Harring Report: The National Young Men’s Meat Grinder

Note: Viewers of TBR News who would like a copy of the original DoD Supplementary Casualty lists, showing the actual military deaths from March 2003 through July, 2005 as taken from their official site (now deleted) and showing over 10,000 actual deaths, can obtain these facsimiles directly from Mr. Harring by sending him an email message at: brianharring@yahoo.com  ( As of October 10, 2006, Mr. Harring has sent out over 17,481 lists. Ed )

Photo AFP

"The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent. Even when weapons of war are not actually destroyed, their manufacture is still a convenient way of expending labour power without producing anything that can be consumed".

George Orwell, ‘1984’

“Whether war is a necessary factor in the evolution of mankind may be disputed, but a fact which cannot be questioned is that, from the earliest records of man to the present age, war has been his dominant preoccupation. There has never been a period in human history altogether free from war, and seldom one of more than a generation which has not witnessed a major conflict: great wars flow and ebb almost as regularly as the tides. This becomes more noticeable when a civilization ages and begins to decay, as seemingly is happening to our world-wide industrial civilization. Whereas but a generation or two back, war was accepted as an instrument of policy, it has now become policy itself.”

General J.F.C. Fuller, 1954

The Bush/Cheney Butcher’s Bill: Officially, 43 US Military Deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan from 1 October 2006 –  12 October 2006- Official Total of 3,038 US dead to date (and rising) The actual total of dead American military personnel is now over 15,000 and also rising and the number of seriously wounded is now ca 27,000. It should be noted that the death toll in October, 2006, is one of the highest  to date.  ed

by Brian Harring, Domestic Intelligence Reporter brianharring@yahoo.com

Mr. President, why don’t you pull out…like your father should have? Brian Harring

Note: There is excellent reason to believe that the Department of Defense is deliberately not reporting a significant number of the dead in Iraq. We have received copies of manifests from the MATS that show far more bodies shipped into Dover AFP than are reported officially. The actual death toll is in excess of 10,000. (See the official records at the end of this piece.) Given the officially acknowledged number of over 15,000 seriously wounded (and a published total of 25,000 wounded overall,), this elevated death toll is far more realistic than the current 2,000+ now being officially published. When our research is complete, and watertight, we will publish the results along with the sources In addition to the evident falsification of the death rolls, at least 5,500 American military personnel have deserted, most in Ireland but more have escaped to Canada and other European countries, none of whom are inclined to cooperate with vengeful American authorities. (See TBR News of 18 February for full coverage on the mass desertions) This means that of the 158,000 U.S. military shipped to Iraq, 26,000 deserted, were killed or seriously wounded. The DoD lists currently being very quietly circulated indicate over12,000 dead, over 25,000 seriously wounded and a large number of suicides, forced hospitalization for ongoing drug usage and sales, murder of Iraqi civilians and fellow soldiers, rapes, courts martial and so on -

The government gets away with these huge lies because they claim, falsely, that only soldiers actually killed on the ground in Iraq are reported. The dying and critically wounded are listed as en route to military hospitals outside of the country and not reported on the daily postings. Anyone who dies just as the transport takes off from the Baghdad airport is not listed and neither are those who die in the US military hospitals. Their families are certainly notified that their son, husband, brother or lover was dead and the bodies, or what is left of them (refrigeration is very bad in Iraq what with constant power outages) are shipped home, to Dover AFB. This, we note, was the overall policy until very recently. Since it became well known that many had died at Landstuhl, in Germany, the DoD began to list a very few soldiers who had died at other non-theater locations. These numbers are only for show and are pathetically small in relationship to the actual figures. You ought to realize that President Bush personally ordered that no pictures be taken of the coffined and flag-draped dead under any circumstances. He claims that this is to comfort the bereaved relatives but is designed to keep the huge number of arriving bodies secret. Any civilian, or military personnel, taking pictures will be jailed at once and prosecuted. Bush has never attended any kind of a memorial service for his dead soldiers and never will. He is terrified some parent might curse him in front of the press or, worse, attack him. As Bush is a terrible physical coward and in a constant state of denial, this is not a surprise.

