Jennifer Rowland | The AfPak Channel | This month marks the end of the American surge in Afghanistan: the 33,000 additional troops President Barack Obama authorized in his administration's first months will complete redeployment, leaving behind a force of 68,000. By launching the surge in December 2009, President Obama attempted to remedy the previous administration's inattention to the Afghanistan effort and fully resource a civilian and military stabilization campaign.
Although the surge's primary military objective was to reverse the Taliban's momentum and train Afghan National Security Forces, it also aimed to "promote a more capable and accountable Afghan government." It would focus on local Afghan government institutions. (READ MORE)
Showing posts with label Surge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Surge. Show all posts
September 27, 2012
September 25, 2012
Afghan Surge: Obama’s Great Gamble Comes To An End
Global Post | KABUL, Afghanistan — Almost three years after US President Barack Obama vowed to "seize the initiative" with a surge of forces to Afghanistan, his great gamble has come to an end.
The final remnants of those extra American troops departed last week, leaving behind a country still wracked by violence and bitterly divided, and still unsure of what has been achieved.
For each triumph on the battlefield there was, people here say, often a loss elsewhere. Now with time running out and Washington having played its strongest card, optimism is hard to find.
Even when lawmaker Abdul Jabar Qahraman is taking the short trip from his house in Kabul to the Ministry of Defense across town, he has his bodyguards well prepared and a plan for the journey carefully laid out.... (READ MORE)
The final remnants of those extra American troops departed last week, leaving behind a country still wracked by violence and bitterly divided, and still unsure of what has been achieved.
For each triumph on the battlefield there was, people here say, often a loss elsewhere. Now with time running out and Washington having played its strongest card, optimism is hard to find.
Even when lawmaker Abdul Jabar Qahraman is taking the short trip from his house in Kabul to the Ministry of Defense across town, he has his bodyguards well prepared and a plan for the journey carefully laid out.... (READ MORE)
September 21, 2012
Statement from Secretary Panetta on Recovery of Surge Forces in Afghanistan
U.S. Department of Defense | Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) | “This week, the ongoing effort in Afghanistan marked an important milestone: the United States military has completed drawing down the surge forces President Obama committed in December of 2009, reducing our presence by 33,000 troops on schedule. As we reflect on this moment, it is an opportunity to recognize that the surge accomplished its objectives of reversing Taliban momentum on the battlefield, and dramatically increased the size and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). This growth has allowed us and our ISAF Coalition partners to begin the process of transition to Afghan security lead, which will soon extend across every province and more than 75 percent of the Afghan population. At the same time, we have struck enormous blows against al Qaeda's leadership, consistent with our core goal of disrupting, dismantling and defeating al Qaeda and denying it a safe-haven.
“It is important to underscore that even as our surge troops return home, there are roughly 68,000 Americans who remain in a tough fight in Afghanistan, alongside their NATO and Afghan partners. We are a nation at war. But the international community is also strongly united behind our shared strategy to transition to Afghan security control, which will be completed by the end of 2014.”
[Source]
“It is important to underscore that even as our surge troops return home, there are roughly 68,000 Americans who remain in a tough fight in Afghanistan, alongside their NATO and Afghan partners. We are a nation at war. But the international community is also strongly united behind our shared strategy to transition to Afghan security control, which will be completed by the end of 2014.”
[Source]
Panetta: US Surge Troops Complete Afghan Withdrawal
Voice of America | AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND | U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says all 33,000 troops who went to Afghanistan as part of a surge of forces three years ago have now left the country.
The U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called the withdrawal a very important milestone in the allied forces' effort to transfer security responsibility to Afghan security forces.
Panetta made the announcement Friday at a joint news conference with New Zealand's defense minister in Auckland - the last stop of a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific region.
"The United States military has completed drawing down the surge forces President Obama committed in December of 2009, reducing our presence by 33,000 troops, and it was done on schedule," he said.
President Obama ordered the surge in 2009 with the goal to break the momentum of Taliban insurgents by enabling Afghan forces to take and hold on to territory. With much of Afghanistan now under the control of Afghan forces, Defense Secretary Panetta says plans are on track to pull all remaining allied combat troops out of the country by 2014.
"As we reflect on this moment, it's an opportunity to recognize that the surge did accomplish its objectives of reversing Taliban momentum on the battlefield and dramatically increased the size and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces," he said.
The drawdown has been carried out gradually over the last few months. The removal of 33,000 troops leaves 68,000 U.S. troops - down from a high of more than 100,000 a year ago.
The pullout coincides with a spike in the number of insider attacks by Afghan forces, who have turned their weapons their international counterparts. The incidents have raised concerns among some in Washington - including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey - who has called the number of attacks a very serious threat.
Panetta on Friday said General John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has assured him the remaining number of American troops is sufficient to accomplish the mission.
New Zealand was the last stop on a Pacific tour that included visits to Japan and China. Panetta on Friday thanked New Zealand's armed forces for their contributions to the Afghan war effort.
The U.S. defense secretary went to Auckland's War Memorial Museum and laid a wreath to honor New Zealand soldiers who have been killed in various wars, including Afghanistan. New Zealand has lost 10 soldiers in the Afghan war - five of them last month.
