"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 18:50:25 -0600, "Bob Crantz"
said:

That contradicts Rumsfeld own words (testimony to Congress) regarding
Marine
Troop strength:

http://www.house.gov/hasc/testimony/...ony2-16-05.pdf

You mean that part where he says:

"Under the Emergency Authority the Marines have _temporarily_ increased
strength by nearly 3,000 above their base of 175,000?"

Seems to me a temporary increase is fully consistent with returning to
that
number over 5 years, no?

Where does the 5 year number come from?

That increase was done by calling up reservists to fill specialty billets.

It's more than 3,000 if you read the whole thing.

So now, if 5,000 is such a trivial number why wasn't it reduced, especially
in light of the fact it's reservists doing the job?