News From the Home Front
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to the Home Front.]
U.S. trying to protect Afghan informants after leaks - The top U.S. military officer says the Pentagon is trying to protect Afghans who may be at risk from Taliban retaliation following the publication of tens of thousands of secret war documents. (READ MORE)
Mass. Guardsmen preparing for deployment, Afghan mission - National Guard Sergeant Major Jeffrey Baillargeon got his first taste of combat more than two decades ago when he parachuted into Panama to help overthrow a military dictator. Previously, he had only seen portrayals of war and death in movies. (READ MORE)
Thousands send off 181st Infantry to Afghanistan - Thousands of family members and friends have given a send-off to more than 650 soldiers headed for Afghanistan where they will provide security and help build public works projects. (READ MORE)
U.S. Defense Secretary: Taliban don't have stinger missiles - US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Sunday dismissed reports that Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan use anti-aircraft stinger missiles similar to those directed against Soviet forces in the 1980s. (READ MORE)
Gates, Mullen Reaffirm Commitment to Afghanistan, Pakistan - Conditions on the ground in Afghanistan will determine when, and to what degree, U.S. forces in that country will draw down, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said today. (READ MORE)
Showing posts with label GWOT. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GWOT. Show all posts
August 2, 2010
News From the Front: 08/02/2010 - Iraq
News From the Front
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to Iraq.]
Electricity: Iraq’s Other Power Vacuum - It was April 2003, and American battle tanks had just punched through into central Baghdad. A safe distance behind came the first post-invasion American bureaucracy, the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA). (READ MORE)
US, Iraqi Security Forces Open Refurbished School - Nearly three years ago, one of the largest operations of “The Surge” in Iraq took place as coalition forces launched Operation Phantom Thunder against insurgents operating throughout the country. (READ MORE)
Hawaii Unit Arrives to Iraq to Advise, Assist - The flag hung in all its glory, decorated with countless streamers for battles fought and unit citations. As the flag was lowered, two sets of hands reached for it, rolled it up, and secured the streamers tightly against the flagpole. (READ MORE)
Only You Can Prevent Desert Fires - A recent fire at Camp Liberty resulted in approximately $650,000 in damage, according to the latest estimate by Task Force Safe, an organization specializing in prevention, inspection and investigation of fires. (READ MORE)
Iraq's July Death Toll Highest In 2 Years - Iraqi officials say July was the deadliest month in Iraq in more than two years. (READ MORE)
Deadly assault exposes Iraq's delicate state of security - Insurgents briefly raised the black flag of Al Qaeda in Iraq over a mostly Sunni neighborhood of Baghdad on Thursday during a brazen assault that killed 16 people and laid bare Iraq's fragility as the withdrawal of U.S. troops accelerates and the country's political crisis deepens. (READ MORE)
Iraqis don't expect political impasse to be resolved by fall - Nearly five months after disputed parliamentary elections, leading Iraqi politicians say they have all but abandoned hope of resolving an impasse over forming a new government before fall. (READ MORE)
In Iraq, an impasse as U.S. troops draw down - With less than a month to go before the U.S. military completes its drawdown to 50,000 troops and political negotiations still deadlocked, it now seems all but certain that the American combat mission here will end without an elected Iraqi government in place. (READ MORE)
Shiite bloc suspends talks, undermining Maliki's chances to remain Iraq's leader - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's chances of keeping his job suffered a setback Sunday when a coalition of Shiite parties that appeared to represent his best hope of staying in office broke off talks with his slate. (READ MORE)
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to Iraq.]
Electricity: Iraq’s Other Power Vacuum - It was April 2003, and American battle tanks had just punched through into central Baghdad. A safe distance behind came the first post-invasion American bureaucracy, the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA). (READ MORE)
US, Iraqi Security Forces Open Refurbished School - Nearly three years ago, one of the largest operations of “The Surge” in Iraq took place as coalition forces launched Operation Phantom Thunder against insurgents operating throughout the country. (READ MORE)
Hawaii Unit Arrives to Iraq to Advise, Assist - The flag hung in all its glory, decorated with countless streamers for battles fought and unit citations. As the flag was lowered, two sets of hands reached for it, rolled it up, and secured the streamers tightly against the flagpole. (READ MORE)
Only You Can Prevent Desert Fires - A recent fire at Camp Liberty resulted in approximately $650,000 in damage, according to the latest estimate by Task Force Safe, an organization specializing in prevention, inspection and investigation of fires. (READ MORE)
Iraq's July Death Toll Highest In 2 Years - Iraqi officials say July was the deadliest month in Iraq in more than two years. (READ MORE)
Deadly assault exposes Iraq's delicate state of security - Insurgents briefly raised the black flag of Al Qaeda in Iraq over a mostly Sunni neighborhood of Baghdad on Thursday during a brazen assault that killed 16 people and laid bare Iraq's fragility as the withdrawal of U.S. troops accelerates and the country's political crisis deepens. (READ MORE)
Iraqis don't expect political impasse to be resolved by fall - Nearly five months after disputed parliamentary elections, leading Iraqi politicians say they have all but abandoned hope of resolving an impasse over forming a new government before fall. (READ MORE)
In Iraq, an impasse as U.S. troops draw down - With less than a month to go before the U.S. military completes its drawdown to 50,000 troops and political negotiations still deadlocked, it now seems all but certain that the American combat mission here will end without an elected Iraqi government in place. (READ MORE)
Shiite bloc suspends talks, undermining Maliki's chances to remain Iraq's leader - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's chances of keeping his job suffered a setback Sunday when a coalition of Shiite parties that appeared to represent his best hope of staying in office broke off talks with his slate. (READ MORE)
News From the Front: 08/02/2010 - Afghanistan
News From the Front
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to Afghanistan.]
Petraeus Resets Afghan Airstrike Rules - U.S. commanders in Afghanistan have eased a rule covering the use of force that has been a source of discontent among American troops, according to military officials. (READ MORE)
Dutch become first NATO member to quit Afghanistan - The Netherlands became the first NATO country to end its combat mission in Afghanistan, drawing the curtain Sunday on a four-year operation that was deeply unpopular at home and even brought down a Dutch government. (READ MORE)
Planned Afghanistan drawdown a sensitive issue - Less than a year from the scheduled start of withdrawing some troops from Afghanistan, opinions remain varied about exactly what will happen when the transition begins at the end of June 2011. (READ MORE)
Roadside bomb kills six civilians in Afghanistan - Six civilians were killed on Sunday by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, an official said, as civilian casualties continued to mount amid an increase in violence by insurgents. (READ MORE)
U.S. Cleared in Afghan Crash That Led to Rioting - The Kabul police have cleared a United States Embassy vehicle of fault for a deadly collision on Friday that set off anti-American rioting near the embassy, a senior police official said Sunday. (READ MORE)
US officials say war goals modest in Afghanistan - As the war in Afghanistan faces a loss of public and congressional support and U.S. casualties rise sharply, the Obama administration is painting its goals for the war as humble and achievable while warning there is no quick fix. (READ MORE)
Petraeus issues Afghan guidelines - General David Petraeus, the newly-installed commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, has issued a set of guidelines for how the war there should be run. (READ MORE)
Latest Civilian Casualties In Afghanistan Mark Difficult Road Ahead - Abdul Ghaffar is a living portrait of the misery that has befallen a people caught in the crossfire of war. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan minibus bombing kills 6 - A minibus full of civilians struck a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan early Sunday, and Afghan officials said six people on board were killed. (READ MORE)
UK troops find 'bomb factory' in Afghan operation - The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that the British troops targeting a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan have found a cache of bomb-making equipment. (READ MORE)
'Flash floods kill at least 65 in Afghanistan' - Flash floods in Afghanistan have killed at least 65 people and affected more than 1,000 families, the national disaster authority chief told AFP Saturday. (READ MORE)
British troops continue Afghanistan push - Soldiers faced more gunfire from militants as they moved into a walled compound around a mile from the town in the Nad-I-Ali district of Helmand. (READ MORE)
Haqqani Commander Captured, Several Insurgents Killed in Paktiya Yesterday - An Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents and captured a Haqqani Network commander in Paktiya yesterday. (READ MORE)
Kandahar Hospital Fills Blood Supplies Before Ramadan - Lying on plywood tables serving as makeshift hospital beds, 62 Afghan National Police recruits from Training Support Site Costell rolled up their sleeves to help Afghans injured during the upcoming month. (READ MORE)
Taliban Use Mosque to Hide Weapons Cache - Afghan National Army soldiers, partnered with U.S. Special Operations Forces, uncovered multiple weapons caches in eastern Zabul province Saturday. (READ MORE)
Brits And Afghans Fight To Clear Rebel Base - A new offensive involving hundreds of British and Afghan troops is taking place in southern Afghanistan to try to clear a Taliban stronghold. (READ MORE)
Afghan Children Killed by Insurgent IED - Five Afghan children were killed and one Afghan National Police member was injured when a suicide bomber using a vehicle borne improvised explosive device attempted to attack the governor of the Dand district in Kandahar province. (READ MORE)
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to Afghanistan.]
Petraeus Resets Afghan Airstrike Rules - U.S. commanders in Afghanistan have eased a rule covering the use of force that has been a source of discontent among American troops, according to military officials. (READ MORE)
Dutch become first NATO member to quit Afghanistan - The Netherlands became the first NATO country to end its combat mission in Afghanistan, drawing the curtain Sunday on a four-year operation that was deeply unpopular at home and even brought down a Dutch government. (READ MORE)
Planned Afghanistan drawdown a sensitive issue - Less than a year from the scheduled start of withdrawing some troops from Afghanistan, opinions remain varied about exactly what will happen when the transition begins at the end of June 2011. (READ MORE)
Roadside bomb kills six civilians in Afghanistan - Six civilians were killed on Sunday by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, an official said, as civilian casualties continued to mount amid an increase in violence by insurgents. (READ MORE)
U.S. Cleared in Afghan Crash That Led to Rioting - The Kabul police have cleared a United States Embassy vehicle of fault for a deadly collision on Friday that set off anti-American rioting near the embassy, a senior police official said Sunday. (READ MORE)
US officials say war goals modest in Afghanistan - As the war in Afghanistan faces a loss of public and congressional support and U.S. casualties rise sharply, the Obama administration is painting its goals for the war as humble and achievable while warning there is no quick fix. (READ MORE)
Petraeus issues Afghan guidelines - General David Petraeus, the newly-installed commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, has issued a set of guidelines for how the war there should be run. (READ MORE)
Latest Civilian Casualties In Afghanistan Mark Difficult Road Ahead - Abdul Ghaffar is a living portrait of the misery that has befallen a people caught in the crossfire of war. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan minibus bombing kills 6 - A minibus full of civilians struck a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan early Sunday, and Afghan officials said six people on board were killed. (READ MORE)
UK troops find 'bomb factory' in Afghan operation - The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that the British troops targeting a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan have found a cache of bomb-making equipment. (READ MORE)
'Flash floods kill at least 65 in Afghanistan' - Flash floods in Afghanistan have killed at least 65 people and affected more than 1,000 families, the national disaster authority chief told AFP Saturday. (READ MORE)
British troops continue Afghanistan push - Soldiers faced more gunfire from militants as they moved into a walled compound around a mile from the town in the Nad-I-Ali district of Helmand. (READ MORE)
Haqqani Commander Captured, Several Insurgents Killed in Paktiya Yesterday - An Afghan and coalition security force killed several insurgents and captured a Haqqani Network commander in Paktiya yesterday. (READ MORE)
Kandahar Hospital Fills Blood Supplies Before Ramadan - Lying on plywood tables serving as makeshift hospital beds, 62 Afghan National Police recruits from Training Support Site Costell rolled up their sleeves to help Afghans injured during the upcoming month. (READ MORE)
Taliban Use Mosque to Hide Weapons Cache - Afghan National Army soldiers, partnered with U.S. Special Operations Forces, uncovered multiple weapons caches in eastern Zabul province Saturday. (READ MORE)
Brits And Afghans Fight To Clear Rebel Base - A new offensive involving hundreds of British and Afghan troops is taking place in southern Afghanistan to try to clear a Taliban stronghold. (READ MORE)
Afghan Children Killed by Insurgent IED - Five Afghan children were killed and one Afghan National Police member was injured when a suicide bomber using a vehicle borne improvised explosive device attempted to attack the governor of the Dand district in Kandahar province. (READ MORE)
News from the Front: 08/02/2010 - Pakistan
News from the Front
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to Pakistan.]
Pak Army kills 15 Taliban militants in Orakzai Agency - At least 15 militants were killed and several others wounded during the Pakistan security forces' offensive in the Orakzai Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). (READ MORE)
Pakistan flood death toll 'passes 1,100' - The number of people known to have been killed by floods in north-west Pakistan has passed 1,100, officials say. (READ MORE)
Pakistan flood toll tops 1,100 as cholera emerges - The death toll from Pakistan's worst floods in living memory stood at over 1,100 on Monday, with water-borne disease emerging as a threat to survivors. (READ MORE)
Pakistani government ramps up relief efforts in flooded northwest region - The Pakistani government stepped up relief efforts Friday for the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the worst flooding in decades to hit the country's northwest, an area already racked by extremist violence. (READ MORE)
Pakistan rescuers struggle in flood aftermath - Rescuers in Pakistan are struggling to reach 27,000 people still stranded by the worst floods in 80 years. (READ MORE)
Pakistan Challenged in Flood Rescue - The military and other emergency workers struggled against time and nature on Sunday to reach at least 10,000 people trapped by collapsed bridges and flooded roads and threatened by rising water brought by the worst monsoon rains in Pakistan’s history. (READ MORE)
Official: Spy chief visit to U.K. canceled over PM's remarks - Pakistan's spy chief's planned visit to the United Kingdom has been canceled over tough remarks by the British prime minister about the country, a Pakistani military official confirmed Saturday. (READ MORE)
Imran Khan says David Cameron is making Pakistan a scapegoat for Afghanistan failures - During a trip to India, the Prime Minister accused the country of promoting the "export of terror" in Afghanistan and around the world. (READ MORE)
Zardari to visit UK as anger at Cameron boils over in Pakistan - Pakistan's president, Asif Zardari, arrives for an official visit to the UK on Tuesday with a continuing storm back home over David Cameron's comments about Pakistani attitudes to terrorism. (READ MORE)
Pakistan summons UK envoy over PM Cameron's remarks - Pakistan's government has summoned Britain's envoy in Islamabad following recent critical remarks by UK Prime Minister David Cameron. (READ MORE)
[Ed Note: I'm doing something a little different this month, as each section of the standard From the Front post will be it's own post. This is the news post where you can find news articles related to Pakistan.]