As part of the visit, Panetta announced the United States has relaxed a restriction that banned New Zealand navy ships from entering U.S. military ports. The U.S. imposed the restriction in 1985 when New Zealand banned nuclear powered ships and vessels carrying nuclear weapons from its waters - a move that was followed by Washington's suspension of its defense treaty with the country.
Panetta is the first U.S. defense secretary to visit New Zealand in 30 years.
[Source]
The U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called the withdrawal a very important milestone in the allied forces' effort to transfer security responsibility to Afghan security forces.
Panetta made the announcement Friday at a joint news conference with New Zealand's defense minister in Auckland - the last stop of a week-long trip to the Asia-Pacific region.
"The United States military has completed drawing down the surge forces President Obama committed in December of 2009, reducing our presence by 33,000 troops, and it was done on schedule," he said.
President Obama ordered the surge in 2009 with the goal to break the momentum of Taliban insurgents by enabling Afghan forces to take and hold on to territory. With much of Afghanistan now under the control of Afghan forces, Defense Secretary Panetta says plans are on track to pull all remaining allied combat troops out of the country by 2014.
"As we reflect on this moment, it's an opportunity to recognize that the surge did accomplish its objectives of reversing Taliban momentum on the battlefield and dramatically increased the size and capability of the Afghan National Security Forces," he said.
The drawdown has been carried out gradually over the last few months. The removal of 33,000 troops leaves 68,000 U.S. troops - down from a high of more than 100,000 a year ago.
The pullout coincides with a spike in the number of insider attacks by Afghan forces, who have turned their weapons their international counterparts. The incidents have raised concerns among some in Washington - including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey - who has called the number of attacks a very serious threat.
Panetta on Friday said General John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has assured him the remaining number of American troops is sufficient to accomplish the mission.
New Zealand was the last stop on a Pacific tour that included visits to Japan and China. Panetta on Friday thanked New Zealand's armed forces for their contributions to the Afghan war effort.
The U.S. defense secretary went to Auckland's War Memorial Museum and laid a wreath to honor New Zealand soldiers who have been killed in various wars, including Afghanistan. New Zealand has lost 10 soldiers in the Afghan war - five of them last month.
As part of the visit, Panetta announced the United States has relaxed a restriction that banned New Zealand navy ships from entering U.S. military ports. The U.S. imposed the restriction in 1985 when New Zealand banned nuclear powered ships and vessels carrying nuclear weapons from its waters - a move that was followed by Washington's suspension of its defense treaty with the country.
Panetta is the first U.S. defense secretary to visit New Zealand in 30 years.
[Source]
August 13, 2008
(VIDEO) The Surge and the Future
The end of the troop surge and the effect it has on the future of Iraq
April 11, 2008
Michael Yon - Let's 'Surge' Some More
I'm going to do something that most of us never do...post someone elses work in its entirety on my blog. Why? Because when Michael Yon talks from the front line with his personal observations we must all take notice.
In today's Wall Street Journal Michael pens "Let's 'Surge' Some More" and his observations are completely different than the "news" being reported in the media. Again the question remains: Who are you going to believe the reliable embed on the ground, or the "reporter" in the hotel who hasn't left the "safety" of the green zone and instead relies upon stringers who work for both sides?
Read Michael's work and then ask yourself who is misguided about Iraq, the conclusion won't suprise me in the least. Its hard to argue with a person who can say honestly and back it up with documentation:
I personally followed up on Michael's work in Baqubah by interviewing LTC Fred Johnson who confirmed the successes and changing environment for the US, but again, who are you going to believe, the people who actually "saw it" or someone who is sitting in NYC spinning the nwes to suit their political agenda?
Read on....
Let's 'Surge' Some More
By MICHAEL YONApril 11, 2008
It is said that generals always fight the last war. But when David Petraeus came to town it was senators – on both sides of the aisle – who battled over the Iraq war of 2004-2006. That war has little in common with the war we are fighting today.
I may well have spent more time embedded with combat units in Iraq than any other journalist alive. I have seen this war – and our part in it – at its brutal worst. And I say the transformation over the last 14 months is little short of miraculous.
The change goes far beyond the statistical decline in casualties or incidents of violence. A young Iraqi translator, wounded in battle and fearing death, asked an American commander to bury his heart in America. Iraqi special forces units took to the streets to track down terrorists who killed American soldiers. The U.S. military is the most respected institution in Iraq, and many Iraqi boys dream of becoming American soldiers. Yes, young Iraqi boys know about "GoArmy.com."
As the outrages of Abu Ghraib faded in memory – and paled in comparison to al Qaeda's brutalities – and our soldiers under the Petraeus strategy got off their big bases and out of their tanks and deeper into the neighborhoods, American values began to win the war.
Iraqis came to respect American soldiers as warriors who would protect them from terror gangs. But Iraqis also discovered that these great warriors are even happier helping rebuild a clinic, school or a neighborhood. They learned that the American soldier is not only the most dangerous enemy in the world, but one of the best friends a neighborhood can have.
Some people charge that we have merely "rented" the Sunni tribesmen, the former insurgents who now fight by our side. This implies that because we pay these people, their loyalty must be for sale to the highest bidder. But as Gen. Petraeus demonstrated in Nineveh province in 2003 to 2004, many of the Iraqis who filled the ranks of the Sunni insurgency from 2003 into 2007 could have been working with us all along, had we treated them intelligently and respectfully. In Nineveh in 2003, under then Maj. Gen. Petraeus's leadership, these men – many of them veterans of the Iraqi army – played a crucial role in restoring civil order. Yet due to excessive de-Baathification and the administration's attempt to marginalize powerful tribal sheiks in Anbar and other provinces – including men even Saddam dared not ignore – we transformed potential partners into dreaded enemies in less than a year.
