An American newpaper has reported that a retired four-star US general will travel to Iraq next week at the behest of the Pentagon to review the US military's policy there.
The New York Times reported today that Gen. Gary Luck, who formerly headed US forces in South Korea and is now a senior adviser to the military's Joint Forces Command, will be looking at issues including troop levels, training of Iraqi security forces and the strategy for fighting a bloody guerrilla war.
Gen. Luck's trip highlights how concerned senior Pentagon officials and top US commanders are over the situation in Iraq, members of Congress and military analysts said, according to the Times.
Luck, who will lead a small team of military specialists, was told yesterday by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to report back in a few weeks with a confidential assessment, senior defence officials told the paper.
"He will have a very wide canvas to draw on," the Times quoted Lawrence Di Rita, the Pentagon spokesman, as saying of Luck's mandate.
The Times also reported that the Pentagon is considering increasing the amount of time for which reservists can be called up for total active service; the limit is currently 24 months.
