Troop levels

The Kansas City Star

The Pentagon's decision to increase troop levels in Iraq is a necessary -- and belated -- move. With Iraqi elections scheduled for Jan. 30, a significant boost in troop strength is especially warranted.

Before the invasion of Iraq, the worst-case scenario called for protracted urban combat in Baghdad. The most pessimistic commentators predicted a grinding battle rivaling the siege of Stalingrad in World War II. Instead, the regime of Saddam Hussein fell in three weeks. But since then, Baathist remnants, joined by foreign terrorists, have fought back as insurgents. ...

Most of the increase in strength will be accomplished by two-month extensions of the tours of 10,400 troops already there. In addition, about 1,500 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., will be deployed for about four months. These steps will increase U.S. troop levels from 138,000 to nearly 150,000, allowing commanders to increase pressure on insurgents before Iraqi elections.

That's essential to successful elections, which ought to proceed as scheduled despite reservations by many Iraqis and some in Washington. ...

... Our military commitment will no doubt continue for a long time. Insurgencies are not defeated in single battles. Often, the effort takes years.

The primary military objective in Iraq is not so much to stamp out the insurgency but to ensure that the country's political development stays on track. In that regard, the Jan. 30 elections are critical.