Then al Qaeda in Iraq, which helped fund and tried to control the Sunni insurgency for its own ends, raped too many women and boys, cut off too many heads, and brought drugs into too many neighborhoods. By outraging the tribes, it gave birth to the Sunni "awakening." We – and Iraq – got a second chance. Powerful tribes in Anbar province cooperate with us now because they came to see al Qaeda for what it is – and to see Americans for what we truly are.
Soldiers everywhere are paid, and good generals know it is dangerous to mess with a soldier's money. The shoeless heroes who froze at Valley Forge were paid, and when their pay did not come they threatened to leave – and some did. Soldiers have families and will not fight for a nation that allows their families to starve. But to say that the tribes who fight with us are "rented" is perhaps as vile a slander as to say that George Washington's men would have left him if the British offered a better deal.
Equally misguided were some senators' attempts to use Gen. Petraeus's statement, that there could be no purely military solution in Iraq, to dismiss our soldiers' achievements as "merely" military. In a successful counterinsurgency it is impossible to separate military and political success. The Sunni "awakening" was not primarily a military event any more than it was "bribery." It was a political event with enormous military benefits.
The huge drop in roadside bombings is also a political success – because the bombings were political events. It is not possible to bury a tank-busting 1,500-pound bomb in a neighborhood street without the neighbors noticing. Since the military cannot watch every road during every hour of the day (that would be a purely military solution), whether the bomb kills soldiers depends on whether the neighbors warn the soldiers or cover for the terrorists. Once they mostly stood silent; today they tend to pick up their cell phones and call the Americans. Even in big "kinetic" military operations like the taking of Baqubah in June 2007, politics was crucial. Casualties were a fraction of what we expected because, block-by-block, the citizens told our guys where to find the bad guys. I was there; I saw it.
The Iraqi central government is unsatisfactory at best. But the grass-roots political progress of the past year has been extraordinary – and is directly measurable in the drop in casualties.
This leads us to the most out-of-date aspect of the Senate debate: the argument about the pace of troop withdrawals. Precisely because we have made so much political progress in the past year, rather than talking about force reduction, Congress should be figuring ways and means to increase troop levels. For all our successes, we still do not have enough troops. This makes the fight longer and more lethal for the troops who are fighting. To give one example, I just returned this week from Nineveh province, where I have spent probably eight months between 2005 to 2008, and it is clear that we remain stretched very thin from the Syrian border and through Mosul. Vast swaths of Nineveh are patrolled mostly by occasional overflights.
We know now that we can pull off a successful counterinsurgency in Iraq. We know that we are working with an increasingly willing citizenry. But counterinsurgency, like community policing, requires lots of boots on the ground. You can't do it from inside a jet or a tank.
Over the past 15 months, we have proved that we can win this war. We stand now at the moment of truth. Victory – and a democracy in the Arab world – is within our grasp. But it could yet slip away if our leaders remain transfixed by the war we almost lost, rather than focusing on the war we are winning today.
In today's Wall Street Journal Michael pens "Let's 'Surge' Some More" and his observations are completely different than the "news" being reported in the media. Again the question remains: Who are you going to believe the reliable embed on the ground, or the "reporter" in the hotel who hasn't left the "safety" of the green zone and instead relies upon stringers who work for both sides?
Read Michael's work and then ask yourself who is misguided about Iraq, the conclusion won't suprise me in the least. Its hard to argue with a person who can say honestly and back it up with documentation:
Even in big "kinetic" military operations like the taking of Baqubah in June 2007, politics was crucial. Casualties were a fraction of what we expected because, block-by-block, the citizens told our guys where to find the bad guys. I was there; I saw it.
I personally followed up on Michael's work in Baqubah by interviewing LTC Fred Johnson who confirmed the successes and changing environment for the US, but again, who are you going to believe, the people who actually "saw it" or someone who is sitting in NYC spinning the nwes to suit their political agenda?
Read on....
Let's 'Surge' Some More
By MICHAEL YONApril 11, 2008
It is said that generals always fight the last war. But when David Petraeus came to town it was senators – on both sides of the aisle – who battled over the Iraq war of 2004-2006. That war has little in common with the war we are fighting today.
I may well have spent more time embedded with combat units in Iraq than any other journalist alive. I have seen this war – and our part in it – at its brutal worst. And I say the transformation over the last 14 months is little short of miraculous.
The change goes far beyond the statistical decline in casualties or incidents of violence. A young Iraqi translator, wounded in battle and fearing death, asked an American commander to bury his heart in America. Iraqi special forces units took to the streets to track down terrorists who killed American soldiers. The U.S. military is the most respected institution in Iraq, and many Iraqi boys dream of becoming American soldiers. Yes, young Iraqi boys know about "GoArmy.com."
As the outrages of Abu Ghraib faded in memory – and paled in comparison to al Qaeda's brutalities – and our soldiers under the Petraeus strategy got off their big bases and out of their tanks and deeper into the neighborhoods, American values began to win the war.
