Marine Commandant: Iraq winnable with more troops, patience

The war in Iraq can be won, if Iraqi leaders can establish banking and justice systems, and other essential structures most Americans take for granted, the commanding general of the Marine Corps said Wednesday.

But the corps faces challenges ahead, said Gen. Michael W. Hagee, Marine Corps commandant.

Hagee, who grew up in Fredericksburg, will retire in January, ending four years as leader of the corps. On a stop to visit wounded troops Wednesday at Brooke Army Medical Center, he spoke about Iraq and the future of the corps.

One problem is the corps' current "1-to-1 tempo," which is forcing Marines to spend as much time in Iraq as they do at home before they redeploy.

"We need to get at least to a 2-to-1, where you're a year over and two years back" at home, he said. "One way is to increase the number of Iraq forces or the coalition forces."

Marines and other U.S. and coalition troops have made "significant progress" in Anbar province, where hostilities have been frequent, said Hagee, who visited the province last week.

Read more at the Express News

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