Pak Army kills 15 Taliban militants in Orakzai Agency - At least 15 militants were killed and several others wounded during the Pakistan security forces' offensive in the Orakzai Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). (READ MORE)
Pakistan flood death toll 'passes 1,100' - The number of people known to have been killed by floods in north-west Pakistan has passed 1,100, officials say. (READ MORE)
Pakistan flood toll tops 1,100 as cholera emerges - The death toll from Pakistan's worst floods in living memory stood at over 1,100 on Monday, with water-borne disease emerging as a threat to survivors. (READ MORE)
Pakistani government ramps up relief efforts in flooded northwest region - The Pakistani government stepped up relief efforts Friday for the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the worst flooding in decades to hit the country's northwest, an area already racked by extremist violence. (READ MORE)
Pakistan rescuers struggle in flood aftermath - Rescuers in Pakistan are struggling to reach 27,000 people still stranded by the worst floods in 80 years. (READ MORE)
Pakistan Challenged in Flood Rescue - The military and other emergency workers struggled against time and nature on Sunday to reach at least 10,000 people trapped by collapsed bridges and flooded roads and threatened by rising water brought by the worst monsoon rains in Pakistan’s history. (READ MORE)
Official: Spy chief visit to U.K. canceled over PM's remarks - Pakistan's spy chief's planned visit to the United Kingdom has been canceled over tough remarks by the British prime minister about the country, a Pakistani military official confirmed Saturday. (READ MORE)
Imran Khan says David Cameron is making Pakistan a scapegoat for Afghanistan failures - During a trip to India, the Prime Minister accused the country of promoting the "export of terror" in Afghanistan and around the world. (READ MORE)
Zardari to visit UK as anger at Cameron boils over in Pakistan - Pakistan's president, Asif Zardari, arrives for an official visit to the UK on Tuesday with a continuing storm back home over David Cameron's comments about Pakistani attitudes to terrorism. (READ MORE)
Pakistan summons UK envoy over PM Cameron's remarks - Pakistan's government has summoned Britain's envoy in Islamabad following recent critical remarks by UK Prime Minister David Cameron. (READ MORE)
June 4, 2009
From the Front: 06/04/2009
News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA’S FIRST SERGEANT
111 Infantry Recon: (PICTURES) SOCCER, UGANDAN/MECEDONIAN vs RECON, loss - good effort (Visit Site for Pics)
A Year in the Sandbox: (VIDEO) Range Videos - We went out in the middle of nowhere a few weeks ago to get rid of some old ammo. Here are a few videos I took that day. (VISIT SITE FOR VIDEOS)
Afghani Kush: Leading From The Rear - Hey Folks. Now I don't like to criti
cize my chain of command on this thing. I don't really like to reveal too much about what's going on around here with all the fighting, because as far as I know, it may compromise something that's on going. But then an article like this comes across and really pisses me off, so here you go. As some of you know we've been doing a fair bit of fighting lately. Both on our home turf and also in another FOB. FOB Baylough is north of us a good bit on a route filled with IED's. It's a pretty big hotspot and we go up there from time to time to help them out or conduct a big operation. Now the fight that made the news above is just one of the six firefights we got into while we were up there last time. None of our guys got hurt and we kicked the shit out of them. But I've been holding back on writing about it until things had calmed down a little bit just because I didn't know what exactly we could talk about. (READ MORE)
Bad Dogs and Such: Look what I saw - On the way to the green closet in the small hours of the night, I shined my light over near where the kittens hang out - you know, to see if they were doing anything impossibly cute (as kittens are wont to do). And I spotted something snuffling around a pile of meat scraps...[Pic on Site] That, folks, is a long-eared hedgehog. And it's cute. Way too cute to be hanging out in Iraq. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure: There Is A Word In English For Being Compelled By Fear - Michael Cohen is at it again, trying to tear away at the War in Afghanistan, selecting seemingly random information and using it out of context to support his fear-driven position. He is afraid that if we succeed in COIN in Afghanistan, it will become a cornerstone of American foreign policy. We have a word for actions that are driven primarily by fear: cowardice. Michael Cohen's writings concerning Afghanistan and counterinsurgency are the most cowardly things you are likely to find in print this week. “First of all, we don't all agree that we're engaged in a counter-insurgency in Afghanistan. Indeed, I'm pretty sure President Obama would not agree that we are engaged in a full-fledged counter-insurgency campaign. (Perhaps COIN-lite or Skim COIN).” Huh? We are fighting against insurgents in Afghanistan. That means that we are countering insurgents. That means counterinsurgency. (READ MORE)
Castra Praetoria: Night fighting! Well sort of… - Kharma, Iraq. August 2007. Yeah, it was sucky. My first night patrol last deployment was not a history making event; no pivotal battles were fought; we didn’t even detain anyone. That patrol will never even amount to a footnote in the annals of military lore. As a matter of fact I would have to say that on any given day a combat patrol through our part of the town more closely resembled a steeple chase than anything else. Imagine, if you will, temperatures more suitable for the baking of cookies than human life. Then strap on 100 pounds of miscellaneous objects including body armor, ammunition, water, first aid kits, communication gear, and any other number of items of interest. There is always one more clown out there with a brilliant new piece of gear that we just “gotta” carry with us. (READ MORE)
Flit: Fake Stars: yes, they're wrong - Author Max Boot has some curious notions about many things. Military honour, for instance, viz the Tillman cover-up. So why does it take civvies like Josh Foust or Tom Ricks to point this out? Note to Boot: in my experience soldiers don't generally appreciate fake medals. They'd probably appreciate even less giving out medals for the giving of fake medals. (READ MORE)
Made A Difference For That One: A Surgeon's Letters Home From Iraq: Wheelers for the Wounded, Texas - Well, I’ve been in absentia a bit, but here’s a report that is long overdue. A few weeks back, B. and I participated in the Wheelers for the Wounded event at Hidden Falls Ranch. For those of you who don’t know, Wheelers for the Wounded was created by Jason Havlik, who plans to cross the United States hosting injured service members on off-road vehicle trail rides. The Texas event was hosted by Midnight Four Wheelers, a really amazing club here in San Antonio. For the event, wounded warriors and their families were bused in from Ft. Sam Houston and Ft. Hood. Food was provided from an old fashioned chuck wagon that stewed up beans and grilled ribs. There were about 100 rigs taking families out on trail rides. Some took gentle trips on dirt paths while others chose to tackle aggressive climbs up rock faces or through water holes. Our group had a blast. (READ MORE)
Sgt Danger: Looking Past What Sucks - Mobilizing sucks. You’ll spend months at some military post in Texas, New Jersey, or Mississippi standing in formation, shooting at plastic, driving soft-shelled HMMWVs, doing paperwork, and training for what seems to be every mission but your own. All based on lessons-learned that seem like they were outdated in 2004. Your pay will probably be wrong for the first few weeks, and the new boots they issued you hurt. So there’s a lot a mob’ing soldier can find to complain about. But it occurred to me that maybe this time is more valuable than I’d thought. Maybe the value isn’t in what we do hour-to-hour, but in just the fact that we’re here doing something. I’m a soldier again. I spent the three years since my tour in Iraq studying chemistry, delivering pizzas, raising a family, getting depressed, getting better with therapy and drugs, and doing the "one-weekend-a-month Army." It’s been a hell of a time. (READ MORE)
Navy Gal-Home From Iraq and finally getting on with life: Life - Life is finally resembling something of a more normal pattern. Work, eat, sleep, school, repeat. I like this routine. Routine is good, it's what keeps me sane. I love driving to work and passing the trees and the green grass with the dew glistening off the blades. I like looking at the mountains in the distance as the clouds roll gently down their slopes. I like my life again. I no longer feel that nagging anxiety at what may come next. I don't know and that's ok. Life is an adventure and I'm just along for the ride. I like riding the light rail and passing the abandoned buildings and wondering what great things used to be made in there. (READ MORE)
Ramblings from a Painter: A Cast of Characters - What kind of person would you expect to find working in Iraq? Soulless military guys who say "hooah" and salute everything that moves? Mysterious guys wearing aviator sunglasses who have no sense of humor? A little guy with an unplaceable accent who's selling AK47's by the truckload? An overcoiffed news reporter trying desperately to make a name for him/her self? Well, no doubt those people are out there somewhere, but I sure haven't met them. Let me give you an idea of the people I interact with on a daily basis. First, there's the Army Lieutenant Colonel who is really your favorite absent-minded professor. Except he wears a uniform. He's very smart and very easily distracted by things like birds and rocks (he's got a PhD in geochemistry). When we're walking anywhere, we're forever having to go back and corral the guy because he's wandered off to take a picture of a pigeon perched on some concertina wire, or pick up interesting pebbles out of the gravel parking lot. (READ MORE)
Sorority Soldier: There are Two in Iraq - A few months ago a Marine, Brad Durkin, was assigned the project of tracking two blogs for his final paper. He chose mine and a nineteen year-old boy in Baghdad. Here it is, published as he sent it to me. “Journalism and the Iraq War - There Are Two In Iraq - Bloggers throughout the world offer different perspectives about life around them and circumstances that might not be understandable to people who live completely different lives. The Blogs of SSgt. Kristen King of the U.S. Army in Basra, and Mohammed, a teenage boy living in Baghdad, offer two different perspectives of life in Iraq. One story is that of a young sorority girl turned Army journalist and veteran of the War in Iraq. The other story is that of a young man finding his place in the city of Baghdad, where bombings and gunfire are but a part of daily life.” (READ MORE)
In Iraq Now (at 56): In Chapel Choirs Men are the Majority - At first glance, chapel choirs look and sound like their civilian counterparts—except they are several octaves lower. Women are the majority in churches and choirs everywhere reflect that. But in the chapel choirs, we see all the variety of the civilian world, with men doing most of the singing. At Fort Sill, the choir in the Anthrax Chapel for the protestant service was one young lieutenant with a guitar who sang a solo every week and provided the music for the hymns. In Tallil, every faith community has a choir and they are as different as the denominations they represent. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
Iraqi Commandos arrest suspected terrorist leader and assistants - TIKRIT, Iraq – Pursuant to warrants issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, the 7th Regional Commando Battalion, with Coalition forces, arrested a suspected terrorist cell leader and his two assistants May 29 in Ninewa Province. The suspects were arrested in Qayyara and are believed to be in charge of coordinating and financing the criminal activities conducted by the cell throughout Northern Iraq. Those acts include carrying out roadside and vehicle bomb attacks against Iraqi Security Forces. (READ MORE)
Baqubah Emergency Response Force 2 mission results in 11 arrests - TIKRIT, Iraq – Baqubah Emergency Response Force 2, with Coalition forces, arrested 11 suspected criminals during an Iraqi-planned, led and executed operation in the Diyala Province, May 28. Acting under Central Criminal Court of Iraq issued warrants, Baqubah ERF 2 arrested the suspects and confiscated items of interest. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Security Forces take down three terrorists in the Diyala Province - TIKRIT, Iraq – The Baqubah Emergency Response Force 2, with Coalition forces advisors, arrested a suspected high-level terrorist cell leader on a warrant issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. In addition, the team detained two additional associates May 26 during an operation in the Diyala Province. The detained individuals are suspected of leading a violent terrorist cell responsible for funding anti-Iraqi operations and carrying out indirect fire attacks against Iraqi Security Forces in an effort to intimidate Iraqis residing in and around Diyala Province. (READ MORE)
Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers deliver food in Kirkuk province - FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq—Iraqi Police and Coalition forces helped the residents of Qushquaya, Iraq, May 29, by distributing more than 100 bags of food. Iraqi Police from Dibbis, a town south of Kirkuk city, and Soldiers of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, handed out tomatoes, beans and lentils in the village. (READ MORE)
MoJ officials tour Camp Taji TIFRC; assess detainee living conditions - CAMP TAJI, Iraq — The Iraqi Minister and Deputy Minister of Justice toured the Camp Taji Theater Internment Reconciliation Center June 3 to survey facilities and review programs for detainees. Minister Dara Noor al-Deen Baha' al-Deen and deputy Posho Ibrahim Ali spoke with numerous detainees to assess their quality of life as the officials visited where the detainees eat, sleep, learn and recreate. The visit was the first trip to Taji for both MoJ members. (READ MORE)
ISF, MND-B arrest seven during Baghdad operations - BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces Soldiers arrested seven criminals in three different operations in northwest Baghdad and Abu Ghraib May 30 – June 1. At approximately 11 p.m., May 30, Soldiers serving with the 2nd Stryker Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division—Baghdad, arrested four individuals while conducting combined patrol operations with Iraqi Security Forces in the Abu Ghraib district west of Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Forces Capture 45 Suspected Militants - WASHINGTON — Iraqi and Coalition forces captured 45 suspected militants and killed one during operations May 31 in Kirkuk, military officials said. Combined forces killed the suspected terrorist and wounded another while attempting to arrest them during an operation in Kirkuk. Both of the men were believed to be terrorist cell leaders involved in multiple kidnappings, murders and car bombings targeting Iraqi forces in Kirkuk province. (READ MORE)
Iraqis Open Night Vision Repair Shop - BAGHDAD — The premiere fighting element known as the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) may not be considered textbook superheroes, but may be considered somewhat superhuman. With most of their tactical operations conducted under the blanket of darkness beneath the Iraqi capital's night sky, these elite Soldiers are equipped to see even in the complete absence of light. One support battalion is making sure their fellow brothers-in-arms see things a little more clearly during their critical combat operations. (READ MORE)
Air Force Leaders Honor Iraqi Firefighters - KIRKUK — Ten Iraqi firefighters assigned to this city's unexploded ordnance (UXO) facility received certificates of appreciation for their "outstanding support" to the 506th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Flight and Weapons Intelligence Team 11 mission, and words of honor from the U.S. base commander, at a ceremony here Sunday. Coalition forces EOD technicians are training Iraqi firefighters charged with the responsibility of identifying and handling UXOs on what to look for, how to handle what they find, reporting procedures, and when to just call for help. (READ MORE)
JSS Hurriyah Transferred to Iraqi Army - BAGHDAD — An historic event took place here when Coalition forces (CF) transferred Joint Security Station Hurriyah to the Iraqi Army (IA), May 30. "The transfer of JSS Hurriyah from Coalition forces to Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) is one more step in the process of relinquishing control of security to the Government of Iraq (GoI)," said Lt. Col. John Vermeesch, commander, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment. "This event is symbolic of the increased security in the Hurriyah area." (READ MORE)
Iraqi Children’s Hospital Nears Completion in Basra - CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq, June 3, 2009 – Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team visited and surveyed the progress of the children’s hospital in Basra, Iraq, May 28. The 94-bed facility will be the first state-of-the-art pediatric specialty hospital in Iraq and is nearing completion, with outpatient services slated to start in September. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan:
82nd Airborne Assumes Command in Eastern Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, June 3, 2009 – Fifteen months after transferring authority of Regional Command East in Afghanistan to the 101st Airborne Division, the 82nd Airborne Division reassumed command during a ceremony here today. The ceremony marks the official transition from Combined Joint Task Force 101 to Combined Joint Task Force 82, with the new unit assuming responsibility for 14 provinces in eastern Afghanistan along the Pakistan border. (READ MORE)
