BAGHDAD, May 2, 2007
4,000 U.S. Troops Headed To Baghdad
Added Personnel Meant To Strengthen Crackdown; 47 People Killed Across Iraq
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A U.S. soldier with the 1st Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Batallion, 9th Regiment B troop, patrols a street separating a Shiite and a Sunni Muslim stronghold, few blocks from Baghdad's Haifa Street, March 29 2007. (Getty Images/Patrick Baz)
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Senior Iranian envoy Ali Larijani talks to the media after meeting top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in Najaf, 100 miles south of Baghdad, on May 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)
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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Fast Facts Iran Learn about the people, economy and history.
But while the U.S. and Iraqi militaries moved to complete an increase of forces in the capital, bombings, shootings and mortar attacks left at least 47 people dead across the country.
The developments came on the eve of an international conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik in a bid to boost world economic and diplomatic support for Iraq and reduce the tide of sectarian violence and terrorism there.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice acknowledged international resistance to new financial and political support for Iraq — particularly debt relief.
"The region has everything at stake here; Iraq's neighbors have everything at stake here," Rice told reporters traveling with her to a gathering that will include U.S. adversaries Iran and Syria.
Rice said the history of troubled relations between Iraq and its neighbors predates the U.S.-led invasion of 2003, but said Middle East states should understand the risk they face from a failed Iraq.
"Iraq is at the center of either a stable Middle East or an unstable Middle East, and we should therefore all align our policies in ways that contribute to stability," Rice said.
The U.S. military said Wednesday that the fourth of five brigades being sent to help Iraqi security forces as part of the crackdown had arrived this week.
The influx of troops is an attempt to put a lid on the violence and to buy the Iraqi government more time. But the Iraqi parliament plans to take a two-month summer recess, reports CBS News national security correspondent David Martin. U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker is dead set against that.
"It would be pretty hard to understand … if the council of representatives takes a two-month break when critical issues for the nation's future may still be pending," said Crocker.
The 4th Brigade, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Fort Lewis, Wash., which includes about 3,700 soldiers, will be deployed in the Baghdad area and in northern Iraq, the military said. Officials want the rest in place by June, for a total in Iraq of 160,000.
U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Mark Fox said Wednesday that Iraqi and U.S. forces now have 57 joint security stations and combat outposts in the Baghdad area and that "while the security situation remains exceedingly challenging, we've seen some encouraging signs of progress."
"We continue to see a reduced total number of sectarian incidents in comparison to before the Baghdad security operation, including murders and kidnappings," Fox told reporters in Baghdad. But he said car bomb attacks have increased, including some with very high casualties.
When complete, the Baghdad security operation will include about 28,000 additional U.S. forces, including 20,500 combat soldiers and about 8,000 service members involved in support services such as intelligence, military police and logistics.
Brig. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, an Iraqi military spokesman, said most of the crackdown's operations were taking place in volatile areas outside Baghdad, including the Sunni cities of Mahmoudiyah and Madain.
Al-Moussawi said insurgent operations had dropped significantly in Baghdad as the groups had fled to other areas.
"Next week will witness more military operations in both halves of Baghdad," he said, referring to the two sides of the Tigris River that divides Baghdad. "Almost all our military operations are now taking place on Baghdad's outskirts."
But violence persisted Wednesday.
The deadliest attacks included a suicide car bombing that killed at least nine people in Baghdad's Sadr City, and a roadside bombing of a minibus that killed at least eight people south of the capital. At least 19 bullet-riddled bodies — apparent victims of so-called sectarian death squads — also were found, including 10 in the northeastern city of Baqouba.
The security efforts come as President Bush is engaged in a fierce debate with the Democratic-led Congress over the war. Mr. Bush vetoed legislation to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq in a historic showdown with Congress over whether the unpopular and costly war should end or escalate.
The measure would require the first U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn by Oct. 1 with a goal of a complete pullout six months later.
Democrats accused the president of ignoring Americans' desire to withdraw U.S. forces from the war, which has claimed the lives of more than 3,350 members of the military.
Ismail Qassim, a 41-year-old Shiite electricity ministry employee in Baghdad, welcomed the veto.
"In spite of all the problems Iraq is facing because of the American presence, there is some need for them at least for one more year because of the sectarian strife in Iraq and corruption in the security services," he said.
Sameer Hussein, a 22-year-old Sunni college student in Baghdad, said he wanted the U.S. forces to withdraw but didn't think they ever would.
"Even if they will withdraw they will leave permanent military bases in Iraq and that is something Iraqi people will reject," he said.
In other developments:
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Michelle Obama tells how her role as the First Lady has changed her perspective.
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See all 55 Comments---- Rice who's called everyone EVIL,, Leads diplomacy -
-- While on the Home front,,,,, Bush prepares to Veto - Hate Crimes Legislation
When a Democrat replaces him in January 2009, that reason will vanish. Then there will be no reasons left, and U.S. troops will be coming home.
Posted by Iceman_1960 at 07:36 AM : May 03, 2007
That's right and at the rate that our troops are being killed that means somewhere between 1200 and 1500 more of our soldiers will die strictly to cover Bush's as*s. Just to protect his ego. In my book that's murder.
Soldiers in war zones are already subject to restrictions on blogging and public posts. But the Army's new regulation could affect service members who have returned from war zones and started blogs about their combat experiences.
Under a new directive issued in April, soldiers must consult with their immediate supervisor and an officer responsible for what's known within the military as operational security, or OPSEC, for a review of planned publications.
Reviews will be needed for Web site postings, blog postings, discussions on Internet information forums and discussions on Internet message boards, according to the Army directive.
