Pentagon raises estimate of troops for Iraq(inching up towards 30,000)

Pentagon raises estimate of troops for Iraq
06 Mar 2007 18:31:15 GMT
Source: Reuters

Background
• Iraq in turmoil

MORE >>
(Recasts with new lead, details throughout)

By Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON, March 6 (Reuters) - The number of U.S. troops needed to carry out President George W. Bush's Iraq security plan could approach 30,000, significantly more than he projected in January, a senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday.

In testimony to the House of Representatives Budget Committee, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England said U.S. military commanders in Iraq were requesting varying numbers of support troops to augment the additional 21,500 soldiers Bush has ordered into combat.

"At this point, our expectation is the number of ... troops could go above 21,500 by about 4,000, maybe as many as 7,000," England said.

There are nearly 140,000 U.S. troops already fighting in Iraq, where sectarian violence has thwarted American efforts to bring the 4-year-old war to a close.

LinkHere