Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Operation Plymouth Rock continues

Iraqi and Marine Forces Capture 32, Find Large Weapons CacheOperation Plymouth Rock continues in northern BabilNov. 29, 2004 Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq -- Iraqi and U.S. forces rounded up 32 suspected anti-Iraqi militants and uncovered a stockpile of more than 500 artillery rounds in heavy activity south of Baghdad Saturday.Iraqi national guardsmen, backed by elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, detained five individuals in a raid near Musayyib. Marines captured 21 suspects in two separate raids near Lutafiyah and five more in a pair of raids near Haswah.Meanwhile, Marines attacked by a roadside bomb southwest of Lutafiyah chased down two suspected attackers, killing one, capturing another, and recovering what they believe was the remote detonator used in the attack.Elsewhere, Marines searching for weapons stockpiles near Yusufiyah turned up the following:(512) 130 mm mortar rounds(41) 152 mm artillery rounds(5) 120 mm mortars(2) 82 mm mortars(2) 120 mm rockets(6) 122 mm rocket warheads(28) 115 mm tank main-gun rounds(3) homemade rocket launchers(1) mortar base plateIraqi, U.S. and British forces have been conducting raids throughout southern Baghdad and northern Babil province since Nov. 23, when Operation Plymouth Rock kicked off in the town of Jabella, about 50 miles south of the capital.More than 5,000 Iraqi, U.S. and British forces are participating in the operation, which has so far netted more than 180 suspected insurgents.

Soldiers from Iraq's 2nd Ministry of the Interior Commando Battalion provide security as members of the Iraqi SWAT Team and Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a raid in Lutafiyah to capture suspected anti-Iraqi forces during the early morning hours of Nov. 27. The mission is part of Operation Plymouth Rock, a fresh offensive by Iraqi, U.S. and British Forces to root out anti-Iraqi elements in northern Babil province.Photo by: Sgt. Zachary A. BathonPosted by Hello


PhotoID: 2004113024326Submitted by: 24th MEUOperation/Exercise/Event:Iraqi Freedom IICaption:Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit wade through the Euphrates River before searching fields near the water's edge with soldiers from the 2nd Ministry of Interior Commando Battalion Nov. 28.The mission is part of Operation Plymouth Rock, a fresh offensive by Iraqi, U.S. and British Forces to root out anti-Iraqi elements in northern Babil province.The forces have been conducting raids across a wide area south of Baghdad since Nov. 23, when Operation Plymouth Rock kicked off in the town of Jabella, about 50 miles south of the capital.More than 5,000 Iraqi, U.S. and British forces are participating in the operation, which has so far netted 195 suspected insurgents.Photo by: Lance Cpl. Zachary R. Frank
Date the Photo was taken:11/27/2004This Image has been cleared for release.iraq war

