News and Personal dispatches from the front lines.
In their own words:
Kaboom: A Soldier's War Journal: To the Principles! Office - There are moments in this war – albeit more sporadic than the movies of the future will show and almost always spontaneous – when we’re conducting the combat operations I envisioned us executing prior to our arrival to Iraq. Running through side streets in the midnight black to storm known insurgent safe-houses. Digging up caches of homemade RPG launchers and warheads while the local leaders stammer that they have no idea how those things got in the ground in the first place. Penetrating deep into the unknown through a hail of flying bullets, effectively ending a firefight simply because we’re the biggest dog on the block - if said big dog had a long-barreled 50-caliber machine gun mounted on top of it. (READ MORE)
Yellowhammering Afghanistan: Measured in Mountain Dew - For security reasons, I'm not allowed to say when I will be leaving Ghazni on my way home. Anything concerning troop movements has to remain under wraps for everyone's protection. But what I can tell you is I have rationed my remaining Diet Mountain Dews provided by my Sunday school class at Loveless Park Baptist Church in McCalla, Ala. I've allowed myself two drinks per day with an optional third on days when I need an added boost. I am nearly into my last 12 pack. You won't hear me complaining when I drink my last one. (READ MORE)
LT Nixon: Iraq News (25 April) - The Good: More excellent embedded reporting from Michael R. Gordon of the NY Times. This one's about our military providing medical aid to residents of the southern portion of Sadr City. On the political front, the Iraqi Accordance Front (Sunni bloc) will return their ministers to the government, since they see the Prime Minister being tough on Shia militias and not just out to marginalize Sunnis. The reconstruction of the Al-Askari mosque in Samarra is helping with reconciliation. This was the mosque bombed by terrorists in February 2006 that caused a disastrous increase in ethnic reprisal killings throughout Iraq. Oh yeah, for our Aussie allies and drinking buddies, it's Anzac Day. (READ MORE)
Badger 6: Time is Shorter than You Think - In March 2006 our Operations officer (S3) and I were sitting around the office having a conversation. Both of us were already on active duty orders, preparing to take the 321st Engineers to war. We had a daunting schedule ahead of us; an NTC rotation at Fort Irwin, work in Boise, two to three months mobilizing at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, Kuwait, and then Ramadi, Iraq. After reviewing all that though he said, "Eric, time is shorter than you think." That was two years ago. My time here now is very short. I have handed off most of my duties back to my boss as the unit is allowing me to leave a little early to pursue other Army opportunities. (READ MORE)
Bill Roggio: Sadr calls for freeze in fighting; US, Iraqi forces kill 14 Mahdi fighters in Baghdad - Less than one week after threatening to conduct an uprising against the Iraqi government and US forces, Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Mahdi Army, has called for his fighters to maintain the self-imposed cease-fire. The US and Iraqi military continue to strike at Sadr’s Mahdi Army in Baghdad. Ten “criminals” were killed in strikes in Sadr City, making 82 Mahdi fighters killed in the six days since Sadr threatened renewed violence. In a statement read during the Friday prayers at the Al Hikma mosque in Sadr City, Sadr called for his militia to halt the fighting. “You have been patiently committed to the freeze decision and magnificently obeyed your leader,” Sadr statement read, according to Voices of Iraq. “I hope you retain your patience and faith.” (READ MORE)
Back Stateside but still writing:
The Angry American: Chillin - Well I've been home for a week and some change now. Nothing really going on to much, just getting rid of the jet lag and spending time with my family. Coming home this time was different than the first time, I'm not checking the sides of the roads for IED's or anything. I catch myself more just taking in the scenery (my wife hates when I drive). Kansas has some nice scenery to take in thats for sure. I haven't ate out as much as I thought though you know I had to hit up the Flame Broiled Mecca for a beastly steak burger. I can definitely understand why the dude in the commercial powered his way to the window. Our week has just been filled with in processing stuff or reverse SRP if you will. Making sure that our admin stuff is squared away and doing some medical check ups, a lot of briefs about reintegrating into real life. (READ MORE)
