baghdad area, has proven deadly.
"One of the ironies, of course, is that the more soldiers you have there, the more soldiers you have in harm's way," said Edwin Dorn, a professor at the University of Texas and a former undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. He said a major surge would require shipping to Iraq soldiers who just recently returned. "Sending people back into the fight who were just there would seriously harm morale."
Some experts said a short-term surge could create a window for Iraqi forces to develop and take over, but they said it would have to be temporary. Retired Lt. Col. Conrad Crane, the lead author of the Army's soon-to-be-finished counterinsurgency manual, said it is unlikely a short-term surge in combat forces would be decisive.
Instead, Crane supports Abizaid's idea of increasing training efforts.
"If his goal is to increase capacity and capabilities, that's the right way to go," Crane said. "The long-term solution is to get the host nation to be able to secure their own freedom and their own liberty and future."
Staff writer Thomas E. Ricks contributed to this report.
