Neighborhood Watch Leads Coalition Forces to Cache

Iraqi residents are informing Coalition Forces more and more of the actions and hiding places of terrorists operating in their neighborhoods leading us to believe that the Iraqi's have finally discovered that to align with the insurgents does them no good. Neighborhood watches are springing up around the al in an effort to keep the terrorists out of their neighborhoods and villages:

CAMP TAJI, Iraq — For a second time this week, a large cache consisting of improvised explosive device-making material and mortar rounds was turned over to Coalition Forces by the “Neighborhood Watch” in Taji, Iraq.

The Taji neighborhood watch contacted Coalition Forces June 25, after the driver of a truck fled the scene when the volunteers stopped a suspicious vehicle moving through the rural village of Abd Allah al Jasim. The vehicle contained 24 mortar rounds, two rockets, spare machine gun barrels, small arms ammunition and other IED-making material.

“This grassroots movement of reconciliation by the volunteers is taking off all around us. The tribes that had once actively or passively supported al-Qaeda in Iraq now want them out,” said Lt. Col. Peter Andrysiak, the deputy commander of the 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division.

The neighborhood watch is made up of a group of 500 volunteers, from a number of tribes in the area, who want reconciliation with the Coalition Forces and the Iraqi government. The volunteers are currently being vetted for possible future selection for training as Iraqi Police or some other organization within the Iraqi Security Forces.

I suppose this is the "stepping up" that so many on the left are saying that the Iraqi's aren't willing to do. If only the neighborhood watches here in the States were as effective.

Linked with:
What an incredible load of horse-puckey loaded down with steaming helpings of chutzpah - UPDATED, Tw from Pros and Cons