The trauma of his injury affected nearly every system in his body. He received nearly 200 units of blood and blood products. He was on and off the respirator – several times – and in and out of ICU for weeks. He has had feeding tubes and dialysis and bouts of nausea where he is unable to keep anything down.
Over a week ago, LTC Karcher was moved to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, much closer to home. He has had good days and bad days, but today I was encouraged to hear his wife Alecia talking of his release from the hospital.
Tim Karcher is doing much better, but the Karcher family still has a long road recovery. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
A few weeks ago I had a rant about the United States Air Force, which many took exception to, today I am providing a piece from the Washington Post about how the crew of a C130 Georgia Air National Guard brought home the body of an Army Lieutenant. Here the USAF gets it right.
I had been waiting until I had really good news to post about Tim Karcher. He has been in and out of surgery. He has been in and out of intensive care, on and off the respirator and had repeated dialysis. Tim is hanging in there. Yesterday was a pretty good day and I am hoping that soon I will be able to report that he is out of the woods.
Today, Tim's brother-in-law posted an update as a comment on my previous post. I wanted everyone to see the update, so I have cut and pasted the entry from that post's COMMENT area:
ALL:
My name is Mick Adkins. Tim and I were best buds as LTs, and I was the best man in his wedding, and married his sister-in-law. I have an update for you.
Tim is at Walter Reed, still in ICU, as of this. He has had some serious issues with a bloodborne infection and fever, respritatory distress, kidney function, anaesthesia, and a host of others. Alesia tells me that he is much better today. We were seriously sweating bullets for a couple of days.
Tim's sense of humor and humility are undiminished. He is a tough dude, but a great man. When one of the nurses told him that he needed to do something, he responded, "Whatever you say jumpmaster".
She thought he had a head injury. but didn't know that it waqs his typical demented sense of humor.
Your continued prayers for his recovery, and the families of those men who were killed, are greatly appreciated. Those who know him will tell you that Tim has always been about the soldiers.
His family is well taken care of, and Alesia is by his side for the duration of his recovery.
LTC Melody, I never had the priviledge, but Tim has always had nothing but good things to say about you. You were a mentor and role model for him. Thanks for your tuteledge.
Shane, I was the guy you ran into at the ice cream shop in KC. Sorry for not calling you about the news, but i was kinda busy. I will try calling you this weekend.
Thanks, all, for the support.
Mick Adkins · July 15, 2009 11:35 AM
The Wolfpackis currently patrolling the vast open spaces of Ninewa (or Nineveh) Province in northwestern Iraq. In ancient times, Nineveh was the center of the great Assyrian Empire. Today, it lies on an Iraqi fault line, a place where Sunni, Assyrian Christians and Yezidi and Sunni Kurds intermingle and struggle with each other for control of the oil rich province. Nineveh will play a huge role in Iraq’s future, in politics and in industry.
I recently re-established contact with an old friend, LtCol Ken Kassner, commnading officer of 3d LAR. Here is what he had to say about his mission:
Currently, Task Force Wolfpack is conducting reconnaissance and security operations to disrupt and interdict foreign fighters and smugglers in Iraq’s dynamic Ninewa Province. We arrived here in March. To be sure, this desert frontier in northwestern Iraq is truly “LAR Country”. Our missions are characterized by their expeditionary nature—as we literally sleep, eat, and conduct daily combat/security operations in our assigned battlespace without the standard amenities that have become commonplace on large FOBs or COPs; by our ability to exercise and maximize our core competencies as a reconnaissance unit; and by our tactical patience.
He also sent several amazing photographs:
Sinjar Mountains
Wolfpack6 and his crew
The operational environment, which includes flat desert lands, cavernous wadi systems that can swallow whole vehicles, croplands of wheat and barley, and a large mountain range that towers to more than 5,000 feet, is one of the most austere regions in which I’ve worked in Iraq. Of course, during the summer months, there’s no escaping the heat. As one of the few battalions in Iraq still conducting daily combat operations, we patrol the expansive deserts of this AO, interdict and search smugglers entering the country from Syria, and conduct combined operations with the Iraqi Army and Police Forces to detain suspected or known insurgents in the area.
Approaching Sandstorm
The Wolfpack's New Mascot
Recently, we have embarked on a large effort to build civil capacity in the region and conduct civil affairs projects. Adding to the dynamics of the region are the geopolitical tensions that exist between the Arabs and Kurds. This area around Sinjar and northwestern Ninewa Province represents a disputed internal boundary (DIB) between the Government of Iraq (GOI) and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). The student of international relations in me is quite intrigued by the geopolitical situation in this region of Iraq. Certainly, this deployment has been quite interesting.
Colonel Tim Karcher was flown back to the United States last weekend. He is still in intensive care at Walter Reed. We are all praying for his speedy recovery.
Last Sunday, two days before American troops were to pull out of all Iraqi cities, LTC Tim Karcher was patrolling the Baghdad streets with his men of 2-5 Cavalry. Karcher was riding ‘shotgun’ in our military’s safest infantry vehicle, a Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP), when they were attacked.
Interlude (John): I passed along Col Karcher's info to the amazing ladies at Soldiers' Angels. At the time, Richard thought he was recovering at Landstuhl. Replied Patti Patton-Bader "Col Karcher's on his way to Walter Reed. We've got him." Incredible. Feel free to drop them a couple of bucks.
An Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) pierced the armor, took both of Colonel Karcher’s legs off, above the knees and killed his driver. Karcher’s men rushed to his aid. They strapped his thighs with tourniquets and raced him to the closest medical facility. He was initially treated and then flown to Balad where surgeons labored to keep him alive. Once stabilized, he was flown to Landstuhl, Germany were he remains today.
Colonel Karcher is one of thousands of unsung American heroes. It is men like him that have made it possible for us to celebrate this American Independence Day. Tim Karcher is one of the best of the best. He is a “Jedi Knight,” a graduate of the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS). Last year, during an interview, I asked him about being an alumnus of such a prestigious school. He said, “I guess we can wield a laser pointer better than most.” As most great Americans, he is a humble man. But, don’t let his modesty fool you. He is a warrior. He has fought in the fiercest battles of Operation Iraqi Freedom. As the 2-7 Battalion Operations Officer S3, he and Colonel Jim Rainey fought alongside US Marines in the battles of Najaf and Fallujah. On his next deployment, he was shot in the shoulder in one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq – Baqubah.
And, now this.
Today, above all days, we need to honor this man. He will tell you that he was just doing his job. What we all need to understand is that his job is the protection of every one of us. He has risked life and limb for our well being, for our childrens' well being. He is a gracious gentleman, loving family man, and beloved leader. Now, both he and his family need our support
Now is the time for us to come to his aid. I will keep you posted on Colonel Karcher’s status and in my next post, I will let you know how we can help the Karcher Family. Now it is your turn to "Support Our Troops."
Last weekend, I attended the 2009 GI Film Festival in Washington, DC. It is the first film festival in the nation to exclusively celebrate the successes and sacrifices of American service men and women through the medium of film. The four-day festival was held on May 13-17, 2009 at the Carnegie Institute in Washington, DC.
The festival presented films from new and established filmmakers alike. Two-hundred films were submitted for consideration to this year’s festival and forty-seven were selected for showing. Seventeen films were full-length feature documentaries that brought stories of American courage and valor to the screen.
David C. Taylor and I have worked for nearly two years to bring our tribute to American service men and women to the screen in Perfect Valor. We worked very hard to make a film that shows the American people the courage, dedication and determination of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. We have also shown the stoic sacrifices of their loved-ones waiting for their safe return.
The stories of true American heroes in Perfect Valor are pulled from the pages of my next book, New Dawn, which I have meticulously researched for that last three years. This film is accurate in every detail, using never-before-seen combat footage.
The film follows three Marines, a battalion surgeon and a Navy Chaplain through their compelling experiences in Iraq. Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Workman is awarded the Navy Cross for his courage under fire in the December, 2004 fight in Fallujah and then he returns home with psychological wounds as severe as any physical injury. Sergeant Jason Arellano leads his squad through the streets of Fallujah, bringing everyone home safely. Only a few blocks from Workman’s fight, Arellano is severely wounded, and nearly killed. We also tell the story of a Navy doctor and a female National Guard medic moving to the front lines of the Fallujah fight to save Marine lives and a Navy Chaplain struggling to save their souls.
Lindsey and Jason Arellano, me, and LtCol Todd Desgrosseilliers
Perfect Valor had its world premiere last Saturday evening at the GI Film Festival to an overflow crowd at the Carnegie Institute. For ninety minutes we were exposed to the reality of the war in Iraq. The film touched our souls. Then, on Sunday, Perfect Valor won the festival’s Best Feature Documentary award.
Colonel Peter A. Newell will soon deploy his Brigade Combat Team, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division “Highlander” to Southern Iraq. The 4,000 soldiers of the Highlander Brigade will deploy with a new mission. They will be the first Advice and Assist Brigade deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Newell is no stranger to Iraq. In 2004, he commanded 2-2 Infantry, a mechanized infantry battalion that led the attack into Fallujah during Operation Phantom Fury. His soldiers also patrolled one of Northern Iraq’s most violent cities. Now, the Highlander Brigade will deploy with an entirely new mission. Undoubtedly, Newell’s soldiers will be trained and equipped to protect themselves and conduct combat operations, but their intent is to assist the government and people of Southern Iraq in building a stable environment for peace and prosperity.
The brigade will collaborate with Provincial Reconstruction Teams, Military Transition Teams, and Police Training Teams to marry diplomatic, information, economic, and military power. This will enable the Iraqi provincial governments to progress and establish a solid foundation for long-term security and peace.
LTC Peter Newell in Camp Fallujah, December, 2004
The brigade’s focus is security force assistance—“the unified action of the joint, inter-agency, intergovernmental and multinational community to generate, employ, sustain and assist host nation or regional security forces in support of a legitimate authority,” according to the Defense Department’s Joint Center for International Security Force Assistance.
“The key to success is harnessing the exceptional capacity of the American Soldier to adapt to different environments,” said Newell. “More than ever the opinion of the young sergeant counts; what he experiences while interfacing with the local populace effects my decision making as a brigade commander.”
Training for this new mission was unique and included exercises with the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, the City Management Offices of Austin and El Paso, Texas, the U.S. Border Patrol, and participation in the Leadership Development and Education for Sustained Peace Program sponsored by the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.
“Our training with government agencies stateside — State Department, Cities of Austin and El Paso, the U.S. Border Patrol and others — will enable us to efficiently collaborate with Provincial Reconstruction Teams in Iraq,” said Newell. “The brigade’s Soldiers are prepared to assist the Government of Iraq to continue to establish a strong and stable government that serves the Iraqi people.”
“The Advise and Assist mission is the way forward to meet the conditions of the U.S. and Iraq Security Agreement,” said Newell. “We will leave Iraq a better place and in about one year will return to our families in the El Paso community.”
This mission is as important as the combat missions of past years. Thank you Highlander for your service – wishing you good luck, Godspeed and a safe return home.
You can follow the Highlander soldiers' deployment during the next year on:
On behalf of John, Charlie, BullNav, Slab and Townie Seven-Six, I wish alcon a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We especially remember those overseas, and the ones they have left behind; may next Christmas see them home safe and sound, and final victory one year closer.
Speaking of those now somewhere east of the sun and west of the moon, I received a Christmas note today from a Marine in Iraq, a fellow reservist spending his second Christmas in the land between the waters. He wrote, in part,
"Let us remember the blanket of freedom that many men and women have unselfishly given their lives to provide. This freedom we have found in our great nation. Some of us have inherited this freedom at birth and others have struggled to find it; but, I believe that we can all agree that it is the ideal atmosphere where fruitful lives and relationships flourish and therefore it is an atmosphere worth preserving.
Health to you and your loved ones this Christmas season and the following New Year. Financial wealth ebbs and flows but if one is able bodied, has his or her health, and an atmosphere of opportunity they may always prosper and find happiness."
Rich Connaroe graduated from Northside High School in 2000 and VMI in 2004. Now a Captain in the U.S. Army, Connaroe begins a one-year deployment to Iraq in August. During that time, he plans to make regular blog posts that he hopes will connect readers of the The Roanoke Times to U.S. soldiers who are deployed in Iraq.
AR RAMADI, Iraq (NNS) -- Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 7 relieved NMCB 3 at a brief ceremony held Oct. 16.
The transfer of authority (TOA) ceremony marked the end of NMCB 3's six-month deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan and the start of NMCB 7's deployment.
They have some hard work ahead of them, but I know they will do well. Seabees are a tough bunch whose motto is, "We build, we fight."
Not to mention, NMCB 7 is commanded by our (me and LT COL P, that is) BR, CDR John Adametz.
NMCB 7's Commanding Officer, Cmdr. John Adametz, spoke about the challenges ahead for NMCB 7 while also thanking NMCB 3 for all their hard work.
"Thank you so much for all the hard work you have done to ensure this transition went as smoothly as possible," said Adametz. "To the Seabees of NMCB 7, it's time to go to work. We've trained hard [in] homeport to prepare us for the challenges ahead. Our main goal is to stay safe and succeed magnificently."
Good luck John. We will keep you and your sailors in our thoughts and prayers.
Yesterday, I received an interesting group of press releases from Iraq. The stories were dramatically different from what we have become accustomed to. There were stories of fire bases converted to schools, more Iraqis stepping up to defend their own country, renovation of archaeological ruins, art shows and a few minor "police actions."
We are winning. We will withdraw, but please remember next year that we will be drawing down our force in Iraq because of the heroic work during this administration. I can hear it now. Obama will claim that he singlehandedly ended the war in Iraq. Mark my words and please never forget who won this war. It was the American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who left their homes to bring peace and stability to this world.
Richard S. Lowry is the award-wining author of “The Gulf War Chronicles” and “Marines in the Garden of Eden.” He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1967-1975 and spent the time from 1975 to 2002 designing sophisticated integrated circuits for everything from aircraft avionics to home computers. He is currently working on his next book, “New Dawn,” which will tell of the fight to free Fallujah. Visit www.marinesinthegardenofeden.com for more information.
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20081022-04
Oct. 22, 2008
IA soldiers seize huge weapons cache in Sadr City
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Iraq Army soldiers seized a huge weapons and munitions cache in the Sadr City district of Baghdad Oct. 21. At approximately 4 p.m., IA soldiers serving with the 3rd Battalion, 42nd Brigade, 11th Iraq Army Division, seized the cache believed to be abandoned by Special Groups criminals. The cache consisted of 61 rockets of various sizes, 15 which were Iranian manufactured,
351 mortar rounds of various sizes, including 36 Iranian-made, more than 32,000 rounds of ammunition, 17 Iranian-manufactured fuse mortar rounds, 263 different sizes of mortar tubes, including two Iranian-manufactured, and various sizes of projectiles, rocket-propelled grenades launchers and grenades, as well as a remote car improvised explosive device, a remote RPG launcher, shape charges, TNT primers, armor plates, handheld radios, homemade silencers, and seven DSHKA machine guns.
“In addition to the sheer size of this cache, what is most encouraging about this find is that it is yet another example of the Iraqi Army taking the initiative and conducting independent operations in what was once a criminal stronghold. Because of their efforts these weapons will never be used to harm Iraqi citizens,” said Lt. Col. Michael Pemrick, deputy brigade commander of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
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RELEASE No. 20081022-05
Oct. 22, 2008
IA gives back to students; school reopens after two
years
Multi-National Division – Center PAO
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – The 23rd Brigade, 17th Iraqi Army Division handed out gift bags to students from the Sanadid School in Shakeriyah and the al Fatoh
Elementary School in Al Fatoh Oct. 19. “It is always a good thing when the children receive gifts, they enjoy seeing the Iraqi Army soldiers come through the school,” said Soad Ahmed Jasaim, Sanadid School assistant headmaster. “The IA has done a lot for us recently, especially in giving this school back, when two months ago it was (used) by American Soldiers.”
For two years, the Sanadid School was used by Coalition forces as Patrol Base Lion’s Den until Sept. 6 when it was transitioned back to IA control. The IA reopened the school upon taking over the base. Classes took place in tents during that two-year period. Educating upwards of 800 students, the IA knew converting the building back to a school was the top priority. “Today we are showing that we care and that we will give back to the people in need,” said Col. Alcram Sadam Mathuaf, 23rd Bde, 17th IA Div. commander. “We are giving the children school supplies and items they both need and want.” Giving the area back was only the beginning, as there is still work to be done in the school.
“The students are like my children, I will ensure that I help them the best way I possibly can,” Mathuaf said. “Starting next week we are going to start painting the school and doing small things that we can accomplish at our level.” The plan is to ensure the school is supplied with electricity through a generator run by 2nd Battalion, 23rd Bde, 17th IA Div and clean bottled water. “We are doing what we can in order to support these schools and make sure they are getting what they need,” said Lt. Col. Fatatl Rasheid Hamid, 2nd Bn. 23rd Bde, 17th IA Div commander.
The IA soldiers who handed out the gift bags were as cheerful as the children who received them. Hamid said that his soldiers were proud to give back and he plans to continue providing for the schools in the future.
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
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RELEASE No. 20081022-06
Oct. 22, 2008
Photos: Qadisiya province sheikhs attend SoI meeting
Multi-National Division – Center PAO
CAMP ECHO, Iraq –
Colonel Jassim Hamiza, 1st Battalion, 30th Brigade, 8th Iraqi Army Division
commander, speaks to the assembly of Qadisiya province sheikhs during a
meeting reviewing the new registration process for the SoI program, which is
transferring from CF’s control to the GoI, at Camp Echo Oct.18. Lieutenant
Colonel Douglas Cardinale, 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 8th Infantry
Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, commander, also
spoke and participated in the event.
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
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RELEASE No. 20081022-09
Oct. 22, 2008
MND-B Soldiers help plan to rebuild historical
landmarks
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Plans are in the works to help restore one of Aqur Quf’s
oldest landmark: the Ziggurat. The Ziggurat of Aqur Quf, which lies west of Baghdad, is one of the best preserved religious landmarks of its kind in Iraq. It dates back to 1400 B.C. and was built as a monument to the local religion.
Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, attached to 1st Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, are working in conjunction with the citizens of Iraq and branches of the Government of Iraq to rebuild and repair the site and buildings in an effort to reopen the Ziggurat as a tourist attraction.
Once open, it will offer a promising future of commerce from around the Middle East. The rebuilding alone will offer work for the Iraqi citizens through the rebuilding, and once the rebuilding is complete and open to the public, it will provide the economy with a steady working environment and a constant flow of tourists, which will provide business to other merchants in Aqur Quf, said Capt. Devon McRainey, Co. C executive officer. “It feels good to be a part rebuilding important historical sights of Iraq’s culture,” he said.
The project will begin with the repair to the fence that surrounds the Ziggurat. The next step is to ensure the safety of the historical artifacts, which will be brought back to the site from a holding place in Baghdad. The artifacts are currently held by the Ministry of Ruins until the completion of the repairs. Once the project is finished the Aqur Quf Ziggurat will be the home to a new restaurant, park and tours guided by historians.
“This will stand as an example that Iraqi security is improving,” said Capt.
David Uthlaut, Co. C commander. “If we leave any mark on the people of Iraq, this will be a great one.”
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
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RELEASE No. 20081022-10
Oct. 22, 2008
Hillah art students showcase talents at FOB Kalsu
Multi-National Division – Center PAO
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – Students and recent graduates of the al-Hillah College of Art placed their talents on display for U.S. service members at Forward Operating Base Kalsu Oct. 19.
In an initiative sponsored by the north Babil embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team for the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, the local artists displayed their pieces during a lunchtime art show in the Kalsu dining facility.
Maj. Kim Peeples, team leader for the ePRT, credited the 2nd Battalion,
502nd Infantry Regiment, which is attached to the Vanguard Brigade and includes the art school’s neighborhood in its area of responsibility. “Lt. Col. (Michael) Getchell called us. He had seen students painting Twalls outside of Haswah and asked if we could put something together,” she said.
T-wall beautification has been one of the youth projects sponsored in the Babil Province. As part of its capacity-building role in the area, the ePRT hopes to partner young artists with government officials to paint murals and help build their resumes. “We want to strengthen them as an art organization,” Peeples said. Eight of the group’s 65 art students were on-hand to paint and sell their artwork. One of the recent graduates, Sajit Jalil Karim, is anxious for the art society to expand.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to serve all of Iraq,” Sajit said.
Though selling his paintings that afternoon, Sajit also specializes in drawings. He said he always had a natural talent for art, one that was encouraged by friends. “I feel like I’m in a different world,” Sajit said about how he feels when he approaches each piece. “It’s how you convey ideas, like through poetry.” Ahmed Jasim, a fellow artist still attending school, is looking forward to the next show when he hopes to display sculptures in addition to his paintings. “You see so much of the history of Iraq in sculpture,” he said. “I’ve been very interested in historical artwork and the symbols of Iraq since I was a child.”
The Kalsu art show is step one. After offering their artwork for sale in the dining facility Oct. 19, the show transitioned to Kalsu’s local bazaar. The artists, in the meantime, will stay busy this week painting T-walls and barriers in the FOB’s common areas. Plans for a second show in November are already underway.
The art show and T-wall paintings were co-sponsored by the 703rd Brigade Support Battalion FOB Kalsu Mayor Cell.
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20081022-12
Oct. 22, 2008
MND-B Soldiers detain criminals operating in Rashid
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers arrested two suspected
criminals during combat operations Oct. 21-22 in the Rashid district of southern
Baghdad.
At approximately 11:30 p.m. Oct. 21, Soldiers from Troop C, 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, conducting a target raid, detained a special groups criminal suspected of conducting improvised explosive device attacks and building weapons caches in the Abu T’shir community of southern Baghdad.
