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US troops face increasing dangers in southern Iraq
AP/SF Chronicle ^ | 5/17/11 | Rebecca Santana

Posted on 05/17/2011 5:31:33 AM PDT by markomalley

American forces are facing an increasingly dangerous environment in southern Iraq, where Shiite militias trying to claim they are driving out the U.S. occupiers have stepped up attacks against bases and troops.

The uptick in violence serves as a warning about what American forces could face if U.S. and Iraqi officials come to an agreement about keeping more U.S. troops in the country past Dec. 31.

"We're very concerned about it," said Col. Reginald Allen, who commands the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment that operates in five, predominantly Shiite provinces. "This environment is very fluid, but in general our planning assumptions and our precautions are based on the worst case, that levels of violence will continue to increase."

Allen's regiment lost five soldiers in April, one of the highest months for combat-related deaths in Iraq since U.S. forces pulled out of the cities in June 2009.

Two were killed in Babil province by indirect fire — the military's term for rockets or mortars; two more were killed by a roadside bomb in Wasit province, which borders Iran; and the last was killed by a rocket-propelled grenade in Qadisiyah province.

About 46,000 American troops remain in Iraq, focusing on training Iraqi forces. That's down from their one-time high in 2007 of nearly 170,000 troops. U.S. soldiers still come under attack from rockets or mortars on their bases, and from roadside bombs and shootings when they're moving around the country.

Michael Knights, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said the attacks indicate an increased confidence by militias to engage U.S. forces. He noted that the militants have been targeting vulnerable U.S. supply lines. The vast majority of supplies for U.S. forces are shuttled on roads from Kuwait into southern Iraq.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: iraq; postwariraq; usarmy

1 posted on 05/17/2011 5:31:34 AM PDT by markomalley
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To: markomalley

Prayer for men and women.


2 posted on 05/17/2011 5:35:13 AM PDT by EternalVigilance (Letting Islam into America is like letting a rabid dog sleep in your bedroom.)
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To: markomalley
Hmmmm...I thought that "combat operations" were over in Iraq (puke!).
3 posted on 05/17/2011 5:51:25 AM PDT by Lysandru
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To: markomalley

We’re going to keep screwing around with these wars until it starts to cost the admirals and generals. No promotions and no retirement pay until we win. Your pay goes down by 1/10th each month we don’t achieve victory. That should make them start to double-time.


4 posted on 05/17/2011 8:26:00 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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