Iraqis came to respect American soldiers as warriors who would protect them from terror gangs. But Iraqis also discovered that these great warriors are even happier helping rebuild a clinic, school or a neighborhood. They learned that the American soldier is not only the most dangerous enemy in the world, but one of the best friends a neighborhood can have.
Some people charge that we have merely "rented" the Sunni tribesmen, the former insurgents who now fight by our side. This implies that because we pay these people, their loyalty must be for sale to the highest bidder. But as Gen. Petraeus demonstrated in Nineveh province in 2003 to 2004, many of the Iraqis who filled the ranks of the Sunni insurgency from 2003 into 2007 could have been working with us all along, had we treated them intelligently and respectfully. In Nineveh in 2003, under then Maj. Gen. Petraeus's leadership, these men – many of them veterans of the Iraqi army – played a crucial role in restoring civil order. Yet due to excessive de-Baathification and the administration's attempt to marginalize powerful tribal sheiks in Anbar and other provinces – including men even Saddam dared not ignore – we transformed potential partners into dreaded enemies in less than a year.
Then al Qaeda in Iraq, which helped fund and tried to control the Sunni insurgency for its own ends, raped too many women and boys, cut off too many heads, and brought drugs into too many neighborhoods. By outraging the tribes, it gave birth to the Sunni "awakening." We – and Iraq – got a second chance. Powerful tribes in Anbar province cooperate with us now because they came to see al Qaeda for what it is – and to see Americans for what we truly are.
Soldiers everywhere are paid, and good generals know it is dangerous to mess with a soldier's money. The shoeless heroes who froze at Valley Forge were paid, and when their pay did not come they threatened to leave – and some did. Soldiers have families and will not fight for a nation that allows their families to starve. But to say that the tribes who fight with us are "rented" is perhaps as vile a slander as to say that George Washington's men would have left him if the British offered a better deal.
Equally misguided were some senators' attempts to use Gen. Petraeus's statement, that there could be no purely military solution in Iraq, to dismiss our soldiers' achievements as "merely" military. In a successful counterinsurgency it is impossible to separate military and political success. The Sunni "awakening" was not primarily a military event any more than it was "bribery." It was a political event with enormous military benefits.
The huge drop in roadside bombings is also a political success – because the bombings were political events. It is not possible to bury a tank-busting 1,500-pound bomb in a neighborhood street without the neighbors noticing. Since the military cannot watch every road during every hour of the day (that would be a purely military solution), whether the bomb kills soldiers depends on whether the neighbors warn the soldiers or cover for the terrorists. Once they mostly stood silent; today they tend to pick up their cell phones and call the Americans. Even in big "kinetic" military operations like the taking of Baqubah in June 2007, politics was crucial. Casualties were a fraction of what we expected because, block-by-block, the citizens told our guys where to find the bad guys. I was there; I saw it.
The Iraqi central government is unsatisfactory at best. But the grass-roots political progress of the past year has been extraordinary – and is directly measurable in the drop in casualties.
This leads us to the most out-of-date aspect of the Senate debate: the argument about the pace of troop withdrawals. Precisely because we have made so much political progress in the past year, rather than talking about force reduction, Congress should be figuring ways and means to increase troop levels. For all our successes, we still do not have enough troops. This makes the fight longer and more lethal for the troops who are fighting. To give one example, I just returned this week from Nineveh province, where I have spent probably eight months between 2005 to 2008, and it is clear that we remain stretched very thin from the Syrian border and through Mosul. Vast swaths of Nineveh are patrolled mostly by occasional overflights.
We know now that we can pull off a successful counterinsurgency in Iraq. We know that we are working with an increasingly willing citizenry. But counterinsurgency, like community policing, requires lots of boots on the ground. You can't do it from inside a jet or a tank.
Over the past 15 months, we have proved that we can win this war. We stand now at the moment of truth. Victory – and a democracy in the Arab world – is within our grasp. But it could yet slip away if our leaders remain transfixed by the war we almost lost, rather than focusing on the war we are winning today.
July 12, 2007
Reaction in Iraq to President's Press Conference
President Bush in his press conference this morning provided an update on Iraq. He started off by saying this:
And the reaction from the troops in Iraq - My Desert Adventure writes:
I couldn't agree more Sir. Those calling for a withdrawl in Iraq aren't doing so out of some uberrespect for the troops, they are doing so because they can't stand seeing America win at anything. In their mind we are the end all be all of what is wrong in the world and it would do us good to fail again on the world stage.
I'm willing to support you in our mission and the ultimate reason in coming home...Victory.
Thank you for your service to our country sir.
...today I'd like to provide the American people with an update on the situation in Iraq. Since America began military operations in Iraq, the conflict there has gone through four major phases. The first phase was the liberation of Iraq from Saddam Hussein. The second phase was the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi people and the holding of free elections. The third phase was the tragic escalation of sectarian violence sparked by the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra.
We've entered a fourth phase: deploying reinforcements and launching new operations to help Iraqis bring security to their people. I'm going to explain why the success of this new strategy is vital for protecting our people and bringing our troops home, which is a goal shared by all Americans. I'll brief you on the report we are sending to Congress. I'll discuss why a drawdown of forces that is not linked to the success of our operations would be a disaster.