Fallujah Posted by Hello

Fallujah Posted by Hello

Fallujah Posted by Hello

Monday, November 29, 2004

A Interesting perspective on Islamic Extremists

Why Islam Really Hates the West by James DunniganNovember 28, 2004Discussion Board on this DLS topic
Moslems are beginning to change their attitudes towards Islamic terrorism. That’s a major step forward in the war against terror. That's because, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, opinion surveys throughout the Moslem world revealed that a third of Moslems thought the attacks were justified, and two thirds believed that no Moslems were involved. Moreover, two thirds believed that the attacks were actually carried out by Western intelligence services (those of Israel, the United States and Britain being most often mentioned.) This thinking led to the belief that the American “war on terror” was, in reality, a premeditated war on Islam. Yes, most Moslems believed that the Westerners would slaughter thousands of their own people just to provide an excuse for a war on Islam.But there are two other aspects to this that often get overlooked. First, in most Moslem countries, the general attitude towards science and reason is subordinate to fantasy and speculation. A quick glance at Western media would remind us that fantasy and speculation is alive and well here as well. But in Moslem nations, fantasy and speculation is dominant in the news. This was long a secret known only to a few diplomats and sociologists (and the U.S. Army Special Forces, which has more Arab speakers than the State Department.) But the Internet now provides English language versions of media in Moslem nations, and this allows anyone to go see for themselves just how different the news reporting and interpretation is over there.Finally, we have the Moslem clergy. These men are the major source of hatred for the West in the Moslem world. The reason is simple. Most Moslems, especially young ones, when exposed to Western culture, begin to question their faith. Islam (which means “submission”) demands blind acceptance of Islamic religious practices and beliefs. Moslems believe that Islam is the final stage of the religion that originated with the Jews and was modified by the followers of Jesus. Islam is the end of the road, and there is no room for change. While there are many Islamic clerics and religious scholars who have worked out ways to adapt Islam to modern science and culture, these fellows are not the problem. The Islamic conservatives recoil at any contact with the West, realizing that the Islam they know and practice cannot survive those encounters. Meanwhile, most Westerners are mystified by all the hatred directed at them. Many Westerners blame the hatred on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But that’s just a side show. The Islamic conservatives hate what the West stands for. Freedom, especially in thought, is not what conservative Islam is all about. Such worship of “the good old days” is not unique to Islam. Other religions have had similar attitudes. But you don’t see Amish suicide bombers invading Pennsylvania malls. Some conservative Jewish and Hindu groups have resorted to violence to “protect their way of life,” but not to the extent of militant conservative Moslems. Fortunately, the Islamic conservatives turned out to be right about one thing. Continued contact with the West is changing the way Moslems think. Over the last three years, more and more Moslems have come to realize that it was Moslems that committed the September 11, 2001 massacres. Osama bin Laden admitting it, and his followers patting themselves on the back for it helped. But the numerous mass murders of civilians by Islamic terrorists has become impossible for even Moslems to explain away with fanciful explanations. Iraq has been a real turning point. In the beginning, even many Iraqis believed that the al Qaeda attacks, which killed so many Iraqi civilians, were somehow staged by the American. No more. Not only have the Iraqis concluded that Islamic terrorism is evil, but so have most Moslems in the rest of the world. The conspiracy theories about the CIA staging terrorist attacks can still get traction, as can stories about mass rapes of Iraqi women by American soldiers, and similar atrocities. But the dark secret about Islamic conservatives is out in the open. The Islamic conservatives are still there, still spewing their hate, and still being listened to by some. And many of those that listen to the hateful talk about evil Westerners are still willing to act on it. The catch is that the Islamic reactionaries now find themselves confronting fellow Moslems more often. And their fellow Moslems don’t like Islamic terrorism any more than New Yorkers do. But every silver lining has a few tarnishes on it. Saudi Arabia, which really got into counter-terrorism last year after suffering their first al Qaeda attacks, have now seen a lot of public opinion regressing. While most Saudis condemned al Qaeda last year, this year many are again blaming America for all their troubles. The old ways may not be right, or useful. But they are comfortable and convenient. Islamic terrorists will be around for a while. Religious hatred is long lasting. It took Europe centuries to get rid of the worst of it. Islam is just getting started. But at least the reformation is under way.

Iraqi forces kicked butt in Fallujah!

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Friday, November 26, 2004
BAGHDAD – The United States regards the battle for Fallujah as a milestone for Iraq's military and security forces.

U.S. officials said the 2,000 Iraqi troops who helped capture Fallujah performed well and could serve as the core of an effective Iraqi counter-insurgency force. The officials said the Iraqi performance was the best since Baghdad launched its nascent military and security force in July 2003.

"These soldiers came and fought well and have been in the fight 24 hours a day since the start," a senior U.S. defense official said. "It is quite a tribute to their leadership and their fortitude."

The official told a Pentagon briefing on Nov. 20 that Iraqi forces helped find and capture more than 100 insurgency caches of weapons in Fallujah. He said they included stockpiles of ammunition, mortars, anti-tank munitions and improvised explosive devices and the equipment required for bomb production, Middle East Newsline reported.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Michael Hagee told the House Armed Services Committee on Nov. 17 that the five Iraqi battalions engaged in Fallujah "performed very well" against enemy forces. Hagee said Iraqi troops worked well with American soldiers and Marines and were not afraid to engage in close-in fighting with Sunni insurgents.

Hagee recounted a joint Iraqi-U.S. patrol in which Iraqi troops sensed an impending suicide car bomb. He said the Iraqis inside a U.S. armored personnel carrier expressed their suspicion and insisted on stopping the driver, thereby thwarting the attack.

"We would not have recognized that," Hagee said. "They did."

The mobilization of the Iraqi forces for the Fallujah operation was fraught with pitfalls. Officials said about 300 soldiers from an Iraqi military battalion failed to show up for combat duty amid complaints over salaries and conditions.

But the five battalions that fought in Fallujah were deemed as highly effective, officials said. They participated in virtually every stage of combat operations and elite units often operated without being accompanied by U.S. forces.

