‘Surge’ forces U.S. troops into makeshift bases

[babylonsister]

What else did they forget to plan for?

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=44258

‘Surge’ forces U.S. troops into makeshift bases


By Joseph Giordono, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, March 13, 2007

For some American troops in Iraq, the “surge” has meant quickly finding — and securing — new bases from which to operate in urban areas.

Under the plan announced by President Bush in early January, scores of American combat units are taking up bases in the hearts of cities scarred by the insurgency. In the Baghdad district of Rustamiyah, for example, troops from Company C, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division found themselves living in their Humvees in a palm grove.

That temporary camp was replaced when the troops found a more permanent home in an abandoned building in Rustamiyah, southeast of Sadr City.

“It was a difficult sell to the soldiers, where, on they are relatively safe, to come out here, where they always have to keep their guard up,” Capt. Joseph Rosen, the company commander, was quoted as saying in a military news release.

The new operating base for Company C turned out to be a former snack packaging plant that had been used as a base for insurgents, officials said. When the insurgents abandoned the building they burned most of it; some of the building was still on fire when the U.S. troops moved in, soldiers said.

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[liberal N proud]

1. Security of the troops is not the highest priority either

Put them there and then think about how to secure it?

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. Hey, why not just put them up in a hotel? You have your security

with a couple MPs checking IDs at the lobby door. And they'll be just so comfy.

It worked in Beirut.

[bdamomma]

2. this is truly disgusting, this regime just does not care about

anything except for their greed and abuse of power.