Portable USO Center Brings ‘Piece of Home’ to Soldiers - LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, June 3, 2009 – Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Shank here gathered May 27 for the dedication of the first “USO in a Box.” The facility was dedicated to the soldiers who serve, have served and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Task Force Spartan soldiers from the 710th Brigade Support Battalion hosted a formal ceremony for the grand opening. (READ MORE)
General Cites Importance of Air Power for Afghanistan - KABUL, June 3, 2009 – The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan’s security forces and is building air power to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said. Afghanistan’s vast and forbidding terrain, the threat posed by roadside bombs and the country’s nearly total lack of rail transportation make air power essential, Brig. Gen. Walter D. Givhan told online journalists and bloggers May 26 during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable. (READ MORE)
Afghan, Coalition Forces Clash With Enemy Fighters, Detain Suspects - WASHINGTON, June 3, 2009 – Afghan army commandos, assisted by coalition forces, were attacked today during a clearing operation in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province, and a combined force in Khost province detained three suspected militants yesterday. In the Kapisa operation, the combined element was searching an area known for enemy activity in the province’s Yakdan Valley region when it came under heavy small-arms fire from a nearby compound. The forces used small-arms and mortar fire to help neutralize the enemy. (READ MORE)
Police Make Progress in Southern Afghanistan, U.S. Advisor Says - WASHINGTON, June 3, 2009 – Though the Afghan National Police still face many challenges, they continue to make progress on a daily basis, a senior U.S. advisor said. “The police officers that I see and deal with on a daily basis are very dedicated to their cause and to their nation,” Army Col. Dave Harris, commander of Regional Police Advisory Command South, said during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable May 29. (READ MORE)
British soldier among 27 killed in Afghanistan - KABUL: A suicide bomb tore through a southern Afghan town killing six security guards Wednesday while a British soldier and 20 militants died in fighting linked to a growing insurgency. The bomber, who was riding a motorbike, blew himself up alongside guards from a private Afghan company escorting a convoy of logistics for international troops, police said.“Six private Afghan guards were killed,” said the southern Afghanistan border police commander, General Saifullah. (READ MORE)
AP source: US broke bombing rules in Afghanistan - WASHINGTON (AP) -- American troops made substantial errors and did not strictly follow rules for avoiding casualties during an air assault on Taliban fighters last month, a U.S. defense official said, underscoring a central quandary for President Barack Obama's new Afghan counterinsurgency campaign. The defense official said Wednesday that a military investigation faulted some of the actions of American troops in air strikes May 4 that killed dozens of Afghan civilians in Farah province. (READ MORE)
Corruption Undermines Afghan Self-Governance - In Afghanistan, corruption is a daily plague. It comes in many forms: a piece of land for a warlord with connections to the national government, a bribe to a customs agent to look the other way as a shipment of heroin passes through. Corruption takes other forms, too, such as kidnappings, ransom demands and bodies left out in the hills — all with the help of Afghan officials. (READ MORE)
Pakistan aims to kill Taliban leaders in Swat Valley - MINGORA: Pakistani authorities are preparing for the return of residents to Swat's main town but decisive victory will only be won when Taliban leaders are dead, an army commander said on Wednesday. The army began battling Taliban in the region in late April, after a militant thrust into a district 100 kilometers northwest of the capital raised fear at home and abroad that the nuclear-armed country could slowly slip into militant hands. (READ MORE)
US general vows to minimize Afghan civilian casualties - WASHINGTON: The US general nominated to take charge of the war in Afghanistan pledged on Tuesday to try to minimize civilian casualties even as US-led forces step up operations against insurgents. Army Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal told US senators that the war could still be won, but not easily, and US casualties would likely rise. Civilian Afghan casualties are a major source of tension between US forces and Afghans and their leaders. (READ MORE)
Some 12,000 households hit by floods in northern Afghanistan, UN reports - 3 June 2009 – Some 12,000 households in nine provinces in northern and north-eastern Afghanistan have been affected by floods since April, according to the latest United Nations-backed assessments. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today that another round of flooding is expected to hit the South Asian nation’s north-east, as the snow remaining on the mountains of the Kunduz sub-basin begins to melt in the coming weeks, exacerbating the situation. (READ MORE)
Afghan police confiscate over 3,000 kg of narcotics, destroy 12 heroin labs - The Afghan National Police (ANP) found a big cache of narcotics in an operation on Tuesday and destroyed over a dozen of heroin producing laboratories in Taliban strong-hold Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, said a statement of the Interior Ministry issued here on Wednesday. "Some 3,318 kg of opium, 60 kg of hashish, and 750 kg of opium seeds as well as over 4,700 kg of precursor chemical substances were found in an operation in Sarwan Qala area of Sangin district," the statement added. (READ MORE)
UK soldiers survive Afghan blast - Four Oxfordshire-based soldiers walked away unscathed after their vehicle set off a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The servicemen, from Bicester-based 206 Squadron, were in an armoured vehicle on patrol in northern Helmand. Capt Fletcher, of the Royal Logistic Corps, was the vehicle commander. (READ MORE)
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Linked by: H&I FIRES 4June 2009 at Castle Argghhh!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA’S FIRST SERGEANT
111 Infantry Recon: (PICTURES) SOCCER, UGANDAN/MECEDONIAN vs RECON, loss - good effort (Visit Site for Pics)
A Year in the Sandbox: (VIDEO) Range Videos - We went out in the middle of nowhere a few weeks ago to get rid of some old ammo. Here are a few videos I took that day. (VISIT SITE FOR VIDEOS)
Afghani Kush: Leading From The Rear - Hey Folks. Now I don't like to criti
cize my chain of command on this thing. I don't really like to reveal too much about what's going on around here with all the fighting, because as far as I know, it may compromise something that's on going. But then an article like this comes across and really pisses me off, so here you go. As some of you know we've been doing a fair bit of fighting lately. Both on our home turf and also in another FOB. FOB Baylough is north of us a good bit on a route filled with IED's. It's a pretty big hotspot and we go up there from time to time to help them out or conduct a big operation. Now the fight that made the news above is just one of the six firefights we got into while we were up there last time. None of our guys got hurt and we kicked the shit out of them. But I've been holding back on writing about it until things had calmed down a little bit just because I didn't know what exactly we could talk about. (READ MORE)
Bad Dogs and Such: Look what I saw - On the way to the green closet in the small hours of the night, I shined my light over near where the kittens hang out - you know, to see if they were doing anything impossibly cute (as kittens are wont to do). And I spotted something snuffling around a pile of meat scraps...[Pic on Site] That, folks, is a long-eared hedgehog. And it's cute. Way too cute to be hanging out in Iraq. (READ MORE)
Bill and Bob's Excellent Adventure: There Is A Word In English For Being Compelled By Fear - Michael Cohen is at it again, trying to tear away at the War in Afghanistan, selecting seemingly random information and using it out of context to support his fear-driven position. He is afraid that if we succeed in COIN in Afghanistan, it will become a cornerstone of American foreign policy. We have a word for actions that are driven primarily by fear: cowardice. Michael Cohen's writings concerning Afghanistan and counterinsurgency are the most cowardly things you are likely to find in print this week. “First of all, we don't all agree that we're engaged in a counter-insurgency in Afghanistan. Indeed, I'm pretty sure President Obama would not agree that we are engaged in a full-fledged counter-insurgency campaign. (Perhaps COIN-lite or Skim COIN).” Huh? We are fighting against insurgents in Afghanistan. That means that we are countering insurgents. That means counterinsurgency. (READ MORE)
Castra Praetoria: Night fighting! Well sort of… - Kharma, Iraq. August 2007. Yeah, it was sucky. My first night patrol last deployment was not a history making event; no pivotal battles were fought; we didn’t even detain anyone. That patrol will never even amount to a footnote in the annals of military lore. As a matter of fact I would have to say that on any given day a combat patrol through our part of the town more closely resembled a steeple chase than anything else. Imagine, if you will, temperatures more suitable for the baking of cookies than human life. Then strap on 100 pounds of miscellaneous objects including body armor, ammunition, water, first aid kits, communication gear, and any other number of items of interest. There is always one more clown out there with a brilliant new piece of gear that we just “gotta” carry with us. (READ MORE)
Flit: Fake Stars: yes, they're wrong - Author Max Boot has some curious notions about many things. Military honour, for instance, viz the Tillman cover-up. So why does it take civvies like Josh Foust or Tom Ricks to point this out? Note to Boot: in my experience soldiers don't generally appreciate fake medals. They'd probably appreciate even less giving out medals for the giving of fake medals. (READ MORE)
Made A Difference For That One: A Surgeon's Letters Home From Iraq: Wheelers for the Wounded, Texas - Well, I’ve been in absentia a bit, but here’s a report that is long overdue. A few weeks back, B. and I participated in the Wheelers for the Wounded event at Hidden Falls Ranch. For those of you who don’t know, Wheelers for the Wounded was created by Jason Havlik, who plans to cross the United States hosting injured service members on off-road vehicle trail rides. The Texas event was hosted by Midnight Four Wheelers, a really amazing club here in San Antonio. For the event, wounded warriors and their families were bused in from Ft. Sam Houston and Ft. Hood. Food was provided from an old fashioned chuck wagon that stewed up beans and grilled ribs. There were about 100 rigs taking families out on trail rides. Some took gentle trips on dirt paths while others chose to tackle aggressive climbs up rock faces or through water holes. Our group had a blast. (READ MORE)
Sgt Danger: Looking Past What Sucks - Mobilizing sucks. You’ll spend months at some military post in Texas, New Jersey, or Mississippi standing in formation, shooting at plastic, driving soft-shelled HMMWVs, doing paperwork, and training for what seems to be every mission but your own. All based on lessons-learned that seem like they were outdated in 2004. Your pay will probably be wrong for the first few weeks, and the new boots they issued you hurt. So there’s a lot a mob’ing soldier can find to complain about. But it occurred to me that maybe this time is more valuable than I’d thought. Maybe the value isn’t in what we do hour-to-hour, but in just the fact that we’re here doing something. I’m a soldier again. I spent the three years since my tour in Iraq studying chemistry, delivering pizzas, raising a family, getting depressed, getting better with therapy and drugs, and doing the "one-weekend-a-month Army." It’s been a hell of a time. (READ MORE)
Navy Gal-Home From Iraq and finally getting on with life: Life - Life is finally resembling something of a more normal pattern. Work, eat, sleep, school, repeat. I like this routine. Routine is good, it's what keeps me sane. I love driving to work and passing the trees and the green grass with the dew glistening off the blades. I like looking at the mountains in the distance as the clouds roll gently down their slopes. I like my life again. I no longer feel that nagging anxiety at what may come next. I don't know and that's ok. Life is an adventure and I'm just along for the ride. I like riding the light rail and passing the abandoned buildings and wondering what great things used to be made in there. (READ MORE)
Ramblings from a Painter: A Cast of Characters - What kind of person would you expect to find working in Iraq? Soulless military guys who say "hooah" and salute everything that moves? Mysterious guys wearing aviator sunglasses who have no sense of humor? A little guy with an unplaceable accent who's selling AK47's by the truckload? An overcoiffed news reporter trying desperately to make a name for him/her self? Well, no doubt those people are out there somewhere, but I sure haven't met them. Let me give you an idea of the people I interact with on a daily basis. First, there's the Army Lieutenant Colonel who is really your favorite absent-minded professor. Except he wears a uniform. He's very smart and very easily distracted by things like birds and rocks (he's got a PhD in geochemistry). When we're walking anywhere, we're forever having to go back and corral the guy because he's wandered off to take a picture of a pigeon perched on some concertina wire, or pick up interesting pebbles out of the gravel parking lot. (READ MORE)
Sorority Soldier: There are Two in Iraq - A few months ago a Marine, Brad Durkin, was assigned the project of tracking two blogs for his final paper. He chose mine and a nineteen year-old boy in Baghdad. Here it is, published as he sent it to me. “Journalism and the Iraq War - There Are Two In Iraq - Bloggers throughout the world offer different perspectives about life around them and circumstances that might not be understandable to people who live completely different lives. The Blogs of SSgt. Kristen King of the U.S. Army in Basra, and Mohammed, a teenage boy living in Baghdad, offer two different perspectives of life in Iraq. One story is that of a young sorority girl turned Army journalist and veteran of the War in Iraq. The other story is that of a young man finding his place in the city of Baghdad, where bombings and gunfire are but a part of daily life.” (READ MORE)
In Iraq Now (at 56): In Chapel Choirs Men are the Majority - At first glance, chapel choirs look and sound like their civilian counterparts—except they are several octaves lower. Women are the majority in churches and choirs everywhere reflect that. But in the chapel choirs, we see all the variety of the civilian world, with men doing most of the singing. At Fort Sill, the choir in the Anthrax Chapel for the protestant service was one young lieutenant with a guitar who sang a solo every week and provided the music for the hymns. In Tallil, every faith community has a choir and they are as different as the denominations they represent. (READ MORE)
News from the Front:
Iraq:
Iraqi Commandos arrest suspected terrorist leader and assistants - TIKRIT, Iraq – Pursuant to warrants issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq, the 7th Regional Commando Battalion, with Coalition forces, arrested a suspected terrorist cell leader and his two assistants May 29 in Ninewa Province. The suspects were arrested in Qayyara and are believed to be in charge of coordinating and financing the criminal activities conducted by the cell throughout Northern Iraq. Those acts include carrying out roadside and vehicle bomb attacks against Iraqi Security Forces. (READ MORE)
Baqubah Emergency Response Force 2 mission results in 11 arrests - TIKRIT, Iraq – Baqubah Emergency Response Force 2, with Coalition forces, arrested 11 suspected criminals during an Iraqi-planned, led and executed operation in the Diyala Province, May 28. Acting under Central Criminal Court of Iraq issued warrants, Baqubah ERF 2 arrested the suspects and confiscated items of interest. (READ MORE)
Iraqi Security Forces take down three terrorists in the Diyala Province - TIKRIT, Iraq – The Baqubah Emergency Response Force 2, with Coalition forces advisors, arrested a suspected high-level terrorist cell leader on a warrant issued by the Central Criminal Court of Iraq. In addition, the team detained two additional associates May 26 during an operation in the Diyala Province. The detained individuals are suspected of leading a violent terrorist cell responsible for funding anti-Iraqi operations and carrying out indirect fire attacks against Iraqi Security Forces in an effort to intimidate Iraqis residing in and around Diyala Province. (READ MORE)
Iraqi and U.S. Soldiers deliver food in Kirkuk province - FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, KIRKUK, Iraq—Iraqi Police and Coalition forces helped the residents of Qushquaya, Iraq, May 29, by distributing more than 100 bags of food. Iraqi Police from Dibbis, a town south of Kirkuk city, and Soldiers of 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, handed out tomatoes, beans and lentils in the village. (READ MORE)