Official Casualty List for October, 2006

2

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Spc. Robert F. Weber, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, died near the Qayyarah West Airfield, Iraq, (about 30 miles south of Mosul, Iraq) as a result of a vehicle roll-over on Sept. 30. Weber was assigned to 1st Battalion, 37th Field Artillery Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash. This incident is under investigation.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Al Asad, Iraq, on Sept. 30 of injuries suffered when their vehicle received small arms fire during security operations. Both soldiers were assigned to the National Guard's 1st Battalion, 133rd Infantry, Iowa Falls, Iowa. Killed were:  Staff Sgt. Scott E. Nisely, 48, of Marshalltown, Iowa,  Spc. Kampha B. Sourivong, 20, of Iowa City, Iowa.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a sailor who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael A. Monsoor, 25, of Garden Grove, Calif., died Sept. 29 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Ramadi, Iraq. Monsoor was a SEAL assigned to a West-Coast based command.

3

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Cpl. Aaron L. Seal, 23, of Elkhart, Ind., died Oct. 1 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 6th Engineer Support Battalion, 4th Marine Logistics Group, Sound Bend, Ind.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Lance Cpl. Christopher B. Cosgrove III, 23, of Cedar Knolls, N.J., died Oct. 1 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to Marine Forces Reserve’s 2nd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Dover, N.J.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cpl. Chase A. Haag, 22, of Portland, Ore., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 1 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Haag was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Joe A. Narvaez, 25, of San Antonio, Texas, died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 2 after being shot by enemy forces. Narvaez was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Schweinfurt, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Mario Nelson, 26, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died in Hit, Iraq, on Oct. 1 from injuries suffered when a rocket-propelled grenade detonated near his vehicle. Nelson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 36th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Friedberg, Germany.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Satieon V. Greenlee, 24, of Pendleton, S.C., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 2 as a result of injuries suffered from enemy small arms fire. Greenlee was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Pfc. Michael K. Oremus, 21, of Highland, N.Y., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on Oct. 2 after being shot by enemy forces. Oremus was assigned to the 57th Military Police Company, 8th Military Police Brigade, Seoul, Korea.

4

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.Capt. Justin D. Peterson, 32, of Davisburg, Mich., died Oct. 1 from a non-hostile vehicle accident in Al Anbar province, Irq. He was assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif. The incident is under investigation.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Sgt. Denise A. Lannaman, 46, of Bayside, N.Y., died at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, on Oct. 1 from a non-combat related incident. Lannaman was assigned to the Army National Guard’s 1569th Transportation Company, Newburgh, N.Y. The incident is under investigation.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Spc. Angelo J. Vaccaro, 23, of Deltona, Fla., died on Oct. 2 in Korengal, Afghanistan, from injuries suffered during combat operations. Vaccaro was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, N.Y.

5

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Staff Sgt. Daniel Isshak, 25, of Alta Loma, Calif., died on Oct. 3 in Tikrit, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his vehicle received enemy small arms fire at Hawija, Iraq, during combat operations. Isshak was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

6

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Lance Cpl. Edward M. Garvin, 19, of Malden, Mass. Cpl. Benjamin S. Rosales, 20, of Houston, Texas  Both Marines died Oct. 4 while conducting combat operations in Al Anbar province, Iraq. They were assigned to 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

8

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  Spc. Fernando D. Robinson, 21, of Hawthorne, Calif., died on Oct. 2 in Korengal, Afghanistan, from injuries sustained when his patrol came under attack by enemy forces using small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. Robinson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Taji, Iraq, on Oct. 2, of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle. All four soldiers were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. Killed were:  Staff Sgt. James D. Ellis, 25, of Valdosta, Ga.,  Spc. Raymond S. Armijo, 22, of Phoenix, Ariz.,  Spc. Justin R. Jarrett, 21, of Jonesboro, Ga.,  Spc. Kristofer C. Walker, 20, of Creve Coeur, Ill.

