L’état du désastre

L’expert militaire Andrew J. Bacevich publie un article où il retrace l’historique des ambitions et de l’échec colossal de la politique et de la stratégie US en Irak. (C’est dans The American Conservative, daté du 23 octobre.)

Bacevich donne notamment quelques précisions chiffrées sur l’état actuel des forces armées US (U.S. Army principalement). Ces chiffres sont effrayants.

«How long U.S. forces can sustain their current holding action is now emerging as a pressing question. As if to emphasize the growing scarcity of troops, the Pentagon in recent weeks has both extended the tours of units already in Iraq and moved up the deployment dates of units back home that are headed for the war zone.

»Meanwhile, the once crack Third Infantry Division, preparing for its third Iraq tour, has two of its four brigades without tanks or other heavy equipment. The Army’s chief of staff complains that army depots are clogged with 600 battle-damaged and worn-out Abrams tanks and 1,000 Bradley Fighting Vehicles awaiting repair. The Army lacks the money to fix them—this despite the fact that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have now cost an estimated $500 billion.

»Gen. John Abizaid, the commander of U.S. Central Command, recently let the cat out of the bag. Asked to assess the progress in Iraq, the general replied: “Given unlimited time and unlimited support, we’re winning the war.” Abizaid is no fool: he knows that the time allotted for this war is running out and that his available resources are permanently constrained.»

Mis en ligne le 18 octobre 2006 à 08H10