have the politicians stopped fighting yet?

[bigtree]

Feb 23, 2007

North Of Baghdad, War Getting Worse

More Attacks, Less Troops In Diyala Province As Military Focuses On Baghdad Crackdown


(CBS News) BAGHDAD

Dozens of Iraqi humvees, backed by U.S. soldiers and Bradley fighting vehicles, streamed into the village of Buritz, in the second attempt in a week to flush out enemy fighters. The dusty streets were otherwise empty; the residents holed up in their homes.

The Iraqi soldiers went door-to-door, kicking their way in and questioning those inside. A few streets away, other Iraqi soldiers were fighting gun battles. Snipers opened fire on them several times.

Buritz is part of Baqouba, an ethnically mixed city 35 miles north of Baghdad. It's one of several villages U.S. and Iraqi troops are in the process of clearing. American commanders believe securing these communities is crucial to the goal of handing over control of the Diyala province to Iraqi security forces in the coming months.

But the operations have grown deadlier, complicated by what may be an influx of Sunni and Shiite fighters flushed out of Baghdad by the stepped-up security operations there.

One U.S. battalion has lost 17 men here since October, accounting for more casualties in four months than an entire U.S. brigade lost the year before.

"It's a very complex environment," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jay George, deputy commander, 3rd Brigade. And there are fewer U.S. troops here to operate in it — last year two American brigades were in the area, now there is one.

http://cbs3.com/topstories/topstories_story_054084730.html


http://journals.democraticunderground.com/bigtree


wrong forum but what the hell