As President, my most solemn responsibility is to keep the American people safe. So on my orders, good men and women are now fighting the terrorists on the front lines in Iraq. I've given our troops in Iraq clear objectives. And as they risk their lives to achieve these objectives, they need to know they have the unwavering support from the Commander-in-Chief, and they do. And they need the enemy to know that America is not going to back down. So when I speak to the American people about Iraq, I often emphasize the importance of maintaining our resolve and meeting our objectives.
As a result, sometimes the debate over Iraq is cast as a disagreement between those who want to keep our troops in Iraq and those who want to bring our troops home. And this is not the real debate. I don't know anyone who doesn't want to see the day when our brave servicemen and women can start coming home.
Read the whole thing here...its worth it.
And the reaction from the troops in Iraq - My Desert Adventure writes:
I was sitting here, trying to come up with a topic to write about. I had the TV on in the background and the President just came on and gave a speech about the Interim Iraq Progress Report. I have to say it was one of the best speeches he has given. He laid out the situation over here perfectly—very clear and concise. Could things be better over here? Sure. Is progress being made? It sure is, but you have to be willing to see it. I see it and if the country is willing, we will prevail.
I couldn't agree more Sir. Those calling for a withdrawl in Iraq aren't doing so out of some uberrespect for the troops, they are doing so because they can't stand seeing America win at anything. In their mind we are the end all be all of what is wrong in the world and it would do us good to fail again on the world stage.
I'm willing to support you in our mission and the ultimate reason in coming home...Victory.
Thank you for your service to our country sir.
June 21, 2007
Task Force Lightning Continues Arrowhead Ripper in Baqouba
Multi-National Corps – Iraq notifies us that US Forces are pressing the fight against the enemy in Baqouba. As Michael Yon reported in his dispatch (highlighted in today's Web Recon) the fighting is becoming intense:
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Task Force Lightning continued offensive operations in and around the capital of Diyala province Wednesday, maintaining the pressure on al-Qaida operatives in the area.Read the Rest...
Since Operation Arrowhead Ripper began early Tuesday morning, at least 41 insurgents have been killed, five weapons caches have been discovered, 25 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and five booby-trapped houses have been discovered and destroyed.
“Our combined forces have begun destroying al-Qaida operatives and their resources in and around Diyala province,” said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy commanding general for operations, Task Force Lightning and Multinational
Division-North. “The citizens of Diyala have already voiced their desires to rid this province and the country of al-Qaida and all those that wish to disrupt its progress.”
Today, groups of Baqouba citizens stepped forward to provide valuable information on al-Qaida in the city.
During overnight operations, Task Force Lightning engaged and killed at least 11 al-Qaida operatives while destroying three enemy safe houses with precision guided munitions, a cache of 60 mm improvised explosive devices and six buried IEDs.
June 19, 2007
Task Force Lightning Strikes al-Qaeda
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070619-01
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Task Force Lightning commenced Operation Arrowhead Ripper today in a large-scale effort to eliminate al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating in Baqouba and its surrounding areas.
The 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, launched the offensive with a quick-strike nighttime air assault earlier today.
By daylight, attack helicopters and ground forces had engaged and killed 22 anti-Iraqi forces in and around Baqouba.
“The end state is to destroy the al-Qaeda influences in this province and eliminate their threat against the people,” said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy commanding general, operations, 25th Infantry Division. “That is the number one, bottom-line, up-front, in-your-face, task and purpose.”
Approximately 10,000 Soldiers, with a full complement of attack helicopters, close air support, Strykers and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, are taking part in Arrowhead Ripper, which is still in its opening stages. Elements of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, and the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, are also participating in the operation.
“One of the keys as we initiate combat actions and operations here is the newly formed Diyala Operations Center,” Bednarek said. “It serves as an integration center that will coordinate all activities in Diyala – the police, the army and Coalition Forces from Task Force Lightning.”
“The key significance, though, is getting the Iraqi ministries engaged to provide fundamental goods and services, such as food, fuel, displaced persons support, and education,” Bednarek continued. “The governor will have oversight and the people will start to see improved basic services which will build the trust and confidence of the people not only in the provincial government, but in the central government as well.”
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070619-01
BAQOUBA, Iraq – Task Force Lightning commenced Operation Arrowhead Ripper today in a large-scale effort to eliminate al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating in Baqouba and its surrounding areas.
The 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, launched the offensive with a quick-strike nighttime air assault earlier today.
By daylight, attack helicopters and ground forces had engaged and killed 22 anti-Iraqi forces in and around Baqouba.
“The end state is to destroy the al-Qaeda influences in this province and eliminate their threat against the people,” said Brig. Gen. Mick Bednarek, deputy commanding general, operations, 25th Infantry Division. “That is the number one, bottom-line, up-front, in-your-face, task and purpose.”
Approximately 10,000 Soldiers, with a full complement of attack helicopters, close air support, Strykers and Bradley Fighting Vehicles, are taking part in Arrowhead Ripper, which is still in its opening stages. Elements of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, from Fort Hood, Texas, the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, and the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, are also participating in the operation.
“One of the keys as we initiate combat actions and operations here is the newly formed Diyala Operations Center,” Bednarek said. “It serves as an integration center that will coordinate all activities in Diyala – the police, the army and Coalition Forces from Task Force Lightning.”
“The key significance, though, is getting the Iraqi ministries engaged to provide fundamental goods and services, such as food, fuel, displaced persons support, and education,” Bednarek continued. “The governor will have oversight and the people will start to see improved basic services which will build the trust and confidence of the people not only in the provincial government, but in the central government as well.”