MoJ officials tour Camp Taji TIFRC; assess detainee living conditions - CAMP TAJI, Iraq — The Iraqi Minister and Deputy Minister of Justice toured the Camp Taji Theater Internment Reconciliation Center June 3 to survey facilities and review programs for detainees. Minister Dara Noor al-Deen Baha' al-Deen and deputy Posho Ibrahim Ali spoke with numerous detainees to assess their quality of life as the officials visited where the detainees eat, sleep, learn and recreate. The visit was the first trip to Taji for both MoJ members. (READ MORE)
ISF, MND-B arrest seven during Baghdad operations - BAGHDAD – Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces Soldiers arrested seven criminals in three different operations in northwest Baghdad and Abu Ghraib May 30 – June 1. At approximately 11 p.m., May 30, Soldiers serving with the 2nd Stryker Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, Multi-National Division—Baghdad, arrested four individuals while conducting combined patrol operations with Iraqi Security Forces in the Abu Ghraib district west of Baghdad. (READ MORE)
Forces Capture 45 Suspected Militants - WASHINGTON — Iraqi and Coalition forces captured 45 suspected militants and killed one during operations May 31 in Kirkuk, military officials said. Combined forces killed the suspected terrorist and wounded another while attempting to arrest them during an operation in Kirkuk. Both of the men were believed to be terrorist cell leaders involved in multiple kidnappings, murders and car bombings targeting Iraqi forces in Kirkuk province. (READ MORE)
Iraqis Open Night Vision Repair Shop - BAGHDAD — The premiere fighting element known as the Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) may not be considered textbook superheroes, but may be considered somewhat superhuman. With most of their tactical operations conducted under the blanket of darkness beneath the Iraqi capital's night sky, these elite Soldiers are equipped to see even in the complete absence of light. One support battalion is making sure their fellow brothers-in-arms see things a little more clearly during their critical combat operations. (READ MORE)
Air Force Leaders Honor Iraqi Firefighters - KIRKUK — Ten Iraqi firefighters assigned to this city's unexploded ordnance (UXO) facility received certificates of appreciation for their "outstanding support" to the 506th Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Flight and Weapons Intelligence Team 11 mission, and words of honor from the U.S. base commander, at a ceremony here Sunday. Coalition forces EOD technicians are training Iraqi firefighters charged with the responsibility of identifying and handling UXOs on what to look for, how to handle what they find, reporting procedures, and when to just call for help. (READ MORE)
JSS Hurriyah Transferred to Iraqi Army - BAGHDAD — An historic event took place here when Coalition forces (CF) transferred Joint Security Station Hurriyah to the Iraqi Army (IA), May 30. "The transfer of JSS Hurriyah from Coalition forces to Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) is one more step in the process of relinquishing control of security to the Government of Iraq (GoI)," said Lt. Col. John Vermeesch, commander, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment. "This event is symbolic of the increased security in the Hurriyah area." (READ MORE)
Iraqi Children’s Hospital Nears Completion in Basra - CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq, June 3, 2009 – Soldiers of the 4th Infantry Division’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team visited and surveyed the progress of the children’s hospital in Basra, Iraq, May 28. The 94-bed facility will be the first state-of-the-art pediatric specialty hospital in Iraq and is nearing completion, with outpatient services slated to start in September. (READ MORE)
Afghanistan:
82nd Airborne Assumes Command in Eastern Afghanistan - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, June 3, 2009 – Fifteen months after transferring authority of Regional Command East in Afghanistan to the 101st Airborne Division, the 82nd Airborne Division reassumed command during a ceremony here today. The ceremony marks the official transition from Combined Joint Task Force 101 to Combined Joint Task Force 82, with the new unit assuming responsibility for 14 provinces in eastern Afghanistan along the Pakistan border. (READ MORE)
Portable USO Center Brings ‘Piece of Home’ to Soldiers - LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, June 3, 2009 – Soldiers at Forward Operating Base Shank here gathered May 27 for the dedication of the first “USO in a Box.” The facility was dedicated to the soldiers who serve, have served and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Task Force Spartan soldiers from the 710th Brigade Support Battalion hosted a formal ceremony for the grand opening. (READ MORE)
General Cites Importance of Air Power for Afghanistan - KABUL, June 3, 2009 – The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan’s security forces and is building air power to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said. Afghanistan’s vast and forbidding terrain, the threat posed by roadside bombs and the country’s nearly total lack of rail transportation make air power essential, Brig. Gen. Walter D. Givhan told online journalists and bloggers May 26 during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable. (READ MORE)
Afghan, Coalition Forces Clash With Enemy Fighters, Detain Suspects - WASHINGTON, June 3, 2009 – Afghan army commandos, assisted by coalition forces, were attacked today during a clearing operation in Afghanistan’s Kapisa province, and a combined force in Khost province detained three suspected militants yesterday. In the Kapisa operation, the combined element was searching an area known for enemy activity in the province’s Yakdan Valley region when it came under heavy small-arms fire from a nearby compound. The forces used small-arms and mortar fire to help neutralize the enemy. (READ MORE)
Police Make Progress in Southern Afghanistan, U.S. Advisor Says - WASHINGTON, June 3, 2009 – Though the Afghan National Police still face many challenges, they continue to make progress on a daily basis, a senior U.S. advisor said. “The police officers that I see and deal with on a daily basis are very dedicated to their cause and to their nation,” Army Col. Dave Harris, commander of Regional Police Advisory Command South, said during a “DoDLive” bloggers roundtable May 29. (READ MORE)
British soldier among 27 killed in Afghanistan - KABUL: A suicide bomb tore through a southern Afghan town killing six security guards Wednesday while a British soldier and 20 militants died in fighting linked to a growing insurgency. The bomber, who was riding a motorbike, blew himself up alongside guards from a private Afghan company escorting a convoy of logistics for international troops, police said.“Six private Afghan guards were killed,” said the southern Afghanistan border police commander, General Saifullah. (READ MORE)
AP source: US broke bombing rules in Afghanistan - WASHINGTON (AP) -- American troops made substantial errors and did not strictly follow rules for avoiding casualties during an air assault on Taliban fighters last month, a U.S. defense official said, underscoring a central quandary for President Barack Obama's new Afghan counterinsurgency campaign. The defense official said Wednesday that a military investigation faulted some of the actions of American troops in air strikes May 4 that killed dozens of Afghan civilians in Farah province. (READ MORE)
Corruption Undermines Afghan Self-Governance - In Afghanistan, corruption is a daily plague. It comes in many forms: a piece of land for a warlord with connections to the national government, a bribe to a customs agent to look the other way as a shipment of heroin passes through. Corruption takes other forms, too, such as kidnappings, ransom demands and bodies left out in the hills — all with the help of Afghan officials. (READ MORE)
Pakistan aims to kill Taliban leaders in Swat Valley - MINGORA: Pakistani authorities are preparing for the return of residents to Swat's main town but decisive victory will only be won when Taliban leaders are dead, an army commander said on Wednesday. The army began battling Taliban in the region in late April, after a militant thrust into a district 100 kilometers northwest of the capital raised fear at home and abroad that the nuclear-armed country could slowly slip into militant hands. (READ MORE)
US general vows to minimize Afghan civilian casualties - WASHINGTON: The US general nominated to take charge of the war in Afghanistan pledged on Tuesday to try to minimize civilian casualties even as US-led forces step up operations against insurgents. Army Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal told US senators that the war could still be won, but not easily, and US casualties would likely rise. Civilian Afghan casualties are a major source of tension between US forces and Afghans and their leaders. (READ MORE)
Some 12,000 households hit by floods in northern Afghanistan, UN reports - 3 June 2009 – Some 12,000 households in nine provinces in northern and north-eastern Afghanistan have been affected by floods since April, according to the latest United Nations-backed assessments. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported today that another round of flooding is expected to hit the South Asian nation’s north-east, as the snow remaining on the mountains of the Kunduz sub-basin begins to melt in the coming weeks, exacerbating the situation. (READ MORE)
Afghan police confiscate over 3,000 kg of narcotics, destroy 12 heroin labs - The Afghan National Police (ANP) found a big cache of narcotics in an operation on Tuesday and destroyed over a dozen of heroin producing laboratories in Taliban strong-hold Helmand province of southern Afghanistan, said a statement of the Interior Ministry issued here on Wednesday. "Some 3,318 kg of opium, 60 kg of hashish, and 750 kg of opium seeds as well as over 4,700 kg of precursor chemical substances were found in an operation in Sarwan Qala area of Sangin district," the statement added. (READ MORE)
UK soldiers survive Afghan blast - Four Oxfordshire-based soldiers walked away unscathed after their vehicle set off a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The servicemen, from Bicester-based 206 Squadron, were in an armoured vehicle on patrol in northern Helmand. Capt Fletcher, of the Royal Logistic Corps, was the vehicle commander. (READ MORE)
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Linked by: H&I FIRES 4June 2009 at Castle Argghhh!
October 16, 2007
Baghdad Assessment: Violence Reduced, Reconstruction Increased
Earlier today, I brought to your attention the words of 12 Army Captains who are absing their entire assessment of Iraq upon their personal and antiquated experiences. On Sunday Col. J.B. Burton, commander of the 2nd “Dagger” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division met with reporters to advise them that the violence in Baghdad has been reduced:
This report along with dozens upon dozens of similar reports found on this blog as well as others refute the assessment made by those former captains. As many of us have said all along, Iraq is not lost, it amy have been mismanaged but it was never a lost cause.
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq – A reduction in violence in neighborhoods on Baghdad’s northwest side and an improved security situation are allowing reconstruction efforts and economic gains to flourish, according to the commander of the brigade that has patrolled the area for nearly a year.
Col. J.B. Burton, commander of the 2nd “Dagger” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, met with members of the Pentagon press corps for a briefing via satellite here Oct. 12 and highlighted the progress made in his area of operation, which spans most of northwestern Baghdad.
“In order to stop the cycle of violence, we set about to defeat sectarian expansion by Shia Extremists, while simultaneously defeating al-Qaeda and denying their access to the population,” said Burton, a native of Tullahoma, Tenn. “In short, we had to get out into the city, live among the citizens, fight alongside the ISF and deny insurgents, criminals and extremists access to the population.”
The implementation of the Baghdad Security Plan, Operation Fardh Al-Qanoon, allowed the Dagger Brigade to move into neighborhoods with a permanent presence, Burton added, with the end result being an 85 percent reduction in violence in the area since May.
“Of our 95 ‘Mulhallas,’ or neighborhoods—58 of them are now considered under control, 33 remain in a clearing status with violence continuing to go down, and four remain in a disrupt status,” Burton noted. He said murders in the area, which a year ago occurred more than 150 times each week, are down to an average of five a week.
He said a major contributor to the improving security situation in northwestern Baghdad is the commitment of concerned citizens, who have stepped forward to aid Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces provide safe neighborhoods and put a stop to sectarian violence and terrorist acts in their midst.
“These volunteers are actively providing security in partnership with our combined forces and concurrently increasing the citizen’s confidence in the Iraqi Security Forces as a whole,” Burton said. “To date, we have a total of 1,772 volunteers and recruits who are fully screened and ready to attend academy for integration into the ISF, with 500 scheduled to attend (the police) academy this month.”
With an increased confidence in the security efforts in their neighborhoods, Burton said each of his 14 joint security stations have seen an increase in tips from residents, helping to thwart terrorist activity. Likewise, he said residents are becoming more involved in the local governmental process, addressing community issues together.
“Further, we are focused on extending the reach of the government by providing businesses access to financial capital and through the development of public works substations that employ locals in local areas to deliver essential services within their capacity,” Burton told the media members. “Our Embedded Reconstruction Team and Joint Project Management Office are helping us achieve these effects.”
Burton’s brigade headquarters is slated to return to its home base in Schweinfurt, Germany, beginning next month. The Dagger Brigade commander said he is pleased with the progress he’s seen during his year in the Iraqi capital.
“We leave an area of operations that has shown significant improvement in terms of reduced violence, improved essential services, improvement in the task of daily governing, Iraqi Security Forces that get better each and every day,” Burton concluded. “And most importantly we are seeing citizens who are rejecting extremist organizations and standing up and volunteering to help improve the security and well-being of their families and their neighbor’s families.”
This report along with dozens upon dozens of similar reports found on this blog as well as others refute the assessment made by those former captains. As many of us have said all along, Iraq is not lost, it amy have been mismanaged but it was never a lost cause.
October 11, 2007
Lt. Michael P. Murphy to Receive Medal Of Honor
Via Stars and Stripes:
Go read the rest...
Lt. Murphy was a member of the team upon which Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell was the only survior. Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell's book Lone Survivor his account of that event can be purchased here.
Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan will be awarded Medal of Honor
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, October 12, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. — A Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan will be awarded the Medal of Honor, according to the Navy.
Lt. Michael P. Murphy is the first U.S. servicemember to be awarded the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan, and the third to receive the award for service in the war on terrorism.Murphy, originally from Patchogue, N.Y., and 29 years old at the time, was one of three SEALs killed on June 28, 2005, after their team was discovered by the Taliban.
The SEALs had come across local goat herders whom they released and who may have told the Taliban where the SEALs were. In the ensuing firefight, the SEALs faced a much larger force of Taliban fighters.
Murphy left his protected position to radio for backup, exposing himself to enemy gunfire, a Navy news release said.
“At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter,” the news release said. “Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy, who was closing in.”
Although Murphy was successful in getting a Quick Reaction Force dispatched to the scene, the backup team’s helicopter was shot down, killing all 16 troops aboard.
The SEALs continued to fight, but in the end, Murphy and two other SEALs were killed.
Go read the rest...
Lt. Murphy was a member of the team upon which Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell was the only survior. Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Luttrell's book Lone Survivor his account of that event can be purchased here.
October 10, 2007
37 Terrorists Killed, 25 Captured
During operations that continued for 3 days over our Columbus day holiday coalition forces captured 25 terrorists and killed 37 disrupting al-Qaeda operations in the Diyala River Valley:
Excellent work men!
BAGHDAD, Iraq– Coalition Forces killed an estimated 37 terrorists, detained 25 suspects and found several weapons caches during an operation Oct. 4-7 targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq safe havens in the Diyala River Valley.
During the four-day operation, Coalition forces had numerous contacts with enemy personnel. In several of these engagements, the actions resulted from terrorists firing on ground forces, enemy personnel conducting surveillance activities on Coalition force positions, individuals attempting to unearth weapons caches, and individuals setting up mortar firing devices.