At approximately 12:45 a.m. Oct. 22, Soldiers of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 4th Inf. Regt., attached to the 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B, conducted a target raid in Rashid’s Aamel community, capturing a suspected militia leader responsible for operating militia safe houses and an IED-making cell in southern Baghdad.
“Capturing known criminals that engage in the production of weapons shows the commitment of U.S. Soldiers to provide a safe and secure environment for the 1.5 million residents of the Rashid district. These suspected criminals will now face justice in an Iraqi court of Law,” said Maj. Dave Olson, 1st BCT spokesman, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B. “The 1st ‘Raider’ BCT and the Iraqi Security Forces patrol the streets of the Rashid district daily to serve and protect the citizens of Baghdad and to bring security and stability to the area. The Coalition forces and ISF of Rashid will continue to see more progress in the future due to their untiring efforts to serve the local populace.”
Coalition forces apprehend Special Groups suspects
BAGHDAD – Coalition forces continue to degrade the Special Groups network with the capture of three suspects Thursday morning during two separate operations in New Baghdad.
Acting on intelligence information, Coalition forces targeted suspected Iranian-trained criminals assessed to conduct attacks on Iraqi and Coalition forces; specializing in Explosively Formed Penetrators, sniper attacks and intelligence collection.
During the first operation, forces moved in on the target area where they detained one suspected Special Group criminal.
In the second operation, Coalition forces detained two more suspects without incident. In the last 72 hours, Coalition forces have apprehended seven Special Groups criminals.
According to Special Groups criminals already in custody, the organization receives funding, training, weapons and even direction from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard - Quds Force. Through its militia-proxies, the IRGC-QF attempts to destabilize the legitimate government of Iraq.
Richard S. Lowry is the award-wining author of “The Gulf War Chronicles” and “Marines in the Garden of Eden.” He served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1967-1975 and spent the time from 1975 to 2002 designing sophisticated integrated circuits for everything from aircraft avionics to home computers. He is currently working on his next book, “New Dawn,” which will tell of the fight to free Fallujah. Visit www.marinesinthegardenofeden.com for more information.
Anbar was where al-Qaeda located its attempt to turn Iraq into what it called the center of its war against the United States. By 2004 it ruled the cities of Fallujah and Ramadi; by 2006 it had declared an "Islamic emirate" in the region. Two years ago this month, The Post reported that a Marine assessment had concluded that the situation in Anbar was "dire" and that the province was "lost politically." The turnaround since then has been a crushing blow for al-Qaeda -- one that is not lessened, in its impact on the Arab Middle East, by the fact that the terrorist group did not begin operations in Anbar until after the U.S. invasion.
Very well put indeed, but let me help them along. Victory in Anbar is victory in the one place in the Middle East that should have ample cause to hate the U.S. and rise up against us. When we broke downt he Hussein dictatorship, we removed the Sunni ascendancy from its position of power, its source of wealth and prestige. We occupied its heartland, and we told them how things were going to go from here on out. And they fought us tooth and nail.
Until, that is, they began to realize that when we said, "No better friend, no worse enemy," we were serious. That we would pull out the stops to support and protect them, or alternately that we would fight them to a standstill, and they (unlike some of our politicians) weren't willing to bet that we'd give up and pull out. And what we protected them against was their putative savior-- Al Qaeda. Lo and behold, the Sunnis of Anbar decided that they didn't like what Al Qaeda was selling. It was too costly, too brutal, too foreign. And so our fight against the Sunnis and AQI became ours and the Sunnis' fight against AQI. Al Zarqawi and his band of nasties were preaching to the one choir that should have been listening, and the choir tossed them out.
That is the real strategic victory: we have something to offer that is far far better than what the cavemen have to offer. We have a future to offer them, not an apocalypse; the chance for houses, lives, jobs, prosperity, not subsistence and subservience. No better friend!
The one passage I take issue with is, "A standard talking point for those who opposed the surge -- including Democrats Barack Obama and Joseph R. Biden Jr. -- is that success in Anbar resulted in large part from the turning of Sunni tribes against al-Qaeda, beginning before the surge. While that is true, the American casualty figures from late 2006 show that the conflict was far from won before 4,000 additional Marines were dispatched to the region in 2007."
This is right and wrong, and leaves us with a false impression. The turning of the Sunni tribes began before the surge, but the victory culminated in the combination of carrot and stick, of friend and enemy, that coincided with the maturation of a bold economic and political development initiative, backed by the power of the troop surge. We cannot view either event without the other. The WaPo has enough smart people, like Tom Ricks, that I'm surprised they don't get that.
If you had told me, this time in 2004, that we'd be turning over Al-Anbar province to the Iraqis-- and not part of some shameful withdrawal, but with a real prospect of success-- I'd have said that you were smoking crack.
How did we get here? National leadership, and theater leadership, that learned some hard lessons and refused to give up. There was never a question that the Marines and sailors and soldiers were up to the task. The big question was whether the senior leaders in and out of uniform would also have the stones to stick it out. After Fallujah One and over the summer of 2004, I wouldn't have made a bet on it. But, instead, here we are.
We got here by dint of strong, hard decsions from the top; by incorporating the lessons of mistakes and missteps; by the willingness of commanders on the ground to grasp the situation, and then take the risks needed to gain the trust and goodwill of the population. We got here by the never-ending hard work and can-do attitude of tens of thousands of Americans and Iraqis and allies, living and fighting under discomfort and near-constant attack. We got here by the sacrifice of hundreds and hundreds of good young men and women, who did their duty regardless of the danger, and paid the ultimate price.
This doesn't mean the end of the Iraq campaign, and Anbar has a tough row to hoe, but they now have a fighting chance. They have an opportunity to succeed.
Last Tuesday evening an Apache helicopter crew noticed three criminals loading a mortar into the trunk of their car in Sadr City. After insuring there were no civilians nearby, the American soldiers fired a Hellfire missile which obliterated the front end of the vehicle. The criminals rushed to the mangled auto and grabbed the mortar, tossed it into a second vehicle and sped away.
Events like these have become commonplace as neither American nor Iraqi Security Forces have been patrolling the streets of Sadr City. Even though Muqtada al Sadr has declared a cease-fire, the Sadr City District has been a very dangerous place for Coalition forces. The lower-class neighborhoods of eastern Baghdad (Sadr City) continue to remain an Al Sadr stronghold. So much so, that the area has been cordoned and Iraqi and Coalition forces do not venture into the majority of the eastern Baghdad slums. The area is laced with IEDs and armed criminal elements that will stand and fight, if confronted. So, the majority of the Coalition’s security is facing inward and the city streets are patrolled from the sky. Contrary to some reports, Sadr City is not under siege. There are control points to stem the influx of illegal weapons, but people are free to come and go as they please.
Rest assured, Sadr City is under constant surveillance. High above the attacking Apache, an Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) circled the district. Air Force controllers watched the Apache attack and the enemy speed away in their streaming video broadcast from the drone. They stalked the vehicle as it sped through the streets like a hawk circling its prey. When the thugs finally stopped in an empty field, another Hellfire screamed out of the evening sky. This time both criminals were killed and the vehicle and mortar were destroyed.
There may not be a cop on every corner in Sadr City, but the ISF and American Forces can see what is going on and they can swiftly react to acts of aggression. For some time now, there has been a tense stalemate in Sadr City. Al Sadr’s radical followers continue to conduct violent acts in the form of mortar and rocket attacks, IED attacks on Coalition and Iraqi Security forces, and outright skirmishes with the authorities. More often than not, the fighters are rounded up or killed, but they continue to harass the establishment.
All the while, the vast majority of the civilian population is trying to live a peaceful life amid this small groups’ struggle for power and influence. Security is slowly returning to the other districts of Baghdad and as the streets become safer, overall life is improving for the every-day Iraqi. The streets are being cleaned up, markets, parks and schools are open and there is a glimmer of hope for the future. Bread winners are returning to work and children are returning to school.
But Muqtada and his followers do not want the people of Sadr City to gain hope for their future. Their power comes from the downtrodden, from the poor, from the disadvantaged. They want to have continued chaos in Sadr City, Baghdad and Iraq. Stability is their enemy. So, Sadr’s supporters roam the streets in armed gangs, lob mortar rounds at American facilities, plant IEDs and rocket the International Zone. Recently, after British troops withdrew from the streets of Basra, Sadrist thugs took over Iraq’s second largest city.
Last month, the Iraqi government moved to restore law and order in Basra. Until then, Muqtada al Sadr and his radical followers enjoyed a shaky stalemate with the Coalition forces and the government in Baghdad. Al Sadr, who has been hiding in Iran, has issued a fatwa declaring a cease-fire with the Multi-National Forces in Iraq. He has been literally sitting on the sidelines, waiting for American forces to go home. But, his Mahdi army has seized every opportunity to make trouble. Some – many – of Muqtada Al Sadr’s followers have violated the cease-fire and have quickly been killed or captured.
When the ISF moved to retake Basra, Sadrist thugs throughout the country counterattacked from Basra to Nasiriyah to Sadr City. Last week, Iranian-made 107mm rockets were hurled across the Tigris River into the International Zone from the most southern reaches of Sadr City. Iraqi Security Forces quickly moved into that area with coalition support. They have built a temporary barrier that separates the southern edge of the district from the rest of Sadr City. The rocket teams that have not been killed have been forced out of effective range to be able to hit the International Zone. While the ISF are in the lead, there is a considerable Coalition force supporting the Iraqis, particularly in the air.
With support of the Coalition, Iraqi Security Forces have had great success in neutralizing, killing and destroying the mortar and rocket teams who were firing from within Sadr City. “We have taken out literally dozens of those teams” Rear Admiral Greg Smith, Director of Communications for the Multi-National Force – Iraq, added that some of these criminals were, “in the process of setting up to fire.” These criminals were lobbing rockets across the Tigris River, attempting to hit government and Coalition targets in the International Zone. Most of the rockets fell short, killing and injuring innocent Iraqi civilians.
The burned out vehicles we are seeing in the streets on the nightly news belong to rocket and mortar teams, victims of precision weapons launched from Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) or Apache helicopters. The enemy cannot escape the watchful eyes of coalition forces. “What you have is a very persistent coverage from the air by US forces.” Smith went on to say, “We spot ‘em, we track ‘em and we kill ‘em.”
Still, the levels of violence today are higher than they were before Easter Sunday. There was a serious peak of violence after the Iraqi government moved to take back the streets of Basra. The number of incidents has recently decreased, but is still elevated in nearly every category.
What is Next?
The next few weeks will be crucial to bringing the citizens of Sadr City into the fold. Today, Muqtada al Sadr has a significant following within the slums of the city named after his martyred father. But, his influence is waning. Extremists want him dead and moderates are considering reconciliation. The Iraq government will be pumping $150,000,000 into the southern extremities of Sadr City. The money will be used to revitalize the areas that are under government control. If the moderates see that the government is making an effort to help the people of Sadr City, they may be inclined to denounce the violent elements that control their neighborhoods.
Even then, the future of the citizens of Eastern Baghdad, and most of southern Iraq, rests in the hands of Muqtada al Sadr and the violent factions within his following. If the government of Iraq can provide some political accommodations to the Sadrists, if Al Sadr can be convinced that he can maintain his power base peacefully, if the extreme shi’a can reconcile with the moderate shi’a, there might be a chance of a peaceful outcome in Sadr City.
Let us all hope that sane minds prevail because if they don’t, a military operation will be needed to clear Sadr City, ala Najaf, Fallujah and Basra. Muqtada Al Sadr needs to realize that we can do this the easy way or the hard way, but the Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces will not be deterred from bringing peace and stability to all the people of Iraq, including those in Sadr City.
Mr. Chairman, Senator McCain, and Members of the Committee:
It is an honor to appear before you today to provide my assessment of political, economic and diplomatic developments in Iraq. When General Petraeus and I reported to you in September, I gave my considered judgment as to whether our goals in Iraq were attainable – can Iraq develop into a united, stable country with a democratically-elected government operating under the rule of law?
Last September, I said that the cumulative trajectory of political, economic and diplomatic developments in Iraq was upwards, although the slope of that line was not steep. Developments over the last seven months have strengthened my sense of a positive trend. Immense challenges remain and progress is uneven and often frustratingly slow; but there is progress. Sustaining that progress will require continuing U.S. resolve and commitment. What has been achieved is substantial, but it is also reversible. Five years ago, the statue of Saddam Hussein was toppled in Baghdad. The euphoria of that moment evaporated long ago. But as Iraq emerges from the shattering violence of 2006 and the early part of 2007, there is reason to sustain that commitment and the enormous investments we have made both in the lives of our young brave men and women and our resources. Let me describe the developments upon which I base such a judgment.
Reconciliation: National and Provincial Politics
The first is at the national level in the form of legislation and the development of Iraq’s parliament. In September, we were disappointed that Iraq had not yet enacted some key pieces of legislation. In the last several months, however, Iraq’s parliament has formulated, debated vigorously, and in many cases passed legislation dealing with vital issues of reconciliation and nation building. A pension law extended benefits to individuals who had previously been denied them because of their service under the former regime. The Accountability and Justice Law (de-Ba'athification reform), passed after lengthy and often contentious debate, reflects a strengthened spirit of reconciliation, as does a far-reaching Amnesty Law.
The Provincial Powers Law is a major step forward in defining the relationship between the federal and provincial governments. Passage of this legislation required debate about the fundamental nature of the state, similar in its complexity to our own lengthy and difficult debate over states' rights. The Provincial Powers Law also called for provincial elections by October 1, 2008, and an Electoral Law is now under discussion that will set the parameters for elections. All major parties have announced their support for these elections, which will be a major step forward in Iraq's political development and will set the stage for national elections in late 2009.
In January, a vote by the Council of Representatives to change the design of the Iraqi flag means the flag now flies in all parts of the country for the first time in years. The passage of the 2008 budget, with record amounts for capital expenditures, insures that the federal and provincial governments will have the resources for public spending. All of this has been done since September. These laws are not perfect and much depends on their implementation, but they are important steps.
Also important has been the development of Iraq’s Council of Representatives (CoR) as a national institution. Last summer, the CoR suffered from persistent and often paralyzing disputes over leadership and procedure. Now, it is successfully grappling with complex issues and producing viable tradeoffs and compromise packages. As debates in Iraq’s parliament became more about how to resolve tough problems in a practical way, Iraqi politics have become more fluid. While politics still have a sectarian bent and basis, cross-sectarian coalitions have formed around issues, and sectarian political groupings which often were barriers to progress have become more flexible.
Let me also talk about the intangibles: attitudes among the population and the conversations that are occurring among Iraqi leaders. In 2006 and 2007, many people understandably questioned whether hatred between Iraqis of different sectarian backgrounds was so deep that a civil war was inevitable. The Sunni Awakening movement in al-Anbar, which so courageously confronted al-Qa’ida, continues to keep the peace in the area and keep al-Qa’ida out. Fallujah, once a symbol for violence and terror, is now one of Iraq’s safest cities. The Shi’a holy cities of an-Najaf and Karbala’ are enjoying security and growing prosperity in the wake of popular rejection of extremist militia activity. The Shi’a clerical leadership – the Marja’iyyah – based in an-Najaf – has played a quiet but important role in support of moderation and reconciliation. In Baghdad, we can see that Iraqis are not pitted against each other purely on the basis of sectarian affiliation. The security improvements of the past months have diminished the atmosphere of suspicion and allowed for acts of humanity that transcend sectarian identities.
When I arrived in Baghdad a year ago, my first visit to a city district was to the predominantly Sunni area of Dora. Surge forces were just moving into the neighborhoods still gripped by al-Qa’ida. Residents also were being terrorized by extremist Shi’a militias. Less than a year later, at the end of February, tens of thousands of Shi’a pilgrims walked through those streets on their way to Karbala’ to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. Sunni residents offered food and water as they passed through, and some joined the pilgrimage.
News from Iraq in recent weeks has been dominated by the situation in Basrah. Taken as a snapshot, with scenes of increasing violence, and masked gunmen in the streets, it is hard to see how this situation supports a narrative of progress in Iraq. There is still very much to be done to bring full government control to the streets of Basrah and eliminate entrenched extremist, criminal, and militia groups.
When viewed with a broader lens, the Iraqi decision to combat these groups in Basrah has major significance. First, a Shi’a majority government, led by Prime Minister Maliki, has demonstrated its commitment to taking on criminals and extremists regardless of sectarian identity. Second, Iraqi Security Forces led these operations, in Basrah, and in towns and cities throughout the south. British and U.S. elements played important roles, but these were supporting roles, as they should be.
The operation in Basrah has also shaken up Iraqi politics. The Prime Minister returned to Baghdad from Basrah shortly before I left for Washington – and he is confident in his decision and determined to press the fight against illegal groups, but also determined to take a hard look at lessons learned. The efforts of the government against extremist militia elements have broad political support as a statement April 5 by virtually all of Iraq’s main political leaders – Sunni, Shi’a, and Kurd – made clear.
A wildcard remains the Sadrist Trend – and whether the Iraqis can continue to drive a wedge between other elements of the Trend and Iranian-supported Special Groups. A dangerous development in the immediate wake of the Basrah operation was what appeared to be a reunification between Special Groups and the mainline Jaysh al-Mahdi (JAM). We also saw a potential collapse of the JAM “freeze” in military operations. As the situation unfolded however, Muqtada as-Sadr issued a statement that disavowed anyone possessing “heavy weapons” – which would include the signature weapons of the Special Groups. This statement can further sharpen the distinction between members of the Sadrist Trend, who should not pose a threat to the Iraqi state, and members of Special Groups, who very much do.
One conclusion I draw from these signs of progress is that the strategy that began with the Surge is working. This does not mean, however, that U.S. support should be open-ended or that the level and nature of our engagement should not diminish over time. It is in this context that we have begun negotiating a bilateral relationship between Iraq and the United States. In August, Iraq’s five principal leaders requested a long-term relationship with the United States, to include economic, political, diplomatic, and security cooperation. The heart of this relationship will be a legal framework for the presence of American troops similar to that which exists in nearly 80 countries around the world.
The Iraqis view the negotiation of this framework as a strong affirmation of Iraqi sovereignty – placing Iraq on par with other U.S. allies and removing the stigma of Chapter VII status under the U.N. Charter, pursuant to which Coalition forces presently operate. Such an agreement is in Iraq’s interest – and ours. U.S. forces will remain in Iraq beyond December 31, 2008, when the U.N. resolution presently governing their presence expires. Our troops will need basic authorizations and protections to continue operations – and this agreement will provide those authorizations and protections.
The agreement will not establish permanent bases in Iraq, and we anticipate that it will expressly foreswear them. The agreement will not specify troop levels, and it will not tie the hands of the next Administration. Our aim is to ensure that the next President arrives in office with a stable foundation upon which to base policy decisions, and that is precisely what this agreement will do. Congress will remain fully informed as these negotiations proceed in the coming weeks and months.
Mr. Chairman, significant challenges remain in Iraq. A reinvigorated cabinet is necessary both for political balance and to improve the delivery of services to Iraq’s people. Challenges to the rule of law, especially corruption, are enormous. Disputed internal boundaries – the Article 140 process – must be resolved. The return of refugees and the internally displaced must be managed. The rights of women and minorities must be better protected. Iraqis are aware of the challenges they face, and are working on them.
Iraq’s political progress will not be linear. Developments which are on the whole positive can still have unanticipated or destabilizing consequences. The decision to hold provincial elections – vital for Iraq’s democratic development and long-term stability – will also produce new strains. Some of the violence we have seen recently in southern Iraq reflects changing dynamics within the Shi’a community as the political and security context changes. Such inflection points underscore the fragility of the situation in Iraq, but it would be wrong to conclude that any eruption of violence marks the beginning of an inevitable backslide.
Economics and Capacity Building
In September, I reported to you that there had been some gains in Iraq’s economy and in the country’s efforts to build capacity to translate these gains into more effective governance and services. Iraqis have built on these gains over the past months, as is most evident in the revival of marketplaces across Iraq and the reopening of long-shuttered businesses. According to a Center for International Private Enterprise poll last month, 78 percent of Iraqi business owners surveyed expect the Iraqi economy to grow significantly in the next two years.
With the improving security and rising government expenditures, the IMF projects that Iraq’s GDP will grow 7 percent in real terms this year, and inflation has been tamed. The Iraqi Dinar remains strong and the Central Bank has begun to bring down interest rates.
Iraq’s 2008 budget has allocated $13 billion for reconstruction, and a $5 billion supplemental budget this summer will invest export revenues in building the infrastructure and providing the services that Iraq so badly needs. This spending also benefits the United States – Iraq recently announced its decision to purchase 40 commercial aircraft from the U.S at an estimated cost of $5 billion.
As Iraq is now earning the financial resources it needs for bricks and mortar construction through oil production and export, our primary focus has shifted to capacity development and an emphasis on local and post-kinetic development through our network of Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) and ministerial advisors. The era of U.S. funded major infrastructure projects is over. We are seeking to ensure that our assistance, in partnership with the Iraqis, leverages Iraq’s own resources. Our 25 PRTs throughout Iraq have been working to improve provincial and local governance capabilities, particularly in budget design and execution. They are also helping to establish critical linkages between provincial and federal governments. Our PRTs are great enablers, and we are working to insure their continued viability as our forces redeploy. The relatively small amounts they disburse through Quick Response Funds (QRF) have major impacts in local communities, and congressional support is important, as it is for other vital programs in the FY-08 Global War on Terror Supplemental request.
Iraq increasingly is using its own resources to support projects and programs that we have developed. It has committed nearly $200 million in support of a program to provide vocational training for concerned local citizens who stood up with us in the Awakening. Our technical assistance advisers have helped design new procurement procedures for Iraq’s Oil Ministry. We developed the technical specifications from which Iraq’s state-owned oil company will build new oil export platforms and underwater pipelines worth over a billion dollars. And in Baghdad, in the last three months the municipality has stepped up to take over labor contracts worth $100 million that we had been covering under the Community Stabilization Program.
