US troops to be out in force in Baghdad on election day, commander says [View All]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20050105/pl_afp/iraqusvoteviolence&cid=1521&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US troops will be out in force in Baghdad on election day January 30 but ordinary Iraqis must come forward with information to help stave off suicide car bombings and insurgent attacks rocking the city, a top US commander said.


Insurgents assassinated the governor of Baghdad on a city street and ran an explosives-laden vehicle into an elite Iraqi commando base Tuesday in a day of attacks that underscored concerns about the viability of the elections.


"I can tell you every single soldier assigned to Task Force Baghdad will be out or supporting the election in some way on election day. And that will be in excess of 35,000," said Major General Peter Chiarelli, who commands US forces in the Baghdad area.


"I promise you we will be out in force in support of the Iraqi government, where they want us to be and in consultation with them. We're working those plans right now," he told reporters via a video teleconference from Iraq (news - web sites).


Chiarelli, who leads the US 1st Cavalry Division, said his forces have had greater success in recent weeks in finding car bombs, or what the military calls vehicle borne explosive devices (VBED), before they explode.