Bush administration is quietly on track to nearly double the number of
combat troops in Iraq this year, an analysis of Pentagon deployment orders
showed Monday.The little-noticed second surge, designed to reinforce U.S. troops in
Iraq, is being executed by sending more combat brigades and extending tours of
duty for troops already there.The actions could boost the number of combat soldiers from 52,500 in early
January to as many as 98,000 by the end of this year if the Pentagon overlaps
arriving and departing combat brigades.Separately, when additional support troops are included in this second
troop increase, the total number of U.S. troops in Iraq could increase from
162,000 now to more than 200,000 — a record-high number — by the end of
the year.The numbers were arrived at by an analysis of deployment orders by Hearst
Newspapers.
And on it goes…