Like so much else, Iraq’s economy is fragile, the gains reversible and the challenges ahead substantial. Iraq will need to continue to improve governmental capacity, pass national-level hydrocarbon legislation, improve electrical production and distribution, improve the climate for foreign and domestic investment, create short- and long-term jobs and tackle the structural and economic problems of the vital agricultural sector. We will be helping the Iraqis as they tackle this challenging agenda, along with other international partners including the United Nations and the World Bank.
Regional and International Dynamics
Along with the security surge last year, we also launched a diplomatic surge – focused on enhancing UN engagement in Iraq, anchoring the International Compact with Iraq, and establishing an expanded neighbors process, which serves as a contact group in support of Iraq.
The United Nations has taken advantages of an expanded mandate granted to the Untied Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) to increase the scope of its activities and the size of its staff. Under dynamic new leadership, UNAMI is playing a key role in preparing for provincial elections and in providing technical assistance to resolve disputed internal boundaries. UNHCR has returned international staff to Iraq to assist with the return of internally displaced persons and refugees. The International Compact with Iraq provides a five-year framework for Iraq to reform its economy and achieve economic self-sufficiency in exchange for long-overdue Saddam era debt relief. Preparations are underway for a ministerial level Compact meeting in Sweden next month; 74 nations were represented at last year's gathering in Egypt.
Iraq's neighbors also understand they have a major interest in Iraq's future. Turkey hosted the second ministerial meeting of Iraq's neighbors in November, and Kuwait will host the third meeting later this month. In addition to all of Iraq’s neighbors, these expanded neighbors conferences also include the Permanent Five members of the Security Council, the Arab League, and the G-8.
Support from Arab capitals has not been strong – and must improve, for the sake of Iraq and the sake of the region. Bahrain’s recent announcement that it will return an ambassador to Baghdad is welcome, and other Arab states should follow suit. Iraq is a multi-ethnic state, but it is also a founding member of the Arab League and an integral part of the Arab world. Last month, Iraq hosted a meeting of the Arab Parliamentary Union, bringing the leaders of Arab parliaments and consultative councils to Iraq for the first major inter-Arab gathering since 1990. It is noteworthy that the meeting was held in the Kurdish city of Irbil, under the recently redesigned Iraqi flag, highlighting both the remarkable prosperity and stability of Iraq’s Kurdish Region and the presence of the Iraqi federal state. We hope that this event will encourage more active Arab engagement with Iraq, and we expect that Prime Minister Maliki’s effort against Shi’a extremist militias in Basrah will receive Arab support.
The presence of the PKK terrorist organization in the remote mountains of Iraq along the Turkish border has produced tension between Turkey and Iraq, and led to a Turkish cross-border operation in February, including movement of Turkish ground forces into Iraq. At the same time, both governments are working to strengthen their ties, and Iraqi President Talabani made a successful visit to Turkey in March.
Syria plays an ambivalent role. We have seen evidence of efforts to interdict some foreign fighters seeking to transit Syria to Iraq, but others continue to cross the boarder. Syria also harbors individuals who finance and support the Iraqi insurgency.
Iran continues to undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government to establish a stable, secure state through the authority and training of criminal militia elements engaged in violence against Iraqi security forces, coalition forces and Iraqi civilians. The extent of Iran’s malign influence was dramatically demonstrated when militia elements armed and trained by Iran clashed with Iraqi government forces in Basrah and Baghdad. When the President announced the Surge, he pledged to seek out and destroy Iranian-supported lethal networks inside Iraq. We know more about these networks and their Quds Force sponsors than ever before – and we will continue to aggressively uproot and destroy them. At the same time, we support constructive relations between Iran and Iraq and are participating in a tripartite process to discuss the security situation in Iraq. Iran has a choice to make.
Looking Ahead
Mr. Chairman, almost everything about Iraq is difficult. It will continue to be difficult as Iraqis struggle with the damage and trauma inflicted by 35 years of totalitarian Ba'athist rule. But hard does not mean hopeless, and the political and economic process of the past few months is significant. I must underscore, however, that these gains are fragile, and they are reversible. Americans have invested a great deal in Iraq, in blood as well as treasure, and they have the right to ask whether this is worth it, whether it is now time to walk away and let the Iraqis fend for themselves. Iraq has the potential to develop into a stable, secure multi-ethnic, multi-sectarian democracy under the rule of law. Whether it realizes that potential is ultimately up to the Iraqi people. Our support, however, will continue to be critical. I said in September that I cannot guarantee success in Iraq. That is still the case, although I think we are now closer. I remain convinced that a major departure from our current engagement would bring failure, and we have to be clear with ourselves about what failure would mean.
Al-Qa’ida is in retreat in Iraq, but it is not yet defeated. Al-Qa’ida's leaders are looking for every opportunity they can to hang on. Osama bin Ladin has called Iraq "the perfect base," and it reminds us that a fundamental aim of Al-Qa’ida is to establish itself in the Arab world. It almost succeeded in Iraq; we cannot allow it a second chance.
And it is not only Al-Qa’ida that would benefit -- Iran has said publicly it will fill any vacuum in Iraq, and extremist Shi’a militias would reassert themselves. We saw them try in Basrah and Baghdad two weeks ago. And in all of this, the Iraqi people would suffer on a scale far beyond what we have already seen. Spiraling conflict could draw in neighbors with devastating consequences for the region and the world.
Mr. Chairman, as monumental as the events of the last five years have been in Iraq, Iraqis, Americans and the world ultimately will judge us far more on the basis of what will happen than what has happened. In the end, how we leave and what we leave behind will be more important than how we came. Our current course is hard, but it is working. Progress is real although still fragile. We need to stay with it.
In the months ahead, we will continue to assist Iraq as it pursues further steps toward reconciliation and economic development. Over time, this will become increasingly an Iraqi process, as it should be. Our efforts will focus on increasing Iraq's integration regionally and internationally; assisting Iraqi institutions locally and nationally to strengthen the political process and promote economic activity; and supporting United Nations’ efforts as Iraq carries out local elections toward the end of the year. These efforts will require an enhanced civilian commitment and continued support from the Congress and the American people.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, I want to recognize and thank all those who serve our country in Iraq, military and civilian. Their courage and commitment, at great sacrifice, has earned the admiration of all Americans. They certainly have mine, and it is an honor to be with them.
Below, is today's transcript of General Petraeus' testimony to the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees.
Report to Congress on the Situation in Iraq
General David H. Petraeus
Commander, Multi-National Force–Iraq
8-9 April 2008
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide an update on the security situation in Iraq and to discuss the recommendations I recently provided to my chain of command.
Since Ambassador Crocker and I appeared before you seven months ago, there has been significant but uneven security progress in Iraq.
Since September, levels of violence and civilian deaths have been reduced substantially, Al Qaeda-Iraq and a number of other extremist elements have been dealt serious blows, the capabilities of Iraqi Security Force elements have grown, and there has been noteworthy involvement of local Iraqis in local security. Nonetheless, the situation in certain areas is still unsatisfactory and innumerable challenges remain. Moreover, as events in the past two weeks have reminded us and as I have repeatedly cautioned, the progress made since last spring is fragile and reversible. Still, security in Iraq is better than it was when Ambassador Crocker and I reported to you last September, and it is significantly better than it was 15 months ago when Iraq was on the brink of civil war and the decision was made to deploy additional US forces to Iraq.
A number of factors have contributed to the progress that has been made. First, of course, has been the impact of increased numbers of Coalition and Iraqi Forces. You are well aware of the U.S. surge. Less recognized is that Iraq has also conducted a surge, adding well over 100,000 additional soldiers and police to the ranks of its security forces in 2007 and slowly increasing its capability to deploy and employ these forces.
A second factor has been the employment of Coalition and Iraqi Forces in the conduct of counterinsurgency operations across the country, deployed together to safeguard the Iraqi people, to pursue Al Qaeda-Iraq, to combat criminals and militia extremists, to foster local reconciliation, and to enable political and economic progress.
Another important factor has been the attitudinal shift among certain elements of the Iraqi population. Since the first Sunni “Awakening” in late 2006, Sunni communities in Iraq increasingly have rejected AQI’s indiscriminate violence and extremist ideology. These communities also recognized that they could not share in Iraq’s bounty if they didn’t participate in the political arena. Over time, Awakenings have prompted tens of thousands of Iraqis—some, former insurgents—to contribute to local security as so-called “Sons of Iraq.” With their assistance and with relentless pursuit of Al Qaeda-Iraq, the threat posed by AQI—while still lethal and substantial—has been reduced significantly.
The recent flare-up in Basrah, southern Iraq, and Baghdad underscored the importance of the ceasefire declared by Moqtada al-Sadr last fall as another factor in the overall reduction in violence. Recently, of course, some militia elements became active again. Though a Sadr standdown order resolved the situation to a degree, the flare-up also highlighted the destructive role Iran has played in funding, training, arming, and directing the so-called Special Groups and generated renewed concern about Iran in the minds of many Iraqi leaders. Unchecked, the Special Groups pose the greatest long-term threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq.
As we look to the future, our task together with our Iraqi partners will be to build on the progress achieved and to deal with the many challenges that remain. I do believe that we can do this while continuing the ongoing drawdown of the surge forces.
The Nature of the Conflict
In September, I described the fundamental nature of the conflict in Iraq as a competition among ethnic and sectarian communities for power and resources. This competition continues, influenced heavily by outside actors, and its resolution remains the key to producing long-term stability in Iraq.
Various elements push Iraq’s ethno-sectarian competition toward violence. Terrorists, insurgents, militia extremists, and criminal gangs pose significant threats. Al Qaeda’s senior leaders, who still view Iraq as the central front in their global strategy, send funding, direction, and foreign fighters to Iraq. Actions by neighboring states compound Iraq’s challenges. Syria has taken some steps to reduce the flow of foreign fighters through its territory, but not enough to shut down the key network that supports AQI. And Iran has fueled the violence in a particularly damaging way, through its lethal support to the Special Groups. Finally, insufficient Iraqi governmental capacity, lingering sectarian mistrust, and corruption add to Iraq’s problems.
These challenges and recent weeks’ violence notwithstanding, Iraq’s ethno-sectarian competition in many areas is now taking place more through debate and less through violence. In fact, the recent escalation of violence in Baghdad and southern Iraq was dealt with temporarily, at least, by most parties acknowledging that the rational way ahead is political dialogue rather than street fighting.
Current Situation and Trends
As I stated at the outset, though Iraq obviously remains a violent country, we do see progress in the security arena.
As this chart [Slide 1] illustrates, for nearly six months, security incidents have been at a level not seen since early-to-mid-2005, though the level did spike in recent weeks as a result of the violence in Basrah and Baghdad. The level of incidents has, however, begun to turn down again, though the period ahead will be a sensitive one.
As our primary mission is to help protect the population, we closely monitor the number of Iraqi civilians killed due to violence. As this chart [Slide 2] reflects, civilian deaths have decreased over the past year to a level not seen since the February 2006 Samarra Mosque bombing that set off the cycle of sectarian violence that tore the very fabric of Iraqi society in 2006 and early 2007. This chart also reflects our increasing use of Iraqi-provided reports, with the top line reflecting Coalition and Iraqi data and the bottom line reflecting Coalition-confirmed data only. No matter which data is used, civilian deaths due to violence have been reduced significantly, though more work clearly needs to be done.
Ethno-sectarian violence is a particular concern in Iraq, as it is a cancer that continues to spread if left unchecked. As the box on the bottom left of this chart [Slide 3] shows, the number of deaths due to ethno-sectarian violence has fallen since we testified last September. A big factor has been the reduction of ethno-sectarian violence in Baghdad, density plots for which are shown 3 in the boxes depicting Iraq’s capital over time. Some of this decrease is, to be sure, due to sectarian hardening of certain Baghdad neighborhoods; however, that is only a partial explanation as countless sectarian fault lines and numerous mixed neighborhoods still exist in Baghdad and elsewhere. In fact, Coalition and Iraqi Forces have focused along the fault lines to reduce the violence and enable Sunni and Shia leaders to begin the long process of healing in their local communities.
As this next chart [Slide 4] shows, even though the number of high profile attacks increased in March as AQI lashed out, the current level of such attacks remains far below its height a year ago. Moreover, as we have helped improve security and focused on enemy networks, we have seen a decrease in the effectiveness of such attacks. The number of deaths due to ethno-sectarian violence, in particular, has remained relatively low, illustrating the enemy’s inability to date to re-ignite the cycle of ethno-sectarian violence.
The emergence of Iraqi volunteers helping to secure their local communities has been an important development. As this chart [Slide 5] depicts, there are now over 91,000 Sons of
Iraq—Shia as well as Sunni—under contract to help Coalition and Iraqi Forces protect their neighborhoods and secure infrastructure and roads. These volunteers have contributed significantly in various areas, and the savings in vehicles not lost because of reduced violence—not to mention the priceless lives saved—have far outweighed the cost of their monthly contracts.
Sons of Iraq have also contributed to the discovery of improvised explosive devices and weapons and explosives caches. As this next chart [Slide 6] shows, in fact, we have already found more caches in 2008 than we found in all of 2006. Given the importance of the Sons of Iraq, we are working closely with the Iraqi Government to transition them into the Iraqi Security Forces or other forms of employment, and over 21,000 have already been accepted into the Police or Army or other government jobs. This process has been slow, but it is taking place, and we will continue to monitor it carefully.
Al Qaeda also recognizes the significance of the Sons of Iraq, and AQI elements have targeted them repeatedly. However, these attacks—in addition to AQI’s use of women, children, and the handicapped as suicide bombers—have further alienated AQI from the Iraqi people. And the tenacious pursuit of AQI, together with AQI’s loss of local support in many areas, has substantially reduced its capability, numbers, and freedom of movement. This chart [Slide 7] displays the cumulative effect of the effort against AQI and its insurgent allies. As you can see, we have reduced considerably the areas in which AQI enjoys support and sanctuary, though there clearly is more to be done.
Having noted that progress, AQI is still capable of lethal attacks, and we must maintain relentless pressure on the organization, on the networks outside Iraq that support it, and on the resource flows that sustain it. This chart [Slide 8] lays out the comprehensive strategy that we, the Iraqis, and our interagency and international partners are employing to reduce what AQI needs. As you can see, defeating Al Qaeda in Iraq requires not just actions by our elite counter-terrorist forces, but also major operations by Coalition and Iraqi conventional forces, a sophisticated intelligence effort, political reconciliation, economic and social programs, information operations initiatives, diplomatic activity, the employment of counterinsurgency principles in detainee operations, and many other actions. Related to this effort, I applaud Congress’ support for additional intelligence, 4 surveillance, and reconnaissance assets in the upcoming Supplemental, as ISR is vital to the success of our operations in Iraq and elsewhere.
As we combat AQI, we must remember that doing so not only reduces a major source of instability in Iraq; it also weakens an organization that Al Qaeda’s senior leaders view as a tool to spread its influence and foment regional instability. Usama bin Ladin and Ayman al-Zawahiri have consistently advocated exploiting the situation in Iraq, and we have also seen AQI involved in destabilizing activities in the wider Mid-east region.
Together with the Iraqi Security Forces, we have also focused on the Special Groups. These elements are funded, trained, armed, and directed by Iran’s Qods Force, with help from Lebanese Hezbollah. It was these groups that launched Iranian rockets and mortar rounds at Iraq’s seat of government two weeks ago, causing loss of innocent life and fear in the capital, and requiring Iraqi and Coalition actions in response. Iraqi and Coalition leaders have repeatedly noted their desire that Iran live up to promises made by President Ahmedinajad and other senior Iranian leaders to stop their support for the Special Groups. However, nefarious activities by the Qods Force have continued, and Iraqi leaders now clearly recognize the threat they pose to Iraq. We should all watch Iranian actions closely in the weeks and months ahead, as they will show the kind of relationship Iran wishes to have with its neighbor and the character of future Iranian involvement in Iraq.
Iraqi Security Forces
The Iraqi Security Forces have continued to develop since September, and we have transferred responsibilities to Iraqi Forces as their capabilities and the conditions on the ground have permitted. Currently, as this chart [Slide 9] shows, half of Iraq’s 18 provinces are under provincial Iraqi control. Many of these provinces—not just the successful provinces in the Kurdish Regional Government area, but also a number of southern provinces—have done well. Challenges have emerged in some others, including, of course, Basrah. Nonetheless, this process will continue, and we expect Anbar and Qadisiyah Provinces to transition in the months ahead.
Iraqi Forces have grown significantly since September, and over 540,000 individuals now serve in the Iraqi Security Forces. The number of combat battalions capable of taking the lead in operations, albeit with some Coalition support, has grown to well over 100 [Slide 10]. These units are bearing an increasing share of the burden, as evidenced by the fact that Iraqi Security Force losses have recently been three times our own. We will, of course, conduct careful after action reviews with our Iraqi partners in the wake of recent operations, as there were units and leaders found wanting in some cases, and some of our assessments may be downgraded as a result. Nonetheless, the performance of many units was solid, especially once they got their footing and gained a degree of confidence, and certain Iraqi elements proved quite capable.
Underpinning the advances of the past year have been improvements in Iraq’s security institutions. An increasingly robust Iraqi-run training base enabled the Iraqi Security Forces to grow by over 133,000 soldiers and police over the past 16 months. And the still-expanding training base is expected to generate an additional 50,000 Iraqi soldiers and 16 Army and Special Operations battalions throughout the rest of 2008, along with over 23,000 police and 8 National Police battalions.
Additionally, Iraq's security ministries are steadily improving their ability to execute their budgets. As this chart [Slide 11] shows, in 2007, as in 2006, Iraq's security ministries spent more on their forces than the United States provided through the Iraqi Security Forces Fund (ISFF). We anticipate that Iraq will spend over $8 billion on security this year and $11 billion next year, and this projection enabled us recently to reduce significantly our Iraqi Security Forces Fund request for fiscal year 2009 from $5.1 billion to $2.8 billion.
While improved, Iraqi Security Forces are not yet ready to defend Iraq or maintain security throughout the country on their own. Recent operations in Basrah highlight improvements in the ability of the Iraqi Security Forces to deploy substantial numbers of units, supplies, and replacements on very short notice; they certainly could not have deployed a division’s worth of Army and Police units on such short notice a year ago. On the other hand, the recent operations also underscored the considerable work still to be done in the areas of logistics, force enablers, staff development, and command and control.
We also continue to help Iraq through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program. As of March 2008, the Iraqi government has purchased over $2 billion worth of equipment and services of American origin through FMS. Since September, and with your encouragement of the organizations in the FMS process, delivery has improved as the FMS system has strived to support urgent wartime requirements. On a related note, I would ask that Congress consider restoring funding for the International Military Education and Training Program, which supports education for mid- and senior-level Iraqi military and civilian leaders and is an important component of the development of the leaders Iraq will need in the future.
Upcoming Challenges
While security has improved in many areas and the Iraqi Security Forces are shouldering more of the load, the situation in Iraq remains exceedingly complex and challenging. Iraq could face a resurgence of AQI or additional Shia groups could violate Moqtada al-Sadr’s cease-fire order and return to violence. External actors, like Iran, could stoke violence within Iraq, and actions by other neighbors could undermine the security situation as well.
Other challenges result, paradoxically, from improved security, which has provided opportunities for political and economic progress and improved services at the local, provincial, and national levels. But the improvements have also created expectations that progress will continue. In the coming months, Iraq’s leaders must strengthen governmental capacity, execute budgets, pass additional legislation, conduct provincial elections, carry out a census, determine the status of disputed territories, and resettle internally displaced persons and refugees. These tasks would challenge any government, much less a still developing government tested by war.
The Commander’s Emergency Response Program, the State Department’s Quick Response Fund, and USAID programs enable us to help Iraq deal with its challenges. To that end, I respectfully ask that you provide us by June the additional CERP funds requested in the Supplemental. These funds have an enormous impact. As I noted earlier, the salaries paid to the Sons of Iraq alone cost far less than the cost savings in vehicles not lost due to the enhanced security in local communities. Encouragingly, the Iraqi government recently allocated $300 million for us to manage as “Iraqi CERP” to perform projects for their people, while building their own capacity to do so. The Iraqi government has also committed $163 million to gradually assume Sons of Iraq contracts, $510 million for small business loans, and $196 million for a 6 Joint Training, Education, and Reintegration Program. The Iraqi government pledges to provide more as they execute the budget passed two months ago. Nonetheless, it is hugely important to have our resources continue, even as Iraqi funding begins to outstrip ours.
Recommendations
Last month I provided my chain of command recommendations for the way ahead in Iraq. During that process, I noted the objective of retaining and building on our hard-fought security gains while we draw down to the pre-surge level of 15 brigade combat teams. I emphasized the need to continue work with our Iraqi partners to secure the population and to transition responsibilities to the Iraqis as quickly as conditions permit, but without jeopardizing the security gains that have been made.
As in September, my recommendations are informed by operational and strategic considerations. The operational considerations include recognition that:
• the military surge has achieved progress, but that the progress is reversible;
• Iraqi Security Forces have strengthened their capabilities but still must grow further;
• the provincial elections in the fall, refugee returns, detainee releases, and efforts to resolve provincial boundary disputes and Article 140 issues will be very challenging;
• the transition of Sons of Iraq into the Iraqi Security Forces or other pursuits will require time and careful monitoring;
• withdrawing too many forces too quickly could jeopardize the progress of the past year; and
• performing the necessary tasks in Iraq will require sizable conventional forces as well as special operations forces and advisor teams.
The strategic considerations include recognition that:
• the strain on the US military, especially on its ground forces, has been considerable;
• a number of the security challenges inside Iraq are also related to significant regional and global threats; and
• a failed state in Iraq would pose serious consequences for the greater fight against Al
Qaeda, for regional stability, for the already existing humanitarian crisis in Iraq, and for the effort to counter malign Iranian influence.