On Friday and Saturday, the ground force discovered two separate weapons caches which were safely destroyed at their locations. The caches included numerous weapons, ammunition, sniper-rifle parts, grenades, mines, blasting caps, mortar systems, anti-tank weapons, rocket propelled grenade launchers and improvised explosive device-making materials.
While patrolling the area Sunday, Coalition forces discovered an IED with a ommand wire coming from a mosque. Civilians in the vicinity reported that the mosque was frequently used by al-Qaeda in Iraq for meetings. Due to the threat, the ground force needed to enter the mosque to secure the area. They removed the IED from the mosque and it was safely destroyed.
Also on Sunday, supporting aircraft destroyed a river crossing site to prevent further use by al-Qaeda in Iraq. Surveillance elements indicated that the crossing site had been constructed by al-Qaeda in Iraq to transport terrorists, equipment and weapons across the Diyala River to conduct attacks.
During the multiple-day operation, additional air strikes destroyed five al-Qaeda in Iraq safe houses. One of the buildings was identified as a location used to command and control enemy reconnaissance on Coalition forces’ locations. Nearby, supporting aircraft destroyed a dump truck reportedly used to transport enemy weapons.
“Terrorists cannot conceal themselves in small villages disrupting the lives of Iraqi citizens,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesperson. “There are no safe havens for terrorists here – we will continue to seek them out wherever they hide.”
Excellent work men!
October 4, 2007
One Week in Operations Against al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda Is On the Ropes.
Coalition Forces along with Iraqi units are continuing to pursue al-Qaeda across Iraq forcing them into to smaller and smaller areas, while striking at their leadership. On Tuesday Iraqi forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisers, detained two individuals believed to be linked to the al-Qaeda in Iraq criminal network Oct. 2, near Baghdad.
On Sunday, Iraqi Security Forces, acting upon a tip received from locals, killed three known terrorists after conducting a raid in the al-Jazeera desert, 15 miles east of Tikrit.
The operation started after a tip from a local Iraqi identified a small village in the al-Jazeera desert as an al-Qaeda training camp. Suicide vests, artillery rounds commonly used to make IEDs and communications gear was also captured in the raid.
Also on Sunday units from the 3rd Squadron 1st Cavalry Regiment along with Iraqi National Police conducted a raid east of Baghdad that resulted in the detention of a high-value individual.
Regimental Officers credit the capture to their continuing efforts to engage local leaders which has resulted in greater information on suspected extremists and insurgents operating in the squadron’s area of operation.
On Wednesday and Thursday in the northern and central provinces of Iraq Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained eight suspects.
Captured: 18
Killed: 10
Remind me again who’s losing in Iraq Mr. Reid?
Coalition Forces along with Iraqi units are continuing to pursue al-Qaeda across Iraq forcing them into to smaller and smaller areas, while striking at their leadership. On Tuesday Iraqi forces, with U.S. Special Forces as advisers, detained two individuals believed to be linked to the al-Qaeda in Iraq criminal network Oct. 2, near Baghdad.
“Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army Division detained a suspected al-Qaeda financier in Kindi. The extremist financier is suspected of traveling to foreign countries to cquire financial support for terrorist activities and is suspected of supplying more than $50,000 to al-Qaeda each month. He is believed to have received $100,000,000 this summer from terrorist supporters who cross the Iraq border illegally or fly into Iraq from Italy, Syria and Egypt.The financier is also linked to the purchase of explosives and weapons that were used to destroy the dome of the sacred “Golden Mosque” in 2006 and then in re-attacking it in 2007. In April, the suspected terrorist allegedly shot at a Coalition patrol in Al-Mansour, killing three U.S. service members and wounding one.
The terrorist is linked to financing cells in Doura, Tarmiyah and Baqubah, and uses a leather merchant business as a front to smuggle weapons and explosives from surrounding countries. Intelligence shows he has stores in Fallujah, Syria and Jordan.”
On Sunday, Iraqi Security Forces, acting upon a tip received from locals, killed three known terrorists after conducting a raid in the al-Jazeera desert, 15 miles east of Tikrit.
Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division and Iraqi policemen from the Emergency Response Unit in Tikrit, killed the three known al-Qaeda terrorists and captured four more.
“We hope to conduct many more operations targeting al-Qaeda and their associates throughout Salah Ad Din,” said Maj. Gen. Hammed Nams Yaseen al-Jabouri, provincial chief of police for Salah ad Din. “It is encouraging people are coming forward and identifying these terrorists to us.”
The operation started after a tip from a local Iraqi identified a small village in the al-Jazeera desert as an al-Qaeda training camp. Suicide vests, artillery rounds commonly used to make IEDs and communications gear was also captured in the raid.
Also on Sunday units from the 3rd Squadron 1st Cavalry Regiment along with Iraqi National Police conducted a raid east of Baghdad that resulted in the detention of a high-value individual.
Soldiers from Troop A and the Time-Sensitive Target platoon of the 3-1 Cav. Regt. conducted the raid with their police partners to kill or capture the HVI and to deny extremists sanctuary in the regiment’s area of operation.
The HVI is suspected of maintaining a leadership position in a local extremist network.
Regimental Officers credit the capture to their continuing efforts to engage local leaders which has resulted in greater information on suspected extremists and insurgents operating in the squadron’s area of operation.
On Wednesday and Thursday in the northern and central provinces of Iraq Coalition forces killed one terrorist and detained eight suspects.
During operations in the Diyala River Valley Thursday, Coalition forces received small arms fire from a nearby mosque. Responding to the hostile threat, the ground force returned fire, killing one terrorist. Coalition forces ceased fire and called for the building's occupants to come out. Two armed individuals emerged with their hands up and were detained, and another individual fled the area.In other areas of Iraq Coalition forces captured two wanted terrorists and detained an additional ten suspects during operations Wednesday.
In Samarra, Coalition forces detained four suspected terrorists while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq associates. Intelligence reports indicated that the target area is known for being a safe haven for al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and foreign terrorists.
South of Baghdad, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an associate of al-Qaeda in Iraq believed to be a leader in the city with ties to the car-bombing network. During the operation, the ground force destroyed one building to prevent further use by terrorists. A secondary explosion erupted from the site, indicating explosives were stored inside. One suspect was also detained during the operation.
Coalition forces conducted an operation in Hawija Wednesday, targeting an associate of al-Qaeda in Iraq believed to be a leader in the media network in the al Tamim province with ties to foreign terrorists operating in the area. One suspect was detained on site.
In Baghdad, Coalition forces captured an associate of al-Qaeda in Iraq believed to be a foreign terrorist facilitator with ties to terrorist safe houses in the region. Intelligence reports indicate that the individual is deeply connected to the foreign terrorist network and involved in the coordination of their suicide operations.Coalition forces killed six terrorists and detained two suspects during operations Monday and Tuesday targeting associates of al-Qaeda in Iraq in the central part of the country.
Coalition forces detained seven suspected terrorists during two coordinated operations along the Tigris River Valley. West of Samarra, ground forces targeted alleged associates of an al-Qaeda in Iraq group responsible for attacks in and around Huwaish. Intelligence reports indicate that one of the individuals has ties to an al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader and his security network, and has held meetings with numerous terrorists in the target area. The ground force captured one wanted individual and detained two additional suspects on site.
In another operation west of Tarmiyah, Coalition forces targeted an alleged associate of Abu Usama al-Tunisi, the former emir of the southern belt who was killed during an operation Sept. 25. The targeted individual is believed to be involved in foreign terrorist facilitation in Tarmiyah and Taji. The ground force detained four suspect terrorists on site without incident.
Farther north, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting an alleged al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leader in Kirkuk. Intelligence reports also indicate that the targeted individual has numerous connections to al-Qaeda in Iraq members operating in Mosul. The ground force detained two suspected terrorists on site in Kirkuk. Another two suspects were detained in Mosul during an operation targeting an associate of al-Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders in the city.
West of Balad Tuesday, Coalition forces conducted an operation targeting associates of an al-Qaeda in Iraq member believed to be the key communications link between senior leaders of al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda in Iraq. When the ground force approached the target, they were engaged by an armed man who emerged from a vehicle. Responding in self-defense, Coalition forces returned fire, killing two terrorists, and igniting the vehicle. Multiple secondary explosions erupted from the vehicle after it was engaged, indicating explosives stored inside. The nature of the explosions and detainee reporting indicated weapons and explosives were present in the vehicle. The ground force also detained one suspect on site.Total count for the week:
Early Monday, Coalition forces discovered three men attempting to re-seed improvised explosive devices in an area where the ground force had previously destroyed several two IEDs. Perceiving hostile intent, Coalition forces engaged, killing one terrorist. The ground forces searched a nearby building in the same location and discovered two IED pressure plates which were safely destroyed on-site. That afternoon, surveillance elements witnessed three men emplacing several IEDs along a canal road. Again, perceiving hostile intent, Coalition forces called an air strike on the time-sensitive target, killing the three terrorists.
During a two-day operation Coalition forces also discovered three significant weapons caches. Intelligence led the ground force to a local school reported to be used as an al-Qaeda in Iraq safe house and mortar team staging area. Numerous weapons and ammunition were found on site to include mortar rounds, rocket propelled grenades, pressure plates, blasting caps, and rockets reported to be used as surface-to-air weapons in field expedient rocket launchers. Near the school, Coalition forces also discovered two other large caches with similar material to include hand grenades, IED making material and a training manual. The ground force detained one suspect during the operation. All weapons were safely destroyed by the ground force.
Captured: 18
Killed: 10
Remind me again who’s losing in Iraq Mr. Reid?
October 2, 2007
Good News From Iraq
What’s happening in Iraq that isn’t being reported by the MSM?
First up we learn that Ameriya is stepping up and beginning to provide for their own security as they conduct an Iraqi Police recruiting drive:
And evidence continues to mount that the Iranians are funding and supplying the insurgent groups operating in Iraq as soldiers with 1st – 30th Inf find four Iranian hand grenades in weapons cache:
Who is failing whom in Iraq, Mr. Reid?
Trackbacked by:
Surprising Iraqi progress, on the one hand, despite continuing problems on the other from Pros and Cons
First up we learn that Ameriya is stepping up and beginning to provide for their own security as they conduct an Iraqi Police recruiting drive:
Residents in the western Ameriya neighborhood took another step this week to secure their community, as a local recruiting drive resulted in more than 300Pretty impressive for a country that the Democrats say can’t or won’t take care of themselves or will always be reliant upon US Forces. Digging a littel deeper we also find that Coalition Forces are keeping insurgents on the run by conducting night assaults into areas in which they do not normally operate, with Operation Anchorage:
applicants for the new Ameriya Iraqi Police Force.
The recruits underwent a series of physical tests, mental evaluations and a literacy
assessment.
Successful completion certified them as qualified Iraqi Police candidates to represent more than 30,000 citizens of Ameriya.
To date, Ameriya does not have a police force to protect and serve residents like other communities in western Baghdad.
Coalition Forces detained five suspected insurgents and destroyed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device with two joint direct attack munitions Sept. 30 during Operation Anchorage, east of FOB Falcon.A key quote of the story:
Paratroopers of the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment along with several Iraqi army soldiers conducted a night air assault raid here in the early morning hours. The detainees are suspected to be involved with attacks conducted on an IA checkpoint, said Capt. Donald Braman, commander, Troop B.
The Iraqi troops detained the suspects after finding an AK-47 with four fully loaded magazines, a shotgun, more than 500 meters of command wire, IED-making electronic components and anti-Iraqi forces propaganda in the house where the suspects were found.
The raid also netted a five-ton white bongo truck in the process of being rigged as a VBIED. An explosives-detecting K-9 reacted to explosive residue on the vehicle.
An F-16 was called in and struck the truck with a JDAM.
“Every time we go out and take the fight to the enemy we disrupt them; make his life uncomfortable,” he said. “The life of an insurgent isn’t an easy life. When they are on the run, they have to sleep in open fields, in canals; they get tired. As long as they know we are coming after them they can’t sleep easy.” - Capt. Donald BramanHooah Captain!
And evidence continues to mount that the Iranians are funding and supplying the insurgent groups operating in Iraq as soldiers with 1st – 30th Inf find four Iranian hand grenades in weapons cache:
Coalition troops discovered a cache Sept. 30 while conducting area searches south of Patrol Base Murray.These aren’t the only caches being uncovered though: Coalition Forces operating in the area of Rushdi Mullah found and destroyed a cache near the Euphrates recently:
Soldiers of Company A, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team found the cache in a buried plastic barrel.
It consisted of a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, seven RPGs, four Iranian hand grenades, an AK-47 with four full magazines, more than 400 machine gun rounds, 20 mortar primers, a set of body armor and 13 RPG propellant charges.
CAMP STRIKER, Iraq — Coalition Forces operating on a tip from concerned local citizens southwest of Rushdi Mullah, Iraq, discovered a cache the morning of Oct. 1.Troopers of the 3rd Squadron 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment also found several IEDs and either foiled their emplacement or came upon them being emplaced. MNF-I reports that with the Sept. 30 IED discoveries, 22 roadside bombs have been taken off the street of the Rashid District since Operation Dragon Talon II began Sept.16. That my friends is a lot of IEDs that won’t kill American Troopers or innocent civilians and lends credence to the reports that both US Military and Iraqi Civilian deaths have been dropping.
Soldiers of Company C, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., searched the area based on the tip and found a cache.
The cache contained 53 82mm mortar rounds, four 60mm rounds, eight 80mm rockets, 26 68mm flechette rockets, an OG-7V rocket and 200 sticks of propellant.
The weapons cache was destroyed in a controlled detonation by an explosive ordnance disposal team.
Who is failing whom in Iraq, Mr. Reid?
Trackbacked by:
Surprising Iraqi progress, on the one hand, despite continuing problems on the other from Pros and Cons
September 25, 2007
Iraqi National Police Take on Insurgents During Operation Blore Heath III
During Operation Blore Heath III the 1st Iraqi National Police Brigade took the fight to the enemy as they cleared a road connecting al-Bawi and Stiyah killing 6 insurgents:
Stepping up and standing their ground, thats what its all about. Good work men!
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HAMMER, Iraq — The 1st Iraqi National Police Brigade cleared a road connecting al-Bawi and Stiyah during a combined effort with 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, resulting in the killing of six insurgents Sept. 21.
Iraqi National Police, in conjunction with Company A, 1-15 Inf. Regt., conducted the mission to make the route safer.
The mission started with the 1st Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st NP Brigade, linking up with the 3rd platoon of Co. A for the mission.
The 3rd Battalion NPs were engaged by small-arms and machine-gun fire. One NP was wounded during the exchange. As the NPs maneuvered on the insurgents, 3rd platoon, Co. A, moved to assist and cleared six buildings from where the fire was originating.
