Within days of the January 12 earthquake in Haiti, the U.S. military had staged an impressive surge: By the end of January, around 20,000 troops were on the ground, or just offshore, like these sailors from the USS Bataan. More were on the way.
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What will remain behind: A U.S. Southern Command coordination cell, about eight people in total. They’ll stay on in Port-au-Prince to coordinate with the U.S. Agency for International Development, the lead U.S. government agency for the reconstruction effort. They’ll also help set up an upcoming exercise called New Horizons. It’ll involve about 500 soldiers from the Louisiana National Guard and other units, rotating in and out until the end of September.
Full story: Eight U.S. Troops Will Remain in Haiti, Down from 20,000+ | Danger Room | Wired.com