Bloomberg reports that “a small contingent of U.S. forces has begun operating in Iraq to gather intelligence and establish an operations center in Baghdad, the Defense Department said today.”  

“Forty troops already stationed at the U.S. embassy have begun the new assessment mission, and 90 more from the Middle East region have arrived in Baghdad, bringing to 130 the number of personnel involved, Rear Admiral John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters today at a briefing.”