The extra combat engineer battalions of reserves, likely to be sent to Baghdad, would total about 3,500 troops, officials said. They said the units, coming from around the United States, have already done tours in Iraq but there has been no final decision on which will go.
They will come from our reserves--I assume the National Guard.
I assume they will go to Baghdad to build things rather than act as infantry. Berms, access control points, strong points to disperse company-sized combat elements throughout the city, watch towers, and police stations would be force multipliers for combat units and security forces. And civilian projects, too, I should think.
Adding specific types of troops for specific missions makes sense. I still don't think we need a general increase to win.
