U.S. military releases 300 Iraqi detainees

BAGHDAD, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A total of 300 detainees were released this month in Iraq in an effort by the U.S. military to create "goodwill and reconciliation."

The detainees' release reflects the start of military efforts to let go thousands of people who have been detained for months or years without being charged of a crime, The Christian Science Monitor reported.

"We've tried to review as many cases as we can and assess as many as we can, and release as many who are not an imperative threat," spokesman U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth Marshall said.

The action has reportedly initiated military concerns about possibly undermining Iraqi security improvements by releasing too many individuals too soon.

"The release has to be handled very carefully because a lot of these people may be angry despite how they were treated," counterinsurgency expert and author T.X. Hammes told the Monitor.

Hammes said dramatically improved security in neighborhoods could surprise many people returning home who may expect to confront violence, the newspaper said.