"The way they performed in Fallujah clearly shows that there are a core of fighters in the Iraqi security forces that are prepared and capable of operating independently and in war-fighting operations that does give us confidence that our efforts to train the Iraqi security force can be successful," Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, deputy chief of U.S. Central Command, said.

Officials said the United States has accelerated the training and equipping of the Iraqi military and security forces. They said the military would be expanded to 27 battalions by February 2005 and the National Guard to 45 battalions.

"We believe that what we saw in Fallujah gives us great confidence that we will be able to transition to an Iraq that is fully capable of taking care of its internal security, as well as its external," Smith said. "How long, is really the question, how long it will take."

But the pace of training and equipping has not been as fast as that envisioned by the U.S. military. Officials said Iraqi troops lack body armor and vehicle armor, a major element in force protection.

Officials said the Sunni insurgency campaign has also hampered training and continues to intimidate many members of the Iraqi police and security forces. In early November, more than 3,000 police officers in the northern city of Mosul abandoned their weapons and fled Sunni attacks on police stations and government facilities. Officials said Iraq and the United States would have to rebuild the entire Mosul police department.

"We had hoped that the Iraqi security forces might come along faster, as far as capability and ability to conduct the law enforcement mission, as well as the local control mission," Smith said. "And for a lot of reasons, a lot of it had to do with equipment and late in getting them equipment and the limited amount of training that they get, but also in experiencing the force so that you do have folks that are prepared and capable of fighting at the battalion and above level. So as they build that capability, we will adjust our forces accordingly."

Officials said Fallujah would require the deployment of up to 1,600 trained officers. They said Iraq could not fulfill such manpower requirements over the next few months.





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7 Car bombs discovered in Mosque!

Raid at mosque reveals use as car-bomb factoryThe Iraqi national guard raided the Sunni Muslim Al Yassen Mosque in southern Baghdad and found seven cars rigged with explosives. A car bomb in Samarra, north of the capital, killed six people.BY OMAR JASSIMKnight Ridder News Service
BAGHDAD - A mosque raided by security forces in southern Baghdad contained a workshop to rig suicide car bombs, with seven vehicles ready for terror attacks, an Iraqi Defense Ministry official said Sunday.
Car bombings and remote-controlled roadside blasts have become routine in the Iraqi capital in recent weeks, including a blast Sunday that wounded two U.S. soldiers.
Meanwhile, Iraq's most feared terror group, led by Abu Musab al Zarqawi, claimed responsibility Sunday for slaughtering members of the Iraqi security forces in Mosul, where dozens of bodies have been found, The Associated Press reported. The claim raises fears the terror group has expanded to the north after the loss of its purported base in Fallujah.
ARMS DEPOT
National guard forces raided the Sunni Muslim Al Yassen Mosque in the southern Baghdad area of Abu Dshir on Saturday, said Gen. Saleh Sarhan of the Defense Ministry. In addition to seven cars rigged with explosives, the guardsmen found 30 rocket-propelled grenades, high-powered rifles, mortars and remote control detonators, Sarhan said.
''The national guard arrested the imam of the mosque,'' Sarhan said, and detained an additional 18 people suspected of involvement in the car bombings.
Anti-U.S. insurgents used 60 mosques in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, to stockpile weapons and provide cover during a U.S.-led offensive against the city earlier this month, the U.S. military says. One of the mosques was described as a general arms depot capable of equipping insurgents across much of Iraq.
Both Sunni and Shiite Muslim clerics are deeply opposed to the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, and many Sunni clerics also reject elections scheduled for Jan. 30.
In Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, a car bomb killed six people.
Another car bomb exploded on a perilous road leading to Baghdad's airport, wounding two U.S. soldiers and damaging a military vehicle, a military statement said. There were no civilian casualties.
Elsewhere, insurgents lobbed mortars near a police station in Baqouba, a city 35 miles northeast of Baghdad, police said. Two officers and a woman were injured.
BLOODY CAMPAIGN
Iraqi and U.S. forces around the northern city of Mosul arrested 43 suspected rebels, a U.S. military spokesman said. As U.S.-led forces attacked Fallujah earlier this month, insurgents in Mosul rose up in a bloody campaign against civilians. Security forces found 17 bodies around the city on Friday, and 15 on Thursday, Army Lt. Col. Paul Hastings said.
A statement posted on an Islamist website in the name of al Qaeda in Iraq, led by Zarqawi, claimed responsibility for killing 17 members of Iraq's security forces and a Kurdish militiaman in Mosul, The AP reported.
The claim could not be independently verified but the style of writing appeared similar to other statements by Zarqawi's group, which is responsible for numerous car bombings and beheadings of foreign hostages in Iraq.
The United States has offered a $25 million reward for Zarqawi's capture -- the same amount it is offering for Osama bin Laden.
At least 50 people have been killed in Mosul in the past 10 days.
Most of the victims are believed to have been supporters of Iraq's interim government or members of its fledgling security forces.
Among those arrested in recent days are a number of Islamic jihadists, or fighters, from outside of Iraq.
Sarhan said police over the weekend captured a Saudi citizen, Faisal Ganem, carrying two grenades and a map of Fallujah.
Last week, Basra police arrested two Saudis, two Tunisians, a Sudanese and a Libyan who allegedly arrived in the city from Fallujah to carry out a bombing campaign.
Knight Ridder correspondent Tim Johnson contributed to this report.