The NPs discovered an improvised explosive device while clearing the area. A quick reaction force and explosive ordnance disposal personnel from Combat Outpost Cahill moved to the bomb site, and destroyed the IED.
While EOD and the 3rd Battalion NPs were completing the task of destroying the IED, 3rd platoon, Co. A, came under small-arms fire from another house. Bradley Fighting Vehicles moved to support the infantry platoon’s repositioning of Soldiers in the line of fire with 25mm cannon and machine-gun fire.
Once the enemy fire ceased, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, already on site in support of the mission, were called to the scene and engaged the enemy position with 30mm cannon fire and Hellfire missiles.
A flight of U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons dropped a 500-pound bomb onto the house, killing six insurgents inside.
The 1-15 Inf. Regt. is assigned to the 3rd HBCT, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Benning, Ga., and has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom since March 2007.
Stepping up and standing their ground, thats what its all about. Good work men!
September 17, 2007
Cache Uncovered Thanks to a Tip...Proof of Success
An Iraqi boy tipped off a platoon from 2-32 Field Artillery of a possible weapons cache in the Baghdad neighborhood of Yarmouk:
But as Captain Morgan notes its simply an indicator of the success of recent operations since the Surge has started. Civilians all over the country are stepping up and tipping off US Forces and Iraqi Forces as to the goings on of insurgent groups operation in their neighborhoods. Soon al Qaeda in Iraq and other extreme miltas will have no place to safely operate in Iraq.
BAGHDAD — A Multi-National Division-Baghdad unit discovered a cache of explosives and improvised explosive device-making materials in a western neighborhood of the Iraqi capital following a tip from a local boy Sept. 15.Can you imagine the headlines the AP would assigning to this story? "US Forces endanger child's life to protect their own!"
A platoon from Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment (Task Force Patriot), was conducting a census operation in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Yarmouk when an 11-year-old Iraqi boy pointed out an abandoned house and suggested that insurgents had used it as a base of operations in previous months.
The Soldiers discovered two cache sites within the house after a detailed search. The contents of the two caches included four RPG-7 rockets, nine 57mm rockets, two 82mm mortars, one 130mm artillery round, one 122mm artillery round, one block of TNT, a foot of detonation cord, 52 AK-47 magazines and an assortment of IED-detonating devices.
An explosive ordnance disposal team responded to the scene and removed the explosives for detonation later in a controlled environment.
“We’re encouraged by the fact that a tip from an Iraqi child led us to this cache,” said Capt. Jayson Morgan, commander of Battery B and a Munday, Texas native. “It’s just another sign that our efforts in this community are paying dividends.”
Morgan said he will return to the neighborhood later this week to pay the family of the young boy a reward for providing such valuable information.
But as Captain Morgan notes its simply an indicator of the success of recent operations since the Surge has started. Civilians all over the country are stepping up and tipping off US Forces and Iraqi Forces as to the goings on of insurgent groups operation in their neighborhoods. Soon al Qaeda in Iraq and other extreme miltas will have no place to safely operate in Iraq.
7 Terrorists Killed, 31 Detained in Weekend Operations
In an effort to assist the Iraqis in securing their country Coalition Forces operating in Baghdad, Yusufiyah, Taji, Balad and the Syrian border killed 7 terrorists, and captured 31 more:
Each of the operations was the result of intel gathered on previous missions. It appears that the insurgent network in Iraq is being rolled up and each mission makes Iraq safer for Iraqis and confirms the progress made so far.
Great work men!
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed 7 terrorists and detained 31 suspected terrorists during operations in central and northern Iraq Monday targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq operational networks.
Coalition forces continued operations to secure Baghdad and the surrounding belts during two operations targeting terrorist networks in and around the city. West of Yusufiyah, Coalition forces raided a group of buildings while targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders who organize foreign terrorists to conduct suicide attacks. When the assault force approached the target building, two men in the yard drew weapons. Coalition forces, responding in self-defense, engaged the two armed men, killing
them. A number of men from inside the buildings were maneuvering into tactical positions in the surrounding area, indicating they had advance warning of the raid. When the assault force followed the men, they encountered four individuals acting as lookouts and passing information to other enemy elements. Coalition forces defended against the hostile threat by calling for close air support, engaging and killing the four terrorists. The assault force engaged and killed another man who refused to comply with Coalition forces’ instructions to surrender. The ground forces detained 19 suspected terrorists during the raid.
North of Taji, Coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists while targeting members of the al-Qaeda in Iraq network operating in the Rusafa neighborhood of Baghdad.
Farther north in the Tigris River Valley, Coalition forces conducted two raids targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders who facilitate the movement of foreign terrorists. Near Balad, the ground forces detained two individuals allegedly tied to an al-Qaeda in Iraq group responsible for moving terrorists in and out of Iraq, as well as sniper and bombing attacks on Coalition and Iraqi forces. In Bayji, Coalition forces used information from an operation Sep. 7 to conduct a raid that netted four suspects believed to move weapons, supplies and foreign terrorists for al-Qaeda in Iraq.
Coalition forces near the Syrian border used information from an operation Sep. 11 to target a foreign terrorist facilitator there and detained four suspected terrorists.
“We’re relentless in our operations to disrupt al-Qaeda in Iraq’s ability to terrorize the people of Iraq,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. “We will continue to target terrorists and reinforce the positive steps Iraqis have taken in securing their country.”
Each of the operations was the result of intel gathered on previous missions. It appears that the insurgent network in Iraq is being rolled up and each mission makes Iraq safer for Iraqis and confirms the progress made so far.
Great work men!
September 13, 2007
Iraqi Scouts Air Assault Mission Results in 12 Terrorists Captured
An Air Assault mission by Iraqi Army Scout and US Special Forces Advisors on September 12, netted 12 captured terrorists and the destruction of a Taji terrorist safe house used by the Lions of Islam Martyr Group:
No injuries, 12 captured terrorists and one less safe house. Sounds like a good day of hunting for the Iraqi Scouts. Good job men.
FALLUJAH – Iraqi Army Scouts, with U.S. Special Operations Forces as advisers, conducted an intelligence driven helicopter assault raid Sept. 12 resulting in the detention of 12 suspected insurgents and the destruction of an explosively-rigged structure.
Assault forces conducted a series of raids in the vicinity of Taji and detained ten targeted individuals and two additional persons of interest. While securing one of the objectives, an assault team discovered a command detonation wire leading from an abandoned structure and the area was immediately evacuated.
After ensuring full accountability of all forces and ensuring no civilians were located within the vicinity of the structure, close air support was called in to destroy the target with four laser-guided bombs.
The targeted individuals are purportedly linked to the Lions of Islam Martyr Group and are suspected of improvised explosive device trafficking, facilitating foreign fighters and conducting murder and intimidation campaigns in the region.
No Iraqi or U.S. Forces were injured during the operation.
No injuries, 12 captured terrorists and one less safe house. Sounds like a good day of hunting for the Iraqi Scouts. Good job men.
Huge Intell Find in Tarmiyah
Coalition Forces operating in Tarmiyah killed a terrorist emplacing an IED and discovered several caches of weapons and intelligence that included materials involving senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq, including handwritten notes and videos:
What else can one say, other than what Major Danielson has already said, “Al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives are under tremendous pressure from Iraqi and Coalition forces." And yet, we have members of our Congress that are refusing to see the truth. Are they only fixated on forcing us to succumb to defeat, or are they complete idiots?
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed a terrorist emplacing improvised explosive devices and discovered several caches of extremist media and production materials during weekend operations in Tarmiyah.
Coalition forces concluded a three-day operation Sept. 10 to tighten security in the
northern belts around the capital. Coalition forces observed a man emplacing IEDs and responded to the hostile threat by engaging and killing him. The ground forces detained four suspected terrorists for their alleged ties to the al-Qaeda in Iraq network in Tarmiyah.
During the operation, Coalition forces discovered a terrorist safe house and caches containing weapons manuals, artillery rounds and over 20,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Explosives experts with the ground forces safely destroyed the caches and the safe house.
The ground forces also discovered several caches of extremist media and production equipment hidden in underground holes and in trees. The caches included materials involving senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq, including handwritten notes and videos. Coalition forces experts are currently analyzing the media materials.
“Al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives are under tremendous pressure from Iraqi and Coalition forces,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. “Their media and propaganda capabilities are under particular strain since the start of the Surge of Operations in June.”
What else can one say, other than what Major Danielson has already said, “Al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives are under tremendous pressure from Iraqi and Coalition forces." And yet, we have members of our Congress that are refusing to see the truth. Are they only fixated on forcing us to succumb to defeat, or are they complete idiots?
5 Terrorists Killed: 11 Captured
Coalition Forces are continually using intelligence gained during their operations to target and capture al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives. Recently Coalition Forces killed five terrorists and captured 11 more during operations in Central and Northern Iraq:
As we see every day, operations in Iraq are forcing al Qaeda in Iraq into a smaller and smaller area. Soon, they will have been ferreted out of the country and the real progress can begin.
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 11 suspected terrorists during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders and their operatives in central and northern parts of the country.
Using intelligence gained from an operation Aug. 30, Coalition forces targeted a senior leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq in Baqubah. Two armed men attempted to maneuver against the assault force and, in response, the assault force engaged the men in self-defense, killing them. As they called for the target building’s occupants to come out, the assault force saw a woman attempt to draw a pistol from a weapons belt she was wearing. Responding in self-defense, Coalition forces engaged the armed woman, killing her. Another woman approaching the assault force dropped a grenade from under her clothes. When she attempted to retrieve and activate the grenade, Coalition forces responded to the hostile threat, killing the woman. The assault force detained five suspected terrorists during the operation, including another woman who was armed with a pistol.
Coalition forces targeted a senior leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq’s Baghdad network involved in planning and executing car-bombing attacks against Iraqis and the security forces that protect them. When an armed man emerged from the target building and maneuvered against the ground forces, Coalition forces engaged and killed him. Two suspected terrorists were detained in the operation.
In Mosul, Coalition forces captured a wanted individual believed to conduct assassinations for al-Qaeda in Iraq. The ground forces detained three additional suspected terrorists in the raid.
“We continually use information gained from our operations to target and capture al-Qaeda in Iraq’s leaders and operatives, cutting their ability to attack innocent Iraqis and destabilize the government the people have chosen,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman.
As we see every day, operations in Iraq are forcing al Qaeda in Iraq into a smaller and smaller area. Soon, they will have been ferreted out of the country and the real progress can begin.
September 10, 2007
Text of Bin Laden's Speech
Hat tip to Wolf Pangloss who writes:
All praise is due to Allah, who built the heavens and earth in justice, and created man as a favor and grace from Him. And from His ways is that the days rotate between the people, and from His Law is retaliation in kind: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and the killer is killed. And all praise is due to Allah, who awakened His slaves’ desire for the Garden, and all of them will enter it except those who refuse. And whoever obeys Him alone in all of his affairs will enter the Garden, and whoever disobeys Him will have refused.As for what comes after: Peace be upon he who follows the Guidance. People of America: I shall be speaking to you on important topics which concern you, so lend me your ears. I begin by discussing the war which is between us and some of its repercussions for us and you.
To preface, I say: despite America being the greatest economic power and possessing the most powerful and up-to-date military arsenal as well; and despite it spending on this war and its army more than the entire world spends on its armies; and despite it being the major state influencing the policies of the world, as if it has a monopoly on the unjust right of veto; despite all of this, 19 young men were able - by the grace of Allah, the Most High - to change the direction of its compass. And in fact, the subject of the Mujahideen has become an inseparable part of the speech of your leader, and the effects and signs of that are not hidden.
Since the 11th, many of America’s policies have come under the influence of the Mujahideen, and that is by the grace of Allah, the Most High. And as a result, the people discovered the truth about it, its reputation worsened, its prestige was broken globally and it was bled dry economically, even if our interests overlap with the interests of the major corporations and also with those of the neoconservatives, despite the differing intentions.
And for your information media, during the first years of the war, lost its credibility and manifested itself as a tool of the colonialist empires, and its condition has often been worse than the condition of the media of the dictatorial regimes which march in the caravan of the single leader.
Then Bush talks about his working with al-Maliki and his government to spread freedom in Iraq but he is in fact is working with the leaders of one sect against another sect, in the belief that this will quickly decide the war in his favor.
And thus, what is called the civil war came into being and matters worsened at his hands before getting out of his control and him becoming like the one who plows and sows the sea: he harvests nothing but failure.
So these are some of the results of the freedom about whose spreading he is talking to you. And then the backtracking of Bush on his insistence on not giving the United Nations expanded jurisdiction in Iraq is an implicit admission of his loss and defeat there.
And among the most important items contained in Bush’s speeches since the events of the 11th is that the Americans have no options but to continue this war. This tone is in fact an echoing of the words of neoconservatives like Cheney, Rumsfeld and Richard Perle, the latter having said previously that the Americans have no choice in front of them other than to continue the war or face a holocaust.
I say, refuting this unjust statement, that the morality and culture of the holocaust is your culture, not our culture. In fact, burning living beings is forbidden in our religion, even if they be small like the ant, so what of man?! The holocaust of the Jews was carried out by your brethren in the middle of Europe, but had it been closer to our countries, most of the Jews would have been saved by takng refuge with us. And my proof for that is in what your brothers, the Spanish, did when they set up the horrible courts of the Inquisition to try Muslims and Jews, when the Jews only found safe shelter by taking refuge in our countries. And that is why the Jewish community in Morocco today is one of the largest communities in the world. They are alive with us and we have not incinerated them, but we are a people who don’t sleep under oppression and reject humiliation and disgrace, and we take revenge on the people of tyranny and aggression, and the blood of the Muslims will not be spilled with impunity, and the morrow is night for he who awaits.
Also, your Christian brothers have been living among us for 14 centuries in Egypt alone, there are millions of Christians whom we have not incinerated and shall not incinerate. But the fact is, there is a continuing and biased campaign being waged against us for a long time now by your politicians and many of your writers by way of your media, especially Hollywood, for the purpose of misrepresenting Islam and its adherents to drive you away from the true religion. The genocide of peoples and their holocausts took place at your hands: only a few specimens of Red Indians were spared, and just a few days ago, the Japanese observed the 62nd anniversary of the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by your nuclear weapons.
And among the things which catch the eye of the one who considers the repercussions of your unjust war against Iraq is the failure of your democratic system, despite it raising of the slogans of justice, liberty, equality and humanitarianism. It has not only failed to achieve these things, it has actually destroyed these and other concepts with its weapons - especially in Iraq and Afghanistan - in a brazen fashion, to replace them with fear, destruction, killing, hunger, illness, displacement and more than a million orphans in Baghdad alone, not to mention hundreds of thousands of widows. American statistics speak of the killing of more than 650,000 of the people of Iraq as a result of the war and its repercussions.
