Military Under Trump No Longer Announcing Troop Deployments
The Los Angeles Times
reports:
Even as the U.S. military takes on a greater role in the warfare in Iraq and Syria, the Trump administration has stopped disclosing significant information about the size and nature of the U.S. commitment, including the number of U.S. troops deployed in either country.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon quietly dispatched 400 Marines to northern Syria to operate artillery in support of Syrian militias that are cooperating in the fight against Islamic State, according to U.S. officials. That was the first use of U.S. Marines in that country since its long civil war began.
In Iraq, nearly 300 Army paratroopers were deployed recently to help the Iraqi military in their six-month assault on the city of Mosul, according to U.S. officials.
Neither of those deployments was announced once they had been made, a departure from the practice of the Obama administration, which announced nearly all conventional force deployments.
The decision appears to be making good on Trump’s promise as a candidate to insist on more of an “element of surprise” in battle tactics.
“In order to maintain tactical surprise, ensure operational security and force protection, the coalition will not routinely announce or confirm information about the capabilities, force numbers, locations, or movement of forces in or out of Iraq and Syria,” said Eric Pahon, a Pentagon spokesman.
That move deprives the public of information it has a right to know about the wars in which the U.S. is engaging, said Ned Price, National Security Council spokesman under Obama.
“The position of the Obama administration was that the American people had a right to know if servicemen and women were in harm’s way,” he said.
In addition to the number of troops being larger, American forces are now nearer to the front lines in both Iraq and Syria than they have been since the war against Islamic State began nearly three years ago.
The deployment of Marines to Syria was confirmed for the first time publicly this week by Gen. Joseph Votel, the top commander in the Middle East, in response to a question at a congressional hearing from a member of the House Armed Services committee who asked whether there were additional Americans inside the country.
“They have deployed,” Votel said, adding that there were likely more troops headed for deployment.
-RW
We the people aren't supposed to worry our pretty little heads over big complicated things like troop deployments. Just let the experts, like Trump and the geniuses he's appointed, take care of everything. Where is your son, daughter, mother, father, brother, or lover stationed? Is he or she in harm's way? You don't need to know that, citizen. Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes closed; we'll inform you if you need to order up a coffin.
ReplyDeleteMilitary men are just dumb stupid animals who are fast becoming viewed as nothing more than vermin who are of little value to the state. Vermin historically have never been afforded the opportunity to buy coffins, and my god, nuclear infernos are so effective at erasing history that is too unpleasant to bring up in polite conversations.
ReplyDeleteI can see Trump talking with his mouth full of caviar as he begs for the codes to launch his solution to a multitude of problems that are a hinderance to his destiny of unparalleled greatness.