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I disagree with your emailer that increased number of troops would have increased casualties. Because of the nature of an insurgency using a raiding starategy, you need more troops to cut off the insurgents movement to attack and avenues of retreat. It requires a higher force to space ratio to stop the attacks and make it harder for the enemy to freely move about. Also having fewer troops has required our forces to buy the same real estate more than once. This was particularly so before the Iraqi troops came on line and could be used in the take and hold operation. In most places in Iraq the Iraqi troops have filled in the gaps in the force to space ratio. However in two areas still more are needed. Anbar province has never had enough troops and needs more now to defeat the enemy. Baghdad needs a higher concentration because the enemy has made it a primary battle space as his efforts in much of the rest of the country have been defeated. The recent addition of troops to the Baghdad area appears to have had a positive effect on reducing the violence.