Acute Politics: Musings and Memories - Who's up for some war stories? Ok, maybe not *exactly* war stories, but I've been mumbling through old memories of Iraq recently. This post will be pretty much stream-of-consciousness, so continue reading only if you want a look inside. Trash. Iraq is covered in it. Some areas are getting cleaned up now, but canals and roadsides are still the skunky lairs of plastic refuse and decaying filth. I never understood the guys who complained about the mess, saying that "no one here cares enough to pick up the trash" (I would have a hard time caring, too, if the trash in my neighborhood covered IEDs), and then use the trash as an excuse to toss old water bottles-turned bathroom breaks out of the trucks. (READ MORE)
Thoughts from Home:
Christine Steward: Precious Words to a Warrior’s Mother - Today as I sit here in my empty home the silence is deafening. The other boys left for school earlier and this is the time of day when I sit down and type away in my journal and for our blog. It is also the time of day when my oldest and I would touch base and chat. Today like everyday since January 3, there is no one here to chat with. No one to tell me about the grand plans for his life or to crack a joke that brings me to my knees with laughter and no one to tease me about my attire. No one to ask me for a favor or complain about the dinner selection, but most of all there is no one to tell me “I love you Big Mama” as he walks out the door. Unless you have ever placed your baby in harm’s way, you can never begin to understand the pain that surrounds a mother’s heart when you send your baby off to war. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
Baby abandoned at base gets a home - U.S. forces living on the bases scattered across Baghdad's neighborhoods have grown accustomed to visits from locals looking for help, work or just offering tips on criminal or insurgent activities. But the local who paid a visit earlier this month to troops at a base called Callahan, in northeastern Baghdad, came bearing something nobody had expected: a newborn baby boy. The unexpected arrival occurred in the midst of recent fighting involving U.S. and Iraqi forces and Shiite militiamen. Many of the troops engaged in the battles live at Callahan, a former shopping mall in a neighborhood near the militia stronghold of Sadr City. (READ MORE)
Alleged bombing cell leader, 12 other suspects detained - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces detained more than a dozen suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq Friday, including four wanted individuals. Coalition forces captured two wanted men, one of whom is allegedly the leader of a large bombing cell, during a raid south of Bayji targeting a network that spans Salah ad Din province. The other wanted man is believed to be a key distributor of explosives used against Sons of Iraq groups, Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
Three terrorists killed, eight al-Qaeda suspects detained - BAGHDAD – Coalition forces killed three terrorists and detained eight suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda networks in Samarra and Mosul on Thursday. Coalition forces targeted a suspected terrorist in a vehicle east of Samarra and attempted to stop the vehicle, first by verbal command, then by firing warning shots. When the driver refused to stop, Coalition forces fired on the vehicle, setting it on fire and killing one terrorist. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers kill 10 criminals in separate operations - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers killed 10 criminals in separate operations in Baghdad April 24-25. Soldiers from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, and Iraqi Army soldiers from 44th Brigade, 11th Iraqi Army Division, were attacked by six mortars at approximately 6 p.m. April 24 at their joint security station in northeastern Baghdad. Soldiers located a three-man mortar team and engaged the criminals, killing all three. No Soldiers were injured. (READ MORE)
NPs search for cache in psychiatric hospital in New Baghdad - FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Acting on intelligence reports, Iraqi Security and Coalition forces initiated a combined operation to search for weapons caches at a psychiatric hospital in eastern Baghdad April 24. Officials from 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division, took the lead as Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, set an outer cordon for the operation at a psychiatric hospital in the Ubaydi neighborhood of the New Baghdad district. (READ MORE)
MND-B Soldiers seize munitions in Rashid district - BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers seized munitions while patrolling their sector in the Rashid district in southern Baghdad April 22. Soldiers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, discovered four Iranian-made 107 mm rockets during the effort to provide a safe and secure environment to the 1.2 million Iraqi citizens who reside in the district. (READ MORE)
