Most U.S. troops will leave Iraq within a year because the Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth," Rep. John Murtha told a civic group.
Opponents of the war like to say this a lot. Yes, if the Army and Marines of 2003 were left to indefinitely fight this war at this level it could not do so. But the ground forces are adapting to fight this war and the war will not remain at a steady state for us. Increases in deployable brigades are increasing the ability of our military to rotate forces to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan; while increases in Iraqi and Afghan security forces, as well as an evolving situation as we win, will reduce the stress we need to overcome.
It amazes me that opponents profess such concern for our troops breaking and simultaneously say that the jihadis are gaining experience--essentially "being trained by the fight against us"--when they are being slaughtered and arrested in vastly higher casualty rates than we face. Yet we are breaking and the enemy is getting better? And let's not even discuss how suicide bombers are getting experience. Now they are down to inept Belgians for their storm troopers?
I think our military will emerge strengthened from Iraq despite the stress it is enduring. The enemy, on the other hand, isn't being stressed so much as being killed.
