Source: UPI

WASHINGTON, 13 Sep 2011 (UPI) — The U.S. State Department cited insurgent activity, terrorist violence and fighting with Kurdish militants as reason for issuing a travel warning for Iraq.

The State Department announced Tuesday it was warning all U.S. citizens in Iraq against all but essential travel throughout the country “given the dangerous security situation.”

“The U.S. government considers the potential threat to U.S. government personnel in Iraq to be serious enough to require them to live and work under strict security guidelines,” the warning added.

The warning notes that while parts of the country, particularly Iraq’s northern Kurdish region, were relatively calm, security in the central provinces was volatile. Nevertheless, U.S. government personnel need an armed escort when traveling outside secure facilities in the Kurdish areas.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2011/09/13/US-issues-travel-warning-for-Iraq/UPI-64361315935969/

Note by the editor: Or is this just to justify the US troops and private security companies to remain?