June 18, 2007
Baghdad Market Thrives During Troop Surge
By 1st Lt. Brian Cooke
2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment
BAGHDAD — Adjusted security measures have resulted in a resurgence of economic growth in the western BaghdadBaghdad soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces give way to shopkeepers, and fear gives way to progress. neighborhood of Hateen. A local market has seen a resurgence of activity as Multi-National Division – Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, have teamed up with members of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army to find a way to stimulate business in the Hateen Market while still maintaining security.
As a result, economic activity in the market has increased, fostering better relations between local merchants and the Iraqi Army.
The market, located in the southeastern Mansour neighborhood of Hateen, is the economic center of the area and its activity is directly tied to the economic prosperity of the residents.
Markets in Baghdad have long been a favorite target of suicide bombers, and the previous Iraqi Army unit in Hateen worried that the market there might be next in the long line of attacks committed by insurgents. With its three blocks ofgrocery stores, butcher shops, cafes, and vegetable stands, the Hateen Market presented a security problem for 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Infantry Division.
Read the Rest...
2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment
BAGHDAD — Adjusted security measures have resulted in a resurgence of economic growth in the western BaghdadBaghdad soldiers and Iraqi Security Forces give way to shopkeepers, and fear gives way to progress. neighborhood of Hateen. A local market has seen a resurgence of activity as Multi-National Division – Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, have teamed up with members of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army to find a way to stimulate business in the Hateen Market while still maintaining security.
As a result, economic activity in the market has increased, fostering better relations between local merchants and the Iraqi Army.
The market, located in the southeastern Mansour neighborhood of Hateen, is the economic center of the area and its activity is directly tied to the economic prosperity of the residents.
Markets in Baghdad have long been a favorite target of suicide bombers, and the previous Iraqi Army unit in Hateen worried that the market there might be next in the long line of attacks committed by insurgents. With its three blocks ofgrocery stores, butcher shops, cafes, and vegetable stands, the Hateen Market presented a security problem for 3rd Battalion, 5th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Infantry Division.
Read the Rest...
May 29, 2007
Army Paratroopers Share Thoughts on Surge
By Sgt. Michael Pryor
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
In the first days after his battalion began operating in east Baghdad’s Sha’ab neighborhood, Capt. Will Canda said he often saw the beds of Iraqi police trucks stained red with dried blood.
“It was like they had just come from a butcher shop,” said Canda, a Westcliffe, Colo. native and commander of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
Like wagons rolling through plague-stricken villages in medieval times, the police trucks were being used to pick up the bodies of murder victims found littering the neighborhood.
That was in February, when Canda’s battalion became one of the first units to move into a battle space as part of Operation Fardh al Qanoon – which translated, means “enforcing the law” and is the name for the strategy to stabilize violence in Baghdad by pushing thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi forces into the city’s neighborhoods.
Since then, troops have continued to pour in, dotting Baghdad with small outposts and joint security stations.
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2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
In the first days after his battalion began operating in east Baghdad’s Sha’ab neighborhood, Capt. Will Canda said he often saw the beds of Iraqi police trucks stained red with dried blood.
“It was like they had just come from a butcher shop,” said Canda, a Westcliffe, Colo. native and commander of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment.
Like wagons rolling through plague-stricken villages in medieval times, the police trucks were being used to pick up the bodies of murder victims found littering the neighborhood.
That was in February, when Canda’s battalion became one of the first units to move into a battle space as part of Operation Fardh al Qanoon – which translated, means “enforcing the law” and is the name for the strategy to stabilize violence in Baghdad by pushing thousands of additional U.S. and Iraqi forces into the city’s neighborhoods.
Since then, troops have continued to pour in, dotting Baghdad with small outposts and joint security stations.
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April 18, 2007
Cavalry Soldiers See Improvements
By Sgt. Robert Yde2nd BCT, 1st Cav. Div. Public Affairs
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ECHO — After a little more than a week of operations in city of Diwaniyah, Soldiers with Task Force 1-14th Cavalry, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, continue to make strides toward restoring security in an area that has seen an increase in militia activity after a couple of years with no steady coalition presence.
“We came here to do a mission, and we came here to accomplish handing over security to a follow on unit, whether that’s IA (Iraqi army) or IP (Iraqi police),” Troop A commander, Capt. Gerald Resmondo said April 15. “I think we’ve just about completed the mission.”
For the past week, these cavalry troops have been out patrolling the neighborhoods of Diwaniyah. They target different neighborhoods each day, search the houses and buildings within that area, talk to the locals about problems in the area and pass out cards with information and a tip-line number, which can be called to report suspicious activities.
“We’re going to houses looking for weapons, and not only that, but we’re establishing a presence in the neighborhood,” explained Spc. Adam Brookshire of Troop A.
(PHOTO: Spc. Adam Brookshire (left) and Staff Sgt. Jason Jones, both with Troop A, Task Force 1-14th Cavalry, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, make their way up a staircase while clearing a house in Diwaniyah, Iraq, April 15. Photo by Spc. Robert Yde.)
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April 16, 2007
Five Terrorists Killed, Two Detained, in Basrah Raid
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070415b
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition Forces killed five terrorists and detained two suspected terrorists during an operation early Saturday morning in Basrah targeting rogue Jaysh al Mahdi elements. During the raid, Iraqi and Coalition Forces began receiving enemy small arms fire. Ground forces returned fire killing five terrorists.
