US sends in 700 extra troops for Iraqi holiday
The US military is dispatching an Army battalion of about 700 soldiers to Iraq from their base in Kuwait to provide extra security during the pilgrimage holiday of Ashura, three military officers said today.
The move, which has not been publicly announced, comes amid a spate of sectarian violence and expectations that it likely will remain a problem as fractious Iraqi political leaders attempt to form a new government.
The decision to add the armoured unit, perhaps for as little as 30 days, is in contrast to the Bush administration’s hopes of substantially drawing down the US military presence in Iraq this year. There are currently about 133,000 US troops there.
It also comes amid Bush administration efforts to persuade the American public that the war effort is succeeding. Opinion polls show faltering public support for the war.
The 1st Armoured Division battalion is expected to move into Iraq in the next few days, one officer said.
On Tuesday, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had hinted at the decision.
The holiday, which ends on March 20, includes pilgrimages to holy sites in Najaf and Karbala. Increased attacks marked the celebration during 2004 and 2005.