E-mail that will be published in a public forum is also subject to review under the regulation. But Army officers said personal e-mails will not be reviewed, calling that impractical.
"We're not asking that people not blog but that people be cognizant of OPSEC," said Army spokesman Paul Boyce.
Another example of the "creativity" Condoleezza Rice put forth as an alternative to realistic timetables in Iraq.
Tell the truth for a change, Condi.
Bush's desire to "save face" is the only reason we're staying in Iraq.
When a Democrat replaces him in January 2009, that reason will vanish. Then there will be no reasons left, and U.S. troops will be coming home.
According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted in June, 52 percent of Americans now believe the President deliberately distorted intelligence to make a case for war. In an Ipsos Public Affairs poll, commissioned by AfterDowningStreet.org and completed October 9, 50 percent said that if Bush lied about his reasons for going to war Congress should consider impeaching him. The President's deceit is not only an abuse of power; it is a federal crime. Specifically, it is a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, which prohibits conspiracies to defraud the United States.
http://www.democrats.com/node/12313
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20051114/delavega
If you think Americas sacrifice is worth it contact your ELECTED OFFICIAL and tell them http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
The House Speakers email address: AmericanVoices@mail.house.gov
info@gop.com Here is the Republican Party email address too!
democraticparty@democrats.org Here is the Democratic Party email address also!
What? You mean four years after MISSION ACCOMPLISHED we are still sending troops of there?
Posted by Norcalruss at 01:12 AM : May 03, 2007
Everyone has blown the Pres. Bush "Mission Accomplished" statement way out of proportion. Pres. Bush meant "Mission Accomplished" for the Aircraft Carrier Battle Group, not the Iraq war itself. Lets fight fair!
Long Live U.S
If you want to refute them, go ahead, be my guest. But making snarky comments is not a refutation.
Posted by Opfor311 at 11:15 PM : May 02, 2007
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Opfor311 wants a GIRLIE FIGHT!
Let's bet...
At the time it was said, it was true. But Al-Qaeda made a hail-mary pass when they blew up the Golden Mosque, and re-ignited the Shia-Sunni fighting.
Niger uranium and aluminum tubes? reliable or toilet paper?
First, Iraq DID try to buy Uranium from Niger, as was evidenced by their own documents, which have since been translated. But they never succeeded in buying any.
As for the Aluminum tubes, they were of a size and type that was consistant with what would have been needed for a centrafuge. However, it was only after a visual inspection that they were found to be of too low a quality for that purpose. However, it was impossible to tell from the manifest what the quality was.
"Lets believe everything Chalibi says. Was that reliable or toilet paper?"
Again, there was a lack of reliable humint that could confirm or refute what Chalibi said. And again, we were not the only intelligence community that had to accept what he said, since we had no other source.
"Outng plame, an act of simpleton revenge bestowed on one of your own."
Sorry, Armitege, who was no friend of the White House, and actually was one who tried to give the diplomats more time was the one who outed Plame. His conversation with Woodward was BEFORE wilson published his article, so it's hard to see how it could have been revenge by the White house.
Got anything else?
First of all, there were over 500 WMD found in Iraq, mostly left over from the Iran-Iraq war. But they were there. Was the convential wisdom in entire intelligence community wrong? For the most part, yes. But it was a failing across the board, based on a lack of reliable humint. After all, even Saddam's ministers believed that they still had WMD.
"Insurgents "are in their last throes" based on reliable or toilet papaer intelligence?"
At the time it was said, it was true. But Al-Qaeda made a hail-mary pass when they blew up the Golden Mosq
Niger uranium and aluminum tubes? reliable or toilet paper?
Lets believe everything Chalibi says. Was that reliable or toilet paper?
The name of the Al qaida agent is...(drumroll)
English are screaming WAIT we arent through interrogating.....
Outng plame, an act of simpleton revenge bestowed on one ofypur own."
I'm sorry, but staring at nonsense doesn't change it. Considering that the pre-war intelligence was consistant with what the KGB said...
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All the more reason to ignore it.
I'm sorry, but staring at nonsense doesn't change it. Considering that the pre-war intelligence was consistant with what the KGB, GRU, MI5, MI6, DGSE, MSS, and other intelligence agencies had on Iraq, there was therefore no corruption of the intelligence. However, there was a great deal of CYA after the convential wisdom was found to have been misinformed.
However, just because they were mistaken on this does not mean that they are always wrong. If you want to refute them, go ahead, be my guest. But making snarky comments is not a refutation.
$500 BILLION spent on war (good for our stock market though!),
3,300 American troops killed,
700 mercenary contractors killed,
Hundreds of Thousands of Iraqis killed,
Two million Iraqis displaced
Destroyed the Iraqi economy
Iraqi transporation and utilites are in ruins
Started a religious-based civil war
Increased the threat of a regional war
Created an environment for terrorism to thrive and grow.
So what's the big deal! Don't be so short-sighted. We have fulfilled phase 1 of our NeoCon PNAC vision for a new world order!!
So.. Praise the Lord, Wave the Flag, and God Bless America (cuz we deserve it, not those Islamic heathens)
You may not agree with me!
President is like Father. Please dont call him as a 'MADMAN'.
We should obey Mr.Bush, he is our honourable president.
Another great oxymoron:
Democratic-controlled
He
re's a couple more:
government worker or liberal thinker
Posted by badaxmofo at 09:59 PM : May 02, 2007
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Hey, how about:
government worker & LIBERAL THINKER!!!
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KISS MY AMERICAN ***!!!
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