Coalition forces target al-Qaeda in Iraq: three terrorists killed, 14 suspects detained (Mosul) - BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed three al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists and detained 14 suspects during operations targeting terrorist networks in the central and northern parts of the country Wednesday. West of Bi’aj, Coalition forces captured an alleged foreign terrorist facilitator and three additional suspects. While rounding up the detainees, one terrorist attempted to escape. After the terrorist refused commands to halt, Coalition forces engaged, killing him. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Police Takes the Lead for Security of Kirkuk - KIRKUK — Kirkuk reached a significant milestone as it transitioned the last of its traffic control points from Iraqi army control to the Iraqi police last week, at a check point just north of the city. Governor Abdul Rahman Mustafa, the provincial governor, Maj. Gen. Jamal Thaker Bakr, the provincial director of police, Brig. Gen. Omar Aref Waly Khatab, the emergency services unit commander, and Lt. Col. Kevin Brown, deputy commander, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, toured the TCP with the Iraqi police to greet residents as they entered the first city in Iraq to be under the full operational control of the Iraqi police. (READ MORE)
Coaltion Forces Aim to Boost Fish-farming Industry in Mahmudiyah - CAMP STRIKER — A Task Force Marne initiative to revitalize Iraq’s fish farms is in full swing in the Rakkasans’ area of operations. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) began a comprehensive assessment in February of hundreds of fish farms throughout the Mahmudiyah Qada. “Fish farming was one of the top three agricultural businesses in Iraq,” said Maj. Robert Bertrand, 3rd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT), civil military operations officer. “Right now the farming has diminished significantly due to the war, but as capacity building is increasing, fish farming is becoming more and more important.” (READ MORE)
Cougar Squadron Kicks Off Raider Typhoon - FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON — Knocking on doors; greeting the family; talking about politics, the neighbors or just the weather over a hot cup of overly sweet chai – a pleasant side of operations for Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers who have operated in the southeastern Rashid District for the past eight months. For Soldiers of “Fox,” Company F, 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, MND-B, interpersonal relations, consensus information and the pictures they create are the biggest contributors to the safety and security of the citizens living in the Saha and Abu T’shir communities of southern Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Local tip leads to 12 rocket launchers - Coalition forces found 12 rocket launchers south of Baghdad, following a tip from a local resident, April 23. The rocket launchers, designed for 107 mm Iranian rockets, were hidden near a reported launch site used for attacks against Forward Operating Base Falcon. Initiation wire attached to the launchers was marked “Made in Iran,” and is the same type of wire found at previous launch sites. (READ MORE)
Soldiers hand out clothes, shoes to Iraqi children - Coalition forces handed out clothing and shoes to approximately 100 local Iraqi children in the small village of Tamin in Hor Hussein April 18. Soldiers from Company C, 3rd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, teamed up with the Civil Affairs Detachment on FOB Iskan to coordinate the humanitarian aid mission. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan:
Taliban IED operations disrupted in Khowst province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – A suspected Taliban militant was detained April 22 during an Afghan National Security and Coalition forces’ joint operation to disrupt militant IED activities in the Jaberi District, Khowst province. ANS and Coalition forces conducted a search of several compounds in Jaberi District targeting a Taliban militant known to have facilitated IED attacks against Afghan government and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
Afghan, Coalition forces provide medical care in Kandahar - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition medical personnel provided free medical care to local citizens in Kandahar Province, 21 Apr. A joint Afghan and Coalition medical team conducted medical screenings and provided routine treatment to more than 490 local citizens, including 230 children. (READ MORE)
Taliban operations disrupted in Paktya province - BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – Five suspected Taliban militants were detained, April 24, during an Afghan National Security and Coalition forces joint operation to disrupt Haqqani Network financing activities in Zadran District, Paktia province. ANS and Coalition forces conducted a search of several compounds in Zadran District targeting a Taliban militant, suspected of both financing and facilitating attacks on Afghan government and Coalition forces. (READ MORE)
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A little lift of language in a very serious piece from Pros and Cons
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