Pentagon prepares 35,000 troops for Iraq

The Pentagon announced on May 9 that it was alerting more than 35,000 Army soldiers that they could be sent to Iraq this fall. The deployment orders signed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates would allow commanders to maintain the buildup of troops through the end of the year if needed. President Bush has ordered nearly 30,000 additional troops to Iraq to quell a spike in violence, particularly in and around Baghdad. There are currently about 146,000 US troops in Iraq. Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the orders do not mean the military has decided to maintain the increased force levels through December. The Pentagon "has been very clear that a decision about the duration of the surge will depend on conditions on the ground," he said. Gates and his military leaders have said that commanders in Iraq will make recommendations in September on whether the buildup has been successful and should continue or if US troops can begin coming home.