People of America: the world is following your news in regards to your invasion of Iraq, for people have recently come to know that, after several years of the tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped. Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven’t made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they continue to agree to the spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and war there, which has led to the vast majority of you being afflicted with disappointment.
And here is the gist of the matter, so one should pause, think and reflect: why have the Democrats failed to stop this war, despite them being the majority?
I will come back to reply to this question after raising another question, which is:
Why are the leaders of the White House keen to start wars and wage them around the world, and make use of every possible opportunity through which they can reach this purpose, occasionally even creating justifications based on deception and blatant lies, as you saw Iraq?
In the Vietnam War, the leaders of the White House claimed at the time that it was a necessary and crucial war, and during it, Rumsfeld and his aides murdered two million villagers. And when Kennedy took over the presidency and deviated from the general line of policy drawn up for the White House and wanted to stop this unjust war, that angered the owners of the major corporations who were benefiting from its continuation.
And so Kennedy was killed, and al-Qaeda wasn’t present at that time, but rather, those corporations were the primary beneficiary from his killing. And the war continued after that for approximately one decade. But after it became clear to you that it was an unjust and unnecessary war, you made one of your greatest mistakes, in that you neither brought to account nor punished those who waged this war, not even the most violent of its murderers, Rumsfeld. And even more incredible than that is that Bush picked him as secretary of defense in his first term after picking Cheney as his vice-president, Powell as secretary of state and Armitage as Powell’s deputy, despite their horrific and bloody history of murdering humans. So that was a clear signal that his administration - the administration of the generals - didn’t have as its main concern the serving of humanity, but rather, was interested in bringing about new massacres. Yet in spite of that, you permitted Bush to complete his first term, and stranger still, chose him for a second term, which gave him a clear mandate from you - with your full knowledge and consent - to continue to murder our people in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Then you claim to be innocent! This innocence of yours is like my innocence of the blood of your sons of the 11th - were I to claim such a thing. But it is impossible for me to humor any of you in the arrogance and indifference you show for the lives of humans outside America, or for me to humor your leaders in their lying, as the entire world knows they have the lion’s share of that. These morals aren’t our morals. What I want to emphasize here is that not taking past war criminals to account led to them repeating that crime of killing humanity without right and waging this unjust war in Mesopotamia, and as a result, here are the oppressed ones today continuing to take their right from you.
This war was entirely unnecessary, as testified to by your own reports. And among the most capable of those from your side who speak to you on this topic and on the manufacturing of public opinion is Noam Chomsky, who spoke sober words of advice prior to the war, but the leader of Texas doesn’t like those who give advice. The entire world came out in unprecedented demonstrations to warn against waging the war and describe its true nature in eloquent terms like “no to spilling red blood for black oil,” yet he paid them no heed. It is time for humankind to know that talk of the rights of man and freedom are lies produced by the White House and its allies in Europe to deceive humans, take control of their destinies and subjugate them.
So in answer to the question about the causes of the Democrats’ failure to stop the war, I say: they are the same reasons which led to the failure of former president Kennedy to stop the Vietnam war. Those with real power and influence are those with the most capital. And since the democratic system permits major corporations to back candidates, be they presidential or congressional, there shouldn’t be any cause for astonishment - and there isn’t any - in the Democrats’ failure to stop the war. And you’re the ones who have the saying which goes, “Money talks.” And I tell you: after the failure of your representatives in the Democratic Party to implement your desire to stop the war, you can still carry anti-war placards and spread out in the streets of major cities, then go back to your homes, but that will be of no use and will lead to the prolonging of the war.
However, there are two solutions for stopping it. The first is from our side, and it is to continue to escalate the killing and fighting against you. That is our duty, and our brothers are carrying it out, and I ask Allah to grant them resolve and victory. And the second solution is from your side. It has now become clear to you and the entire world the impotence of the democratic system and how it plays with the interests of the peoples and their blood by sacrificing soldiers and populations to achieve the interests of the major corporations.
And with that, it has become clear to all that they are the real tyrannical terrorists. In fact, the life of all of mankind is in danger because of the global warming resulting to a large degree from the emissions of the factories of the major corporations, yet despite that, the representative of these corporations in the White House insists on not observing the Kyoto accord, with the knowledge that the statistic speaks of the death and displacement of the millions of human beings because of that, especially in Africa. This greatest of plagues and most dangerous of threats to the lives of humans is taking place in an accelerating fashion as the world is being dominated by the democratic system, which confirms its massive failure to protect humans and their interests from the greed and avarice of the major corporations and their representatives.
And despite this brazen attack on the people, the leaders of the West - especially Bush, Blair, Sarkozy and Brown - still talk about freedom and human rights with a flagrant disregard for the intellects of human beings. So is there a form of terrorism stronger, clearer and more dangerous than this? This is why I tell you: as you liberated yourselves before from the slavery of monks, kings, and feudalism, you should liberate yourselves form the deception, shackles and attrition of the capitalist system.
If you were to ponder it well, you would find that in the end, it is a system harsher and fiercer than your systems in the Middle Ages. The capitalist system seeks to turn the entire world into a fiefdom of the major corporations under the label of “globalization” in order to protect democracy.
And Iraq and Afghanistan and their tragedies; and the reeling of many of you under the burden of interest-related debts, insane taxes and real estate mortgages; global warming and its woes; and the abject poverty and tragic hunger in Africa: all of this is but one side of this global system.
So it is imperative that you free yourselves from all of that and search for an alternative, upright methodology in which it is not the business of any class of humanity to lay down its own laws to its own advantage at the expense of the other classes as is the case with you, since the essence of man-made positive laws is that they serve the interests of those with the capital and thus make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
The infallible methodology is the methodology of Allah, the Most High, who created the heavens and earth and created the Creation and is the Most Kind and All-Informed and the Knower of the souls of His slaves and the methodology that best suits them.
You believe with absolute certainty that you believe in Allah, and you are full of conviction of this belief, so much that you have written this belief of yours on your dollar.
But the truth is that you are mistaken in this belief of yours. The impartial judge knows that belief in Allah requires straightness in the following of His methodology, and accordingly, total obedience must be to the orders and prohibitions of Allah Alone in all aspects of life.
So how about you when you associate others with Him in your beliefs and separate state from religion, then claim that you are believers?!
What you have done is clear loss and manifest polytheism, and I will give you a parable of polytheism, as parables summarize and clarify speech.
I tell you: its parable is the parable of a man who owns a shop and hires a worker and tells him, “Sell and give me the money,” but he makes sales and gives the money to someone other than the owner. So who of you would approve of that?
You believe that Allah is your Lord and your Creator and the Creator of this earth and that it is His property, then you work on His earth and property without His orders and without obeying Him, and you legislate in contradiction to His Law and methodology.
This work of yours is the greatest form of polytheism and is rebellion against obedience to Allah with which the believer becomes an unbeliever, even if he obeys Allah in some of his other orders. Allah, the Most High, sent down His orders in His Sacred Books like the Torah and Evangel and sent with them the Messengers (Allah’s prayers and peace be upon them) as bearers of good news to the people.
And everyone who believes in them and complies with them is a believer from the people of the Garden. Then when the men of knowledge altered the words of Allah, the Most High, and sold them for a paltry price, as the rabbis did with the Torah and the monks with the Evangel, Allah sent down his final Book, the magnificent Quran, and safeguarded it from being added to or subtracted from by the hands of men, and in it is a complete methodology for the lives of all people.
And our holding firm to this magnificent Book is the secret of our strength and winning of the war against you despite the fewness of our numbers and materiel.
And if you would like to get to know some of the reasons for your losing of your war against us, then read the book of Michael Scheuer in this regard.
Don’t be turned away from Islam by the terrible situation of the Muslims today, for our rulers in general abandoned Islam many decades ago, but our forefathers were the leaders and pioneers of the world for many centuries, when they held firmly to Islam.
And before concluding, I tell you: there has been an increase in the thinkers who study events and happenings, and on the basis of their study, they have declared the approach of the collapse of that American Empire.
Among them is the European banker who anticipated the fall of the Soviet Union, which indeed fell. And it would benefit you to read what he wrote about what comes after the empire in regard to the United States of America. I also want to bring to your attention that among the greatest reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union was their being afflicted with their leader Brezhnev, who was overtaken by pride and arrogance and refused to look at the facts on the ground. From the first year of the Afghanistan invasion, reports indicated that the Russians were losing the war, but he refused to acknowledge this, lest it go down in his personal history as a defeat, even though refusal to acknowledge defeat not only doesn’t do anything to change the facts for thinking people, but also exacerbates the problem and increases the losses. And how similar is your position today to their position approximately two decades ago. The mistakes of Brezhnev are being repeated by Bush, who - when asked about the date of his withdrawing of forces from Iraq - said in effect that the withdrawal will not be during his reign, bur rather, during the reign of the one who succeeds him. And the significance of those words is not hidden.
And here I say: it would benefit you to listen to the poignant messages of your soldiers in Iraq, who are paying - with their blood, nerves and scattered limbs - the price for these sorts of irresponsible statements. Among them is the eloquent message of Joshua which he sent by way of the media, in which he wipes the tears from his eyes and describes American politicians in harsh terms and invites them to join him there for a few days. Perhaps his message will find in you an attentive year so you can rescue him and more than 150,000 of your sons there who are tasting the two bitterest things:
If they leave their barracks, the mines devour them, and if they refuse to leave, rulings are passed against them. Thus the only options left in front of them are to commit suicide or cry, both of which are from the severest of afflictions. So is there anything more men can do after crying and killing themselves to make you respond to them? They are doing that out of the severity of the humiliation, fear and terror which they are suffering. It is severer than what the slaves used to suffer at your hands centuries ago, and it is as if some of them have gone from one slavery to another slavery more severe and harmful, even if it be in the fancy dress of the Defense Department’s financial enticements.
So do you feel the greatness of their sufferings?
To conclude, I invite you to embrace Islam, for the greatest mistake one can make in this world and one which is uncorrectable is to die while not surrendering to Allah, the Most High, in all aspects of one’s life - i.e. to die outside of Islam. And Islam means gain for you in this first life and the next, final life. The true religion is a mercy for people in their lives, filling their hearts with serenity and calm.
There is a message for you in the Mujahideen: the entire world is in pursuit of them, yet their hearts, by the grace of Allah, are satisfied and tranquil. The true religion also puts peoples’ lives in order with its laws; protects their needs and interests; refines their goals; protects them from evils; and guarantees for them entrance into Paradise in the hereafter through their obedience to Allah and sincere worship of Him Alone.
And it will also achieve your desire to stop the war as a consequence, because as soon as the warmongering owners of the major corporations realize that you have lost confidence in your democratic system and begun to search for an alternative, and that this alternative is Islam, they will run to you to please you and achieve what you want to steer you away from Islam. So your true compliance with Islam will deprive them of the opportunity to defraud the peoples and take their money under numerous pretexts, like arms deals and so on.
There are no taxes in Islam, but rather there is a limited Zakat (alms) totaling only 2.5%. So beware of the deception of those with the capital. And with your earnest reading about Islam from its pristine sources, you will arrive at an important truth, which is that the religion of all of the Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them) is one, and that its essence is submission to the orders of Allah Alone in all aspects of life, even if their Shari’ahs [Laws] differ.
And did you know that the name of the Prophet of Allah Jesus and his mother (peace and blessings of Allah be on them both) are mentioned in the Noble Quran dozens of times, and that in the Quran there is a chapter whose name is “Maryam,” i.e. Mary, daughter of ‘Imran and mother of Jesus (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both)? It tells the story of her becoming pregnant with the Prophet of Allah Jesus (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both), and in its confirmation of her chastity and purity, in contrast to the fabrications of the Jews against her. Whoever wishes to find that out for himself must listen to the verse of this magnificent chapter: one of the just kings of the Christians - the Negus - listened to some of its verses and his eyes welled up with tears and he said something which should be reflected on for a long time by those sincere in their search for the truth.
He said, “verily, this and what Jesus brought come from one lantern”: i.e. that the magnificent Quran and the Evangel are both from Allah, the Most High; and every just and intelligent one of you who reflects of the Quran will definitely arrive at this truth. It also must be noted that Allah has preserved the Quran from the alterations of man. And reading in order to become acquainted with Islam only requires a little effort, and those of you who are guided will profit greatly. And peace be upon he who follows the Guidance.
The text seems as if it was written in English and translated to Arabic. It would be useful to find out where Bin Laden and Jewish convert Adam Gadahn got the language for this speech, which hits every single leftist and socialist argument (except Abu Ghraib and Gitmo, which have already been used several times) against the Global Counterjihad, and also appeals to Republicans by promising tax cuts under Islamic governance. The scattershot style actually sounds desperate, as if he would say anything to get the US to stop fighting and leave him alone.
All praise is due to Allah, who built the heavens and earth in justice, and created man as a favor and grace from Him. And from His ways is that the days rotate between the people, and from His Law is retaliation in kind: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth and the killer is killed. And all praise is due to Allah, who awakened His slaves’ desire for the Garden, and all of them will enter it except those who refuse. And whoever obeys Him alone in all of his affairs will enter the Garden, and whoever disobeys Him will have refused.As for what comes after: Peace be upon he who follows the Guidance. People of America: I shall be speaking to you on important topics which concern you, so lend me your ears. I begin by discussing the war which is between us and some of its repercussions for us and you.
To preface, I say: despite America being the greatest economic power and possessing the most powerful and up-to-date military arsenal as well; and despite it spending on this war and its army more than the entire world spends on its armies; and despite it being the major state influencing the policies of the world, as if it has a monopoly on the unjust right of veto; despite all of this, 19 young men were able - by the grace of Allah, the Most High - to change the direction of its compass. And in fact, the subject of the Mujahideen has become an inseparable part of the speech of your leader, and the effects and signs of that are not hidden.
Since the 11th, many of America’s policies have come under the influence of the Mujahideen, and that is by the grace of Allah, the Most High. And as a result, the people discovered the truth about it, its reputation worsened, its prestige was broken globally and it was bled dry economically, even if our interests overlap with the interests of the major corporations and also with those of the neoconservatives, despite the differing intentions.
And for your information media, during the first years of the war, lost its credibility and manifested itself as a tool of the colonialist empires, and its condition has often been worse than the condition of the media of the dictatorial regimes which march in the caravan of the single leader.
Then Bush talks about his working with al-Maliki and his government to spread freedom in Iraq but he is in fact is working with the leaders of one sect against another sect, in the belief that this will quickly decide the war in his favor.
And thus, what is called the civil war came into being and matters worsened at his hands before getting out of his control and him becoming like the one who plows and sows the sea: he harvests nothing but failure.
