Today in Iraq

War News for July 9 and 10, 2004 Bring ‘em on: One Iraqi child killed in Baghdad mortar attack. Bring ‘em on: Two Iraqis killed in Samarra mortar attack. Bring ‘em on: One US soldier killed in Baghdad ambush. Bring ‘em on: Two Turkish truck drivers killed in ambush near Samarra. Bring ‘em on: Insurgents reportedly beheaded three hostages. Bring ‘em on: Liquor shops bombed in Baquba. Bring ‘em on: Two insurgents killed in firefight near Ramadi. Bring ‘em on: Two Bulgarians kidnapped by insurgents in near Mosul. Bring ‘em on: Five US soldiers, two ICDC members killed in Samarra mortar attack. Bring ‘em on: Iraqi working for US forces mutilated near Mosul. Bring ‘em on: One US soldier wounded by roadside bomb near Samarra. Bring ‘em on: Iraqi interpreter taken hostage near Ramadi. Bring ‘em on: Iraqi wounded in roadside bomb ambush of US convoy near Baquba. Bring ‘em on: Gas pipeline sabotaged near Kirkuk. Bring ‘em on: Iraqi guard killed in attack in Kirkuk. CENTCOM reports one US soldier died from non-battle related causes. Philippines will withdraw troops from Iraq next month. Insurgency growing. “The Iraq insurgency is far larger than the 5,000 guerrillas previously thought to be at its core, U.S. military officials say, and it's being led by well-armed Iraqi Sunnis angry at being pushed from power alongside Saddam Hussein. Although U.S. military analysts disagree over the exact size, dozens of regional cells, often led by tribal sheiks and inspired by Sunni Muslim imams, can call upon part-time fighters to boost forces to as high as 20,000 — an estimate reflected in the insurgency's continued strength after U.S. forces killed as many as 4,000 in April alone.” US troops reduce patrols. “American troops have ceased regular patrolling in many Iraqi cities, leaving anti-insurgent operations to poorly trained local security forces in a high-risk strategy marking the official end to their occupation of the country…A senior British officer conceded that ‘this is not without risk’. Soldiers on the ground have little confidence in the Iraqi security forces and fear that the insurgents could exploit their weakness and corruptibility to mount more effective attacks.” Shipping threatened. “On the Web site, known as Al Basra, an unidentified person threatened violence against nine shipping companies if they transported U.S. strategic goods, the reports said, quoting an anonymous intelligence official.” Wounded troops like Doonesbury. BG Kimmitt departs. “Journalists began referring to his daily briefings, conducted with Dan Senor, the coalition's civilian spokesman, as the 'Five O'Clock Follies', the bitter nickname given to command briefings in Saigon during the Vietnam War.” 3ID will return to Iraq in December. Commentary Analysis: Our military establishment, belatedly beginning to free itself from the neocons' and White House's idea of perpetual war, is finally speaking the truth. Gen. Richard A. Cody, the new Army vice chief of staff, testified recently in Congress: ‘Are we stretched too thin with our active and reserve component forces right now? Absolutely.’ ‘The war in Iraq is wrecking the Army and the Marine Corps,’ retired Navy Capt. John Byron writes in the July issue of Proceedings, the professional journal of naval officers. ‘Troop rotations are in shambles, and the all-volunteer force is starting to crumble as we extend combat tours and struggle to get enough boots on the ground.’ Casualty Reports Local story: Washington State Guardsman killed in Iraq. Local story: South Carolina Marine killed in Iraq. Local story: California Marine killed in Iraq. Local story: Arizona Marine killed in Iraq. Local story: California soldier killed in Iraq. Local story: Indiana soldier killed in Iraq. Local story: Maryland Guardsman killed in Iraq. Local story: Pennsylvania soldier dies in Iraq. Local story: Ohio Guardsman wounded in Iraq. Local story: Montana Marine wounded in Iraq. Local story: Hawaii soldier injured in Iraq. 86-43-04. Pass it on.