WASHINGTON – The United States is making a new push to prevent foreign fighters and Islamic extremists from streaming into Iraq through Syria, building dozens of forts on the border and working to end “serious corruption problems” among Iraqi border guards.
Washington is throwing more money at the problem, too – shifting aid from reconstruction projects to the Iraqi border patrol, still hampered by shortages of vehicles, weapons and radios.
As part of a proposed shift of $3.46 billion in money from reconstruction to security, the administration has asked Congress for authority to use $190 million to train and equip another 16,000 border agents.
A State Department briefing chart dated Sept. 22 indicates the Iraqi border guard force being trained and equipped by the United States still lacks about 16,000 of the 42,000 weapons required, about 1,800 of the needed 8,200 vehicles, about 1,600 of the required 8,200 radios, and about 4,000 of the required 28,000 sets of body armor.
Also, the Bush administration is pressing on the political front by urging the Syrian government not only to help ease the border problem but to end what administration officials see as active Syrian efforts to destabilize the new Iraqi government.
However, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said recent talks with Syrian military officials have had little effect.
Stemming the tide of extremists across the border is considered essential to defeating the insurgency in Iraq, which has been gaining momentum. U.S. officials say foreign fighters have escaped detection at border crossings and made their way, with weapons and money, to insurgent strongholds such as Fallujah.
The U.S. military command in Baghdad said Monday forts are being built in every frontier Iraqi province except those that border Turkey.
Count of U.S. wounded rises
The number of U.S. troops wounded in Iraq increased by 198 over the past week, raising the total since the war began in March 2003 to 7,730, the Pentagon said Tuesday afternoon.
As of Tuesday, 1,061 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to the Defense Department.
Of those, 806 died as a result of hostile action and 255 died of nonhostile causes. The figures include three military civilians.
Associated Press
U.S. wounded toll rises
The number of U.S. troops wounded in Iraq increased by 198 over the past week, raising the total since the war began in March 2003 to 7,730, the Pentagon said Tuesday afternoon.
As of Tuesday, 1,061 members of the U.S. military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to the Defense Department.
Of those, 806 died as a result of hostile action and 255 died of nonhostile causes. The figures include three military civilians.
Associated Pres
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