U.S. to move 3,700 troops to Baghdad

[uppityperson]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/APWires/headlines/D8J5ST7O0.html

The U.S. command announced Saturday that it was sending 3,700 troops to Baghdad to try to quell the sectarian violence sweeping the capital, and a U.S. official said more American soldiers would follow as the military gears up to take the streets from gunmen.

The 172nd Stryker Brigade, which had been due to return home after a year in Iraq, will bring quick-moving, light-armored vehicles to patrol this sprawling city of 6 million people, hoping security forces respond faster to the tit-for-tat killings by Shiite militias and Sunni Arab insurgents.

The U.S. military hopes more armor will intimidate gunmen, who in recent weeks have become more brazen in their attacks.

"This will place our most experienced unit with our most mobile and agile systems in support of our main effort," said Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the top U.S. commander in Iraq. "This gives us a potentially decisive capability to affect security in Baghdad."..(more@link)

[Botany]

1. 3,700 TARGETS

So when do we see a fire fight between our troops and Shi ite police "death squads?"

Bring em home now!

[babylonsister]

2. Ah, dimson ensuring his place in history by putting even more

troops at risk in his vain attempts to prove he was right to start this mess.. He was wrong to start this, is wrong now, and nothing he ever does will ever make it right.

[uppityperson]

3. Iraq, Baghdad, GreenZone, USAEmbassy, helicopters

[Drum]

7. Totally. nt

[0007]

10. Turning the corner in the last days ......

[ClintonTyree]

4. So much for "measured troop withdrawals".........

by the end of the year. :eyes: Same as it ever was, same as it ever was...........

[Olney Blue]

5. It's all over but the dying.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. I spoke with a gentleman yesterday

His son was in the first wave of marines that was deployed to Iraq in 2003. My daughter went to school with his son and I've known them for around 11 years.

He expressed his joy that his son got out after his first tour and was home safe. We talked about the hell his son went through and how when he returned stateside they had no effective mental health follow up for his son. He was also outraged that so many are still there and no one ever thinks about them anymore. He's redneck, or what most people would think of when they hear the phrase used. He said, "it's time the get the rest of them out of there. Just what the hell are they all dying for anyway?" I couldn't have said it better myself.

[Make7]

8. I doubt if that's going to help much.

Posted on Wed, Jul. 19, 2006

< snip >

There are about 8,000 American soldiers in Baghdad, said Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a top U.S. spokesman in Iraq.

"They can't be everywhere all the time in a city of over 7 million people," he said.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/nation/15076243.htm

Are the extra 3,700 troops really going to allow them to patrol effectively? Seems to me the troop/citizen ratio is still not very good considering the amount of violence and unrest.

- Make7

[uppityperson]

9. see post #3 above for the progression.

[PurityOfEssence]

11. Gordon defends Khartoum

Should work just fine.

[bemildred]

13. Townshend surrenders at Kut.

http://www.worldwar1.com/tgws/0406kut.htm

[spinbaby]

12. A couple of questions come to mind...

First, can the Green Zone house this many more soldiers? Second, is the purpose of this excercise to get them away from the Syrian border?

[Alpharetta]

14. they're not likely barracked in the Green Zone

I know there's a big base at the airport. I think there are a couple of other bases around Baghdad too.

I don't think the purpose is to get them away from the Syrian border. I've been away camping for a week but I recall last week seeing a story about insurgents streaming into Baghdad for a final showdown -- against each other for control of the city.