US brigade heading for Kuwait
The US military is planning to move a brigade of troops into Kuwait in what could be the first step of a short-term surge of American forces into Iraq to stabilise the violence.
The 2nd Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division was expected in Kuwait shortly after the New Year, a senior US Defence Department official told The Associated Press.
The 2nd Brigade, made up of roughly 3,500 troops, is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and would be deployed in Iraq early next year if needed, the official said. The move would be part of an effort to boost the number of US troops in Iraq for a short time. The plan was first reported by CBS News.
In a half-hour video conference with President George Bush yesterday, Iraqi prime minister Nouri Maliki outlined plans for the national reconciliation conference taking place in Baghdad today.
He cited the desire of many people in Iraq for a larger core of Iraqi political leaders to come together for the common objective of stabilising the country and promoting the rule of law, National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said in describing the conversation.
Maliki also talked with Bush about providing greater security, in particular in Baghdad, by going after all sources of violence, including insurgents and militias, Johndroe said.
Bush reiterated his support for Maliki and said he was encouraged by the meetings he had recently with Iraq’s Sunni vice president, Tariq al-Hashemi, and with the leader of the largest Shiite bloc in Iraq’s parliament, Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim.
In assessing the state of the war in Iraq, Bush has been meeting top generals and other advisers. Military options being considered include an increased effort to train and equip Iraqi forces.
Meanwhile, the commander of US forces in the strife-ridden Iraqi province of Diyala said tribal leaders and some political groups in the province were turning to terrorists and insurgents for protection rather than trust Iraqi soldiers and police.
“This sort of unity only worsens the sectarian divide and encourages further violence,” said Col David Sutherland, commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.
“Public perceptions of corruption, inequity and fear are the driving force behind support to terrorist organisations. These are not new problems in Iraq but problems that developed out of a desire for personal and financial gain.”
Sutherland said he was trying to turn that around by putting Iraqi police through more rigorous training, placing more US advisers in the Iraqi army and police units, and through Iraqi efforts to recruit a police and army force that better reflected the sectarian make-up of Diyala, about 55% Sunni, 30% Shiite and 15% Kurd.
