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Iran-Backed Militia Attacks on Americans in Iraq Are Becoming More Audacious
(Washington Post) Louisa Loveluck - Iran-backed militias are becoming more audacious in attacking the 5,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, with rocket strikes against military bases occurring more frequently and, for the first time, in broad daylight. U.S. officials say they receive near-daily reports of "imminent" attacks on U.S.-linked military or diplomatic facilities. Meanwhile, American requests that Iraqi authorities track down and prosecute those responsible for rocket attacks have made little headway. Yet a senior Iraqi military official described the American request as unrealistic. "No judge will issue an arrest warrant against a senior militia member if he wants to stay alive," he said. "Let's be honest. If the militias want to attack the bases, we can't stop them." At the same time, more U.S. air defense equipment and personnel have been deployed in Iraq, officials said. New air defenses - including C-RAMs and Patriot missile batteries - are expected to be in place in the next week or two.