Iraqis increase force to space in Baghdad

AP/Houston Chronicle:

Iraq's prime minister launched the biggest security crackdown in Baghdad since the U.S.-led invasion, with tens of thousands of security forces deploying throughout the capital on Wednesday and increased checkpoints causing some traffic jams.

The crackdown, which army officials said was dubbed Operation Forward Together, began a day after U.S. President George W. Bush paid a surprise visit to Baghdad, promising continued U.S. support for Iraqis but cautioning them that "the future of the country is in your hands."

An Iraqi army official, who declined to named because he was not authorized to release the information, said two divisions had been deployed in the capital, which would be about 20,000 soldiers, along with some 50,000 Interior Ministry forces.

There were more checkpoints and soldiers on the streets as Iraqis drove to work Wednesday morning, causing traffic to back up in some areas. However, noticeably fewer cars were circulating in the city.

Maj. Gen. Mahdi al-Gharrawi, the commander of public order forces under the Interior Ministry, said his forces had not encountered any resistance to the stepped-up security measures, even in some of the capital's most volatile areas.

"The people are feeling comfortable with the security measures and they are waving to us," al-Gharrawi said. "Until now, no clashes have erupted and no bullets have been fired at us."

...

This is classic counter-insurgency strategy where increased force in a given area makes it harder to a terrorist enemy to move freely without being caught in one of the checkpoints. It is haow the Israelis were able to tame the intifada along with targeted killings of leadership targets such as the one on Zarqawi. It is being done at a time when al Qaeda is under maximum pressure because of intelligence picked up in the Zarqawi raid is forcing his old team to have to move or risk discovery and their very movement also risks discovery. It is also being done at a time where the terrorist are under pressure to show they are still viable without Zarqawi which also requires them to move through the check points. The added Iraqi troops also make it easier for Iraqis who oppose the terrorist to give tips to the troops.