After weighing these factors, I recommended to my chain of command that we continue the drawdown of the surge combat forces and that, upon the withdrawal of the last surge brigade combat team in July, we undertake a 45-day period of consolidation and evaluation. At the end of that period, we will commence a process of assessment to examine the conditions on the ground and, over time, determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions. This process will be continuous, with recommendations for further reductions made as conditions permit. This approach does not allow establishment of a set withdrawal timetable; however, it does provide the flexibility those of us on the ground need to preserve the still fragile security gains our troopers have fought so hard and sacrificed so much to achieve.
With this approach, the security achievements of 2007 and early 2008 can form a foundation for the gradual establishment of sustainable security in Iraq. This is not only important to the 27 million citizens of Iraq; it is also vitally important to those in the Gulf region, to the citizens of the United States, and to the global community. It clearly is in our national interest to help Iraq prevent the resurgence of Al Qaeda in the heart of the Arab world, to help Iraq resist Iranian encroachment on its sovereignty, to avoid renewed ethno-sectarian violence that could spill over Iraq’s borders and make the existing refugee crisis even worse, and to enable Iraq to expand its role in the regional and global economies.
Closing Comments
In closing, I want to comment briefly on those serving our Nation in Iraq. We have asked a great deal of them and of their families, and they have made enormous sacrifices. My keen personal awareness of the strain on them and on the force as a whole has been an important factor in my recommendations.
The Congress, the Executive Branch, and our fellow citizens have done an enormous amount to support our troopers and their loved ones, and all of us are grateful for that. Nothing means more to those in harm’s way than the knowledge that their country appreciates their sacrifices and those of their families.
Indeed, all Americans should take great pride in the men and women serving our Nation in Iraq and in the courage, determination, resilience, and initiative they demonstrate each and every day. It remains the greatest of honors to soldier with them.
The infestation of Basra with Mahdi madmen shows what could happen throughout Iraq if American forces would draw down too quickly. It has not been long since British forces prematurely turned over Basra's city streets to local police. Now, the Mahdi Army roams the streets with RPGs and RPK machine guns. Basra has become one of the last Iraqi havens for extremists. If we stop our chemotherapy early because it makes us sick, the cancer will return.
Second, General Petraeus’ plan is working. One year ago, the Iraqi Army could not keep the peace in Baghdad. Today, they have mounted a mission to restore law and order to the second largest city in Iraq, 350 miles from the capitol. Iraqi forces are in the lead. Americans are advising and we may have to provide some support, but Iraqi forces are leading. This is huge.
This is exactly what Petraeus has been planning. The Iraqis are assuming responsibility for their own security. Not surprisingly, they have encountered problems. They will work through their problems. The Iraqi Army will become stronger and the Iraqi people will end up safer. Al Qaeda is on the rocks. When the Mahdi Army is finally disarmed, only thugs and criminals will be left to terrorize the Iraqi people.
These men, and many more like them, made the difference between defeat and victory in Anbar Province. They hail from every corner and culture in America. Take a close look at the 21st Century G.I.
These are the Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.
It is hard to believe that it has been five years since Jessica Lynch and the 507th Maintenance Company rolled through the dusty streets of Nasiriyah on March 23, 2003. Eleven of Jessica’s fellow soldiers were killed that morning, five were captured and a dozen more injured. Lynch was critically injured and near death when she was brought into a military hospital near the site of her ambush.
Within hours of the ambush, the North Carolina Marines of Task Force Tarawa moved to secure the bridges in An Nasiriyah. LtCol Rickey Grabowski’s 1st Battalion, of the 2nd Marine Regiment rolled into the city and encountered stiff resistance. By midmorning they had rescued nearly half of the soldiers who had been ambushed and by noon the Marines were charging forward through a hail of RPGs, AK-47 gunfire, mortar and artillery barrages. By sunset, Grabowski’s Marines had secured their objectives but at a terrible cost. Eighteen of America’s finest died and another dozen were wounded.
In all, twenty-nine Americans died that day in An Nasiriyah. March 23rd remains the bloodiest day of the war for America, but the story has been pretty much overlooked. Initially, the situation in Nasiriyah was so confusing that no one knew the connection between the 507th Maintenance Company and the brave Marines of the 2d Marine Regiment. Jessica’s capture was kept quiet for fear that the enemy would move her if they suspected that America knew where she was. And, most of the Marines who died that day could not be identified without DNA testing.
As the days and weeks passed, the news media moved on to Lynch’s rescue and then the fall of Baghdad. When the Department of Defense finally sorted things out and released the names of the Marines and soldiers who died that day, the media took very little interest. No one ever realized that that bloody day in Nasiriyah, was the costliest day of combat for America in the invasion of Iraq. This group of twenty-nine American soldiers and Marines were never given a fitting tribute to the ultimate sacrifice they made while in the service of their country.
Before sunrise on the 23rd of March 2003, thirty-three soldiers, traveling in eighteen trucks, stumbled into the dusty desert city of An Nasiriyah. It wasn’t until they had driven all the way through the city that they realized that they were hopelessly lost. As soon as they turned around and tried to retrace their path, every Iraqi with a gun started shooting at the beleaguered convoy. The lead three vehicles managed to run the gauntlet and get back to the U.S. Marines’ front lines.
Five vehicles broke down and ten soldiers scrambled for cover in a nearby ditch. Surrounded, they each vowed to go down fighting. They had fought to hold off the enemy for nearly an hour, when Major Bill Peeples and the Marine tankers of Alpha Company, 8th Tanks arrived to save the day. The Marines beat back the enemy and rushed the ten soldiers to safety.
The remaining seventeen soldiers were not so fortunate. Eleven were killed and six captured. Specialists Jamaal Addison and James Kiehl both died when their vehicle careened through an intersection and rolled over on its top. Private First Class Howard Johnson II and Private Ruben Estrella-Soto’s truck crashed at the same intersection. Sergeant Donald Walters was lost north of An Nasiriyah when his vehicle broke down. He leapt from his disabled vehicle behind enemy lines and laid down covering fire so that the rest of his unit could turn their vehicles and get out of a horrific ambush. Private Brandon Sloan was shot and killed while the vehicle he was in was racing south. Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Mata’s truck shuddered to a stop atop a railroad overpass and burst into flames. Mata was killed, but his driver, Specialist Hudson, survived.
Near the end to the doomed convoy, First Sergeant Robert Dowdy tried to shepherd his soldiers to safety. Private First Class Lori Piestewa was driving Dowdy’s HMMWV. Specialist Edward Anguiano, Sergeant George Buggs and Private First Class Jessica Lynch were riding in the back. Piestewa managed to maneuver around obstacles and raced all the way back through Nasiriyah when the flatbed in front of her jackknifed. Lori was unable to avoid the back of the skidding truck. She plowed into the rear of the flatbed, instantly killing Dowdy.
We know that Lori and Jessica survived the collision. It is not clear what happened to Buggs and Anguiano. When Patrick Miller approached the crash scene, he glanced in and thought everyone was dead. Hudson, Hernandez, Lynch, Miller, Piestewa, Riley, and Shoshana Johnson were all taken prisoner. Lynch and Piestewa were separated from the others and eventually ended up in the Tykar Military Hospital. Lori died while being treated, leaving Lynch alone and near death.
The soldiers of the 507th Maintenance Company that were killed that day were from all walks of life and every corner of this nation. They were a swatch cut from the American fabric and the first to die in this protracted war. Lori Piestewa was an American Indian and single mother. Brandon Sloan and Robert Dowdy were both from Cleveland Ohio. Brandon, 19, had left high school early to join the Army, while Dowdy, 38, was a career soldier. James Kiehl, 22, was a friendly computer technician who left behind a pregnant wife. Buggs and Anguiano were not even members of the 507th. Dowdy had convinced them to take one of their vehicles in tow two nights before. Their tow truck ran out of gas north of An Nasiriyah and Dowdy, Piestewa and Lynch had picked them up.
By noon, the Marines were pressing north to secure two vital bridges in An Nasiriyah. The fighting started long before they reached the Euphrates River but it wasn’t until they moved into downtown Nasiriyah that all hell broke loose. Alpha Company secured the Euphrates River Bridge while Bravo Company swung out to the east side of town. Charlie Company raced over the Euphrates River Bridge and charged through “Ambush Alley” to the Saddam Canal Bridge.
Eighteen Marines died in Charlie Company’s battle for that northern bridge. Donald Cline was a twenty-one year old husband and father of two young boys. Patrick Nixon loved history and wanted to eventually be a teacher. Phillip Jordan was a career Marine and loving husband and father. Fred Pokorney was a giant of a man who had just been promoted to 1st Lieutenant. Sergeant Michael Bitz was the father of two young boys and one-month old twins. David Fribley and Brian Buesing were both Florida natives. Fribley joind the Corps after 9/11 and Buesing had been in the Marines since he graduated from high school. Brendon Reiss was the son of a decorated Vietnam Veteran and Randal Rosacker was the son of a Navy Master Chief submarine sailor. Jose Garibay and Jorge Gonzalez were both from Southern California. Thomas Slocum was a 22 year old from Colorado and Nolen Hutchings was from South Carolina. They were both troubled teens who had worked to turn their lives around in the Corps.
Tamario Burkett was a young Marine from upstate New York. Kemaphoom Chanawongse was born in Thailand and came to the United States at nine years old. He was the first to have a Buddhist funeral at Arlington National Cemetery. Johnathan Gifford wanted to be a Marine since he was a little boy. Michael Williams joined the Corps late in life. At 31, he was just a Lance Corporal but older than most of the young officers he worked for. On his trip over to Iraq, he emailed his girlfriend and asked her to marry him. Thomas Blair was not a member of Charlie Company. He was part of an anti-aircraft unit that had been assigned to Charlie Company. He too, went directly into the Marine Corps after high school graduation.
Twenty-nine lives ended too soon on that clear Sunday in March. Twenty-nine families grieve to this day. These soldiers and Marines died before there was a daily box score in the newspapers of America. They have been buried under 4000 more stories. Donald Cline and Michael Williams died because they chose to help their wounded comrades.
Many more soldiers and Marines would have died that day had it not been for the Herculean efforts of men like, Private First Class Patrick Miller, Sergeant Michael Bitz, Gunnery Sergeant Jason Doran, Lieutenant Mike Seely, Captain Eric Garcia, and Major Bill Peeples. These men are true American heroes.
Read about these brave young men and women in the only book to tell the entire story of America’s first major battle in Operation Iraqi Freedom – “Marines in the Garden of Eden,” Berkley, New York, 2006.
Today, the mainstream media made another attempt to shape public opinion, rather than trying to inform and educate. The Washington Post led their recent interview with David Petraeus with the headline - "Petraeus: Iraqi Leaders Not Making 'Sufficient Progress'". They went on to claim that "no one" in the U.S. and Iraqi governments "feels that there has been sufficient progress by any means in the area of national reconciliation,"
The Post's reporters apparently believe that they can write whatever supports their own personal belief, whether it is true, or not.
The Multi-National Force-Iraq shot back with a the following statement.
Transcript of General Petraeus Interview with the Washington Post on Government of Iraq Progress
Today's Washington Post inaccurately characterized the discussions General Petraeus and their reporters had yesterday. During the one-hour interview General Petraeus never intimated or stated that Iraqi leaders have "failed to take advantage of a reduction in violence to make adequate progress toward resolving their political differences."
The Washington Post has been asked to make a correction on this statement and we are awaiting their decision.
The following transcript is from an interview with the Washington Post’s Sudarsan Raghavan, Joshua Partlow and Cameron Barr of Gen. Petraeus’ comments on the Government of Iraq’s economic and political progress.
GENERAL PETRAEUS: ...The government does have to achieve legitimacy in the eyes of many in the Sunni Arab community, if not most. There’s no question. Actually, it has to achieve legitimacy in the eye of all Iraqis…... and that can only come by improving the level of services, again -- some of which are going to take some time, but some of which they can do in a…
WP: But they have political power. Anbar wants political power.
GENERAL PETRAEUS: And they will get it. But again, that’s why they want provincial elections. That’s why the provincial powers law and the subsequent provincial election laws are so important. I mean that’s why Ambassador Crocker and I have repeatedly noted that, you know, it’s crucial that the Iraqis exploit the opportunity that we and our Iraqi counterparts have fought so hard to provide them. And they did start down that road. They have made a start down that road. And, you know, the laws that were passed, some of them are steps toward the kind of progress that is needed to begin to cement the gains that have been achieved in the security arena.
WP: Do you think enough has been done? I mean last year, you know, you’ve even said it…
GENERAL PETRAEUS: Sure.
WP: …a lot of commanders have said it that the key goal of the surge…
GENERAL PETRAEUS: Sure.
WP: …is to foster political reconciliation.
GENERAL PETRAEUS: No. -- Let me take that again—don’t say that……let me just answer that one.
WP: Yeah.
GENERAL PETRAEUS: No one…no one in the government or US…or even in the government of Iraq feels that there has been sufficient progress by any means in the area of national reconciliation, legislation to cement the gains, and so on. They are all keenly aware. And the same with respect to basic services. I mean I actually…today I was invited by the prime minister after we had our weekly meeting with him, the ambassador and I, he said, “Will you stay around and sit in on the meeting with the ministers of oil and electricity?” And so I said, “Okay. I guess so.” I mean after three and one-half years of monitoring daily exports, towers up or down, you know, 400KV, 132KV, 11KV, the different oil lines, the different generators, and everything else, it’s actually helpful. And in fact, I just got a commitment from, you know, an enormous, maybe the biggest, electrical production company in the world to renew its efforts here after some pretty frustrating years, frankly. So…
WP: So you’re going to have…The surge is going to be gone by July. Are you…do you think the government has lost an opportunity to…
GENERAL PETRAEUS: No. I think…no. I think the opportunity is very much still there.
WP: You’re going to have less…you’re going to have the surge troops gone. One of the key goals of the surge troops is not…won’t be achieved by July.
GENERAL PETRAEUS: Well, again, the security progress, again, we certainly will do all that we can. I mean we’re going to fight like the dickens to maintain the progress and where we can to try to build on it. I mean we are really just embarking on the effort in Mosul which is of enormous importance to al-Qaeda and the related groups. It’s just very, very significant because of geography, politics, money.
WP: Yeah.
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So, I'm surfing the MNF-W PAO website on the SIPR tonight, and I run across a video clip of GySgt William "Spanky" Gibson. Seems Spanky has returned to Iraq with the I MEF Fires section.
I've got to hand it to him for displaying remarkable courage in the face of adversity.
I mean, volunteering to deploy on MEF staff? Talk about taking one for the team...
Volunteering to deploy after losing a leg is pretty cool, too.
After 11 months of taking the fight to the enemy, the Rock of the Marne’s Division Headquarters has less than ninety days remaining in their tour in Iraq. Soon, they will turn over responsibility for Multi-National Division-Center to the 10th Mountain Division. But, General Lynch plans to sprint to the finish. Last month he wrote guidance for the last 100 Days.
Soldiers of MND-C no longer commute to work. They are set in over 56 patrol bases and combat outposts to secure the population. They will continue to clear enemy safe havens and build patrol bases. The Dog Face Soldiers will continue relentless pursuit. The enemy may run, but they cannot hide. As the Surge forces redeploy, they will not give up ground for which their Soldiers fought and died. They will continue to partner with the Iraqi Security Forces, build police stations, transition new units into Sayafiyah and Salman Pak, and renovate Joint Security Sites.
After months of fighting in the Southern Belts, Major General Rick Lynch thinks the conversation is changing. "When I meet with the locals," Lynch told the bloggers roundtable in a teleconference yesterday, "the conversation is no longer about security...The conversation is all about jobs. It's all about services. It's all about sustainable economic development."
With the insurgents on the run, the Division will continue to focus on the transition from security to stability operations and to work to increase the capacity of the Iraqi government and the local economy. They will continue to provide Iraqis with sustainable employment. They will continue the work to repair irrigation pumps and the treatment plants that deliver potable water to the Iraqi people. They will continue to provide security to the Ministry of Electricity as they repair power lines. They will continue their work with local agriculture unions and to develop women’s initiatives to improve the lives of Iraqi women and children. As security continues to improve, Rick Lynch’s soldiers are taking on jobs no solder has ever undertaken. "These soldiers know they are part of a winning team.They feel really good about the progress they are making, here in Iraq." Lynch said.
In November 2007, al-Qaeda launched their last well-coordinated offensives into Hawr Rajab, killing a total of 12 members of the Sons of Iraq (SoI) and wounding eight. In the same firefight, two Iraqi Army Soldiers were killed and another nine wounded; four U.S. Soldiers were injured in the attacks.
The SoI were not deterred. Residents began to reclaim their community and insurgents not killed or captured were forced to flee. Stores and schools are reopening and a number of programs are revitalizing a community once on the brink of chaos. As rebuilding of the rural farming area began, community leaders ramped up efforts to re-establish ties with the Government of Iraq.
With the improved security, Marne soldiers faced new responsibilities. “The present challenges we face are maintaining security, promoting economic growth and stability, while helping establish an efficient local government…” said Capt. Gregory Curry II, commander of Troop A, 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment. “It will not happen overnight, but it is happening one day at a time.” Soldiers are key players and a driving force behind various programs in Hawr Rajab.
Life is returning to normal in towns like Hawr Rajab, with the improvements, made possible by partnership between Coalition forces, SoI, officials from the GoI and Iraqi Security Forces. Hawr Rajab is becoming a beacon of change and potential for sustainable economic improvements.
***
Marne soldiers of Company B, 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, recently found that the number one concern of the people around their outpost was to reopen the road to Salman Pak. The road had been closed to civilians since May of 2007, when a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device detonated, killing seven Iraqi National Policemen.
Coalition leaders, local ISF and SoI members, began working together on a plan to restore and improve Checkpoint 600, where the attack had occurred and set the conditions for safe movement of civilians along the road. Local leaders hope the checkpoint and road reopening will bring more people to the area.
Sheik Ali Hussein, the SoI leader for Salman Pak and al Bawi, opened his home for a luncheon attended by the more than 150 guests after the ceremony to reopen the road. “We are finally to the point where we can come to an event and see Sunni and Shia sheiks working together to secure their country,” said the 1-15th Inf. Regt. Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Moore.
***
Colonel Ryan Kuhn, deputy commanding officer for 3rd HBCT, recently implemented an idea to build windmill driven water pumps to draw water from the ground in Iraqi villages. One of the first prototypes is being built in the village of al Zatia.
The idea for a windmill-powered ground water pump came from a joint effort between Kuhn and leaders of the 489th Civil Affairs Battalion, from Knoxville, Tenn. Kuhn, from Clarks, Neb., said he grew up not much differently than the Iraqi villagers. “I’m a farm boy from Nebraska,” he said. “If this worked for me in Nebraska where water is hard to come by, there is no reason it wouldn’t work out here.”
The first windmill was finished in early January. Each structure costs approximately $20,000, which includes the well, storage tank and a small pump. Kuhn said he has plans to add solar purification systems to the windmills, bumping their price to $27,000. These windmill driven wells will provide the majority of the drinking water to the villagers who now have to pay to truck water into their community.
This will be the first time the wind and sun have been used together to provide clean drinking water anywhere in Iraq. The windmills pull water from 30-meter-deep ground wells into 200-gallon holding tanks, The pump can produce 200 gallons of water every hour and provide water for up to 150 families.
In addition to water, the windmills will provide villagers jobs, Kuhn said. The contractor in charge of the project is going to hire local people to maintain the structures. “We are hoping to develop businesses from this that will manufacture windmills for Iraq,” Kuhn said. “Right now they are shipping in equipment, but we know for a fact that Iraq can manufacture these.”
Kuhn hopes to be able to provide every rural village with a pump. Security has improved and he believes this goal is achievable. “My dream is to be able to produce enough water so no child will ever have to go long periods of time without water,” he said. “Children can play in the streets now and with the windmills, they can come get a drink of water and go right back out and play.”
***
Many other programs are in the works to strengthen the areas economy and security:
The Microgrant program in Hawr Rajab
More than $50,000 in microgrants has been distributed to approximately 50 stores. The purpose of this program is to reopen businesses, jumpstart the economy and provide employment.
The effects are further-reaching than the local community. To stock and replenish stores, products are brought in from other areas - some as far as India and China - making Hawr Rajab a member of the global community.
The Poultry Revitalization program
The program will provide starter chicks to poultry farms that were shut down due to violence. Two types of chicks will be provided; one type will be raised for the purpose of producing eggs and the other for meat. First Lt. Michael E. Falk, platoon leader, Troop A, 6-8 Cav. Regt., said a processing plant in a neighboring town will process the poultry.
Faulk, a native of Clifton, Va., said the poultry industry of Hawr Rajab has the potential to profit from commerce between itself, surrounding communities and other area markets.
By mid-March 2008, eight chicken coops will be the first to receive a scheduled delivery of approximately 25,000 heads of young poultry.
The Seed Distribution program
The Agricultural Committee of Hawr Rajab coordinated a seed distribution program with Coalition forces in December 2007. It distributed more than 900 starter packets of seed as well as plastic to local farmers. The starter packets contained seeds for cucumbers, eggplants, bell peppers and tomatoes.
At present, success of the seed distribution is being measured by the 2nd BCT and the outlook for the program is positive.
School renovation projects
A girls’ school is currently undergoing extensive renovations to give the facility a much-needed facelift. A similar renovation plan for the boys’ school is currently pending funding. Presently, there is a shortage of school buildings and boys attend classes in two shifts, with the morning reserved for primary school and afternoon for secondary school. Despite overcrowding at the schools, educators make due with their resources and school remains in session.
The Hawr Rajab Medical Clinic
This facility is being repaired and is scheduled for completion mid-March 2008. Medical personnel will be provided by the Iraqi Ministry of Health and will return prior to the completion of the facilities. In the meantime, limited services are provided by a local physician assistant.