Ground forces also discovered three men running electric wire used to detonate improvised explosive devices across a road. The three men fled as ground forces approached.
"As the Iraqi Prime Minister has repeatedly stated, militias that do not adopt to the rule of law have no place in Iraq's future," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a spokesperson for MNF-I. "Those who use terror as a weapon against the Iraqi people will be targeted and eliminated."
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070415b
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi and Coalition Forces killed five terrorists and detained two suspected terrorists during an operation early Saturday morning in Basrah targeting rogue Jaysh al Mahdi elements. During the raid, Iraqi and Coalition Forces began receiving enemy small arms fire. Ground forces returned fire killing five terrorists.
Ground forces also discovered three men running electric wire used to detonate improvised explosive devices across a road. The three men fled as ground forces approached.
"As the Iraqi Prime Minister has repeatedly stated, militias that do not adopt to the rule of law have no place in Iraq's future," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a spokesperson for MNF-I. "Those who use terror as a weapon against the Iraqi people will be targeted and eliminated."
April 12, 2007
Iraqi Police Join Security Mission
Multi-National Division, Baghdad4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division
DIWANIYAH — Operation Black Eagle moved into a new phase of operations with the Iraqi police joining the Iraqi army and Coalition Forces in security operations here, April 8.
Iraqi police began manning key checkpoints throughout the city, further adding to the security forces already in place.
"The Iraqi police are now out in force helping to enforce the rule of law in Diwaniyah," said Col. Michael Garrett, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division.
The Iraqi police were not involved in the initial operation for many reasons. They were asked to stay at their stations in order to protect them from the possibility of reprisal attacks from the militias.
(PHOTO: Iraqi army troops and policemen patrol the streets of Diwaniyah, Iraq, alongside soldiers and paratroopers from Multi National Division-Central South and Multi National Division-Baghdad during Operation Black Eagle. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Steven Childers.)
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April 11, 2007
Five-Day Operation Results in One Terrorist Killed, 13 Suspects Detained; Weapons Cache Destroyed
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070411a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – During a recent five-day operation in Arab Jabour which wrapped up Tuesday morning, Coalition Forces killed one terrorist, detained 13 others and destroyed several weapons caches.
Included in the weapons caches found, Coalition Forces discovered numerous rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, several improvised explosive devices, thousands of anti-aircraft ammunition rounds and three buildings containing large amounts of IED-making materials. The weapons caches were destroyed on site to prevent future use by terrorists.
No civilians were injured during the five-day operation.
“Coalition Forces continue to take apart the al-Qaeda network inside Iraq. This operation is a concerted effort to reduce this VBIED terrorist network’s ability to operate,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070411a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – During a recent five-day operation in Arab Jabour which wrapped up Tuesday morning, Coalition Forces killed one terrorist, detained 13 others and destroyed several weapons caches.
Included in the weapons caches found, Coalition Forces discovered numerous rocket-propelled grenades and launchers, several improvised explosive devices, thousands of anti-aircraft ammunition rounds and three buildings containing large amounts of IED-making materials. The weapons caches were destroyed on site to prevent future use by terrorists.
No civilians were injured during the five-day operation.
“Coalition Forces continue to take apart the al-Qaeda network inside Iraq. This operation is a concerted effort to reduce this VBIED terrorist network’s ability to operate,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Joint Operations Root Out Terrorists
TIKRIT — Iraqi and Coalition forces began major operations to root out known terrorists at Mujamma and Ad Dawr, Iraq, March 28.Anti-Iraqi forces in the area used the town as a safe haven while orchestrating attacks against the towns’ people and Iraq security forces such as an attack on the Ad Dawr police headquarters, which left 12 Iraqi policemen killed and 22 wounded.
Iraqi Soldiers and Coalition troops from Task Force Loyalty established a city-wide cordon and 24-hour curfew, then began round-the-clock presence along the Tigris River and in small villages to the east of Ad Dawr, conducting raids and patrols.
“The citizens of Ad Dawr and Mujamma Housing Complex have endured long enough,” said U.S. Army Maj. Christopher Moretti, an executive officer in Task Force Loyalty.
(PHOTO: Iraqi Soldiers and Paratroopers from 2nd Platoon, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division rush through a gate during operations in Ad Dawr, Iraq. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Joshua R. Ford.)
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April 6, 2007
Operation Nets 27 Insurgents in Ad Diwaniyah
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070406-32
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
AD DIWANIYAH, Iraq— Bomb-making materials and 27 insurgent suspects were seized during Operation Black Eagle, a combined operation headed by Iraqi Army troops supported by Soldiers and paratroopers from Multi-National Division-Baghdad and Multi-National Division-Center South.
“Fighting was steady throughout the first day,” said Maj. Eric Verzola, spokesman for MND-B’s 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. “Iraqi Soldiers fought bravely alongside Coalition forces throughout the day against the anti-Iraqi forces.” Verzola said three anti-Iraqi forces were killed and six others wounded during the operation. He said two Iraqi Army troops and one Coalition Soldier were wounded.
Troops swept into the city to disrupt militia activity and return security and stability of the volatile city back to the government of Iraq, Verzola said. Soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division began Operation Black Eagle in response to the recent violence threatening to destabilize the region.