10

The Department of Defense announced today the death of four soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died in Taji, Iraq, on Oct. 4 after being attacked by enemy forces using small arms fire and other weapons. All four soldiers were assigned to the 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.  Killed were:  Pfc. Dean R. Bright, 32, of Roseburg, Oregon. , Spc. Timothy R. Burke, 24, of Hollywood, Fla. ,, Staff Sgt. Christopher O. Moudry, 31, of Baltimore, Md,.  Spc. George R. Obourn Jr., 20, of Creve Coeur, Ill.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cpl. Carl W. Johnson II, 21, of Philadelphia, Pa., died on Oct. 7 in Mosul, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle. Johnson was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Cpl. Nicholas A. Arvanitis, 22, of Salem, New Hampshire, died on Oct. 6 in Bayji, Iraq, from injuries suffered when he encountered enemy fire. Arvanitis was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pfc. Shane R. Austin, 19, of Edgerton, Kan., died on Oct. 8 in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, from injuries suffered by enemy grenade fire. Johnson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 35th Armor Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armor Division, Baumholder, Germany.

11

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. They died Oct. 7 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle during combat operations.  Killed were: Sgt. Lawrence L. Parrish, 36, of Lebanon, Mo., who was assigned to the 110th Engineer Battalion, Kansas City, Mo.,

Spec. John E. Wood, 37, of Humboldt, Kan., who was assigned to the 891st Engineer Battalion, Garnett, Kan.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of two soldiers who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Killed were:  Sgt. Brandon S. Asbury, 21, of Tazewell, Va., who died on Oct. 7 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces using small arms fire during combat operations. Asbury was assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas., Spec. Timothy A. Fulkerson, 20, of Utica, Ky., who died Oct. 8 in Tikrit, Iraq, when a landmine detonated near his vehicle during combat operations. Fulkerson was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation Reconnaissance Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Pfc. Phillip B. Williams, 21, of Gardnerville, Nev., died Oct. 9 in Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries suffered from enemy contact during combat operations.  Williams was assigned to the 4th Brigade Troop Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Ky.

12

The Department of Defense announced today the death of six Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Julian M. Arechaga, 23, of Oceanside, N.Y., died Oct. 9 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., Lance Cpl. Jon E. Bowman, 21, of Dubach, La., died Oct. 9 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. , Pfc. Shelby J. Feniello, 25, of Connellsville, Pa., died Oct. 9 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. ,Lance Cpl. John E. Hale, 20, of Shreveport, La., died Oct. 6 from wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. , Lance Cpl. Stephen F. Johnson, 20, of Marietta, Ga., died Oct. 8 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C. ,Cpl. Bradford H. Payne, 24, of Montgomery, Ala., died Oct. 6 while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of three Marines who were supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Lance Cpl. Derek W. Jones, 21, of Salem, Ore., died Oct. 8 from wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. ,Lance Cpl. Jeremy S. Sandvick Monroe, 20, of Chinook, Mont., died Oct. 8 from wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii., Capt. Robert M. Secher, 33, of Germantown, Tenn., died Oct. 8 from wounds received while conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Al Anbar province, Iraq. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan.

How many Americans have REALLY died in Iraq?

October 11, 2006
by Trebor Chram

Today, we read in the news, “An estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the 2003 US-led invasion” which is a much much higher figure than the 30,000 reported by Mr. Bush and much higher than the figure of 49,000 reported by Iraq Body Count and much higher then other conservative estimates of 100,000 and 200,000.

This new figure, which ranges as high as 750,000 dead compares the death rate during the Saddam regime to the death rate in the past three years under the Bush regime.

It is possible that “only” 100,000 Iraqis died violently in the past three years, however, another 500,000 or so died a premature death due to illnesses caused by new unsanitary conditions and lack of medical services since the Bush invasion. Before the invasion, Iraq was known to have the best medical services throughout the Middle East. It is no wonder that the Iraqis wish they had Saddam back.

