That’s a Lot of Backup

The headline says it all:

US has 161,000 troops in Iraq, highest of the war

That’s more troops in Iraq than when we invaded in 2003. But wait, it’s just backup:

U.S. commanders have said American-trained Iraqi government security forces took the lead in protecting the voting process in the referendum and would do so again for the Dec. 15 elections, with U.S. troops serving as backup.

Meanwhile, Today in Iraq.