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Oct 11, 2007

Trading Places? 

Marines Press to Remove Their Forces From Iraq
The Marine Corps is pressing to remove its forces from Iraq and to send marines instead to Afghanistan, to take over the leading role in combat there, according to senior military and Pentagon officials.

The idea by the Marine Corps commandant would effectively leave the Iraq war in the hands of the Army while giving the Marines a prominent new role in Afghanistan, under overall NATO command.
...
They said it would allow the Marines to carry out the Afghan mission in a way the Army cannot, by deploying as an integrated Marine Corps task force that included combat aircraft as well as infantry and armored vehicles, while the Army must rely on the Air Force.
Now that's a hell of an idea. And I can't say that a lot of Marines wouldn't like it. Not that we don't believe in the fight in Iraq, but... well... we'd like a change of scenery. I'm sure the Army would too. Marines haven't been deployed to Afghanistan in force for the last few years, but you tell me who's better prep'd for the fight:

Army Mountain Warfare School is in Vermont (Vermont?). Elevation: less than 700 ft up to maybe 3,000

Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center is in California's Toiyabe National Forest. Elevation: from over 6,700 ft up to almost 12,000

You do the math.

I'd bet on a MEU worming it's way in there at some point in the not too distant future to get the ball rolling.
Posted by: Mike the Marine / 18:00
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