Baqouba, Iraq:

.......Nowhere in Iraq are the challenges more apparent than in Baqouba, 35 miles northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province, with large Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish populations.

Once a thriving agribusiness center of 300,000, Baqouba is now a ghost town of shuttered shops and deserted streets. Many of its people have fled to Baghdad and surrounding communities, seeking refuge in areas where their religious sect dominates.

Two years ago, U.S. forces thought they'd turned the corner in Diyala. Roadside bombings were down. American commanders were so confident that they turned over substantial control of surrounding Diyala to the Iraqi army in August 2005.

Within a year, the insurgents were back. The al-Qaida-backed Islamic State of Iraq declared Baqouba as its capital.

Last month, U.S. forces launched a new offensive, regaining control of the western part of the city. Fighting is still under way.....

This article says it all----what our troops are up against. read on --there is a bit more.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070716/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_slow_going;_ylt=AtbB.bY6u75Iez99pntDSSvMWM0F

I'm not at liberty to tell all he told, but

There are more lies and hype than we can imagine...maybe not if you are there or know someone who is there or been there or have an extraordinary dark imagination. I was stunned with a few of his remarks.


edsp