The U.S. will likely be sending hundreds more American troops to Iraq in the coming months, above the additional 560 just ordered to deploy, U.S. Central Command officials confirmed Friday.
Army Gen. Joseph Votel said in a published interview that as Iraqi forces have more more success and therefore need more support, he will ask for additional troops.
“What General Votel was saying was that we are keeping our options open, recognizing that as this fight goes forward there is the possibility that we will need more forces,” spokesman Col. Pat Ryder told reporters at the Pentagon Friday in a telephone conference call.
“In consultation with the Iraqis, if there is a need, or if there is a specific objective to be supported, or effect to be achieved, then commanders will identify those requirements and then through our chain of command seek approval to provide those requirements,” Ryder said.
Ryder cited the example of the successful capture Saturday of the Qayyarah West airfield by Iraqi forces, which in turn prompted orders to deploy 560 U.S. troops to the base, mostly combat engineers and logisticians
Their job will be to get the airfield up and running again so it can be used as a base of operations for a future offensive to liberate Mosul.
Central Command says future increases in the U.S. troops levels would be limited to the kind of logistical and support expertise the Iraqis lack.
Roughly 3,700 U.S. troops are in Iraq, and the additional 560 will put the total over 4,200 when they arrive in the coming weeks.
The current authorized cap on U.S. troop levels in Iraq is 4,647, which gives commanders the ability to move some troops in and out on a temporary basis, without having to make a formal request.