Women’s initiatives
Women of the area formed a committee to discuss problems facing women and find solutions. The group formed in February 2008 and has since brought to light a very serious issue. Many men have been killed by insurgents, leaving families without their traditional heads of households. Now a fund exists to care for families left behind by Sons of Iraq who paid the ultimate price for protecting their homes during the fight against al-Qaeda.
“The Village of Hope”
With the revitalization of the area and need for skilled labor, a vocational school was constructed by U.S. Air Force construction engineers, who will also provide the instructors to staff it.
A large number of SoI will be retrained as electricians, carpenters and construction laborers. This vocational school has been dubbed “The Village of Hope.” The program is currently in a final approval stage at 3rd Inf. Div. headquarters.
Marne soldiers are working tirelessly to return stability to the Iraqi people. The vast majority of Iraqis are peace loving. Now that security is being re-established, they are looking to MND-C Soldiers to help them put their lives back together. And, the Dog Faced Soldiers are doing just that – pumping new life into Iraq at the schools, on the farms and in the markets.
God bless you all. You are bringing hope and prosperity to the people of Iraq, and thus, security to their households, Iraq, the region and the world.
For quite some time, I have predicted that al-Sadr would maintain a low profile to avoid the wrath of the Multi-National Force-Iraq. Last summer he even declared a cease-fire with coalition forces. He hoped that the American people would force a withdrawal from Iraq and that General Petraeus would just go away.
Instead, the Surge took hold. The American people lost interest in the fight and Petraeus put a cop on every corner in Baghdad. Then, he brilliantly embraced Muqtada’s offer of peace while he worked tirelessly at reconciliation with the reconcilable and elimination of the irreconcilables. If Mahdi Army extremists insisted on continued violence (sanctioned by al-Sadr or not), General Petraeus ostracized them as renegades who were not willing to follow the cleric’s edict of non-violence. Then, his forces hunted them down.
After six months of hard work, al-Qaeda in Iraq is on the run; peace and stability is slowly returning to the streets of Baghdad; and the daily lives of every Iraqi are improving. The need for protection from al-Sadr’s Shiite militias has vastly diminished. The government is beginning to reconcile with the Sunni minority. Al-Qaeda’s ability to attack innocent Shiites is diminishing daily. People are returning to work, families are safe on the streets. Children are returning to school.
The everyday Iraqi is beginning to have hope for their family’s future. In short, Muqtada al-Sadr’s radical teaching and violent mantra is becoming irrelevant. I think he has finally realized that he is becoming marginalized. He sees that he could soon fade into obscurity as his followers flourish.
So, Muqtada will lash out one last time. He will attempt to regain his relevance the only way he knows – through hate and violence. It may not be this Saturday, but rest assured, we haven’t heard the last of al-Sadr. I will be glued to the news on Saturday. It could be a significant day in the continuing story in Iraq.
The Multi-National Force Iraq just released a video of Iraqi Special Forces rescuing an 11 year old boy who had been kidnapped by a ring of terrorists near Kirkuk. The kidnappers demanded $100,000 from the boy’s father, a mechanic. They told him if he didn’t pay, they would behead the child.
Acting on intelligence reports, members of the elite Iraqi Special Forces raided a home, arrested eight admitted al-Qaeda followers and rescued the boy. The video tells the entire story:
Subsequent investigation revealed that this group had kidnapped more than twenty other victims before being caught.
This was not a politically motivated kidnapping. These a**holes were trying to extort money from everyday citizens to finance their operations. This is the kind of senseless terror spread by al-Qaeda.
Fortunately, this boy was rescued. Here is the raw transcript I received along with the video:
Rescue operation
Iraqi soldiers running. “Go, let’s go, and let’s move.”
“Don’t come outside. Tell them to open the door. Open the door. Come out. Don’t touch anything.”
Soldiers break down the door and order everyone inside the room not to move. “Don’t move, no one moves.”
“Soldiers telling the man inside the room not to move, then they ordered him to move to the other side.”
The little boy come’s out of the room. The soldiers start talking to him trying to calm him down. They asked him to calm down. “Come on sweetheart don’t be scared, what’s your name? Is your name Omar? No, Ammar.”
The soldiers reply: “he is the one”.
The soldiers took the boy and departed the place. After getting out of the house, the soldiers took the boy and sat out in the back of a truck, they put the boy on the phone with his family. The boy told his family that, “I am rescued and I am doing well.” The soldiers in the background saying: “poor boy”, then the soldiers tell him that they “will be taking him home to his family.”
The soldiers took the boy back to his family’s house. People in the neighborhood started around cheering and praising God. The mother started running towards her son. She was screaming and crying her son’s name out. “Ammar, my son, my dearest son”. (The mother was speaking Turkmen language).
An interview with the boy’s family:
His father is speaking in Kurdish saying: “I’m grateful to these soldiers, grateful to this party, to all of you here.”
The reporter: “How many days was your son kidnapped for”? (Speaking Kurdish)
The boy’s father: “Four days”.
The reporter: “How much money did the kidnappers asked for as a ransom in order to release your son”?
The boy’s father: “They asked for a hundred thousand dollars as a ransom”.
The reporter: “What did you tell the kidnappers”?
The boy’s father: “We told them that we don’t have money; the kidnapers finally reduced the ransom to eighty thousand dollars”.
The reporter: “What would have happened if you would have failed to pay the ransom”?
The Father: “The kidnappers told us that if we fail to pay the ransom, they will behead my son, and put his head in the garbage can in front of my house”.
The reporter: “What do you do for living”?
The father: “I work at a place called (the industrial area), as a mechanic”.
The reporter asked the mother to comment: She starts speaking in Turkmen language, and then they ask her to switch to Arabic or Kurdish. So, she start’s speaking Arabic saying that she is “grateful to every one, and she very much appreciates the efforts of all the people who contributed to the rescue of her son”. Then she says: “I don’t know what to say, I’m speechless, God bless you, God bless you all”
When I hear of a SEAL being killed in combat, I don't ever get the impression it was something easy (read Lone Survivor - you will understand what I am talking about).
Chief Petty Officer Michael E. Koch, 29,of State College, Pa., and Chief Petty Officer Nathan H. Hardy, 29, of Durham, N.H., died Feb. 4, from wounds suffered from small arms fire during combat operations in Iraq.
Hardy, of Durham, N.H., is survived by his parents, wife and a seven-month old son. Koch, of State College, Penn., leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. The sailors' commanding officer said the men "were extraordinary brave SEALs, honored teammates and great Americans."
Both had previously received Bronze Stars in addition to other awards.
I offer my condolences to their families while at the same time I thank God we have such men.
Well, it's been a while since my last update, so I thought I'd post a quick one. Around Christmas, 5-7 Cavalry got orders to move to a new location in Iraq. Unfortunately, these orders took them outside of Al Anbar province, and II MEF wouldn't let the squadron take their ANGLICO teams with them. It was a disappointing decision, as my team had grown to like working with Apache Troop.
So, we were out of job shortly after New Years. My team spent about a week and a half on Camp Fallujah cooling our heels, before we got orders to head west. We're now living at Hadithah Dam, and once again I find myself supporting the Iraqi Army. We're still getting settled in, but so far things seem pretty good out here. Of course, it's quiet like the rest of Al Anbar. Remember the old saying, popular in the '60s, "What if they threw a war and nobody came?" Well, that's kind of what it feels like. Like I told my wife, if I've got to spend 7 months in Iraq, I expect somebody to have the common decency to crank off a round in my direction from time to time. To keep it interesting, like.
In other news, we now have a Tactical Escalade (MRAP). It's a pretty nice ride if you're road-bound, but the suspension is extremely stiff, so off-road or even just a road with a lot of pot holes (like many in Iraq) gets pretty rough. I'll do a longer post on it later. It was obviously designed by engineers, without sufficient input from the guys who would be operating it on the roads. I'm certainly a fan of the comfort, but these things will be of extremely limited utility down the road. Typical stop-gap solution, in my opinion.
Early last year, at the beginning of “The Surge,” it became apparent that the Multi-National Division – Baghdad command staff would be stretched to its limit trying to command and control all the additional forces being brought into the Baghdad area. So, the Multi-National Corps decided to bring in another division headquarters to spread the workload. Since a large number of “Surge” forces would be coming from Fort Stewart, the logical choice was to bring Major General Rick Lynch’s 3rd Infantry Division command forward.
Major General Rick Lynch is a West Point graduate with a MIT masters degree in robotics. Over the years, Lynch has been an Army engineer, armor commander and cavalry trooper. Prior to his assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division, he served on the Multi-National Force – Iraq staff as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Effects and the MNF-I spokesman. Major General Lynch was superbly qualified to lead the new division-level command.
Major General Rick Lynch
The Multi-National Division – Center headquarters was established in the first week of April and it assumed responsibility for the strategic belts just south of Baghdad. The first thing Lynch asked for was his Aviation Brigade. Soon, the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade was added to the surge of forces. General Lynch’s Dog Face Soldiers were in place by June. They immediately started wreaking havoc on the enemy in the belts south of Baghdad. Starting with Operation Marne Torch, named after the invasion of North Africa in World War II, they have conducted seven division-level combat operations as well as multiple smaller brigade and battalion operations. They have made a big difference in an area once considered to be a major insurgent thoroughfare. Lynch and his soldiers have dislodged the enemy and are constantly working to bring security to the southern suburbs of Baghdad.
The division just started their latest operation, Marne Thunderbolt, to flush out the remaining al-Qaeda insurgents in southern Arab Jabour. Along with these new combat operations, the division is shifting its focus to stability operations and reconstruction. They are digging wells, opening medical clinics, providing micro-loans to small businesses and working to reestablish industry. They are also working with the Concerned Local Citizens (CLC) groups to build participation in community government. Roads are being paved and new combat outposts are being built.
Today, General Lynch spoke of the CLCs in his area of responsibility; “They are developing governing councils that are made of men from both sects.” National reconciliation will be achieved from the ground up. The Iraqi people must come together at the local level, elect representatives and then make it clear to the national government that they want to live together in peace. Only then, will we see signs of national reconciliation. Democratic governments must be built from the bottom-up, not from the top-down.
General Lynch is focusing on working from the bottom-up. “I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what is going on at the national level. But at the local level, what I am seeing is the Sunni and Shia population merging and identifying themselves as Iraqi.” Al-Anbar Province may have stolen the news in the last several months as a model of success, but success in the mixed-sect Provinces south of Baghdad is a much more significant event. And progress in the southern belts is key to our success in Iraq. This year Task Force Marne will deal a crushing blow to the extremists by bringing hope for a better future to the people of central Iraq. General Lynch concluded his participation in today’s Bloggers’ Roundtable with an upbeat, yet cautionary statement; “I have never been more optimistic, but at the same time, I am still realistic…The enemy is still out there and he’s still got a vote.”
Merry Christmas to our readers. I thought I would take some time for a quick update. Al Anbar remains quiet, and the Marines and Soldiers here continue to take advantage of the security situation to further our relationships with the local leadership. There is evidence of the insurgents nosing around here and there, and every so often they got caught in the open, but they have been unable to mount any effective operations. I haven't been keeping up with the news to know if the details have been released, but the Ramadi IPs recently ran a successful operation to stop an insurgent cell that was attempting to assassinate a local leader. More impressively, U.S. forces in the area knew nothing about the operation until its successful conclusion. It's the kind of story you might expect from a metropolitan police department in the U.S. or Europe, and it's very gratifying to see that sort of independence from the Iraqi security forces.
As for my personal end of this little fracas, it's been distressingly quiet. I'm certainly pleased about our progress in this little slice of the province, but ANGLICO is an organization that specializes in delivering large quantities of firepower, and our services are not in as much need as I would like. We'll continue to make whatever contributions we can, and we'll remain the "break glass in case of TIC (Troops in Contact)" organization. I guess, looking outside of my own personal views, it's a good thing when a group that specializes in spectacular kinetic effects of the sort produced by 500 lb bombs is feeling under-utilized. In this kind of fight, that means progress.
Our Christmas out here at the COP was peaceful. I spent about an hour and a half scooping out mashed potatos for the Soldiers and Marines here before I sat down with the Troop Commander and XO to eat our own dinner. We even got to have real turkey, instead of a processed imitation of turkey dinner. Obviously not as good as my lovely wife makes, but it'll have to do. I really enjoyed my Christmas overseas as a single guy, but this year there's a lot more to miss at home.
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Years to all of our readers.
The morning, I received this press release from Baghdad. It is just another piece of good news that you won't see tonight on the nightly news.
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20071213-09
December 13, 2007
Sunni, Shia sheiks say no to violence, yes to reconciliation
By Staff Sgt. Jon Cupp
1st BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
Multi-National Division - Baghdad PAO
ASSIRIYAH, Iraq - Sunni and Shia tribal sheiks, local government
leaders, senior Iraqi Army officials and local Iraqi Police officials
from throughout the Taji area, met here Dec. 6 at the prayer town hall
to continue reconciliation efforts and celebrate the "awakening," a term
used to describe a turning away from sectarianism and violence.
More than 200 attendees from the villages of Hor Al Bosh, Sheik
Ahmer, Shat Al Taji, Falahat and other areas dined as they discussed
issues affecting their villages and ways in which they can improve the
quality of life for the people living there.
"They decided to have a Sawa, or lunch, to bring both Sunni and
Shia tribal leaders together for solidarity," said Anchorage, Alaska,
native Capt. Martin Wohlgemuth, commander for Troop D, 1st Battalion,
82nd Field Artillery Regiment, which is attached to the 1st Squadron,
7th Cavalry Regiment. "This is a continued extension of the Sunni and
Shia partnership which has truly spread to every corner of North Taji."
"As the security situation continues to improve, Sunnis are able
to travel to mainly Shia areas, and the Shia can go to Sunni areas. In
many cases, these are places they have never been before or never dared
to go before," added Wohlgemuth, whose troops patrol in Assiriyah. "They
are only able to do this because of reconciliation and forgiveness. This
is a continued sign of progress."
Some local villagers also attended the meeting and had the
opportunity to meet with local leaders and area tribal sheiks.
"This is a very good sign, and there's a lot of good
representation here. We will continue to say no to sectarianism and yes
to reconciliation," said Tariq Daee Al Teaa, a local man invited to the
meeting. "The (insurgents) have tried to take our happiness from us by
attempting to kill and kidnap our children, and that's rubbish. We must
try to work toward good things to end violence and by doing this, we can
eventually become the best country in the Arab world."
Mike Yon breaks bread with General Petraeus, and reports on Baquba five months after Arrowhead Ripper:
Back in May, just before operation Arrowhead Ripper, there were about 60 violent acts per day. Now there are about 6. The markets are opening and the streets are again filled with people. I thought the veterans of Baqubah might like to know that their efforts have made a tremendous difference for the people here. You fought hard. This writer saw it. Your sacrifices truly meant something.
Mike Yon breaks bread with General Petraeus, and reports on Baquba five months after Arrowhead Ripper:
Back in May, just before operation Arrowhead Ripper, there were about 60 violent acts per day. Now there are about 6. The markets are opening and the streets are again filled with people. I thought the veterans of Baqubah might like to know that their efforts have made a tremendous difference for the people here. You fought hard. This writer saw it. Your sacrifices truly meant something.
From Anbar. Said via email that he couldn't log onto our dumb server for whatever reason, so I'm publishing his post for him.
Hello again. I thought now might be a good time for an update on the situation here in Al Anbar, from a firsthand perspective. First things first, however: happy birthday to all of my fellow Marines, and happy Veterans Day to all of the veterans out there, particularly those who went before my generation. I firmly believe that one of the reasons behind the performance of the current generation of service members is our sincere desire to honor the legacy of past generations. Those who went before set a standard of excellence that we have had to strive to emulate. I hope we’ve been successful.
I’m currently living at a small outpost north of Fallujah. My team supports a cavalry troop, Apache Troop of the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry. Before I arrived here, this was a pretty dangerous area. Apache Troop had some hard fights in here around late July. However, in August a local civilian watch began assisting with the security situation, which truly turned the corner on security in the Area of Operations.
The civilian watch is really an armed posse, unaffiliated with the Government of Iraq. Some of them are likely former insurgents. In a way, working with these groups is sort of “dealing with the devil”, as not all of them are particularly upstanding members of the community, and when U.S. forces are not present they might give in to the temptation to take advantage of being the “guy with the gun”. However, we’ve seen that, while the local Iraqis are wary of the civilian watch, they’re grateful for the increased security compared to just three or four months ago. In addition, the civilian watch has given Coalition Forces enough security to focus our operations on improving the quality of life in the local area. So if the civilian watch engages in “shady” activity from time to time, ultimately Coalition Forces end up being the good guys, which improves our relationship with the local populace. And eventually the civilian watch will be replaced with or incorporated into an official government security force. In some places that has already happened.
While I’m sure some question the wisdom of cooperating with what amount to Sunni militias, it’s really a matter of being able to exploit “grey areas” in the situation. The U.S. military, in particular, is used to classifying people along binary lines – you are a good guy or a bad guy. One of the biggest strides we have made is in realizing that we can’t continue along those lines – that someone who used to be a bad guy can help us achieve our aims if we find a way to make it an attractive option. This is historically one of the most effective strategies in COIN – co-opting the insurgents. Of course, hard core members of Al Qaeda in Mesopatamia are usually impossible to co-opt, but since we have turned many of the nationalist insurgent groups, Al Qaeda has suffered a huge setback at the hands of our new allies. While dealing with some of these unsavory characters might seem dangerous in the long-term, it gives Coalition Forces the necessary security and freedom to operate that enables us to make quality of life improvements for the local populace, which ultimately sets the conditions for transitioning the area to GoI control.
There are certainly risks to this approach – witness the Colombian right-wing paramilitary organization known as the AUC. Such right-wing groups received tacit approval and support from the Colombian government and military for years, as they were frequently effective at battling left-wing insurgents. However, as their human rights record steadily worsened, and the paramilitaries became increasingly involved in criminal activities – including narco-trafficking – the Colombian government found themselves faced with another enemy that is as much a threat as the left-wing FARC. In some ways, the GoI has flirted with this same danger in its relations with Jaysh al Mahdi, which the U.S. Army continues to struggle with in Baghdad. The important thing is that we need to focus on transitioning control of pacified areas to actual GoI organizations such as the Iraqi Police so that the security forces can be held accountable for their actions. As I mentioned before, I have seen this very transition taking place in nearby areas, so at the moment I am hopeful.
I mentioned this earlier in a comment on Herschel Smith’s Captain’s Journal, but I think it bears repeating – from my experience with Army company grade officers, the United States Army has made a remarkable shift in mindset. Although I am basing my comments on a small sampling, I believe that the Army’s company grade leadership has embraced a counterinsurgency focus. When working with 2-101 BCT at the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center, I worked with a company commander who spoke the language of COIN fluently. Here in Iraq, Apache Troop is obviously accustomed to intense, kinetic operations, but they have successfully made the transition to more delicate COIN operations in the local villages. The Army has, in my eyes, shown intellectual flexibility beyond what I expected to see. This also gives me hope for the future of this war.
I remain cautiously optimistic – I am hesitant to declare that we have won victory in Al Anbar, because the situation can very easily turn sour on us. Remember, we are facing a thinking enemy, and they will find a way to counter our current tactics. Our erstwhile allies may decide their interests no longer lie in partnership with Coalition Forces, and we may yet again be faced with attacks from these groups. For now, I remain hopeful that we have made the intellectual leap necessary to roll back insurgent activity long enough to establish enduring security under the auspices of the Government of Iraq. Time will tell.
Dennis Miller, another pro-victory centurion, summed up his frustration with the Iraqi people: It's like playing Stratego with Charles Manson. He makes a few good moves and you think, 'Hey, Charlie's got it together.' Then he shoves the dice up his ass.
On that note, I was just reading a dead tree story on how the Iraqi Army and police have been making some remarkable strides...
...and then I saw this:
Excuse me if watching a squad of Iraqi troops flailing around like a bunch of retarded spider monkeys doesn't inspire much confidence.
I know, I know. I'm still on board guys, relax. But jeez...
Last Saturday morning I was going through the press releases I receive daily from Baghdad when I came across a story I knew I had to get out to America. I immediately set out to write a short post while my wife was preparing breakfast. She finished before I did and was calling me to the breakfast table, warning – “It’s getting cold!”
I made a few quick proofreads and a couple of changes and posted the story of Iraqi soldiers donating $1000 to the victims of the fires in San Diego: http://op-for.com/2007/10/what_goes_around_comes_around.html. I made it to the breakfast table before my eggs were cold. I thought nothing more of my post for the rest of the day. When I checked later, I noticed that the story was beginning to propagate over the web.
If you would like to personally thank the Iraqis who contributed to the San Diego fire victims - Read More
By Monday morning, it was apparent that many Americans appreciated the Iraqi soldiers’ gesture. So, I decided to do a follow-up posting. I made some inquiries and found Colonel Darel Maxfield. Now! I would like to collect ‘thank you’ comments and forward them to Colonel Maxfield and Abbas so that they know how much this act of compassion has touched America.
Colonel Maxfield has told me that Colonel Abbas was “the first Iraqi to enlist in the new Iraqi Army and he has the ID card with the date and number to prove it.” He is gregarious, friendly and staunchly pro-American. He views his American compatriots as “brothers” which, in the Iraqi culture, is a high position of honor. Colonel Maxfield went on to say, “the bad guys send people to try to hurt him.” Abbas’ daughter was killed by a Mahdi Army RPG launched into her bedroom and his father died of a heart attack in another attack on their home. Maxfield said, “He’s the real deal and he’s one of the locals that has a chance to make a difference in a positive way here.”
