Date Floated For Baghdad Security Shift
The U.S. military is aiming toward turning over lead security responsibility for Baghdad to local officials and police as soon as the end of the year, a senior U.S. military official said Saturday. The handover, like similar moves expected as soon as August in two provinces south of Baghdad, would let American forces scale back to a support role while remaining available for advice and emergencies, the senior official told reporters in Baghdad. He spoke on condition of anonymity. Full Story