U.S. Assesses Southern Security in Iraq

From the Assyrian International News Agency

BASRA, Iraq (UPI) -- U.S. military commanders note positive developments in the security situation in southern Iraq but point to lingering activity of Sunni and al-Qaida groups.

Army Maj. Gen. Richard Nash, the commander of Multinational Division South, and Iraqi Maj. Gen. Abdul Aziz, the commander of the 14th Iraqi Division, briefed reporters from near the port city of Basra.

Around 14,000 U.S. forces maintain a presence in the nine provinces making up the southern sector of the country.

A bilateral security pact between Washington and Baghdad calls for Iraqi forces to stand up as U.S. forces prepare for a withdrawal by 2011. Aziz hailed the progress of his Iraqi counterparts, noting many of the Iraqi forces are able to conduct routine security operations independently.

"Many of our checkpoints are now manned jointly by members of both Iraqi forces," Aziz said. "The training both sides have received and the trust built between them has been very positive."

Nash, meanwhile, said there was a rise in insurgent activity in the northwest districts in areas around Karbala and Babil provinces.

"We're looking into an (al-Qaida in Iraq) connection and Sunni extremist groups that possibly could be causing strife up there, tried to get sectarian violence started again," he said.

Al-Qaida-affiliated groups claimed responsibility for a series of high-profile attacks on Baghdad, including a weekend attack that killed more than 100 people.

© 2009, Assyrian International News Agency. All Rights Reserved.

Don Shelby Reports from Basra

WCCO-TV anchor Don Shelby and photojournalist Tom Aviles are embedded with the 34th Infantry Divsion Red Bulls this week over in Basra. If you are in the Minneapolis area you can watch his nightly reports on WCCO 10pm news.

For the rest of you, you can catch them online. Don and Tom are posting pictures and blog entries about their trip at http://wcco.com/donshelby/kuwait.iraq.tom.2.1282150.html. From that page you can also watch all the news reports and extra footage.

Don Shelby even watched the Vikings/Packers game with the soldiers on Sunday. But you won't see David in his purple Brett Favre jersey (that Nate and I sent him) in the footage - he reserves his own conference room where he and his buddies watch the games projected on the big screen in nice leather conference chairs. :) Mind you, the games are typically in the middle of the night - so it makes for a long day at work the next day!

In case you haven't heard, David will be home for a two week leave in November and will be home for Thanksgiving!