Colonel Abbas also works hard to help his own countrymen. He and his men recently completed a joint medical operation with his American counterparts. LTC Mark Werner, the Senior Advisor at the Besmaya Combat Training Center, just wrote me about this mission. “We just did a joint medical operation with a Coalition unit providing medical support and items for kids in a local village. By joint I mean Iraqi medical and Docs and ours working together. Our force protection and theirs.”
Locals waiting in line at medical clinic
This was not the first time that Colonel Abbas has reached out to help fellow Iraqis or has passed the hat among his men to help Americans in need. On September 5, 2005, Colonel Abbas presented 1,000,000 Iraqi dinars to his American counterparts at Taji for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. In that presentation he said, “We are all brothers. When one suffers tragedy, we all suffer their pain.”
Some have already commented on the Iraqi soldiers’ generosity. The enlisted soldiers make around $300 per month. The most senior officers, like Abbas, make only $1000 per month. They are targeted when they travel home to bring their pay to their families and yet they continue to work to bring peace to their country. And, they reach out to help the families of the Americans they work with daily.
Don’t forget our own service men and women who are far from home. Colonel Maxfield concluded his email with, “Please let anyone who will listen know that our services-the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force have the best young men and women in the world. Our NCO’s form the backbone of the most effective military in the world. Those young men and women are doing a great job and their leadership and performance in VERY difficult situations should make every American proud. Those men and women are real heroes.”
In closing, please help me in thanking all the Iraqi young men who are stepping up to the plate and working under difficult conditions to bring stability to their homes, families and country. It is these brave Iraqis who will eventually take the reins and allow our sons and daughters to come home.
I will collect your comments of gratitude and forward them through Colonel Maxfield to Colonel Abbas and his men. Let’s show them our thankfulness. Please leave a comment below:
He had the quote of the year in an email this morning:
So far, it's been an effing boring deployment. [My wife] asked what I wanted for Christmas, and I said "Insurgents." I don't know that we've necessarily turned the corner out here, but they're definitely on their heels and reeling.
Unfortunately, most Americans do not consider Iraqis as people. We see them as terrorists or victims, not as everyday people with the same values as our friends, neighbors and relatives. Yet, most Iraqis are decent human beings with the same concerns, dreams, and compassion as most Americans. They want peace and are concerned about their fellow man.
Is it no wonder that we feel differently about the people of Iraq, when the American media only reports sensational news? If it doesn’t bleed or explode, you just aren’t going to see it on the evening news. I received a press release from Baghdad today, which I know the mainstream media will not pass on to you all. Here is an example of Iraqi charity and gratitude which touched my soul. Imagine how incredibly generous these soldiers are. They have little to support their own families. It’s not enough that they are fighting daily to bring peace to their country. They are actually reaching out to help unfortunate Americans.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20071026-01
October 26, 2007
Iraqi Army at Besmaya Installation Support San Diego Fire Victims
By U.S. Army Sgt 1st Class Charlene Sipperly
Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq Public Affairs
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Members of the Iraqi Army in Besmaya collected a donation for the San Diego, Calif., fire victims Thursday night at the Besmaya Range Complex in a moving ceremony to support Besmaya's San Diego residents.
Iraqi Army Col. Abbass, the commander of the complex, presented a gift of $1,000 to U.S. Army Col. Darel Maxfield, Besmaya Range Complex officer in charge, Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, to send to the fire victims in California.
The money was collected from Iraqi officers and enlisted soldiers in Besmaya. In a speech given during the presentation, Col. Abbass stated that he and the Iraqi soldiers were connected with the American people in many ways, and they will not forget the help that the American government has given the Iraqi people. Abbass was honored to participate by sending a simple fund of $1,000 to the American people in San Diego, to lower the suffering felt by the tragedy.
Incredibly, the leader of al Qaeda said the “Mujahidins” in Iraq committed “mistakes.” This was the first time the man used these words in this context: self criticism. In fact he criticized the emirs for the recklessness of their Jihad in the land of the two rivers. If one reviews the public statements of Bin Laden, at least since 1996, this is the first time he has mentioned the Jihadists’ mistakes, not the errors by Muslim rulers in general. Now, these are his own fighters who are at fault.
The last time any al Qaeda leader came close to this posture was the shy warning by Ayman Zawahiri to Zarqawi demanding that the killing of Shiia stop in Iraq. But, at the time, the top leader wasn’t addressing the mistakes of the emirs. He dealt with “higher geopolitical matters”, according to the comments of Abdel Bari Atwan on al Jazeera tonight. “Sheikh Bin Laden said Atwan deals with high level issues, such as the confrontation with the United States, India etc., but this time the Sheikh is dealing with issues on the ground.”
Surprised the hell outta me too. I figured Binny would've blamed the mollywhopping his boys have been receiving from surging forces on Zarqawi, the dude being dead and all. Like Dr. Phares mentioned, Osama has been reluctant to publicly criticize Al Qa'ida's failures in the past. That was deliberate, of course. Despite all the ruckus they've caused in Iraq these past few years, your average jihadist is a petty crappy fighter. Their basic strategy is lob a few mortars at a patrol/convoy, empty an AK clip on full auto, tuck tail, run like hell, then squat in some poor Iraqi's living room sipping chai and making awful home videos about how brave they are.
Whenever they're dumb enough to engage in the open, they end up looking like a Jackson Pollock painting.
That's been the story since the insurgency kicked off. Only now that we've got the proper force shape and a dedicated COIN strategy, the dorks don't have anywhere to run. Good news for us, bad news for Osama.
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq – A 72-year-old man stopped a suspected suicide bomber from detonating himself at a checkpoint in Arab Jabour Oct. 14.
The man approached a checkpoint where Mudhehr Fayadh Baresh was standing guard, but did not make it very far.
Baresh, a tribal commissioner and member of the Arab Jabour Concerned Citizens program, said he ordered the man to lift his shirt - using training received from Coalition Forces - when he did not recognize him as a local villager.
The suspect refused to lift his shirt. Baresh repeated the command again, and the suspect exposed his suicide vest, running toward the checkpoint.
Baresh opened fire which caused the vest to detonate, killing the suspect.
“I did it for the honor of my family and the honor of my country,” said Baresh, when he met with Col. Terry Ferrell, commander of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
Does that sound like an insurgency that has the popular support of the people?
Even the senior citizens aren't afraid of them anymore.
WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, the congressman from the Houston area who opposes the Iraq war, has gotten more contributions than any other White House contender from donors identified as affiliated with the military.
According to a Houston Chronicle analysis of campaign records from January through September, Paul received $63,440 in donations from current military employees and several retired military personnel.
Democrat Barack Obama, another war critic, was second in military giving. The Illinois senator got $53,968 during the nine months.
He was followed by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, a decorated Navy pilot and former Vietnam prisoner of war, who received $48,208 in military-related giving. McCain has been one of the most vigorous defenders of President Bush's decision this year to increase U.S. troops in Iraq.
The military contributions — nearly 1,000 of them are listed in Federal Election Commission records for this year — represent a small fraction of the overall contributions to the candidates.
Paul, whose campaign Web site notes his military service as a flight surgeon in the Air Force in the 1960s as well as his opposition to the current war, raised a total of $5 million from July through September alone. Also, many contributors do not disclose their occupations, making it difficult to determine the total extent of military contributions to any one candidate.
You know I while I'm pretty sure that this is the millionth time that someone has tried to spin up a lede to make it look like the US Military is universally against this whole Iraq thing, but -once again- it just doesn't jive with my own experience in uniform.
I conducted an informal poll in the squadron when I read this story. Of the six other dudes in the room, only one had even heard of Ron Paul, with the only mental connection being "isn't that the dude with those weird ass supporters?"
Yes.
But that's aside the point.
I hate this subtle fishing for some sort of anti-war, anti-Bush vibe in the military. I hate the way deserters are fawned over and heroes ignored. If the media was so interested in how we feel, all they have to do is take a peek at any one of the 1600+ active military blogs. We're overwhelmingly in favor of this mission, and -based on my own experience serving- we represent the majority of the military.
Or, they could get off this crap and hit the CENTCOM news wire. Y'see, we're finally starting to wrap our fingers around the throat of this insurgency, and it'd be nice if the MSM let the American people know about it. Just sayin'.
Greyhawk says that we've already won. He's actually in Iraq and would know better than me, but I'm still reserving judgment until we see some evidence of solid, irrefutable political progress.
Still, these stories have been popping up on the CENTCOM wire with so much frequency, I can barely keep up. Maj. Danielson (wax on, wax off?) says that AQI is "losing their grip." Based on the remarkable military gains we've seen since surge elements reached full strength in June, I'd say that's a pretty accurate statement.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces captured four wanted individuals and detained an additional 11 suspected terrorists early Wednesday during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks in central and northern Iraq.
Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be a foreign terrorist facilitator and two other suspected terrorists in Tikrit. The wanted suspect is reported to be linked to a primary agent involved in trafficking foreign terrorists and is believed to be an associate of many current and former leaders of the network. Intelligence also links this individual to the movement of weapons, originating from outside of the country, throughout the Tigris River Valley. After the ground force secured the objective, the three were detained without incident.
In Ar Ramadi, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual along with four other suspected terrorists with connections to Syrian-based extremists. Intelligence indicates that the wanted suspect was connected to a senior terrorist named Muthanna, who was killed during operations Sept. 11 near Sinjar, in northwest Iraq. Muthanna was the Emir of the Iraq and Syrian border area and a key facilitator of the movement of foreign terrorists once they crossed into Iraq from Syria. Upon securing the target building, ground forces discovered possible improvised explosive device making material and several Iraqi police uniforms.
In Baqubah, a wanted individual surrendered to Coalition forces without resistance as they quickly secured the target area. The suspect is reported to be a well known al-Qaeda weapons facilitator and terrorist cell leader. He has been linked to several previous Coalition objectives and has ties to several associates within the network. Two other suspected terrorists were detained during the operation.
Another wanted individual was captured during an operation in Mosul targeting associates of a senior terrorist network leader. Intelligence indicates that the targeted suspect is connected to the leader of the northern terrorist group and individuals with access to the senior leadership of al-Qaeda. In addition to the targeted suspect, three other suspected terrorists were detained in the operation without incident.
In Baghdad, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to be the newly appointed leader of a local al-Qaeda cell operating in the southern part of the city. The city’s car-bombing network has been attempting to re-establish operations after significant degradation by Coalition forces in recent weeks including the Oct. 16 capture of the wanted individual and two additional suspects during an operation in southern Baghdad.
“Al-Qaeda still attempts to terrorize the Iraqi people in many areas,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman “There is still more work to be done, but through successful operations like these, they are losing their grip.”
KALSU, Iraq – Information provided by concerned citizens in Haswah led to the capture of 12 terrorists, including the second most wanted man in North Babil, Oct. 12.
Acting on the tip, Iraqi policemen and Paratroopers from Company A, 3rd Battalion, 509th Airborne, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division cornered the suspected high -value individual inside a mosque.
The 4th BCT’s second most wanted individual is responsible for attacks against Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition Forces and local residents.
After receiving approval, the Iraqi policemen entered the mosque and detained the men.
Two AK-47 machine guns, two grenades and two ammunition vests were also found inside the mosque.
The suspected extremists are being held for further questioning.
The weapons were confiscated for use in the investigation.
Two AKs, grenades, and rambo vets found in a mosque???
And here I thought the US and Israel were the only ones who violated the Geneva Convention.
Coalition troops in Iraq killed 14 terrorists and captured 12 others during a series of operations in the central part of the country today and yesterday.
-- Coalition forces killed 13 terrorists west of Baghdad while targeting associates of al Qaeda in Iraq linked to a local car-bombing network. A group of targeted individuals had gathered in a field near a recent attack. Coalition aircraft engaged the armed men, killing 10 terrorists. As coalition ground forces secured the area, they discovered three more armed men. Another coalition air strike was called in, killing the three terrorists, one of whom was wearing a suicide vest.
-- Coalition forces west of Balad destroyed two buildings linked to al Qaeda in Iraq operations.
-- Information obtained from an anti-terrorist operation in Baqouba yesterday led coalition troops to a nearby location today. When coalition forces called for the target building’s occupants to come out, an armed man challenged the coalition troops and was killed. Nine suspects were detained. A cache of weapons, ammunition, grenades and military-style assault vests were found on site and destroyed.
In operations yesterday:
-- Coalition ground forces killed one terrorist and detained three suspects in Baqouba while targeting an alleged associate of al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders. “We’re continuously pursuing al Qaeda in Iraq’s leadership, finding the places they hide and operate, and disrupting their ability to attack innocent Iraqis,” said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.
-- U.S. soldiers destroyed two booby-trapped houses and captured 10 suspected insurgents in Adwaniyah. While looking for insurgents responsible for emplacing improvised explosive devices, the soldiers found two empty houses wired with explosives. After the area was vacated, the houses were destroyed with Hellfire missiles.
-- Terrorists killed more than a dozen people and wounded scores of others in Beiji as the result of two suicide car-bomb attacks. The separate attacks targeted the homes of the Beiji police chief and a local citizens group leader. The police chief and the citizens group leader escaped harm, but the attacks claimed 14 lives and injured 42 others.
“This cowardly act was a sign of desperation by terrorists, in an attempt to disrupt security forces and concerned local citizens who have joined together to combat terrorism throughout Salahuddin and other areas of northern Iraq,” said Army Col. Bryan Owens, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
“These attacks on the local community show these terrorists have a complete disregard for human life and lack of respect for Iraqi lives and property,” Owens said. “Iraqi security forces and concerned local citizens will continue to hunt these extremists to prevent senseless attacks on the people of Salahuddin province.”
In an operation a day earlier, Iraqi soldiers captured four suspected insurgents during a patrol in the New Baghdad district of the Iraqi capital Oct. 8. When soldiers searched a vehicle that contained suspicious-acting passengers, they found a rifle and three videos depicting attacks on coalition forces. The four people that were in the vehicle are being held for additional questioning.
The Iraqi government reported on Monday that civilian casualties dropped by more than 50 per cent in September, a month in which US casualties also declined to their lowest level in 14 months.
All estimates of civilian casualties are contentious, due to the difficulty of obtaining complete data from conflict zones scattered across the country as well as the danger that statistics will be politically manipulated.
But September’s drop is one of the most dramatic since the Iraqi government began releasing figures, and is in rough accordance with other data suggesting levels of violence may be dropping.
The apparent decline also comes in spite of September’s partial overlap with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which usually sees an increase in attacks by Sunni Arab militants. A tally provided by Iraq’s health, interior and defence ministries quoted by news agencies noted 884 civilians killed in September, down from 1,773 in August, 1,653 in July and 1,227 in June.
The independent Iraq Body Count, which tallies press reports of civilian deaths, recorded higher numbers but showed a similar trajectory – 1,280 killed in September, 2,575 in August, 2,600 in July, and 2,092 in June.
US casualties also declined. Icasualties.org, a website which keeps a tally of US deaths, reported 63 fatalities in September, compared with 84 in August and 126 in May. September’s total is the lowest since July 2006.
Guards working in Iraq for Blackwater USA have shot innocent Iraqi civilians and have sought to cover up the incidents, sometimes with the help of the State Department, a report to a Congressional committee said today.
The report, based largely on internal Blackwater e-mail messages and State Department documents, depicts the security contractor as being staffed with reckless, shoot-first guards who were not always sober and did not always stop to see who or what was hit by their bullets.
In one incident, the State Department and Blackwater agreed to pay $15,000 to the family of a man killed by “a drunken Blackwater contractor,” the report said. As a State Department official wrote, “We would like to help them resolve this so we can continue with our protective mission.”
The report was compiled by the Democratic majority staff of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, which is scheduled to hold a hearing on Blackwater activities on Tuesday. That hearing is sure to be contentious now that the chairman, Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California, and other members have the staff’s findings to study.
"Not always sober." Okay, there was once incident of a drunken Blackwater employee. He was fired.
"...and did not always stop to see who or what was hit by their bullets." You're right, next time they should stop in the middle of an ambush so that they can conduct a freakin' survey.
This is a pretty aggressive piece, even for the Old Gray Lady. Get used to follow-ups run above the fold for the next few weeks too, if the Times goes after the private security firm as aggressively as they've tackled other ideologicalendeavours.
There's alot of noise out there on Blackwater right now. Most of it is bullsh*t. The fact that Henry Waxman is leading the congressional charge against the company should be red flag numero uno. That dude is the king of House dog-and-pony shows (Jessica Lynch/Pat Tillman anyone?). The fact is, this doesn't have anything to do with Blackwater's behavior in Iraq (overall, they've been superb). For the anti-war community, this is about killing two birds with one stone. Anti-war groups like A.N.S.W.E.R. and MoveOn hate the military and they hate corporations. Blackwater is both, and that makes them one enormous ideological target.
It's all bread and circuses for the nutroots. Waxman's military investigations are like Jerry Springer episodes, they appeal to the lowest common denominator, solve nothing, and are more about entertainment than fixing problems. So while tax dollars are spent propping up Waxman as a hero to the democratic base, military resources could potentially be shifted away from the fight and over to the protection and security roles that Blackwater had traditionally filled.
Yeah, Blackwater has screwed up over in Iraq. So has our military. The fog of war sucks, folks. But that doesn't detract from the fact that they are keeping Americans safe out in the box. Their record with the State Department is perfect, and their reputation in security circles simply sparkles.
I will say that if they're pulling some sort of war profiteering scheme, then let the hammer fall. But if this is just another one of the anti-war left's petty campaigns to reduce our overall effectiveness in Iraq, then enough witch hunts. Let them boys work.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces arrested an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps – Quds Force officer in Sulimaniyah today.
Contrary to recent diplomatic initiatives, this individual has been involved in transporting improvised explosive devices and explosively formed penetrators into Iraq. Intelligence reports also indicate he was involved in the infiltration and training of foreign terrorists in Iraq.
The Quds Force is a covert action arm of the Iranian government responsible for aiding lethal attacks against the Iraqi government and Coalition forces.
It's kind of like Hitler catching a Broadway showing of Oklahoma! during the Battle of the Bulge.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed an al-Qaeda in Iraq military advisor during an operation Aug. 31 west of Tarmiyah.
Coalition forces conducted a precision operation west of Tarmiyah Aug. 31. The assault force followed a vehicle containing two suspected terrorists and attempted to get the driver to stop. When the driver resisted capture, the assault force fired on the vehicle. Both the driver and the passenger were killed in the operation. Coalition forces later identified one of the men as Abu Yaqub al-Masri.
Al-Masri, who is also known as Zakkariya or Doctor, was a military advisor to al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders in Baghdad and the surrounding belts. He provided guidance and direction for attack planning, coordination and execution.
Intelligence reports indicate al-Masri was directed by senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders to plan attacks that would cultivate sectarian strife. The former al-Qaeda in Iraq military emir of Baghdad, now detained by Coalition forces, described al-Masri as director of the “car bomb division.”
Al-Masri was one of the primary architects behind the Nov. 26 car bombings in Sadr City that killed 181 Iraqi civilians and injured another 247. He also planned major attacks on the bridges in the Rusafa area to isolate the Shi’ite population there.
Al-Masri previously fought against Coalition forces in Afghanistan and is linked to several senior leaders of al-Qaeda.
He was allied with Dr. Ayman Zawahiri, bin Laden’s second-in-command. He was also close to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq killed in a Coalition air strike in June 2006.
“Coalition operations are disrupting and destroying al-Qaeda’s terrorist networks,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesperson. “There is nowhere to hide.”
Important that we don't understate how important of a kill this was... if Al-Qa'ida Iraq was structured like the Legion of Doom, this clown would be sitting somewhere between Bizzaro Superman and the Black Manta. I bid a fond farewell to all terrorists, but for this guy I'd be willing to break out the champagne and party poppers, and hire a band to belt out the Axl Rose version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"..... all while steely eyed soldiers usher him along to meet Allah.
But, on the other hand, I suppose you don't go to all that trouble after spraying a roach with Raid.
I don't want to get all disjointed on you, but when that long black cloud starts coming down on these bozos, I get introspective. Reminds me that all things are best in moderation, 'cept Redskins wins, muscle cars, and dead terrorists.
This one comes from my Brother Rat, the hard-charging Captain Derek Brown, VMI '03.
Hello all,
Its been a long time since I may have written to a lot of you. Please don't take it the wrong way. I am still currently deployed in Iraq. Having tons of fun as you could imagine. Things are going pretty well though. The local nationals are finally taking the fight in their hands and are stepping up to win this war against terrorism. They are protecting themselves and their villages. Reconciliation is the Way Ahead and is how we will win this fight against terrorism in Iraq. It shows in the Anbar Province as well as in the area I am currently located. Just know that there are good things happening over here and progress is being made, though there is a lot that still needs to be done. We are not done here yet. The Iraqi people can not do this by themselves, at least not yet. I reiterate, the regular people, are finally taking a stand to fight against AQI and its a beautiful thing. Now we just need to get the GOI on the same train ride to success then we will be golden. I have attached a silly picture of my shop on my birthday. My buddy and his wife mailed me some kids party bags so i was able to share them with my shop. I cant wait to see you guys again back on stateside. Take care and until we meet again, drink one for me.
-Derek
I loved this line...
I reiterate, the regular people, are finally taking a stand to fight against AQI and its a beautiful thing.
Heh, that's so like Derek to say "I reiterate." He's the type of guy that always doubles up on his comms.... "I say again...."
While Derek was in Iraq for his first tour of duty, he sent an email of an absolutely harrowing account of being blown up by an IED. It was before I started blogging, so I never posted it.... but I think I still have the email. Need to dig it up and ask Derek's permission to share.
Anyway, Derek is one of those guys that you look at..... and then start to pity the bad guys. God speed, Brother Rat.
