'A fairly survivable trade'

From the Beeb. Interesting in that it stresses the local nature of the insurgents - PolPop

By David Lyon BBC Correspondent

The area south of Baghdad where the Black Watch have been operating in support of US Marines for the last month has turned out to be one of the key centres of the insurgency in Iraq.

There have been more suicide bomb attacks, and other attacks, on the occupation forces there than anywhere else in the country in the last month, according to US intelligence sources.

The British troops from the Black Watch regiment have been based on the west side of the River Euphrates. . .

When their month-long tour ends shortly, this single battalion will be replaced by two US army battalions in the lead up to the Iraqi elections, scheduled for the end of January.