 AP Photo
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Mon Jun 2,12:23 PM ET
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By CHRIS TOMLINSON, Associated Press Writer
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military plans to quiet anti-American attacks in two Iraqi towns by flooding the area with troops to show strength while offering humanitarian help, military documents and officers said Monday.
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The U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division will send its 2nd Brigade Combat Team into the towns of Fallujah and Habaniyah within the next 10 days to replace a smaller contingent from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, according to the division's orders.
The brigade's mission will be to remove supporters of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s Baath Party and other militias opposed to U.S. occupation from the towns. The second part of the mission will be to help restore damaged infrastructure.
Troops from the 3rd Cavalry regiment have held the towns since they came under U.S. control in mid-April, and they have faced heavy anti-U.S. sentiment. Last week, two Iraqis opened fire at a checkpoint in Fallujah, killing two Americans and wounding nine before the attackers were killed.
The regiment is stretched across a swath of western Iraq (news - web sites), patrolling six major cities, three border crossings, a dam and highways. The brigade is slightly larger than the regiment and will concentrate on only the two cities, increasing the number of troops there while allowing the regiment to focus more on other areas.
The 2nd Brigade — with more than 1,500 combat soldiers, 88 Abrams tanks, 44 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and dozens of other vehicles — will saturate the area with checkpoints and cordon and search operations.
Officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the troops would be ready for combat or to help rehabilitate schools, hospitals and other public services, depending on what kind of reception they receive.
The brigade was the first unit to occupy parts of Baghdad on April 7 and was involved in some of the most intense fighting of the war.
