Baghdad Districts' Security Handed to Iraq, U.S. Says

[sabra]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a8AW2wCO.Ips&refer=top_world_news#

Baghdad Districts' Security Handed to Iraq, U.S. Says (Correct)
(Corrects to make clear parts of Baghdad were handed over from first paragraph.)

Oct. 5 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S.-led multinational force in Iraq officially handed over military control of parts of central Baghdad to the Iraqi Army's Sixth Division, building on a policy of expanding territory under Iraqi command, the military said.

The transfer of security responsibilities of the Karkh and Rasafa districts took place two days ago, spokeswoman Major Flora Lee said in a telephone interview from the capital today. She said she had no further details and that an announcement would be made shortly.

Handing over of any part of Baghdad to Iraqi forces is a ``symbolic milestone,'' according to Sergio Catignani, an expert in urban warfare and counter-terrorism at King's College London.

``Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's administration, to gain legitimacy and the full support of all Iraqis, needs to show that it can operate on its own,'' Catignani said in an interview today. Transferring legal responsibilities ``of such an important city to the Iraqi army certainly helps do that.''

[bemildred]

1. More like transferring responsibility for the insecurity of Baghdad. nt

[sabra]

2. indeed.

the transfer isn't because they feel that it's at a good level. It's more trying to find anything to change public opinion of the current chaotic situation in Baghdad.

[bemildred]

4. I thought it might be sort of a trial balloon.

To see how it goes. I think they are ready to try most
anything at this point.

[bee]

6. precisely. But this could backfire in a major way. n/t

[sabra]

7. I couldn't imagine things much worse... :-(

[Inland]

5. Hah! Right! nt

[tompayne1]

3. baghdad us going to go psycho

within 96 hours.

[Spazito]

8. Well, we now know that things are going to get much worse

in these districts. The bush cabal track record has been consistent in finding ways to say "Hey, wasn't our fault, we gave the responsibility over to the Iraqis so blame them."

What a cluster-fuck, come to think of it even the term 'cluster-fuck' is an understatement, is there another word that more clearly expresses this mess?

[tabasco]

9. US forces are being shifted to guard oil facilities.

Security in Iraqi cities is not a neocon priority. US forces have been moving to secure pipelines and other oil facilities, and away from law & order missions in the cities. Civil war can rage in Iraq as long as the oil flow is not threatened. Expect large-scale US operations only if the oil flow is threatened.

THE SPICE MUST FLOW !!

[LynnTheDem]

10. Another bush FAILURE; "Baghdad is among the most insecure cities on earth"

US military formally turned responsibility for security inside the city of Baghdad over to the Iraqi Sixth Division on Monday. This is the third such turnover in the past month or so-- it began with Najaf and then Karbala. But Najaf and Karbala are relatively quiet and the Badr Corps militia of the Shiites can hope to provide a sort of thuggish security in those two religious shrine cities.

In contrast, Baghdad is among the most insecure cities on earth, with constant shootings and bombings, and many of its Sunni Arab neighborhoods are in the hands of guerrillas. The new government has been powerless to assert itself in its own capital. Under these circumstances, what can be the significance of the US military retiring to barracks outside Baghdad?

It surely is an admission of failure and a species of surrender.

http://www.juancole.com/

[Barrett808]

11. The withdrawal seems to be accelerating

Najaf, Kerbala, Saddam's home palace in Tikrit, Diyala province, now Baghdad...

[ECH1969]

12. They are all flowing into Anbar

to take on the center of the insurgency.

[bemildred]

13. Basra. nt

[Barrett808]

14. Yup, the British handed over Basra as well, to Islamist militias n/t

[underpants]

15. Sounds like they aren't even thinking of patrolling them anymore

All right !!! Everyone back in the Green Zone

[MaineDem]

16. I don't think they told George

He would have mentioned in the Rose Garden yesterday, wouldn't you think?

[acmavm]

17. Interesting since two suicide bombers have penetrated the Green Zone

recently.

Am I reading too much into this????? Possibly.