Gen. Odierno: Embedding US Troops

Gen. Odierno: Embed US Troops as Direct Advisors

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Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno discusses the current challenges the Army faces during a briefing at the Pentagon, Aug. 12, 2015.
CLYDELL KINCHEN/U.S. ARMY[/caption]Could there be deployments to Iraq back in store? Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno suggested that it might be time to embed US troops as direct advisors to Iraqi units battling ISIS. Is that what is in store for our involvement in Iraq? We have tried to fight ISIS with a bare minimum of involvement but we are finding that air power alone is probably not going to be the answer. So what does it mean then? If we are serious about taking down ISIS, are we going to have to do more? The General seems to think so. At least a bit more. From Stars and Stripes:WASHINGTON – The U.S. should consider embedding American service members in Iraqi Security Forces units battling the Islamic State to help them gain momentum in their ground fight against the militant group, the Army’s top general said Wednesday.

Gen. Raymond Odierno, the Army’s 38th chief of staff who will retire after relinquishing his job to Gen. Mark Milley on Friday, said that wouldn’t necessarily mean U.S. troops would be directly fighting, but they could serve as direct advisers as Iraqi units move on the battlefield.

“If we find in the next several months we’re not making the progress that we have, we should probably absolutely consider embedding some soldiers and see if that will make a difference,” Odierno said during the final press briefing of his 39-year Army career. “It’s an option we should present to the president when the time is right.”

Read the rest at Stars and Stripes

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