From: Adam <""4thwormcastfromthemolehill\"{at}the field.near
the bridge">

Rich Gauszka wrote:
> I see Poland has pledged 1,000 troops. They had previously announced a
> desire to reduce forces in Iraq so I wonder if they'll just move them from
> there.  European support would seem to be getting a bit tapped out with the
> conflicts in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, and Lebanon.
>
>

Next February. Basically an announcement of actually not very much as the
idea of ISAF was originally based on the concept of a 1 year rotation &
people were due to be rotated out in Feb (it's the quietest month what with
the snow etc).

However if those who were due to be rotated out can stay it might help.

The problemo however is one of the here & now. We have no reserves.
None, 0, nada, zilch. How many wars are fought on the basis of no
reserves??? "Gee we just broke their ranks but....we can't do anything
coz we've got no reserves to do anything with. ..." etc.

Generally...a mil forced is judged on it's reserves as you have those
who're holding the line & then your reserves which you deploy to
actually win the battle.

That's why I keep saying it's up to the US. The only reserves they seem
keen to deploy are 10K foot above (USN off the Reagan or USAF from the
UAE/Bagram).

What's needed are boots on the ground from the US Army & USMC & the
US is the only country at the mo with the will & the reserves (assuming
they want the Germans, French, Italians & UK to stay in places like
Lebanon, Iraq etc).

That leaves the Turks.....& the problem there is that the Atlanticists
are now deeply unpopular in Turkey. They could help in Lebaon if only by
freeing up Italians, French & Germans to go o Afghanistan but even then
those 3 seem (quite reasonably) to prefer "anywhere but the
south".



Adam

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