Sunday, September 7, 2008

Occupation Iraq: U.S. Staying With Surge

"Commanders warn that Iraqi troops will continue to need US intelligence, air support, firepower, and other backup."

I'm not surprised, although I wonder why I bother posting repetitive garbage.


"Iraqi army still needs US assistance, commanders say" by Alexandra Zavis, Los Angeles Times | September 7, 2008

BAQUBAH, Iraq - "It's the first time that the Iraqi army has come in here and nobody hit me, nobody broke anything," Najim, a Sunni Arab, said incredulously. "This will make the area more secure, and the terrorists will be finished."

The Shi'ite Muslim-led soldiers and police officers waging a massive crackdown in troubled Diyala province are not the ramshackle, sectarian-driven forces of two years ago. The troops are more disciplined, their operations more carefully planned, and they rattle off the current counterinsurgency doctrine with an ease that would impress its author, US Army General David H. Petraeus.

But these are some of the elite units of the Iraqi security forces, and the ongoing crackdown has so far posed few major challenges. When bombs explode and mortar rounds rain down, the Iraqis turn to US-led forces for help. "We can do small operations without the Americans," said an Iraqi sergeant named Ali who is with the brigade that searched Najim's house. "But . . . should they leave the country? No."

And CUI BONO, 'eh?

Commanders warn that Iraqi troops will continue to need US intelligence, air support, firepower, and other backup.

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