European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 4, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Stars and stripes Iraq government to shorten curfew by Kim Gamel the associated press Baghdad the iraqi government announced plans tues Day to shorten the curfew in the capital by two hours saying Secu Rity had improved enough to let residents stay on the streets until 10 pm Brig Gen Qassim Almous Sawi the spokesman for the Bagh dad Security operation said the curfew had been shortened be cause the Security situation has improved and people needed More time to go shopping since the latest Security opera Tion began on feb 14 the Mili tary had enforced a 8 pm to 5 am curfew before the joint us iraqi crackdown curfew had been from 11 pm to 5 am violence in the capital has de creased rapidly since the nearly 7weekold neighbor Woodby neighbourhood sweep to quell sectarian violence in the capital began on sunday a congressional delegation led by sen John Mccain guarded by 100 us soldiers and two Apache attack helicopters toured a Baghdad Market in a visit he said showed Security had improved in the capital one merchant called the tour a propaganda exercise the iraqi assessments of safety in their capital stood in Stark con Trast to Mccain statement that his shopping excursion on Sun Day made him cautiously optimistic that a nearly 7weekold  sweep to quell sectarian violence in the capital was working Karim Abdullah a 37yearold textile merchant in the Sorja Market said Mccain and fellow gop senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were kept under tight Security and accompanied by dozens of us troops they were laughing and talk ing to people As if there was Noth ing going on in this country or at least they were pretending that they were tourists and were visit Asaad an iraqi woman argues with an american Soldier in front of their base in the Jamia neighbourhood in Baghdad on tuesday some 300 people marched to the base demanding the release of their relatives ing the cites old Market and buy ing souvenir he said to achieve this they sealed off the area put themselves in flak Jack ets and walked in the Middle of tens of armed american sol Diers a senior us military official in Baghdad said about 100 Ameri can soldiers were part of the Secu Rity contingent but most of them stayed behind with the vehicles estimating that no More than 20 troops went with the Congress men As they roamed the streets of the Market which has been hit by several recent bombings including a february attack that killed 137 people the official who accompanied the congressman on the Market visit but spoke on condition of anonymity while discussing Security arrangements said iraqis were not kept from approaching the dignitaries Access to the Market was closed to vehicles As part of a daily ban during business hours to prevent car bombs he said sharpshooters were Likely on nearby roofs and two Apache at tack helicopters flew overhead but said that was not unusual for visiting dignitaries the official said the Congress men had flown from the Green zone in helicopters to a Forward operating base in Baghdad then travelled in humvee to the mar Ket getting stuck in traffic at one Point they then visited a us Iraq joint Security station in the predominantly shiite Kar Radah neighbourhood one of Bagh dads safest Jaafar Moussa Thamir a 42yearold who Sells electrical appliances at Sorja said the Dele gation greeted some fellow Ven Dors with arabic phrases but he was not impressed they were just making fun of us and paid this visit just for their own interests he said do they think that when they come and speak few arabic words in a very bad manner it will make us love them this country and its society have been destroyed because of them and i Hope that they realized that during this visit Mccain a Republican presiden tial hopeful who was a prisoner of War in Vietnam appeared at a news conference shortly after the Market visit to say it was proof that Security was improving in the capital he acknowledged a difficult task lies ahead in Iraq but he insisted a us iraqi Security plan was working citing a recent drop in execution style sectarian kill Ings the establishment of Security posts throughout the City and sunni tribal efforts against Al Aida in the Western Anbar province the congressmen who wore body Armor during their hour Long excursion said they were touched by the resilience and warmth of the iraqi people some of whom would not take Money for souvenirs they were accompanied by the top us commander in Iraq Gen David Petraeus and followed his Lead in taking off their helmets As they bought shopped and drank Tea Asfa act qfw9064742 062241215 us deaths in Iraq the associated press As of monday at least 3256 members of the us military have died since the beginning of the Iraq War in March 2003 according to an associated press count the figure includes seven military civilians at least 2621 died As a result of hostile action according to the military numbers the a count is 12 higher than the defense department5s tally last updated monday the British military has re ported 136 deaths Italy has re ported 33 deaths Ukraine 18 Poland 19 Bulgaria 13 Spain 11 Denmark six Al Salvador five Slovakia four Latvia three and Estonia nether lands Thailand two each Australia Hungary Kazakhstan and Romania have reported one death each the latest deaths reported by the military a Soldier died monday Dur no combat in Anbar province a Soldier died monday of wounds suffered from a vehicle bomb in Kirkuk a Soldier died monday when an explosive detonated near his vehicle in Fula Flat the latest identifications re ported by the military army pc Wilfred mores or 20 Lawton okla killed saturday in Roadside bombings Southwest of Baghdad As signed to the 2nd battalion 4th infantry brigade combat team 10th Fountain division fort drum army staff sgt Jason r Arnette 24 Amelia a died sunday in Roadside bombings Southwest of Baghdad As signed to the 2nd 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