U.S. Army to Cut Back Patrols in Baghdad

[Barrett808]

U.S. Army to Cut Back Patrols in Baghdad
By JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. Army will cut back on the number of garrisons in Baghdad and conduct fewer armed patrols after the 1st Armored Division hands control of the capital to a fresh Army division and pulls out after a year in the country.

It's all part of the U.S. strategy to turn over responsibility for security to Iraqis at a time when attacks against Americans are dwindling, said Brig. Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, a deputy commander of the 1st Armored Division.

The incoming force, the Army's 1st Cavalry Division, will billet most of its forces outside Baghdad, closing 19 bases in the city as the 1st Armored returns to Germany in April, Scaparrotti said.

"We're inside the city in many operating bases looking out," Scaparrotti said in an interview with The Associated Press. "They will be more on the outside looking in."

The mellower occupation plan is contingent on a smooth handoff that includes hundreds of tasks, the mismanagement of any one of which could bring the troops storming back into Baghdad. They include maintaining good relations with a testy Shiite Muslim slum and introducing incoming troops to the network of Iraqi informers, Scaparrotti said.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_the_handoff&cid=540&ncid=1480

[KissMyAsscroft]

1. I guess they are tired of getting blown up...

So they are going to just stay in their base while the country continues to crumble.

[CatWoman]

2. yeah

this should drastically reduce those casualty lists :eyes:

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

4. Now that Iraqi women have lost their rights

I think this decision to pull back on patrols is way past due.

[necso]

3. Everything being done over there is political.

Everything. This nicely reinforces the message that things are getting better. What is doesn't say is that the new troops will be more vulnerable until they get "salty".

But kudos to the Army for better, specialized training.

[nibbana]

5. Already Started: Vietnam pacification repeat

You can count on it that, this was the first thing they did after November 03 body count went through the roof..

Why do you think the Iraqi police casualties have increased..

More pacification is the wholesale exchange of all the troops...
Why would you lose all the experienced soldiers at the same time by exchanging them out in this manner?

This defense dept. cares more about * re-election bid than anything going on in Iraq...

This reminds me of a dejavu I once had..