US, Iraqi forces double patrols to quell Baghdad bloodshed

[Barrett808]

BAGHDAD (AFP) - US and Iraqi forces have nearly doubled patrols in Baghdad over the last two months to quell the outburst of sectarian bloodshed, US military said.

From an average of 12,000 patrols in February in Baghdad, the US and Iraqi forces have raised the patrols to 20,000 "a jump of 45 percent," said US military spokesman Major General Rick Lynch.

"The increase is to give more visible presence of the security forces inside the streets of Baghdad," Lynch told reporters Thursday.

He said 3,700 troops have been added to the joint forces, which were 26,000 Iraqi troops and 10,000 US troops in February.

"The enemy, the Zarqawis and the Al-Qaeda want to stop the formation of a national unity government by triggering sectarian violence like the one we saw at the Baratha mosque," he said accusing Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaeda frontman in Iraq, of bombing the Baratha Shiite mosque.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060413/pl_afp/iraqussecurity

[Tempest]

1. This must be that "good progress" Bush keeps talking about

While to the rest of the world, it's a sign of steps backwards.

[saigon68]

5. Its just More Live Targets for the Resistance

The leaders of this cluster fuck have little or no brains.

[VegasWolf]

2. I forget, why did we bomb the shit out of Iraq? Oh, WMDs, that was it. nt

[babylonsister]

3. I thought the troops weren't going to be physically involved

in a civil war. Who authorized this?:grr: :grr:

[JNelson6563]

4. Brilliant. Twice as many targets.

Seems like these morons are still determined to stick with their idiotic "The Floggings Will Continue Until Morale Improves" strategy. Ugh.

Julie

[Barrett808]

6. So much for going into "force protection" mode. n/t

[0007]

7. What happens when the US can't double up the patrols?

Freedom is on the march!

[rodeodance]

8. it just goes on and on..

[daleo]

9. 12,000 to 20,000 is not a jump of 45%

It's a jump of 67%. Is lying just a reflex action for these people? I would hope you can't become a major general without knowing how to punch numbers in a calculator.

"...
I'm very well acquainted too with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news---
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

I'm very good at integral and differential calculus,
...
I am the very model of a modern Major-General."

[anotherdrew]

10. wow! what a great plan, if only they'd thought of this weeks ago! n/t