Despite formal combat end, US joins Baghdad battle

Article

BAGHDAD – Days after the U.S. officially ended combat operations and touted Iraq's ability to defend itself, American troops found themselves battling heavily armed militants assaulting an Iraqi military headquarters in the center of Baghdad on Sunday. The fighting killed 12 people and wounded dozens.

It was the first exchange of fire involving U.S. troops in Baghdad since the Aug. 31 deadline for formally ending the combat mission, and it showed that American troops remaining in the country are still being drawn into the fighting.

Sunday's hour-long assault was the second in as many weeks on the facility, the headquarters for the Iraqi Army's 11th Division, pointing to the failure of Iraqi forces to plug even the most obvious holes in their security.

Two of the four attackers even managed to fight their way inside the compound and were only killed after running out of ammunition and detonating explosives belts they were wearing.

Heres another story that shows Iraq still is unstable. Theres still combat there, the whole "ending combat operations thing" was just a change of name in my opinion.

All the suicide bombings, and these assaults, I wonder if Iraq will ever be able to be remotley stable. I dont think it will be anytime soon.

Just thought I would post this on here to share.