Excellent 1st hand account of the Fallujah battle from the 2Slick forum


Letter from Fallujah
"Upon the fields of friendly strife, are sown the seeds that, upon other fields, on other days, will bear the fruits of victory" -Gen. Douglas MacArthur on the importance of having a sports program at West Point.Mike was a baseball player at West Point. Now he's an Army officer serving in Task Force 2-7 CAV. His email came to me through the West Point distro list. It's long- but well worth a read:Everyone,Well Task Force 2-7 Cav made it back from Fallujah earlier than expected, mission accomplished. It feels so good to be back from a second successful mission that was as difficult as it was dangerous.We left Camp Cooke on Nov 1 and staged at Camp Fallujah for about a week. While there, we got the good news that George Bush was re-elected and we had busy days and nights of planning and rehearsals for the big attack.2 days before "D Day," a 122 mm rocket impacted 50 meters away from our tents that sent everyone to the floor. We staged there at a remote part of the post and it was obvious that a local national tipped off the "mujahadin" (Arabic name for the enemy) where we staged. From that attack, we lost one soldier and 4 more were wounded. That attack gave the rest of the Task Force enough anger to last the whole fight.After all the drills and rehearsals, the day for the attack finally came on Nov 8. Prime Minister Allawi gave the green light and Coalition and Iraqi forces went all the way. On Nov 7, a battalion of Marines seized the peninsula to the west of the city to prevent insurgents from fleeing. A brigade (4,000 soldiers) from the First Cav set up another cordon around the city to catch anyone fleeing. The plan was to make sure the insurgents would either surrender or fight and be killed. Intelligence estimates put the enemy between 3,000 - 5,000 strong, so we knew we had a tough fight ahead of us.One of the interesting factors to this fight was the weather... although Iraq is unbelievably hot in the summer (up to 130 in Najaf), it was colder out in Fallujah than it was back in New York. Temperatures were typically in the upper-30's and low 40's between 5 pm and 8 am. The averagetemperature here has dropped about 30 degrees in the past month or so.We moved all of our vehicles and soldiers from Camp Fallujah to a position about 1 mile north of the city. That's also where we set up our TF support area (re-fuel, re-arm) and where we set up the Tactical Operations Center. All day long while were setting up at that location, Air Force and Marine Corps aviators shaped the battlefield with laser-guided bombs and hellfire missiles. Although American forces had not been into the city since April, we had been collecting intelligence on the city for months through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's), human intelligence, and Special Forces. So we knew exactly where they stored their weapons and where they held meetings, and so on...all of these attacks from the air were precise and very effective in reducing the enemy's ability to fight us before thebattle even started.With each attack, secondary explosions of weapons/ammo blowing up were heard. The Coalition also threw the enemy a curveball by destroying all the vehicles that had been parked in the same location for more than 3 days---the enemy planned to use these as car bombs when we attacked. Again, almost every single vehicle the air assets attacked had huge secondary explosions.After 12 hours of massive air strikes, Task Force 2-7 got the green light and was the first unit to enter the city. There is a big train station on the city's northern limit, so the engineers cleared a path with some serious explosives and our tanks led the way. While this was happening, my intelligence shop was flying our own UAV to determine where the enemy was. It is a very small plane that is launched by being thrown into the air. We flew it for 6 hours and reported grids to the tanks and bradleys of where we saw insurgents on the roof and moving in the street---so our soldiers knew where the enemy was, before they even got to the location.We crossed the train station just before midnight and led the way for the Marines by killing everything we could in our way. It took our tanks and brads until 10 am the next day to get 2 miles into the city. They killed about 200 insurgents in the process and softened the enemy for the Marines. 