Perspective: Iraq Effort Manned by New Wave of Faces

BAGHDAD -- Many of those serving in the Iraq war as it enters a fifth year were in high school when it began.

The Pentagon estimates more than 875,000 U.S. troops have rotated through Iraq since March 20, 2003. It was not clear how many of that number were individuals counted twice because many troops are on a second tour. About one in eight of those are under the age of 20, and more than half are under 24.

When about 120,000 American troops entered Iraq in March 2003, they did not know what they would face. But the latest waves of troops, translators and journalists here are armed with four years of knowledge -- of TV images, of war stories and of deaths.

Here are their impressions of Iraq's reality on the ground, and their memories of where they were four years ago...

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