The Captain's Journal has a recent post on the pacification of Fallujah. Some argue that Fallujah is not truly pacified, because we have had to effectively close off the city and restrict the inhabitants' mobility to an extreme degree. Herschel, as cogently as ever, rebuts this:
I like to keep up with John Robb. Without studying analyses that run counter to your own one can become rather closed-minded. But what were the conditions like in Fallujah prior to this? I had interviewed Lt. Col. William Mullen concerning the conditions in Fallujah in this article: Operation Alljah and the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 6th Regiment.
And so I knew full well what we have had to do to pacify Fallujah. The tribal influence is much weaker in Fallujah, so more traditional counterinsurgency TTPs have been required, such as gated communities.
But is Robb seriously claiming that this has hindered true progress or otherwise caused conditions in Fallujah that are worse than they were prior to these actions? Is he seriously claiming that our efforts have caused unemployment or the lack of communication with the balance of Iraq?
He misses the point. The unemployment was already there, because it was the last major city in Anbar to undergo pacification. I claim exactly the opposite of Robb. Now … and only now … can Fallujah BEGIN its communication with the rest of Iraq.
Herschel has pointed out numerous times that we can not truly begin to provide services to the Iraqis until we take care of their most basic need: security. All of the measures that John Robb questions were taken to provide that basic need, so that we can begin to stimulate the economy in Fallujah. Obviously, Regimental Combat Team-6 and the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Iraqi Army Division feel that the security situation is much improved.
The last battalion of Iraqi soldiers with 2nd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, withdrew from the Anbar Province city of Fallujah, Sept. 1, leaving the city’s security and stability in the hands of the local police and government.
Brig. Gen. Ali al-Hashemi, the brigade’s commander, said the time had come when Iraqi Police alone could handle law enforcement in the city.
“I am very confident in the IPs keeping the city safe. Besides, it is their job to work to keep the city safe,” al-Hashemi said through an interpreter. “It’s not the IA’s job. The army should not be inside the city. The police should be in the city.”
I, for one, truly hope that Fallujans have finally turned a corner in this war that has been so hard on their city. To the jundi of 3-2-1 IA, and all of the Marines who have fought so hard, a heartfelt Bravo Zulu.
Some of our own commanders believe that units who are not “in contact” or fighting here are perhaps not out beating the bushes enough. If there is a criticism of Marines on this, I heard Marines and American Army officers say on many occasions that some of the higher Marine command is stuck in the kinetic mindset, and this is very frustrating for Marines and Soldiers who realize that WHEN NOBODY IS SHOOTING IT MEANS YOU ARE WINNING.
Even though they're whupping ass over there in Anbar, Marines are getting pissed that they're running out of targets.
A new film about the real-life rape and killing of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl by U.S. soldiers who also murdered her family stunned the Venice festival, with shocking images that left some viewers in tears.
"Redacted", by U.S. director Brian De Palma, is one of at least eight American films on the war in Iraq due for release in the next few months and the first of two movies on the conflict screening in Venice's main competition.
Inspired by one of the most serious crimes committed by American soldiers in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, it is a harrowing indictment of the conflict and spares the audience no brutality to get its message across.
De Palma, 66, whose "Casualties of War" in 1989 told a similar tale of abuse by American soldiers in Vietnam, makes no secret of the goal he is hoping to achieve with the film's images, all based on real material he found on the Internet.
"The movie is an attempt to bring the reality of what is happening in Iraq to the American people," he told reporters after a press screening.
Never trust someone who sells truth with a work of fiction.
There is a disturbing trend in the mainstream media today. All too often, journalists are much more concerned with deadlines than getting the story right and many bias their stories to support their inner beliefs.
This trend reared its ugly head as the sordid details of Scott Thomas’ ramblings in The New Republic were exposed as fabrications. Putting all the political infighting aside, there are two basic issues. Beauchamp misrepresented the facts. The New Republic published his work without adequately substantiating the details - and the American reading public suffered.
Unfortunately, most American news consumers believe everything they read. Journalists should understand that this places a responsibility upon their shoulders to "get it right."
Freedom of the press brings an enormous responsibility. Our founding fathers knew that a free press would encourage truthfulness in government. How can the government be held accountable when the media cannot be trusted to accurately inform the American people?
An excellent example of how irresponsible reporting can undermine public understanding is the Jessica Lynch story. From the day of her rescue, military officials clearly stated that the story of her capture was not confirmed, yet editors throughout this country propagated the Washington Post claims that she "went down fighting." The Post article quoted no credible source. Yet today, most Americans believe that the US military lied to them about Ms Lynch when, in fact, it was the American media that "lied."
Journalists MUST understand that they have a responsibility to us all to do the best they can to tell us the truth. Shame on The New Republic and Private Beauchamp for violating this trust.
Conflicting reports from both the Army and The New Republic. Our own Richard S. Lowry fired off an email to Col. Steve Boylan this morning and got this response:
Hi Richard,
An investigation of the allegations was conducted by the military and
found the allegations were false. In addition, members of Thomas'
platoon and company were all interviewed and no one could substantiate
his claims.
The rest of will or won't happen is to be handled internally within the
unit and are not discussed publicly.
Best,
Steve
Steven A. Boylan
Colonel, US Army
MNF-I CG, PAO
Basically, that's same reply that The Weekly Standard received from Major Steven L. Lamb.
We’ve talked to military personnel directly involved in the events that Scott Thomas Beauchamp described, and they corroborated his account as detailed in our statement. When we called Army spokesman Major Steven F. Lamb and asked about an anonymously sourced allegation that Beauchamp had recanted his articles in a sworn statement, he told us, “I have no knowledge of that.” He added, “If someone is speaking anonymously [to The Weekly Standard], they are on their own.” When we pressed Lamb for details on the Army investigation, he told us, “We don’t go into the details of how we conduct our investigations.”
Yeah, but.....does it matter? TNR's defense seems to ride solely on whether or not Beauchamp signed paperwork, which neither Lamb nor Boylan will admit is true, arguing that such information is part of an internal investigation.
But they both state that Beauchamp was lying, as fact.
That's telling. In the Army's mind, this whole affair has already been put to bed. Beauchamp lied. He'll be punished. Any other details are unit-specific and not subject to release.
As for TNR's anonymous sources, they're lying to the Army or they're lying to TNR.
Obviously Lamb isn't denying anything about what has been determined concerning Beauchamp, he's instead saying he has no knowledge about the source of the anonymous quote the Weekly Standard has used.
That's it. That's all this statement says. Well, except TNR is standing by their anonymous sources in the face of the Lamb announcement and trying to begin a "the Army is secretive about their investigation" paint job which I'm sure will emerge as their new attempt to save themselves from charges of journalistic misconduct.
(1) They neglected to report that the Army has concluded its investigation and found Beauchamp's stories to be false. As Major Lamb, the very officer they quote, has said in an authorized statement: "An investigation has been completed and the allegations made by PVT Beauchamp were found to be false. His platoon and company were interviewed and no one could substantiate the claims."
(2) Does the failure of the New Republic to report the Army's conclusions mean that the editors believe the Army investigators are wrong about Beauchamp?
(3) We have full confidence in our reporting that Pvt Beauchamp recanted under oath in the course of the investigation. Is the New Republic claiming that Pvt Beauchamp made no such admission to Army investigators? Is Beauchamp?
From CBS (one of the major networks with zero embedded journalists in Diyala Province in July) comes a report on a tour through the Haifa Street markets now safe for business in Baghdad. And the journalist's lack of understanding of the step by step process clear and hold campaigns when he calls the new Haifa Street security misleading. And he ends by characterizing General Petraeus' walk greeting Iraqis as "warming up his campaigning skills here" in preparations for his September report to Congress.
Steve showered the report with a bit more skepticism that I would've liked. Given the anti-war nature of the MSM, beggars can't be choosers with these quasi-positive stories. I've complained in the past about the media failing to highlight the soft victories like the Haifa street, so good on CBS for doing the right thing (although the "campaigning" line irked me, too).
Five weeks ago, I came into a village near Baqubah with American and Iraqi soldiers. Al Qaeda had openly stated Baqubah was their worldwide headquarters — indeed, Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed just a short drive away.
Behind the village was a palm grove. I stood there, amid the crushing stench of death, and photographed the remains of decapitated children and murdered adults. I can still smell the rotting corpses of those children.
Clearly, not every terrorist in Iraq is Al Qaeda, but it is Al Qaeda that has been intentionally, openly, brazenly trying to stoke a civil war. As Al Qaeda is now being chased out of regions it once held without serious challenge, their tactics are tinged with desperation.
This may be the greatest miscalculation they've made in their otherwise sophisticated battle for the hearts and minds of locals, and it is one we must exploit.
In fact, some Sunni insurgents who formerly were allies of Al Qaeda have turned on them simply because Al Qaeda has proven it will murder anyone — and in the most horrible ways. One of these groups is called the 1920 Revolution Brigade, which turned on Al Qaeda and joined forces with the U.S.
On July 16, I was with American Army forces, Iraqi Army forces and 1920 fighters when together they went off to hunt Al Qaeda. The 1920s guys were in front of us. They got hit by a bomb that was almost certainly planted by terrorists. A major gunfight ensued.
Anyone who says Al Qaeda is not one of the primary problems in Iraq is simply ignorant of the facts.
I, like everyone else, will have to wait for September's report from Gen. Petraeus before making more definitive judgments. But I know for certain that three things are different in Iraq now from any other time I've seen it.
1. Iraqis are uniting across sectarian lines to drive Al Qaeda in all its disguises out of Iraq, and they are empowered by the success they are having, each one creating a ripple effect of active citizenship.
2. The Iraqi Army is much more capable now than it was in 2005. It is not ready to go it alone, but if we keep working, that day will come.
3. Gen. Petraeus is running the show. Petraeus may well prove to be to counterinsurgency warfare what Patton was to tank battles with Rommel, or what Churchill was to the Nazis.
And yes, in case there is any room for question, Al Qaeda still is a serious problem in Iraq, one that can be defeated. Until we do, real and lasting security will elude both the Iraqis and us.
Col. Steven Boylan, Public Affairs Officer for U.S. Army Commanding General in Iraq David Petraeus, just emailed me the following in response to my request to confirm an earlier report that the U.S. Army's investigation into the claims made by PV-2 Scott Thomas Beauchamp made in The New Republic had been completed.
He states:
To your question: Were there any truth to what was being said by Thomas?
Answer: An investigation of the allegations were conducted by the
command and found to be false. In fact, members of Thomas' platoon and
company were all interviewed and no one could substantiate his claims.
As to what will happen to him?
Answer: As there is no evidence of criminal conduct, he is subject to
Administrative punishment as determined by his chain of command. Under
the various rules and regulations, administrative actions are not
releasable to the public by the military on what does or does not
happen.
The New Republic owes the US military an apology and its readers a refund.
After a thorough investigation that lasted nearly a week the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division has concluded that the allegation made by Private Thomas Scott Beauchamp, the "Baghdad Diarist", have been
"refuted by members of his platoon and proven to be false"
Anyone willing to venture a guess why TNR broke its vacation and rushed out a half-assed non-confirmation YESTERDAY, conveniently beating this report to market?
Uh yeah, and to preemptively discredit the Army's investigation, apparently. Remember this?
Although we place great weight on the corroborations we have received, we wished to know more. But, late last week, the Army began its own investigation, short-circuiting our efforts. Beauchamp had his cell-phone and computer taken away and is currently unable to speak to even his family. His fellow soldiers no longer feel comfortable communicating with reporters. If further substantive information comes to light, TNR will, of course, share it with you.
Beauchamp's essay consisted of three discrete anecdotes. In the first, Beauchamp recounted how he and a fellow soldier mocked a disfigured woman seated near them in a dining hall. Three soldiers with whom TNR has spoken have said they repeatedly saw the same facially disfigured woman. One was the soldier specifically mentioned in the Diarist. He told us: "We were really poking fun at her; it was just me and Scott, the day that I made that comment. We were pretty loud. She was sitting at the table behind me. We were at the end of the table. I believe that there were a few people a few feet to the right."
The recollections of these three soldiers differ from Beauchamp's on one significant detail (the only fact in the piece that we have determined to be inaccurate): They say the conversation occurred at Camp Buehring, in Kuwait, prior to the unit's arrival in Iraq. When presented with this important discrepancy, Beauchamp acknowledged his error. We sincerely regret this mistake.
In the second anecdote, soldiers in Beauchamp's unit discovered what they believed were children's bones. Publicly, the military has sought to refute this claim on the grounds that no such discovery was officially reported. But one military official told TNR that bones were commonly found in the area around Beauchamp's combat outpost. (This is consistent with the report of a children's cemetery near Beauchamp's combat outpost reported on The Weekly Standard website.)
More important, two witnesses have corroborated Beauchamp's account. One wrote in an e-mail: "I can wholeheartedly verify the finding of the bones; U.S. troops (in my unit) discovered human remains in the manner described in 'Shock Troopers.' [sic] ... [We] did not report it; there was no need to. The bodies weren't freshly killed and thus the crime hadn't been committed while we were in control of the sector of operations." On the phone, this soldier later told us that he had witnessed another soldier wearing the skull fragment just as Beauchamp recounted: "It fit like a yarmulke," he said. A forensic anthropologist confirmed to us that it is possible for tufts of hair to be attached to a long-buried fragment of a human skull, as described in the piece.
The last section of the Diarist described soldiers using Bradley Fighting Vehicles to kill dogs. On this topic, one soldier who witnessed the incident described by Beauchamp, wrote in an e-mail: "How you do this (I've seen it done more than once) is, when you approach the dog in question, suddenly lurch the Bradley on the opposite side of the road the dog is on. The rear-end of the vehicle will then swing TOWARD the animal, scaring it into running out into the road. If it works, the dog is running into the center of the road as the driver swings his yoke back around the other way, and the dog becomes a chalk outline." TNR contacted the manufacturer of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle System, where a spokesman confirmed that the vehicle is as maneuverable as Beauchamp described. Instructors who train soldiers to drive Bradleys told us the same thing. And a veteran war correspondent described the tendency of stray Iraqi dogs to flock toward noisy military convoys.
Although we place great weight on the corroborations we have received, we wished to know more. But, late last week, the Army began its own investigation, short-circuiting our efforts. Beauchamp had his cell-phone and computer taken away and is currently unable to speak to even his family. His fellow soldiers no longer feel comfortable communicating with reporters. If further substantive information comes to light, TNR will, of course, share it with you.
Now externally that looks pretty solid, but I'm suspicious of TNR's blaming the Army for their lack of a complete account. I can't help but to wonder if TNR suspects that the Army might be preparing a report that burns them to the ground.
So, I'm reserving judgment until the Army wraps up their investigation. If Beauchamp's accounts are corroborated, then I hope that he'll be brought to justice under the UCMJ. Desecrating human remains is certainly a crime, although it's difficult to justify holding him accountable simply for transcribing the dog-killing story and mocking the disfigured woman. I suppose it could fall under Conduct Unbecoming, but that's for the Army to decide.
None of this detracts from the fact that, of the 160k troops in Iraq, TNR choose a real dirtball to serve as their correspondent. When other soldiers are out building schools, providing medical care, and running security operations for the Iraqi people, TNR decided to highlight a real slug of a mechanic who mocks the disfigured and disrespects the dead for kicks.
So we're back to where we started: Has anyone ever seen a badly disfigured woman at Camp Beuhring, or any other camp in the Middle East which might subsequently be revealed as the scene of the crime?
*Update 2* Being a Zoomie and not knowing an awful lot about Bradleys, I was willing to bite on TNR's fact-checking of the plausibility of the dog-killing story. But Jeff Emanuel, being a Zoomie who does know an awful lot about Bradleys, disagrees:
The third story, that of the Bradley Fighting Vehicles being used to purposely run over dogs, still doesn't appear -- to me, who has very little experience in them, but who also has a decent amount of time on the roads around FOB Falcon and western Baghdad -- to pass the smell test. Part of the reason for this is the way that TNR went about "corroborating" the incident, reportedly speaking to the manufacturers of the Bradley about its driving specs, including its agility and acceleration. Further, they had a soldier, who had allegedly "seen it done more than once," tell them how a dog is run over ("when you approach the dog in question, suddenly lurch the Bradley on the opposite side of the road the dog is on. The rear-end of the vehicle will then swing TOWARD the animal, scaring it into running out into the road. If it works, the dog is running into the center of the road as the driver swings his yoke back around the other way, and the dog becomes a chalk outline"). However, to me -- again, as someone who has been there -- this rings very, very hollow.
You can also read another take from Jeff here. He's a former "operator," special forces guy, so he's worth a listen.
The recollections of these three soldiers differ from Beauchamp's on one significant detail (the only fact in the piece that we have determined to be inaccurate): They say the conversation [in which he and a fellow soldier mock a disfigured woman] occurred at Camp Buehring, in Kuwait, prior to the unit's arrival in Iraq. When presented with this important discrepancy, Beauchamp acknowledged his error. We sincerely regret this mistake.
And what’s [Foer] asking us to do today? Why, he’s asking us to trust his relaying the word of a bunch of anonymous sources. “I can’t show you any evidence or introduce you to a single corroborating witness…”
Oh, he has “corrorborating witnesses,” or so he says. But they’re all anonymous. And they might all be the same person. We have no way of evaluating what the witness or witnesses say, because conveniently for TNR they’re not identified.
Well, that part Foer blamed on the Army....for "shutting down" his investigation.
Last week, I had a forty-minute telephone conversation with the Multi-National Force-West commanding general, Major General W. E. Gaskin, USMC. His Area of Operations (AO) encompasses all of al-Anbar Province. We spoke about many things, but the subject that intrigued me the most was our talk of the Tribes of Anbar and how their tribal culture is different from American Society.
Tribes have been the center of Iraqi life since the beginning of recorded history. Iraqi identity is derived from the tribe. In America, we have a country of individuals and individual rights are supreme. A man is known for his own actions and is responsible only to himself and maybe his immediate family. In Iraq, a man is an extension of a larger family – of his tribe. His actions are always connected to the group. If he is successful or compassionate toward others, it brings honor to his tribe. If he is a criminal or treats others unfairly, it reflects negatively on his tribe.
For generations, the tribe has been the cultural, economic and governmental center of the Iraqi society. And the Sheikhs lead the tribes. As go the Sheikhs and tribal elders, so goes the tribe. They are the glue that holds the Iraqi people together. In the Saddam regime, the Sheikhs spoke for their people. Even Saddam would not defy the local authority of the tribes. He allowed for tribal governance, as long as the tribal leaders pledged their allegiance to his national government. Iraqi Sheikhs never relinquished local authority over their brethren.
When the US moved in to Iraq in 2003, the tribal concept was not thoroughly appreciated. In the first few years, we did little to help the Sheikhs become part of the solution to ever increasing anarchy. Iraqi Sheikhs viewed the Americans as usurpers of the tribal authority. So, the tribes, especially Sunni, fought against our intrusion. They were easily convinced by al-Qaeda that the infidel would ruin the tribal system and that the Americans needed to be expelled.
Nowhere in Iraq are the tribes more important to the survival of its members than in Al-Anbar. The rugged people of Anbar have been struggling to survive in a harsh environment since the beginning of time and they are fiercely independent. When American forces rolled in to Fallujah and Ramadi in 2003, it was evident immediately that the local inhabitants were firmly opposed to American military authority.
The war never ended in Al-Anbar province. It became a haven for die-hard Saddam Loyalists and soon became a rallying point for foreign Islamic extremists. Local unemployed men and teenagers became willing recruits and U.S. Marines suffered heavy casualties clearing the cities of enemy forces.
Finally, the Sheikhs and tribal elders came to realize that America was not in Anbar Province to change the people’s way of life. The Americans were there to bring normalcy back to the people. It took some time for the Sheikhs to realize that al-Qaeda was there to impose its radical Islamic totalitarianism. It took some time for the Sheikhs to realize who their actual enemy was.
Once they figured this out, it took even more time to loosen the grip that the terrorists had on the tribes. For more than two years, al-Qaeda ruled through fear. If anyone would help the Americans, if they would even talk to an American – they would be killed. Sheikhs, tribal and community leaders and their families were killed regularly. Anyone who questioned al-Qaeda’s authority was brutally murdered. The lucky ones were killed instantly, most were tortured. Marine Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Starling described al-Anbar Province in 2005 as a cross between the “Wild West” and “Mad Max.”
As late as last year, some politicians and media commentators were claiming that al-Anbar was a lost cause. But then, last fall, the Sheikhs of Anbar realized that al-Qaeda was the real enemy and they said, ‘enough-is-enough.’ They came together and decided that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” The Sheikhs went to the U.S. Marines and asked for their help to rid their neighborhoods of the al-Qaeda scourge. They brought forth the sons of Anbar to join the Iraqi Army and local police forces so that they could fight al-Qaeda themselves and eventually maintain their own security.
In a recent covenant celebration, two-hundred Sheiks came together in Ramadi. They all pledged to fight al-Qaeda and they pledged to support the Coalition. They pledged to rebuild their society and to do it all through the Iraqi government and the rule of law. And, the Marines pledged to provide a protective umbrella until the people are able to maintain their own security. Despite the continued threat of al-Qaeda attacks, the cities of Anbar are all now relatively safe places to live and work.
Today, Major General W. E. Gaskin and his Marines and soldiers are working closely with the tribes of Anbar to keep al-Qaeda away from the population; to clean up the rubble from four years of fighting; to restore vital services; and to rekindle commercial development. General Petraeus has said many times that the solution in Iraq is not purely military and General Gaskin’s work in Iraq’s “wild west” is proof of that.
The Marines, now with their tribal Iraqi allies, continue to chase and fight al-Qaeda. The military component of Operation Iraqi Freedom will not soon be over. But, General Gaskin has developed a close relationship, a covenant, with the Sheikhs of Anbar. He has asked each of them for a prioritized list of what each needs in his community. Using Iraqi money, he has started to work that list: by clearing rubble and restoring vital resources like drinking water, electricity, and a reliable flow of petroleum products.
