Just imagine if Bush did it: Afghan-Support units will be replaced by up to 14,000 'trigger-pullers,' and noncombat posts will be contracted out

Afghan-Support units will be replaced by up to 14,000 'trigger-pullers,' and noncombat posts will be contracted out - allows the U.S. to (say) keep its troop level unchanged(?????)

Hey I'm generally in favor of more shooters but these people can't be honest about anything....

U.S. officials are planning to add as many as 14,000 combat troops to the American force in Afghanistan by sending home support units and replacing them with "trigger-pullers," Defense officials say.

The move would beef up the combat force in the country without increasing the overall number of U.S. troops, a contentious issue as public support for the war slips. But many of the noncombat jobs are likely be filled by private contractors, who have proved to be a source of controversy in Iraq and a growing issue in Afghanistan.

The plan represents a key step in the Obama administration's drive to counter Taliban gains and demonstrate progress in the war nearly eight years after it began.

Forces that could be swapped out include units assigned to noncombat duty, such as guards or lookouts, or those on clerical and support squads.

"It makes sense to get rid of the clerks and replace them with trigger-pullers," said one Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the plans have not been announced. Officials have spoken in recent days about aspects of the plan.

The changes will not offset the potential need for additional troops in the future, but could reduce the size of any request from Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and allied commander, officials said.

McChrystal submitted a broad assessment of the Afghanistan war effort this week, calling the situation there "serious."

Details of the assessment remain secret, but officials said it did not contain a request for more troops. Such a request could be submitted in coming weeks.

The planned changes in the U.S. troop mix are part of what military officials call a "force optimization" review, a critical middle step between the assessment and a request for additional troops, designed to ensure that the existing force is operating as efficiently as possible.

The view of the admin that this represents their ability to say no increase in forces has occurred is a laughable cave in to KOS/HUFFPO/MOVEON which tells the american people exactly what kind of people those people are.

WAR IS PEACE, or if not, overseas contingency operations to deal with man caused disasters.