| Page 2 of 2 < |
In Iraq, Three Wars Engage U.S.
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
The U.S. government believes that the special groups are heavily supported by Iran. The groups have been especially effective in using explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs, sophisticated bombs designed to destroy armored vehicles. "It's high-end technology," said Rainey, the division's operations chief. "It's not four dudes making them in a basement."
Attacks using those bombs were a near-daily occurrence in mid-2007 as the groups reacted to the U.S. military counteroffensive known as "the surge." From April through October, detonations of the powerful weapons happened nearly every day, on average, with a peak of 36 in July.
The U.S. military's ability to find the bombs has not notably improved. In January 2007, before the surge began, 31 such bombs were planted. U.S. troops found 14 before they were detonated; the other 17 went off. Last month's numbers were similar: The same number were planted, and U.S. troops detected 16, with 15 exploding.
The continuing success of those attacks is forcing U.S. troops to attempt to look two ways at once. Al-Qaeda in Iraq's car bomb attacks against civilians "are the biggest threat to our mission," which is to protect the population, Rainey said. But, he added, "the biggest threat to our soldiers is the EFPs."
"The biggest thing that makes this difficult to defeat is that the Iraqis don't care" about roadside bombs, said Col. Allen W. Batschelet, the division's chief of staff. "They don't turn in a lot of tips. We don't get a lot of help."
The key to defeating roadside bombs is having U.S. troops living and patrolling in the city's neighborhoods, the officers noted. Hammond said he intends to continue the 2007 pattern of moving U.S. troops off big forward operating bases, or FOBs, and into small outposts in the city.
"If I have it my way -- and I'm going to get it my way -- I'm going to move every brigade off the FOB," with even their headquarters located in small outlying stations, Hammond said.