Iraqis are being employed in these projects. For the first time in years, the individual Iraqi sees improvements in his daily life and has hope for the future. We have turned a corner in al-Anbar Province, but we have not finished the job. General Petraeus and General Gaskin would be the first to tell you that it is still too early to say that they have achieved their goals and that the security situation is stable. There is still much work to be done.
America used to be known throughout the world as a “can-do” nation. We had that reputation because we finish anything we set our minds to accomplish. We built the Panama Canal. We defeated NAZI Germany. We put a man on the moon. We built the World Trade Center, commercial jets, telephones and computers. The American worker is known for his ability to solve problems and his tenacity to stick to a job until it is completed.
Yet, there is an element today in this country that believes that the job at hand in Iraq is too difficult. These individuals believe that the cost is too great in wealth and lives. They believe that the Iraqi people are unworthy of our commitment. They believe that the best course of action is to quit before the job is finished. If we succumb to this desire, we will have done our nation and the world a great disservice. We will have abandoned thousands of brave Iraqis who are risking their lives to bring freedom and hope to their country. We will have abandoned 20 million innocent Iraqis to what would most likely become the largest, bloodiest, struggle for power the world has ever seen. And, we will have shown the world that America can no longer be trusted.
On the other hand, if we honor our covenants with the Iraqi people and tribal Sheikhs of al Anbar and the other provinces, we will win this war yet. Other provinces are close behind Anbar. Iraqi Army and police recruits are lining up in droves in Diyala, Baghdad and Arab Jabour. General Petraeus’ “Surge” is working. Sunni and Shia tribal leaders north of Baghdad recently pledged to work together to bring peace to their communities. The Iraqi people are beginning to see that there is hope for the future.
Richard S. Lowry is the author of "Marines in the Garden of Eden." Visit http://www.MarinesintheGardenofEden.com for more information on Richard and his writing.
Since Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp willingly outed himself yesterday, the debate predictably changed to whether or not Private Beauchamp actually existed, not whether or not his claims were accurate.
I've had some thoughts swirling around my head...concerns really, about the stringent defense of Beauchamp on many left wing blogs. I suppose that I understand their basic desire to defend The New Republic, in the same way that right wing blogs would want to defend The Weekly Standard or the National Review. But the defense goes beyond just fighting for a much-loved magazine. It's as if certain liberals want to believe Beauchamp's allegations, even in the absence of formal investigative results from 1/18th and The New Republic.
What bothers me most about this is that there has been a grand absence of serious commentary about what Beauchamp wrote from liberal bloggers. Most of it consists of sarcasm and ad hominum attacks against conservative bloggers and milbloggers for even questioning the legitimacy of the private's diary entries.
I'm not sure why Al-Qaeda gets the benefit of the doubt, where American soldiers do not. To say nothing of the fact that Yon has received bi-partisan praise for his even, professional dispatches, while Beauchamp has backed up nothing but his name and was originally published anonymously.
Further concerning is the elevation of Beauchamp as a heroic whistleblower by the same bloggers. From what I've read, Beauchamp apparently is a real American hero for exposing US soldiers for the heartless killbots that they are. I've tried to point out in more than one email that Beauchamp did not report up the proper channels so that the Army could take appropriate action, nor did he follow the traditional whistleblowing m.o. by seeking independent, outside help to bring his fellow soldiers to justice. He didn't want to do the right thing, he wanted to be published.
That makes him selfish, not a hero.
So in the same email exchanges, I've tried to explain things like this: Beauchamp either lied about his fellow soldiers, or he tolerated his fellow soldiers while they committed terrible crimes (and yes, desecrating graves and animal cruelty are crimes). That makes him unworthy of defense by anyone, left or right.
Unfortunately, it seems that once again the all-important narrative trumps facts, ethics, and common decency. Beauchamp is selling a story that certain people want to believe, and in the end, that's all that matters.
1. Scott Thomas Beauchamp's story is now in the hands of his superiors. They know him and his overall worth as a soldier and will decide his immediate future. If you are fortunate enough to be someone other than one of those superiors (or his wife) you are officially relieved of concern for this asshole and his future.
2. In the meantime, something to bear in mind as his story is bandied about: Scott Thomas Beauchamp is an asshole. He either did what he said he did to a disfigured woman in a DFAC (which makes him an asshole) or he fabricated the story for reasons unknown (which makes him an asshole). This same methodology can be applied to his other war stories, too.
3. As for anything else he might have to say regarding past, present, or future events: nobody in their right mind cares what an asshole has to say.
4. Some people might somehow consider this a political issue. They are wrong. There are assholes in the Democrat and Republican Parties in the United States. There are probably assholes living on your street. There are assholes in the Army. Those who think no soldier could be an asshole are wrong. Those who think all soldiers are assholes are wrong. While some assholes aren't exposed prior to their military service, those who think the Army transforms good people into assholes are wrong. (Beer can do that, but that's another story.)
5. I hereby add "those with an obsessive attraction to assholes" to the list in paragraph one. By all means, if you find assholes irresistible, please continue to obsess over this particular model until the next one comes along. You won't have long to wait.
My Diarist, "Shock Troops," and the two other pieces I wrote for the New Republic have stirred more controversy than I could ever have anticipated. They were written under a pseudonym, because I wanted to write honestly about my experiences, without fear of reprisal. Unfortunately, my pseudonym has caused confusion. And there seems to be one major way in which I can clarify the debate over my pieces: I'm willing to stand by the entirety of my articles for The New Republic using my real name.
I am Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp, a member of Alpha Company, 1/18 Infantry, Second Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division.
My pieces were always intended to provide my discreet view of the war; they were never intended as a reflection of the entire U.S. Military. I wanted Americans to have one soldier's view of events in Iraq.
It's been maddening, to say the least, to see the plausibility of events that I witnessed questioned by people who have never served in Iraq. I was initially reluctant to take the time out of my already insane schedule fighting an actual war in order to play some role in an ideological battle that I never wanted to join. That being said, my character, my experiences, and those of my comrades in arms have been called into question, and I believe that it is important to stand by my writing under my real name.
--Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp
Private Beauchamp has just placed himself in an unenviable 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' scenario. If his stories are true, he'll be facing the business end of the UCMJ. If false, he'll be exposed as a fraud and a liar, and will have destroyed that budding writing career that he so confidently promised.
So we know he's a soldier. I never doubted that in the first place, he spoke the lingo well enough. But, as Greyhawk noted, the inquiry has really just begun. Now we have to go about fact-checking his stories, which I suspect will turn out to have been grandly embellished.
So no doubt wheels are turning over in the 1/18's command staff right now. Wouldn't be surprised if Private Beauchamp was standing tall in front of the man at this very moment, under the scruntity of an aggressively curious CO who is demanding details down to the letter about each of his diary entries.
Expect a press release soon. The Army is going to move quick on this, now that they have a face to the name.
Either way, today is going to be a very bad day for Private Scott Thomas Beauchamp.
As a final thought, I think Uncle Jimbo deserves a fair share of credit here. In this post at Blackfive, Jimbo tore into Beauchamp with the precision of a trained pyschologist, nailing him as a primadonna who brilliance is always unappreciated by the buffons around him.
And Jimbo's statement: Every unit has a Scott Thomas, the whiny pissant whose brilliance is never recognized and who is always being abused by the chain of command for stuff that's not his fault." ...is certainly validated by this email from Michelle Malkin's blog:
I’m active Army & an Iraq vet.
I just pulled up “Scott Thomas Beauchamp” on the secure “Army Knowledge Online” website. It lists his current rank as “PV2″. (That data is kept accurate via pay records on that website.)
In his Sep 06 blog post he listed his rank as “Private First Class”. That indicates that without a doubt he was busted at least one rank as part of Article 15 proceedings under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and he likely has a strong ax to grind with his chain of command.
Here's the thing about milbloggers. We're usually right about this stuff.
Well, now here he is -- his real name is Scott Thomas Beauchamp, he's a soldier, and as best I can tell nobody has yet brought forward any serious reason to doubt his story. Needless to say, rather than spend some time reflecting on the fact-free zone the conservative press is trying to create, Jonah Goldberg is attacking Beauchamp while Mark Steyn argues that Jonah isn't attacking him viciously enough.
That's just crazy. All these people need to stop. They need to take a deep breath. They need to apologize to the people at TNR who've wasted huge amounts of time dealing with their nonsense. And they need to think a bit about the epistemic situation they're creating where information about Iraq that they don't want to hear -- even when published in a pro-war publication -- can just be immediately dismissed as fraudulent even though the misconduct it described was far, far less severe than all sorts of other well-document misconduct in Iraq.
It was never about whether or not Thomas was a soldier. Most of us were "nearly certain" he was. It was the stories that smelled, not Thomas' identity. And those stories still need to be verified. This is the same way that the AP skated on Jamil Hussein, they were able to shift the debate away from Hussein's reports and onto whether or not he was an Iraqi police officer.
In their preface to Beauchamp's statement, "the editors" state that they have thus far found nothing to disprove Beauchamp's article. They do not add, as they did earlier, that they have communicated with soldiers who have done much to corroborate the events recounted by Beauchamp. Indeed, neither Beauchamp nor "the editors" have disclosed a single fact to corroborate the article, although the disclosure of Beauchamp's identity counts for something. I trust that all will become clear in the fullness of time.
Right. It's on TNR to present the facts, not the blogosphere. Simply "finding nothing" to disprove the stories isn't good enough. They ran the story by a -then- anonymous source, a decision that places the burden of proof directly on TNR's shoulders.
Meanwhile, I received this email from a VMI Army Captain who routinely runs into IEDs on patrol:
John,
IEDs do not have a melting effect upon contact with human skin. Some are configured to expel more fire than shrapnel, but those are rare and I have never heard of one melting skin as if you were holding a lighter to the face of a GI Joe action figure.
I emailed a PAO to dig further into this story, she said she will look into it. I'll let you know what I find out.
Don't mess with the VMI network!
Our military-heavy comments section has also been calling shenanigans:
Commenter Old Tanker:
"As he marched around with the skull on his head, people dropped shovels and sandbags, folding in half with laughter. No one thought to tell him to stop. No one was disgusted. Me included.
The private wore the skull for the rest of the day and night."
Sorry, as a former NCO and combat veteran I call BS. No one told him told him to stop!! Not one NCO or officer??
There was also his story of he and his buddies picking on a female that was an IED victim and scarred. He says they were loud enough for her and several other tables to hear them. And a severe beat down didn't occur?? No NCO's or officers around to snatch them up by the short hairs????
The whole piece really smells....
Yup. And here's a more salty take from Echo Six Oscar:
This story is BULLSHIT!!! I just finished up a year+ deployment, 75% of which was spent in or around Falcon. The chow hall ain't exactly huge. A woman like that would have been noticed. Oh and excuse me, but I've seen my share of IED injuries and I've yet to come across one that "melts faces." IEDs don't do that, even the gas ones. Even if they did, soldier's don't make fun of that shit especially at Falcon where everyone has a buddy who was hit by an IED. This story wouldn't even be believable if it were a bunch of us sitting around drinking beer and shooting the shit, so why the hell would a newspaper print it?
And from commenter Mike, who -like Greyhawk- takes issue with the term "chow hall." (although Echo Six Oscar used it above? I still hear it used to refer to our base dining facility):
Story 1 - It ain’t a ’chow hall’ in the Army. It’s a D-Fac (dining facility) or for old farts like me a mess hall. Poser.
Story 2 - The word Helmet isn’t used much any more. The common term today is Kevlar. If you have worn one, you know there ain’t nothing fitting on top of your head. The Kevlar has a crown web inside to support and spread the weight of the helmet over your entire head. Anything in it, especially pointy things like teeth, would focus the entire weight onto one point of your cranium. Painful for long time wear. Poser.
Story 3 - The bad guys hide IEDs in dead animals. How, exactly, does a sleeping dog look different than a dead one? Running over one, stupid - and does not lead to a long life. I have chased coyotes in a Hummer (non-armored) and you ain’t catching one, let alone getting close enough to run one over. Heck, I chased Jackrabbits on a motorcycle and ain’t nobody running one over. Poser.
And another VMI man makes the same point about the skull-cap. From Joel:
I'd call bullshit on him wearing it under his helmet. Even with those "swedish foam" helmet pads inside the MICH helmet, it's still a damn tight fit. Ten hours on patrol in the Iraqi heat and the thing's about unbearable. Trying to fit bone under there as well? Impossible.
I think TNR owes its readers, and the military, an explanation.
Some of you may be familiar with Scott Thomas and his New Republic dispatches. Thomas, who writes under a pseudonym, claims to be an American soldier serving near FOB Falcon near Baghdad. His writing -there have been a total of three pieces- is controversial and levels some serious, Jesse MacBeth-esqe charges against his fellow soldiers. Here is a sample:
About six months into our deployment, we were assigned a new area to patrol, southwest of Baghdad. We spent a few weeks constructing a combat outpost, and, in the process, we did a lot of digging. At first, we found only household objects like silverware and cups. Then we dug deeper and found children’s clothes: sandals, sweatpants, sweaters. Like a strange archeological dig of the recent past, the deeper we went, the more personal the objects we discovered. And, eventually, we reached the bones. All children’s bones: tiny cracked tibias and shoulder blades. We found pieces of hands and fingers. We found skull fragments. No one cared to speculate what, exactly, had happened here, but it was clearly a Saddam-era dumping ground of some sort.
One private, infamous as a joker and troublemaker, found the top part of a human skull, which was almost perfectly preserved. It even had chunks of hair, which were stiff and matted down with dirt. He squealed as he placed it on his head like a crown. It was a perfect fit. As he marched around with the skull on his head, people dropped shovels and sandbags, folding in half with laughter. No one thought to tell him to stop. No one was disgusted. Me included.
The private wore the skull for the rest of the day and night. Even on a mission, he put his helmet over the skull. He observed that he was grateful his hair had just been cut—since it would make it easier to pick out the pieces of rotting flesh that were digging into his head.
If the bit sounded a little fishy to you, you're not alone. Michael Goldfarb at the Worldwide Standard (and a great friend of the milblogging community) is taking the New Republic to task over this dubious whistleblower, see link here. Mike writes:
...we believe that the best chance for getting at the truth is likely to come from the combined efforts of the blogosphere, which has, in the past, proven adept at determining the reliability of such claims. To that end we'd encourage the milblogging community to do some digging of their own, and individual soldiers and veterans to come forward with relevant information--either about the specific events or their plausibility in general.
Mike lists a few other examples of Scott Thomas' dispatches, all equally suspicious. The skull-hat tale raised some mental red flags on my end, simply because of the Thomas' timeline. The thought of a soldier (a) so grossly and openly violating the UCMJ and (b) wearing human remains for the better part of the day without an NCO or an officer spotting him is absolutely unbelievable.
But that's on the micro level. On the macro, my suspicions rest on a trinity of facts:
Anyway, if you have served in Iraq and can offer some additional insight, even validation, of Scott Thomas' claims, please send them along to the Worldwide Standard. Fact or fiction, you'd be doing the Armed Forces an enormous favor.
If fiction, because it would (once again) clear our name. If fact, because it would enable the Army to launch the appropriate investigation and address these accusations through proper channels.
This morning I received a press release from the Multi-National Division - Baghdad. It was an update to a story that started last May. Last month we heard that Coalition forces were erecting barriers around markets in Baghdad to protect them against vehicle-borne explosive devices, VBIEDs or simply - truck bombs. Within days of the initial report, our MSM reported that the Iraqi people were protesting the construction of the walls and that the Iraqi government had demanded that the construction be stopped. Some radical websites and third-world "journalists" even claimed that the Americans were trying to surround radical Baghdad neighborhoods with walls to virtually jail the citizens of violent sections of the city.
Nothing has been reported on the barrier system in over a month. I suspected that the uproar forced the suspension if the project. I was wrong. Instead of rambling again, I will just post the Army's press release. It provides another look at Baghdad you will not see in our beloved MSM.
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20070624-08
June 24, 2007
Barriers emplaced, troops strengthen Palestine Market
By Staff Sgt. W. Wayne Marlow
2nd IBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. Public Affairs
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
BAGHDAD — Merchants and shoppers at the Palestine Market can now go about their business in a more secure setting. Soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Division’s 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team’s 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment are almost complete with barrier emplacement in the market, located in the Rusafa District of eastern Baghdad. Work began May 1 and according to Maj. Bruce Vitor, squadron executive officer, was 95 percent complete as of June 19. Squadron leaders accompanied Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr., Multi-National Division – Baghdad and 1st Cavalry Division commander, on a tour of the market.
Over 1,800 concrete sections have been emplaced, but those won’t be the
only barriers involved in the project. “We talked with local nationals to convince them it was in their best interest to have the barriers emplaced,” said Lt. Col. James Phillips, squadron commander.
While merchants understood the need for security, they had concerns about the barriers. For instance, pastry and fruit vendors often rely on impulse purchases, so they were worried about their products not being seen from street. Others needed room to get push carts or scooters through, and others worried about access to driveways and delivery trucks.
“It’s a very dispersed market,” Phillips said. “We had to accommodate each block differently. We went business by business, block by block, and that really helped.”
Vitor said 3-61 Soldiers maintained regular contact with the merchants. “We talked with the store owners before, during, and after the emplacement. Each one had different concerns and we tried to accommodate them,” he said.
The barrier emplacement seems to be paying dividends, though Phillips cautions it is too early to declare it a success.
“Some of the merchants have said shopping has increased and that the shoppers seem more relaxed,” Phillips said “It’s as crowded as I’ve ever seen it.”
Also, some merchants are putting advertisements or paintings on the barriers. There were several obstacles along the way, such as destroyed bridges and intimidated contractors. But the barriers are up and benefits are being seen.
“Everybody understands the purpose and everybody would like more protection,” Vitor said.
He added the barriers are only one part of the security plan, which also includes checkpoints and patrols.
I just got a telephone call from a reporter at a local talk radio station. He asked me if I wanted to comment on the AP story that there has been a dramatic increase in American casualties in the last few days in Iraq. I said that maybe it had something to do with the fact that General Petraeus had recently launched the largest military operation since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. His response was that he knew that there were some ‘raids’ in progress. I corrected him immediately. Then I went into a twenty-minute dissertation about all the good news that the MSM is ignoring.
The final surge Brigade was in place on June 15th and General Petraeus launched Operation Phantom Thunder with an F-16 airstrike on buildings filled with insurgents on the next day, June 16th. Phantom Thunder is comprised of several Brigade-sized operations. Operation Marne Torch kicked off on the 16th in the belts southeast of Baghdad, extending as far south as Salman Pak.
Operation Arrowhead Ripper is aimed at eliminating terrorists operating in, and around Baquoba in Diyala Province. The city has been surrounded with orders to the encircling force – nobody in, nobody out. A Stryker Brigade Combat Team is attacking house to house within the city. I was told last Monday by a senior Public Affairs Officer in Baghdad that the goal was not to clear Al-Qaeda from the city, but to kill them. There will be no running away to fight another day.
On Tuesday, seven al-Qaeda cowards attempted to flee the onslaught in an ambulance but alert Soldiers from 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Washington, stopped it. The Soldiers checked the ambulance and found a driver and six men, who appeared to be in their 20s and 30s. Yesterday, an Apache helicopter caught more than a dozen enemy trying to flee the area. They were quickly dispatched from above.
All the while the 3rd ID is on the offensive in the southeast in Operation Marne Torch. They are interdicting river borne smugglers on the Tigris River. Seventeen barges have been sunk. Insurgents have been captured and killed and weapons and explosives have been confiscated or destroyed. Just the other day, Operation Commando Eagle kicked off on the west side of the Tigris, south of Baghdad. This Brigade-sized operation is focusing on the countryside where the two missing soldiers were last seen.
That’s not all folks. Iraqi Army units fought rogue elements of the Mahdi Army in Nasiriyah early this week. There are other operations in the north, around Mosul and the Iraqi Army has taken up blocking positions on the west bank of the Tigris River, north of Baghdad, to insure that the insurgents in Diyala don’t spill over into Salhadin Province. The Marines are on the offence too. They are sweeping through the territory north of Fallujah in an unnamed operation.
All the while, Operation Fardh-al-Qanoon is alive and well in Baghdad. The Multi-National Force is holding more than 70% of the city with a “cop on every corner” 24-7. Several Special Ops have been conducted in Sadr City to round up more of Muqtada al-Sadr’s thugs.
This is a nationwide campaign that has been in the works for many months. This campaign is meant to seriously restrict al-Qaeda’s ability to bring their violence into Baghdad. It is also a major attempt to bring stability to the outlying areas and to push the enemy out of areas that have been uncontested for years. Also, while dealing a crushing blow to AQI, Coalition forces are sending a potent message to Muqtada al-Sadr, the Iranians, and any other insurgent organization, that MNF-I has enough manpower and resources to go after the enemy AND maintain security in Baghdad. Rear Admiral Greg Smith told me, “They know we are coming, they just don’t know when we are getting to their neighborhood.”
Now, the world should know why David Petraeus asked for five more infantry brigades and an additional Combat Aviation Brigade, it wasn’t just to play cop in the streets of Baghdad. He told me last night, “We're endeavoring to take it to them.”
Richard S. Lowry is the award winning author of the best selling book, “Marines in the Garden of Eden,” Berkley, New York, 2006. He is an internationally recognized military historian and author. Richard served in the U.S. Navy Submarine Service from 1967-1975 and spent the time from 1975 to 2002 designing sophisticated integrated circuits for everything from aircraft avionics to home computers. Richard turned to serious writing after 9/11 and published “The Gulf War Chronicles,” iUniverse, New York, in 2002. He is currently working on his next book project. “The Surge” will tell of General Petraeus’ attempt to win the peace in Iraq. For more information on Richard and his work, visit http://www.marinesinthegardenofeden.com