U.S. To Hand Over Security Duties In Anbar To Iraqi Forces

Army Lt. Col. Bill E. Bartheld, 43, the commander of the 120th Engineer Battalion, speaks with a civilian explosive expert near a 4-ton pile of captured enemy ammunition prepped to be destroyed in a massive explosion June 22, 2004, at a site in Iraq's Al Anbar Province. At one point, the site housed the largest stash of munitions found in western Iraq. Workers cleared the site of approximately 12,000 tons of bombs, mortars, grenades and bullets insurgents could have used to attack troops and Iraqis.

From The Washington Post:

The top Marine Corps general said yesterday that the U.S. military will hand over security responsibilities to Iraqi forces next week in Iraq's western province of Anbar, paving the way to reduce the 25,000-strong Marine contingent there and free up more Marines to go to Afghanistan.

The Marine Corps Commandant, Gen. James T. Conway, said Anbar no longer requires such a large number of Marines, who would be better employed fighting in Afghanistan, where he said the Taliban insurgency is "growing bolder."

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My Comment: If I published the above headline 2-3 years ago .... my readers would think I was delusional. In fact .... I would think that I was becoming delusional.

I guess that is why I blog in my office, and David Petraeus is a General.