All of this made me wonder about the American casualty figures made public by Mr.

Rumsfeld’s Pentagon. Since this administration is mired in secrecy, I wonder how big a lie this figure is.

It is no secret that this war has been unpopular since the beginning and because of this the Bush Administration has probably manipulated the casualty figures to keep it lower. The higher the casualty figures, the higher the voices from American to withdraw from this illegitimate war.

Since the U.S. suffered over 20,000 more military dead during Vietnam war than previously reported by the Pentagon, I wonder what the real figure is at this time.

The U.S. Veteran Dispatch had uncovered Pentagon records revealing that the United States suffered nearly 20,000 more fatalities during the Vietnam war era than the 58,182 servicemen whose names are engraved on the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

According to a U.S. Army file called TAGCEN which contains over 293,000 Army casualty records, there are 19,644 U.S. Army servicemen who were killed or died between January 1, 1965 and December 31, 1975 that are not counted as Vietnam war dead because their death certificates were written in other countries, including the United States.

I have read a report that reads: “The actual death toll is in excess of 10,000. (See the official records at the end of this piece.) Given the officially acknowledged number of over 15,000 seriously wounded (and a published total of 25,000 wounded overall,), this elevated death toll is far more realistic than the current 2,700+ now being officially published.”

So, Mr. Rumsfeld, when are you going to tell us that possibly over 9,000 more American soldiers have perished in this war and they are not being honored as such for giving their lives for the USA?

U.S. casualties surge amid worsening Iraq violence

October 13, 2006
by Will Dunham
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. military casualties have surged in Iraq in recent weeks, with U.S. troops engaging in perilous urban sweeps to curb sectarian violence in Baghdad while facing unrelenting violence elsewhere.

At least 44 U.S. troops have been killed so far in October. At the current pace, the month would be the deadliest for U.S. forces since January 2005. After falling to 43 in July, the U.S. toll rose in August and September before spiking this month. The war's average monthly U.S. death toll is 64.

The number of U.S. troops wounded in combat also has surged, with September's total of more than 770 the highest since November 2004, when U.S. forces launched a ground offensive to clear insurgents from Falluja.

Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, briefing in Baghdad on Thursday, attributed the rising casualties to insurgent violence that coincides with the current Islamic holy month of Ramadan, as well as more aggressive operations in Baghdad.

"We assume it will still get worse before it gets better. We expect violence to continue to increase over the next two weeks, until the end of Ramadan," Caldwell said.

Caldwell said the 15,000 U.S. troops in Baghdad are focusing their efforts in the sprawling capital on curbing death squads and others responsible for sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shi'ites that the U.S. commanders believe could lead to civil war if left unchecked.

"Each time you conduct operations like that, you put your soldiers at much greater risk," Caldwell said.

Army Gen. George Casey, top U.S. commander in Iraq, said on Wednesday the level of violence over the past few weeks has been the highest of the war. There are 141,000 U.S. troops in Iraq

GRIM TOLL

There have been 2,757 U.S. military deaths since the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The U.S. death rate and overall toll still remain far lower than in the Vietnam War, when 58,000 U.S. troops were killed.

The Pentagon said 20,895 U.S. troops have been wounded in combat, many maimed by grievous blast wounds from insurgent roadside bombs, the leading cause of American casualties. At least 6,000 others have suffered wounds in accidents and other noncombat situations.

At least tens of thousands of Iraqis also have died. A study published this week estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died due to the war. Casey offered an estimate of 50,000.

Cato Institute defense analyst Ted Carpenter described a dilemma faced by the U.S. military on casualties.

"It can hunker down and concentrate on force protection, in which case the casualties always decline," Carpenter said, but Iraq's violence might spiral out of control.

"Or it can go out and patrol more aggressively, in which case the casualties go up dramatically. So basically it's a choice of poisons for American policy-makers," Carpenter added.

