Gen. Raymond Odierno told reporters that the troops would serve as training and mentoring teams, and thus would not be included in the mandate to pull combat troops from the cities. That mandate is included in the recently approved U.S.-Iraq security agreement.
"We believe that's part of our transition teams," said Odierno, who was set to meet with Defense Secretary Robert Gates here at this sprawling base in central Iraq. He said the U.S. will leave troops at the security stations to support the Iraqis, adding "we believe we should still be inside those after the summer."
While there have been suggestions that some number of troops would remain in the cities after the summer, Odierno's comments marked the first time military leaders acknowledged that those would include forces at the security stations.
I assumed that there would be a residual presence in the cities to take care of training and even providing logistics and combat enablers like air power, communications, and reconaissance.
And since the focus is still on victory, even this might be modified:
"There are still some issues in Mosul that we have to work through," he said, but maintained that the U.S. is on track to be out of that city in June. But if there are still problems, the Iraqis can ask the U.S. troops to return.
We're on the way out. But we're not running out. At least, that's the plan. I suspect we're far enough along to make the plan work despite lingering urges by the anti-war side for a nice clean defeat in Iraq.
