The ultra-rich are worried. Need proof.

New approach features 'gated communities'

WASHINGTON -- The military's new strategy for Iraq envisions
creating so-called "gated communities" in Baghdad -- sealing
off discrete areas and forcibly removing insurgents, then
working to create jobs for residents and stationing American
units in the neighborhood to keep the peace.

The United States previously has found it nearly impossible to
secure the sprawling city. But by focusing an increased number
of troops in selected neighborhoods, the military hopes it can create
islands of security segregated from the chaos.

The gated-communities plan has been tried -- with mixed success --
in other wars. In Vietnam, they were called "strategic hamlets"
and were a failure.

But counterinsurgency experts say that such security zones
can work if, once the barriers are established, the military
follows up with sweeps designed to flush out insurgents and
militia fighters.

The strategy, described in broad terms by current and former defense
officials, is an attempt to recreate the successes that military
units have had in smaller Iraqi cities, most notably Tall Afar.

For the past two years, the U.S. military has been focused primarily on
training Iraqi security forces. Under the new plan in Baghdad,
the primary mission of U.S. combat forces will be to protect Iraqis
living in the city.

Critics of the troop increase have said that the sheer size of Baghdad,
with its population of nearly 6 million people, makes it
impossible to replicate the Tall Afar strategy.

White House officials outlined a plan Wednesday to divide
Baghdad into nine districts and to station U.S. battalions
and Iraqi forces in each.

Moving units out of the super bases that surround Baghdad and
into urban neighborhoods is critical to making any gated-communities
plan work, defense officials said.

In Tall Afar, a town of 150,000 people, U.S. forces built a berm
around the city to control access, then swept through to rout
insurgents and al-Qaida members. The military then established
combat outposts throughout the city where small units of soldiers
could have a round-the-clock neighborhood presence.

Ideally, once a neighborhood is cleared, U.S. forces would
have to fight less. Advocates of the approach say that gated
communities will allow the U.S. and Iraqi militaries to ease
Iraqis' fears of being victims of sectarian violence.

The ultra-rich are worried. Need proof.
The gated-communities plan has been tried -- with mixed success --
in other wars. In Vietnam, they were called "strategic hamlets"
and were a failure.

The ultra-rich are worried. Need proof.

New approach features 'gated communities'
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070111/LOCAL17/701110465/-1/ZONES04

The ultra-rich are worried. Need proof.

New approach features 'gated communities'
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070111/LOCAL17/701110465/-1/ZONES04

WASHINGTON -- The military's new strategy for Iraq envisions
creating so-called "gated communities" in Baghdad -- sealing
off discrete areas and forcibly removing insurgents, then
working to create jobs for residents and stationing American
units in the neighborhood to keep the peace.

The United States previously has found it nearly impossible to
secure the sprawling city. But by focusing an increased number
of troops in selected neighborhoods, the military hopes it can create
islands of security segregated from the chaos.

The gated-communities plan has been tried -- with mixed success --
in other wars. In Vietnam, they were called "strategic hamlets"
and were a failure.

But counterinsurgency experts say that such security zones
can work if, once the barriers are established, the military
follows up with sweeps designed to flush out insurgents and
militia fighters.

The strategy, described in broad terms by current and former defense
officials, is an attempt to recreate the successes that military
units have had in smaller Iraqi cities, most notably Tall Afar.

For the past two years, the U.S. military has been focused primarily on
training Iraqi security forces. Under the new plan in Baghdad,
the primary mission of U.S. combat forces will be to protect Iraqis
living in the city.

Critics of the troop increase have said that the sheer size of Baghdad,
with its population of nearly 6 million people, makes it
impossible to replicate the Tall Afar strategy.

White House officials outlined a plan Wednesday to divide
Baghdad into nine districts and to station U.S. battalions
and Iraqi forces in each.

Moving units out of the super bases that surround Baghdad and
into urban neighborhoods is critical to making any gated-communities
plan work, defense officials said.

In Tall Afar, a town of 150,000 people, U.S. forces built a berm
around the city to control access, then swept through to rout
insurgents and al-Qaida members. The military then established
combat outposts throughout the city where small units of soldiers
could have a round-the-clock neighborhood presence.

Ideally, once a neighborhood is cleared, U.S. forces would
have to fight less. Advocates of the approach say that gated
communities will allow the U.S. and Iraqi militaries to ease
Iraqis' fears of being victims of sectarian violence.

The ultra-rich are worried. Need proof.

New approach features 'gated communities'
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070111/LOCAL17/701110465/-1/ZONES04

WASHINGTON -- The military's new strategy for Iraq envisions
creating so-called "gated communities" in Baghdad -- sealing
off discrete areas and forcibly removing insurgents....