Iraq's Amariyah is isolated from outside violence by a cordon of US forces

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Some 12,000 Iraqi and U.S. troop reinforcements are pouring into Baghdad as part of the new security crackdown that began this month amid a surge in Sunni-Shiite violence and fears of a civil war.

"Since we began the operation, not one person from Amariyah has died, not one act of violence has occurred. We have demonstrated that it can be done," Col. Robert Scurlock Jr., commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, told reporters.

. . . Once known for modern houses built on land given by Saddam Hussein to middle-ranking government officials, Amariyah wears a tired look today like most of the capital.

Reporters driven to the area by the U.S. Army in an armored bus saw shuttered shops, their glass fronts marked by "Xs" with duct tape.

Dilapidated sofas — musty foam spilling out of torn covers — were dumped on the sidewalk. Razor wire coils blocked entrances to streets. Sand walls hid the facade of many homes. Checkpoints manned by U.S. and Iraqi soldiers in armored vehicles circled the neighborhood.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/sanmateocountytimes/news/ci_4194513

our soldiers can't protect towns like Amariyah forever. They are nothing more than hapless wards of our aggravating occupation. Now Amariyah's a target. We're challenging the terrorists to fight them there so, . . .