Iraq Army Officials announced that the army would aim to recruit and train a further 20,000 soldiers during 2007. 25 battalions and two division headquarters would be created with the help of the US military.
“Our goal is to reduce the dependence and increase the self-reliance,” US Lt. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, said. “That’s why we’re here.”
It is hoped that the expansion will allow troops to fight the Sunni insurgency. The additional troops will also allow unit rotation for rest, re-equipping and retraining.
Author: Michael
Defense ministers from China and Gabon met on Wednesday and presented a united front, stressing the importance of close military ties.
In a meeting with the visiting Gabonese Minister of State and Defence Ali Bongo, Chinese Defence Minister Cao Gangchuan said the two armed forces have always maintained friendly cooperation.
Over the past few years, there have been frequent high-level visits and exchanges between the two armed forces, said Cao, who is also vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission and a state councilor.
The Russian Defence Ministry has revealed that suicides accounted for over half of all deaths in Russia’s armed forces so far in 2007.
According to the ministry’s official website, a total of 110 servicemen have been killed in crimes, accidents and suicides.
The deaths were mainly due to suicides (65), accidents (24), murder through negligence (seven) and hazing (five).
The Iraq Army has acquired light armoured vehicles from the US.
40 $39,000 troop carriers (Badger light armoured vehicles) were delivered to the Taji Army Base on 31 March. These 40 are the first shipment of an order of 398 Badgers.
Each Badger can transport 11 soldiers and two crew members, and contains a V-shaped structure designed to deflect blasts. “This vehicle can take us into the red zone [in Baghdad],” Iraq Army Sgt. Mohammed, a Badger driver, said.
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Pakistan’s President Gen Pervez Musharraf must resign from his army post, exiled former premier Benazir Bhutto has said.
Bhutto acknowledged having talks with Pakistan’s government, but said the resignation was essential before her party entered any political pact.
Speculation is rife that Musharraf will come to an arrangement with Bhutto to allow her to return to Pakistan before parliamentary elections due around the end of this year.
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Defence officials announced on Monday that, for the second time since the Iraq war began, the US Army will be sending large units back to Iraq within a year of their return home. This action is an indication of the limits to which the US Army has been stretched.
The Army will try not to shorten the troops’ US time, “but in this case we had to,” said a senior Army official, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. “Obviously right now the Army is stretched,” the official said.
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