So these are some of the results of the freedom about whose spreading he is talking to you. And then the backtracking of Bush on his insistence on not giving the United Nations expanded jurisdiction in Iraq is an implicit admission of his loss and defeat there.
And among the most important items contained in Bush’s speeches since the events of the 11th is that the Americans have no options but to continue this war. This tone is in fact an echoing of the words of neoconservatives like Cheney, Rumsfeld and Richard Perle, the latter having said previously that the Americans have no choice in front of them other than to continue the war or face a holocaust.
I say, refuting this unjust statement, that the morality and culture of the holocaust is your culture, not our culture. In fact, burning living beings is forbidden in our religion, even if they be small like the ant, so what of man?! The holocaust of the Jews was carried out by your brethren in the middle of Europe, but had it been closer to our countries, most of the Jews would have been saved by takng refuge with us. And my proof for that is in what your brothers, the Spanish, did when they set up the horrible courts of the Inquisition to try Muslims and Jews, when the Jews only found safe shelter by taking refuge in our countries. And that is why the Jewish community in Morocco today is one of the largest communities in the world. They are alive with us and we have not incinerated them, but we are a people who don’t sleep under oppression and reject humiliation and disgrace, and we take revenge on the people of tyranny and aggression, and the blood of the Muslims will not be spilled with impunity, and the morrow is night for he who awaits.
Also, your Christian brothers have been living among us for 14 centuries in Egypt alone, there are millions of Christians whom we have not incinerated and shall not incinerate. But the fact is, there is a continuing and biased campaign being waged against us for a long time now by your politicians and many of your writers by way of your media, especially Hollywood, for the purpose of misrepresenting Islam and its adherents to drive you away from the true religion. The genocide of peoples and their holocausts took place at your hands: only a few specimens of Red Indians were spared, and just a few days ago, the Japanese observed the 62nd anniversary of the annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by your nuclear weapons.
And among the things which catch the eye of the one who considers the repercussions of your unjust war against Iraq is the failure of your democratic system, despite it raising of the slogans of justice, liberty, equality and humanitarianism. It has not only failed to achieve these things, it has actually destroyed these and other concepts with its weapons - especially in Iraq and Afghanistan - in a brazen fashion, to replace them with fear, destruction, killing, hunger, illness, displacement and more than a million orphans in Baghdad alone, not to mention hundreds of thousands of widows. American statistics speak of the killing of more than 650,000 of the people of Iraq as a result of the war and its repercussions.
People of America: the world is following your news in regards to your invasion of Iraq, for people have recently come to know that, after several years of the tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped. Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven’t made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they continue to agree to the spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and war there, which has led to the vast majority of you being afflicted with disappointment.
And here is the gist of the matter, so one should pause, think and reflect: why have the Democrats failed to stop this war, despite them being the majority?
I will come back to reply to this question after raising another question, which is:
Why are the leaders of the White House keen to start wars and wage them around the world, and make use of every possible opportunity through which they can reach this purpose, occasionally even creating justifications based on deception and blatant lies, as you saw Iraq?
In the Vietnam War, the leaders of the White House claimed at the time that it was a necessary and crucial war, and during it, Rumsfeld and his aides murdered two million villagers. And when Kennedy took over the presidency and deviated from the general line of policy drawn up for the White House and wanted to stop this unjust war, that angered the owners of the major corporations who were benefiting from its continuation.
And so Kennedy was killed, and al-Qaeda wasn’t present at that time, but rather, those corporations were the primary beneficiary from his killing. And the war continued after that for approximately one decade. But after it became clear to you that it was an unjust and unnecessary war, you made one of your greatest mistakes, in that you neither brought to account nor punished those who waged this war, not even the most violent of its murderers, Rumsfeld. And even more incredible than that is that Bush picked him as secretary of defense in his first term after picking Cheney as his vice-president, Powell as secretary of state and Armitage as Powell’s deputy, despite their horrific and bloody history of murdering humans. So that was a clear signal that his administration - the administration of the generals - didn’t have as its main concern the serving of humanity, but rather, was interested in bringing about new massacres. Yet in spite of that, you permitted Bush to complete his first term, and stranger still, chose him for a second term, which gave him a clear mandate from you - with your full knowledge and consent - to continue to murder our people in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Then you claim to be innocent! This innocence of yours is like my innocence of the blood of your sons of the 11th - were I to claim such a thing. But it is impossible for me to humor any of you in the arrogance and indifference you show for the lives of humans outside America, or for me to humor your leaders in their lying, as the entire world knows they have the lion’s share of that. These morals aren’t our morals. What I want to emphasize here is that not taking past war criminals to account led to them repeating that crime of killing humanity without right and waging this unjust war in Mesopotamia, and as a result, here are the oppressed ones today continuing to take their right from you.
This war was entirely unnecessary, as testified to by your own reports. And among the most capable of those from your side who speak to you on this topic and on the manufacturing of public opinion is Noam Chomsky, who spoke sober words of advice prior to the war, but the leader of Texas doesn’t like those who give advice. The entire world came out in unprecedented demonstrations to warn against waging the war and describe its true nature in eloquent terms like “no to spilling red blood for black oil,” yet he paid them no heed. It is time for humankind to know that talk of the rights of man and freedom are lies produced by the White House and its allies in Europe to deceive humans, take control of their destinies and subjugate them.
So in answer to the question about the causes of the Democrats’ failure to stop the war, I say: they are the same reasons which led to the failure of former president Kennedy to stop the Vietnam war. Those with real power and influence are those with the most capital. And since the democratic system permits major corporations to back candidates, be they presidential or congressional, there shouldn’t be any cause for astonishment - and there isn’t any - in the Democrats’ failure to stop the war. And you’re the ones who have the saying which goes, “Money talks.” And I tell you: after the failure of your representatives in the Democratic Party to implement your desire to stop the war, you can still carry anti-war placards and spread out in the streets of major cities, then go back to your homes, but that will be of no use and will lead to the prolonging of the war.
However, there are two solutions for stopping it. The first is from our side, and it is to continue to escalate the killing and fighting against you. That is our duty, and our brothers are carrying it out, and I ask Allah to grant them resolve and victory. And the second solution is from your side. It has now become clear to you and the entire world the impotence of the democratic system and how it plays with the interests of the peoples and their blood by sacrificing soldiers and populations to achieve the interests of the major corporations.
And with that, it has become clear to all that they are the real tyrannical terrorists. In fact, the life of all of mankind is in danger because of the global warming resulting to a large degree from the emissions of the factories of the major corporations, yet despite that, the representative of these corporations in the White House insists on not observing the Kyoto accord, with the knowledge that the statistic speaks of the death and displacement of the millions of human beings because of that, especially in Africa. This greatest of plagues and most dangerous of threats to the lives of humans is taking place in an accelerating fashion as the world is being dominated by the democratic system, which confirms its massive failure to protect humans and their interests from the greed and avarice of the major corporations and their representatives.
And despite this brazen attack on the people, the leaders of the West - especially Bush, Blair, Sarkozy and Brown - still talk about freedom and human rights with a flagrant disregard for the intellects of human beings. So is there a form of terrorism stronger, clearer and more dangerous than this? This is why I tell you: as you liberated yourselves before from the slavery of monks, kings, and feudalism, you should liberate yourselves form the deception, shackles and attrition of the capitalist system.
If you were to ponder it well, you would find that in the end, it is a system harsher and fiercer than your systems in the Middle Ages. The capitalist system seeks to turn the entire world into a fiefdom of the major corporations under the label of “globalization” in order to protect democracy.
And Iraq and Afghanistan and their tragedies; and the reeling of many of you under the burden of interest-related debts, insane taxes and real estate mortgages; global warming and its woes; and the abject poverty and tragic hunger in Africa: all of this is but one side of this global system.
So it is imperative that you free yourselves from all of that and search for an alternative, upright methodology in which it is not the business of any class of humanity to lay down its own laws to its own advantage at the expense of the other classes as is the case with you, since the essence of man-made positive laws is that they serve the interests of those with the capital and thus make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
The infallible methodology is the methodology of Allah, the Most High, who created the heavens and earth and created the Creation and is the Most Kind and All-Informed and the Knower of the souls of His slaves and the methodology that best suits them.
You believe with absolute certainty that you believe in Allah, and you are full of conviction of this belief, so much that you have written this belief of yours on your dollar.
But the truth is that you are mistaken in this belief of yours. The impartial judge knows that belief in Allah requires straightness in the following of His methodology, and accordingly, total obedience must be to the orders and prohibitions of Allah Alone in all aspects of life.
So how about you when you associate others with Him in your beliefs and separate state from religion, then claim that you are believers?!
What you have done is clear loss and manifest polytheism, and I will give you a parable of polytheism, as parables summarize and clarify speech.
I tell you: its parable is the parable of a man who owns a shop and hires a worker and tells him, “Sell and give me the money,” but he makes sales and gives the money to someone other than the owner. So who of you would approve of that?
You believe that Allah is your Lord and your Creator and the Creator of this earth and that it is His property, then you work on His earth and property without His orders and without obeying Him, and you legislate in contradiction to His Law and methodology.
This work of yours is the greatest form of polytheism and is rebellion against obedience to Allah with which the believer becomes an unbeliever, even if he obeys Allah in some of his other orders. Allah, the Most High, sent down His orders in His Sacred Books like the Torah and Evangel and sent with them the Messengers (Allah’s prayers and peace be upon them) as bearers of good news to the people.
And everyone who believes in them and complies with them is a believer from the people of the Garden. Then when the men of knowledge altered the words of Allah, the Most High, and sold them for a paltry price, as the rabbis did with the Torah and the monks with the Evangel, Allah sent down his final Book, the magnificent Quran, and safeguarded it from being added to or subtracted from by the hands of men, and in it is a complete methodology for the lives of all people.
And our holding firm to this magnificent Book is the secret of our strength and winning of the war against you despite the fewness of our numbers and materiel.
And if you would like to get to know some of the reasons for your losing of your war against us, then read the book of Michael Scheuer in this regard.
Don’t be turned away from Islam by the terrible situation of the Muslims today, for our rulers in general abandoned Islam many decades ago, but our forefathers were the leaders and pioneers of the world for many centuries, when they held firmly to Islam.
And before concluding, I tell you: there has been an increase in the thinkers who study events and happenings, and on the basis of their study, they have declared the approach of the collapse of that American Empire.
Among them is the European banker who anticipated the fall of the Soviet Union, which indeed fell. And it would benefit you to read what he wrote about what comes after the empire in regard to the United States of America. I also want to bring to your attention that among the greatest reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union was their being afflicted with their leader Brezhnev, who was overtaken by pride and arrogance and refused to look at the facts on the ground. From the first year of the Afghanistan invasion, reports indicated that the Russians were losing the war, but he refused to acknowledge this, lest it go down in his personal history as a defeat, even though refusal to acknowledge defeat not only doesn’t do anything to change the facts for thinking people, but also exacerbates the problem and increases the losses. And how similar is your position today to their position approximately two decades ago. The mistakes of Brezhnev are being repeated by Bush, who - when asked about the date of his withdrawing of forces from Iraq - said in effect that the withdrawal will not be during his reign, bur rather, during the reign of the one who succeeds him. And the significance of those words is not hidden.
And here I say: it would benefit you to listen to the poignant messages of your soldiers in Iraq, who are paying - with their blood, nerves and scattered limbs - the price for these sorts of irresponsible statements. Among them is the eloquent message of Joshua which he sent by way of the media, in which he wipes the tears from his eyes and describes American politicians in harsh terms and invites them to join him there for a few days. Perhaps his message will find in you an attentive year so you can rescue him and more than 150,000 of your sons there who are tasting the two bitterest things:
If they leave their barracks, the mines devour them, and if they refuse to leave, rulings are passed against them. Thus the only options left in front of them are to commit suicide or cry, both of which are from the severest of afflictions. So is there anything more men can do after crying and killing themselves to make you respond to them? They are doing that out of the severity of the humiliation, fear and terror which they are suffering. It is severer than what the slaves used to suffer at your hands centuries ago, and it is as if some of them have gone from one slavery to another slavery more severe and harmful, even if it be in the fancy dress of the Defense Department’s financial enticements.
So do you feel the greatness of their sufferings?
To conclude, I invite you to embrace Islam, for the greatest mistake one can make in this world and one which is uncorrectable is to die while not surrendering to Allah, the Most High, in all aspects of one’s life - i.e. to die outside of Islam. And Islam means gain for you in this first life and the next, final life. The true religion is a mercy for people in their lives, filling their hearts with serenity and calm.
There is a message for you in the Mujahideen: the entire world is in pursuit of them, yet their hearts, by the grace of Allah, are satisfied and tranquil. The true religion also puts peoples’ lives in order with its laws; protects their needs and interests; refines their goals; protects them from evils; and guarantees for them entrance into Paradise in the hereafter through their obedience to Allah and sincere worship of Him Alone.
And it will also achieve your desire to stop the war as a consequence, because as soon as the warmongering owners of the major corporations realize that you have lost confidence in your democratic system and begun to search for an alternative, and that this alternative is Islam, they will run to you to please you and achieve what you want to steer you away from Islam. So your true compliance with Islam will deprive them of the opportunity to defraud the peoples and take their money under numerous pretexts, like arms deals and so on.
There are no taxes in Islam, but rather there is a limited Zakat (alms) totaling only 2.5%. So beware of the deception of those with the capital. And with your earnest reading about Islam from its pristine sources, you will arrive at an important truth, which is that the religion of all of the Prophets (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them) is one, and that its essence is submission to the orders of Allah Alone in all aspects of life, even if their Shari’ahs [Laws] differ.
And did you know that the name of the Prophet of Allah Jesus and his mother (peace and blessings of Allah be on them both) are mentioned in the Noble Quran dozens of times, and that in the Quran there is a chapter whose name is “Maryam,” i.e. Mary, daughter of ‘Imran and mother of Jesus (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both)? It tells the story of her becoming pregnant with the Prophet of Allah Jesus (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them both), and in its confirmation of her chastity and purity, in contrast to the fabrications of the Jews against her. Whoever wishes to find that out for himself must listen to the verse of this magnificent chapter: one of the just kings of the Christians - the Negus - listened to some of its verses and his eyes welled up with tears and he said something which should be reflected on for a long time by those sincere in their search for the truth.
He said, “verily, this and what Jesus brought come from one lantern”: i.e. that the magnificent Quran and the Evangel are both from Allah, the Most High; and every just and intelligent one of you who reflects of the Quran will definitely arrive at this truth. It also must be noted that Allah has preserved the Quran from the alterations of man. And reading in order to become acquainted with Islam only requires a little effort, and those of you who are guided will profit greatly. And peace be upon he who follows the Guidance.
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