Name Dropping

Starting in January, the US military will drop the “multinational” from its unit designations in Iraq. Stars and Stripes reported Nov. 28, for example, that the top two levels of US command in Iraq—Multi-National Forces-Iraq and Multi-National Corps-Iraq—will be merged and renamed US Forces-Iraq. According to the newspaper, these name changes are part of the organizational changes associated with the planned drawdown of US forces there from the current level of about 120,000 to 50,000 by next summer. They also reflect that, as of July when the last Australian, British, and Romanian troops left, there are no longer non-US contingents in the country. Also, brigade combat teams deployed there will henceforth be known as “advise and assist brigades.”