A facility was found where several explosively-formed projectiles were in several stages of production. Four EFPs were assembled in the facility and secured. EFP-making materials were also found and secured. Two other locations were found containing homemade explosives. Additionally, six AK-47s, two RPK machine guns and two pistols were found and secured during the operation.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070406-32
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO
AD DIWANIYAH, Iraq— Bomb-making materials and 27 insurgent suspects were seized during Operation Black Eagle, a combined operation headed by Iraqi Army troops supported by Soldiers and paratroopers from Multi-National Division-Baghdad and Multi-National Division-Center South.
“Fighting was steady throughout the first day,” said Maj. Eric Verzola, spokesman for MND-B’s 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division. “Iraqi Soldiers fought bravely alongside Coalition forces throughout the day against the anti-Iraqi forces.” Verzola said three anti-Iraqi forces were killed and six others wounded during the operation. He said two Iraqi Army troops and one Coalition Soldier were wounded.
Troops swept into the city to disrupt militia activity and return security and stability of the volatile city back to the government of Iraq, Verzola said. Soldiers of the 8th Iraqi Army Division began Operation Black Eagle in response to the recent violence threatening to destabilize the region.
A facility was found where several explosively-formed projectiles were in several stages of production. Four EFPs were assembled in the facility and secured. EFP-making materials were also found and secured. Two other locations were found containing homemade explosives. Additionally, six AK-47s, two RPK machine guns and two pistols were found and secured during the operation.
April 5, 2007
17 Suspected Terrorists Captured in Raids
MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-IRAQ
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070405a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured 17 suspected terrorists Thursday morning during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices cells. During an operation in Southwest Baghdad, Coalition Forces captured a suspected VBIED cell leader and supplier of IED components.
The individual is reportedly involved in recent attacks against Coalition Forces. Coalition Forces discovered a weapons cache while searching the suspect’s vehicle. The vehicle and weapons cached were destroyed on site to prevent further use by terrorists. Three other suspects were also detained during the operation.
In Karmah, 13 suspects were detained during two separate operations. Six suspects were captured with alleged ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq and the facilitation of foreign fighters. Another seven were captured including a suspected weapons dealer reportedly involved in the sale and purchase of sniper rifles, automatic weapons, ammunition and bomb casings.
“Coalition Forces continue to tear apart the al-Qaida in Iraq network and VBIED cells,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
COMBINED PRESS INFORMATION CENTER
Release A070405a
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured 17 suspected terrorists Thursday morning during operations targeting al-Qaeda in Iraq and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices cells. During an operation in Southwest Baghdad, Coalition Forces captured a suspected VBIED cell leader and supplier of IED components.
The individual is reportedly involved in recent attacks against Coalition Forces. Coalition Forces discovered a weapons cache while searching the suspect’s vehicle. The vehicle and weapons cached were destroyed on site to prevent further use by terrorists. Three other suspects were also detained during the operation.
In Karmah, 13 suspects were detained during two separate operations. Six suspects were captured with alleged ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq and the facilitation of foreign fighters. Another seven were captured including a suspected weapons dealer reportedly involved in the sale and purchase of sniper rifles, automatic weapons, ammunition and bomb casings.
“Coalition Forces continue to tear apart the al-Qaida in Iraq network and VBIED cells,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Iraqi Security Forces Discover Weapons Cache
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070404-16
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO
BALAD – Iraqi Security forces conducted an early-morning sweep on April 4 in Diyala, seizing a large cache of ammunition and detaining four suspected insurgents. With coalition advisers present for support, Iraqi forces raided the suspected site in Imam al-Hajj Yusuf Village in the Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad.
The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be planning attacks against innocent Iraqi citizens, Coalition and Iraqi Forces. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070404-16
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO
BALAD – Iraqi Security forces conducted an early-morning sweep on April 4 in Diyala, seizing a large cache of ammunition and detaining four suspected insurgents. With coalition advisers present for support, Iraqi forces raided the suspected site in Imam al-Hajj Yusuf Village in the Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad.
The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be planning attacks against innocent Iraqi citizens, Coalition and Iraqi Forces. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during this operation.
Iraqi Police Detain Suspects Tied to Tal Afar Attacks
Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070404-08
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO
BALAD – Iraqi Security forces conducted a raid operation on April 3 in Nineveh Province, detaining two suspects believed to be involved in insurgent activities. With coalition advisers present for support, Iraqi forces raided a residence in the Nineveh Province northwest of Tal Afar and captured their primary targets.
Iraqi forces also detained 19 other suspicious individuals who were present during the operation. The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be responsible for the recent vehicle borne improvised explosive device attacks on the people of Tal Afar, as well as attacks on Coalition and Iraqi Forces.
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
RELEASE No. 20070404-08
Multi-National Corps – Iraq PAO
BALAD – Iraqi Security forces conducted a raid operation on April 3 in Nineveh Province, detaining two suspects believed to be involved in insurgent activities. With coalition advisers present for support, Iraqi forces raided a residence in the Nineveh Province northwest of Tal Afar and captured their primary targets.
Iraqi forces also detained 19 other suspicious individuals who were present during the operation. The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be responsible for the recent vehicle borne improvised explosive device attacks on the people of Tal Afar, as well as attacks on Coalition and Iraqi Forces.
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