5 of our soldiers were wounded in this first 10 hours, but we accomplished our part of the plan.The Marines' mission was to follow TF 2-7 and fight the enemy by clearing from building to building. A lot of the insurgents saw the armored vehicles and hid. They waited for the Marines to come and took their chances by fighting them since the Marines weren't protected by armor like we were. In that first day of fighting, the Marines took 5 x KIA and many more wounded, but they also did their job very well. Along the way, they found HUGE caches of weapons, suicide vests, and many foreign fighters. They also found unbelievable amounts of drugs, mostly heroin, speed, and cocaine. It turns out, the enemy drugged themselves up to give them the "courage" and stupidity to stay and fight.The enemy tried to fight us in "the city of mosques" as dirty as they could. They fired from the steeples of the mosques and the mosques themselves. They faked being hurt and then threw grenades at soldiers when they approached to give medical treatment. They waived surrender flags, only to shoot at our forces 20 seconds later when they approached to accept their surrender.The next few days, TF 2-7 maintained our battle positions inside the city, coming out only for fuel and more ammo. We fought 24 hours a day and continued to support the Marines as they cleared from house to house. If they were taking heavy fire or RPG fire from a house, they would call on our tanks. Our guys would open up on the house with 120 mm main gun or .50 cal. After 5 minutes of suppressive fire, the Marines would go into the building and clear it. There was rarely anyone left alive by that point. The problem is that we couldn't be there to do that for all the Marines- and when we couldn't and they had to clear the building without our help, they took heavy casualties because the insurgents didn't stop firing until the Marines got into the building and killed them.After 3 days, half of the city had been cleared and Iraqi Forces followed the Marines to re-clear the buildings and clean up the caches. Sometimes the insurgents who had managed to hide from the Marines would stand and fight the Iraqis, so they took some casualties as well. But they did a good job of securing the area and collecting the thousands of AK-47s,RPGs, mortars, and IEDs that were in these houses. All that ammo proved just how intensely the enemy planned to defend the city after all, Fallujah was the symbol of the resistance against the new Iraqi government. They wanted to keep their safe haven for terrorists like Zarqawi to behead innocent people. Since no Coalition Forces were allowed into the city, they were able to get away with those atrocious acts without much trouble.On day 3 of the fight, we had the most exciting moment for me personally when our Task Force Support Area and TOC came under attack. Insurgents fired mortars and rockets at us everyday, some landing as close as 30 meters from us. But on this day at 6 pm, just as it was getting dark, we took 3 rounds very close and then to the north 8-10 insurgents opened up with small arms fire on the TOC. Luckily, a tank platoon was back re-fueling and along with the scout platoon, laid down some serious firepower and killed them all in a matter of 5 minutes. But all of us in the TOC got to go out and be part of the fight, firing rounds and seeing the tanks unload on these insurgents. None of us were hurt, but it was an exciting 10 minutes.THEN came the second push through the rest of the city. Although by day 4, the Coalition had already killed over a thousand, many of them fled to the southern portion of the city and took up positions there. Again, Task Force 2-7 led the push a little before midnight. Same mission, same purpose: To soften up enemy strong points and kill as many insurgents as possible to enable the Marines to follow us when the sun rose. The Marines from Regimental Combat Team 1 did just that for the next 5 days---fighting house to house, finding more weapons, more torture chambers, more ammunition, and more insurgents ready to fight to the death.One fighter came running out of a building that our tanks set on fire...he was on fire and still shooting at us. As our Sergeant Major said, "going up against tanks and brads with an AK-47, you have to admire their effort!"Over the next 5 days, the Marines and our Task Force killed over 1,000 more insurgents. In that time frame, over 900 more fighters made the decision to spend 30 years in prison rather than die. The Marines are still occupying the city and helping with the rebuilding process---they still meet some sporadic resistance, usually a group of 3-5, shooting from a mosque or faking surrender and then shooting at them.We were very disturbed to find one house with 5 foreigners with bullets in their head, killed execution style. Marines also came upon a house where an Iraqi soldier in the Iraqi National Guard had been shackled to the wall for 11 days and was left there to die. These insurgents are some sick people and Fallujah proved that more than ever. 2 mosques were not being used for prayer...but rather for roadside bomb making. They were literally IED assembly line factories, with hundreds of IEDs complete or being built. They also had several houses with high-tech equipment where they conducted their meetings.In Fallujah, the enemy had a military-type planning system going on. Some of the fighters were wearing body armor and kevlars, just like we do. Soldiers took fire from heavy machine guns (.50 cal) and came across the dead bodies of fighters from