U.S. airstrike in Iraq reflects targeted efforts

BAGHDAD -- A massive U.S. aerial bombing campaign launched in Iraq on Thursday attempted to strike a delicate balance -- routing members of a newly resurgent al-Qaeda while trying to avoid civilian casualties that could alienate ordinary Iraqis.

U.S. planes attacked a rural Sunni area southeast of Baghdad with 40,000 pounds of bombs during a 10-minute period. That surpassed the tonnage that previously had been dropped there during an average month, said Maj. Alayne Conway, a U.S. military spokeswoman.

The attacks targeted suspected al-Qaeda weapons caches, supply lines and bombmaking sites, Conway said. No civilian casualties were immediately reported, she said, reflecting a central focus of the U.S. military's year-old counterinsurgency strategy: winning the support of the local population.

U.S. commanders have repeatedly cited better cooperation from Iraqis as a main reason for a dramatic drop in violence since last summer.

"You saw a lot more damage to the civilian population in 2004 than you're seeing now. Even though you have a huge uptick in offensive operations, it looks like the military is taking greater care not to harm civilians," said Colin Kahl, a security studies professor at Georgetown University.

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