Friday, March 09, 2007

US general wants more troops for Diyala

Soldiers maneuver from home to home while searching for insurgents and weapons caches in the Diyala Province's small village of Hamoud

WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. commander for northern Iraq has asked for more troops to clamp down on insurgent attacks and sectarian violence in the volatile province of Diyala, he said on Friday.

Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon said he had moved additional forces from his own area into Diyala and requested extra troops from elsewhere in the country from Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, the top commander of day-to-day operations in Iraq.

"Could I use more forces in Diyala? No question about it and I'm in discussions about it with Gen. Odierno as he attempts to balance the requirements in Baghdad," Mixon told reporters at the Pentagon by videolink from Iraq.

Read the rest at Reuters/Alternet

Related Link:
Petraeus: Insurgents intensifying attacks, U.S. forces add Diyala province to surge targets

Related Link:
Perspective: Sunnis striking back

Related Link:
General: Turnover of Diyala may extend into 2008

Related Link:
Report: Petraeus 'Brain Trust' says war must be won in 6 moths

Related Link:
DOD Intelligence Director Maples: Attacks on forces match record high in January

Related Link:
Penatagon adds 2,200 MPs to 'surge' to handle detainees

Related Link:
Perspective: Soldiers Shift to Baghdad Outposts

Related Link:
Insurgents attack U.S. outpost at police station in Tarmiyah as truck bomb ignites fuel, followed by gun battles; 2 dead, 17 wounded

Related Link:
Perspective: Suddenly, an invisible enemy

Related Link:
Report: Sunni insurgents streaming north from Baghdad into Diyala province

Related Link:
2-day battle in Buhriz makes slow progress

Related Link:
Sunni Mayor, 1,500 policemen 'fired' in Diyala

Related Link:
Perspective: Diayala offensive shows Iraqi forces not ready to stand alone

Related Link:
U.S. trumpets improved security in Diyala even as Mayor kidnapped, office blown up, police vehicles stolen

Related Link:
Perspective: After a year's effort, Diyala still a hotbed of sectarian violence

Related Link:
Perspective: Insurgents elusive in Diyala