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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (52703)	7/3/2004 6:59:50 PM
From: LindyBill	Respond to of 793597

Don't expect to see this on the front pages or on the major networks tomorrow. Rebel assaults on U.S. troops hit record lows during handover - JIM KRANE, Associated Press Writer Saturday, July 3, 2004 (07-03) 12:34 PDT BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- The number of guerrilla attacks on U.S. troops hit their lowest levels in more than two months during the period when the U.S.-led occupation authority handed power to an Iraqi interim government, the U.S. military said on Saturday. Daily attacks on U.S. troops dropped to between 20 to 25 per day between June 28 and 30, defying intelligence reports that predicted a major rebel offensive timed to coincide with the announced June 30 handover date. Just the opposite happened. In a surprise move aimed at sidestepping the expected attacks, U.S. occupation chief L. Paul Bremer handed power to an Iraqi government on June 28 -- two days early. Instead of a rebel offensive, Iraq won a few days of rare calm. Army Lt. Col. Daniel Baggio said he believed the insurgents' "decision cycle" had been upended by Bremer's unexpected handoff. The military is still exploring the reasons for the two-day lull. Since then, attacks have returned to their recent levels of 35 to 45 per day, the military said. "There are a lot of theories on why there was no huge increase in enemy activity and nobody knows for sure," said Army Lt. Col. Daniel Baggio. "It seems that the enemy's decision cycle has been thrown off. I believe that every day this fledgling Iraqi government has to grow roots, the tougher it gets for the insurgents." Attacks during the handover dwindled to about a quarter the daily number seen during a 45-day rebel offensive in April and May, when the military reported as many as 100 assaults per day. April was the deadliest month for U.S. troops in their 15 months in Iraq. Hundreds of Iraqis were also killed. Rear Adm. Gregory Slavonic, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said it was too early to say whether the brief lull meant insurgents were slowing their attacks because power had been handed to an Iraqi regime, or whether a fresh offensive was being prepared. "It's certainly encouraging, but come back and talk to me in two weeks," Slavonic said. "We're kind of in uncharted waters here." ©2004 Associated Press