New Iraq plan debated

Jan. 14, 2006

BY SHARON G. McBRIDE/ Frontiersman

MAT-SU - In March of this year, it will have been four years since Operation Iraqi Freedom started, and in the midst of a lot of controversy and criticism over Iraq, President Bush outlined a plan to the nation last week that would raise troop levels by 21,500 - from 132,000 to 153,500 - at a cost of $5.6 billion. His plan also calls for the Iraqi government to increase its own forces and to do more to quell sectarian violence.

The Valley has no shortage of veterans. At last count there are approximately 7,968 in the area, said Marcia Hoffman-DeVoe, public affairs officer for the Alaska Veterans Administration Healthcare System. Here's what a few of them had to say about Bush's Iraq &#8220surge” plan.

Jamie Keith, 23, is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and served with the 44th Engineer Battalion, U.S. Army in Iraq. Keith's unit searched for weapons caches and destroyed unexploded ordnance during her tour of duty.

&#8220I don't think sending in more troops is a good idea,” she said. &#8220It will just mean more U.S. troop deaths. More troops won't help in the kind of fighting we are doing.”

She said that U.S. troops are facing daily sniper fire and are constantly in danger of improvised explosive device attacks.

&#8220We just need to keep doing what we are doing - no more troops, no less,” she said. &#8220We can't get out now, because the Iraqi troops are so corrupt, and we need to teach the good ones how to defend their country. That's what I Iearned when I was there.”

Keith doesn't have any hopes that the war will be over any time soon.

&#8220We will be there forever,” she said. &#8220We will always have to have a U.S presence there. It will become another Korea.”

Jim Grizzell, 83, is a World War II veteran, who served with the Marine Corps. Grizzell was aboard the U.S.S. Lexington during the Battle of the Coral Sea more than 65 years ago.

&#8220In the Marines, you never leave any place till you finish what you came to do,” said Grizzell, when asked about Bush's plan to increase troop numbers in Iraq. &#8220I think a lot of things were done incorrectly, but every battle has that. During the Gulf War we left before it was finished. If we had finished it we would not have to be there now doing it all over again.

&#8220In my opinion, we need to send more troops and give it six more months,” he said. &#8220Then we need to look at bringing our fellas home.”

Homer Thacker, 86, is also a World War II veteran. During his tour of duty he served with Patton's Own, Third Army.

&#8220In my opinion, we need to give it six more months, and then we need to start pulling our troops out,” he said. &#8220I think six months is sufficient, to see if it's working. Right now, it's not working. But I think more men would make a difference. If it turns into a civil war, there's not much we can do about that. Then we need to leave.”

Jim Jewett, 69, is a veteran who served during the Korean War. He did a stint in the Army National Guard and later on active duty with the Air Force.

&#8220I've been watching the news,” he said. &#8220My personal gut feeling is that we would be remiss to get everybody out. I know there were a lot of unanswered questions when we went in, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions. But I think we are there for a good cause - even though it has been costly.

&#8220I think if there's a new surge of troops there should be some well-defined parameters and timelines,” he said. &#8220No one wants it to be a long drawn-out process with no definite time frame.”

Shawn Stuart, 24, is also a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and served in the 1st Light Armor Reconnaissance Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps. In the 18 months that he was in, Stuart's unit performed a gamut of operations with SEALS, Delta Force and other Special Forces units and also participated in convoy escorts, manning checkpoints and patrols.

&#8220If the number of troops increase, I think it will be just more numbers thrown into the meat grinder,” Stuart said. &#8220I don't think it's the educated thing to do. We are stuck doing a police action, with people who are actively trying to kill the ‘cops' every day.

&#8220I don't think anybody has the right answers when it comes to Iraq,” he said. &#8220It all comes down to religion. Saddam Hussein kept Iraq together with an iron fist, and we're not trying to hold it together with an iron fist. There are too many different tribes that are fighting one another. There's not much you can do about that. That's what I saw when I was there.”

Contact Sharon McBride at 352-2262.