U.S. force in Iraq at 140,000 [View All]

Reuters
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has expanded its force in Iraq to 140,000 troops, the most since January and 13,000 more than five weeks ago, the Pentagon said on Thursday, amid relentless violence in Baghdad and elsewhere.

This follows July's decision by commanders to augment the U.S. military presence in Baghdad to try to curb escalating sectarian violence that has heightened concern about all-out civil war in Iraq.

Lt. Col. Barry Johnson, a military spokesman in Iraq, said there are now about 15,000 U.S. troops operating in Baghdad.

As American troops continue to fight a tenacious insurgency nearly 3 1/2 years into the war, U.S. military deaths in Iraq reached at least 64 in August -- increasing from 43 in July and ending three straight monthly declines.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060831/ts_nm/iraq_usa_troops_dc

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How conveniently located for deployment to Iran!