U.S. commanders have declared the fight for Baghdad as the main effort of the war, demoting the longstanding counter-insurgency fight in Anbar province, the heart of the Sunni Arab insurgency.

Brookings Institution analyst Michael O'Hanlon said there has been a gradual increase in overall violence since the first year of the war as the insurgency grew in strength and sophistication.

But spikes in violence, he said, have been driven primarily by U.S. actions like the current operation in Baghdad.

On the current surge in casualties, O'Hanlon said: "We're not winning and we may even be starting to lose. That's what it should make you conclude."

Army: Troops to stay in Iraq until 2010!

October 11, 2006
By Robert Burns
AP

WASHINGTON - For planning purposes, the Army is gearing up to keep current troop levels in Iraq for another four years, a new indication that conditions there are too unstable to foresee an end to the war.

Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, cautioned against reading too much into the planning, which is done far in advance to prepare the right mix of combat units for expected deployments. He noted that it is easier to scale back later if conditions allow, than to ramp up if they don't.

"This is not a prediction that things are going poorly or better," Schoomaker told reporters. "It's just that I have to have enough ammo in the magazine that I can continue to shoot as long as they want us to shoot."

Even so, his comments were the latest acknowledgment by

Pentagon officials that a significant withdrawal of troops from Iraq is not likely in the immediate future. There are now 141,000 U.S. troops there.

At a Pentagon news conference, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, said that as recently as July he had expected to be able to recommend a substantial reduction in U.S. forces by now. But that plan was dropped as sectarian violence in Baghdad escalated.

While arguing that progress is still being made toward unifying Iraq's fractured political rivalries and stabilizing the country, Casey also said the violence amounts to "a difficult situation that's likely to remain that way for some time."

He made no predictions of future U.S. troop reductions.

Appearing with Casey, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said he and other senior Pentagon officials are still studying how the military might keep up the current pace of Iraq deployments without overtaxing the Army and Marine Corps, which have borne the brunt of the conflict. Rumsfeld said one option is to make more use of the Air Force and Navy for work that normally is done by soldiers and Marines.

Sen. Jack Reed (news, bio, voting record), D-R.I., a member of the

Senate Armed Services Committee, said Wednesday that the advance planning Schoomaker described was an appropriate cautionary approach. However, he added, the Pentagon should increase the overall size of the military to reduce stress on troops repeatedly sent into combat.

"I applaud the new realism but I think they also have to recognize that this (war) is going to put a huge stress on our forces," said Reed, a former Army Ranger. Reed and other Democrats have called on

President Bush to start bringing home troops within a year to force the Iraqi government to take more responsibility for security.

At his news conference, Rumsfeld was asked whether he bears responsibility for what has gone wrong in Iraq or if the military commanders there are to blame.

"Of course I bear responsibility," he replied in apparent exasperation. "My Lord, I'm secretary of defense. Write it down."

In recent months the Army has shown signs of strain, as Pentagon officials have had to extend the Iraq deployments of two brigades to bolster security in Baghdad and allow units heading into the country to have at least one year at home before redeploying.

The Army is finding that the amount of time soldiers enjoy between Iraq tours has been shrinking this year. In the case of a brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, its deployment to Iraq was delayed by about six weeks because it otherwise would have had only 11 months to prepare instead of the minimum 12 months. As a result, the unit it was going to replace has been forced to stay beyond its normal 12-month deployment.

In separate remarks to reporters, Gen. Richard Cody, the Army vice chief of staff, said soldiers need more than 12 months between deployments to Iraq so they can do a full range of combat training and complete the kinds of educational programs that enable the Army to grow a fully mature officer corps.

That kind of noncombat experience is necessary "so that we don't erode and become an Army that only can fight a counterinsurgency," Cody said. He added that

North Korea's announced nuclear test "reminds us all that we may not just be in a counterinsurgency fight and we have to have full-spectrum capability."