Chechnya, Syria, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Afghanistan, and so on...no, this was not just a city of pissed off Iraqis, mad at the Coalition for forcing Saddam out of power. It was a city full of people from all over the Middle East whose sole mission in life was to kill Americans. Problem for them is that they were in the wrong city in November 2004.Now that it's over, there is a lot of things that people back home should know. First of all, every citizen of Fallujah (non-insurgent) is getting $2,500 USD (that's a lot over here) to fix up their house or buy new things that may have been destroyed in the fighting. Insurgents took up positions in resident's houses so we were forced to destroy a lot of buildings.There is over $100 million dollars ready to be spent to re-build the city. This may seem like a lot of money, but I can assure you that it is a small price to pay for the amount of evil people no longer alive, contemplating how to kill more Americans. The intelligence value alone is already paying huge dividends. Some of the 900 detainees are telling everything they know about other insurgents. And the enemy never expected such a large or powerful attack and they were so overwhelmed that they left behind all kinds of things, including books with names of other foreign fighters, where their money and weapons come from, etc.I went into the city 3 times, but after a lot of the fighting had been done. It was amazing to see how the American military had brought the world's most evil city to its knees. I have an awful lot of pictures that I am going to upload to my webshots site...it will blow your mind to see what the insurgents forced us to do to win this fight. And seeing the pictures of what I saw first hand will make you very happy to be an American and know that our country has this might if evildoers force us to use it.Our mission in Iraq is to help the Iraqi Security Forces become stable enough to keep this country safe...and once in a while fight with our full might to give these security forces a fair chance. When we need to go after the enemy with all we've got, the results have been amazing.In the fight for Fallujah, our military lost over 50 soldiers and Marines including a sergeant major, company commander, and 8 platoon leaders- along with 40 young enlisted guys, typically between 19 and 23 years old.I can't even tell you how proud I was to be part of this fight and know these soldiers who were going from building to building to take the fight to the enemy. My Task Force lost 2 more soldiers after the rocket attack at Camp Fallujah, 1 of them that I knew pretty well. It was hard on the unit to deal with these losses, to go along with the 16 soldiers from 2-7 who were wounded. But this was a fight we knew would be dangerous....but worth the risk based on the good that would come out of it.Anyone back home who thinks the world is a safe place needs to come here for a day and learn real fast that there are an awful lot of people out there who hate Americans so much that they risk their lives to try to kill us. We cannot live peacefully back at home right now unless we continue to stay on the offensive against our enemies and fight them in their backyards. Remember, radical Arabs started this war...and they continue to fight it, proving to America over and over that they need to be fought.I am hopeful that most Americans understand that you have to accept death to defeat evil; all of us soldiers accepted that the day we signed up.There are some things worth fighting and dying for, and making the world and especially America, a safer place, is one of them. For every Mom out there that you read about who turns into a peace protestor when her son is killed in action, there are 99 Moms you don't hear about who are proud and believe in this mission even more.It sure is good to be back to Taji after our second "field trip." We have an officers vs. enlisted football game tomorrow where I am the quarterback, so I am excited about that. We also have a Task Force Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. Despite the fact we have upcoming Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years away from family, friends, and fun- all of our soldiers are thankful to be back after this big fight and to have played such an important role in the successful mission.I received some nice letters out there that were very supportive, so thank you to all of you who did that for me. Thanks for all your prayers and support, and I wish everyone back home a Happy Thanksgiving and some quality time spent with family and friends.MikeAnd Don't ForgetEric will be discussing our Desert Sky documentary on Dayside with Linda Vester (FOX News Channel) at 1 pm Monday the 29th. Watch it!
posted by 2Slick 11/27/2004


Sunday, November 28, 2004

14 suspects snagged near Ad Dawr

First Infantry Division Soldiers Detain 14 Suspects Near Ad DawrTikrit, Iraq – First Infantry Division Soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, in a joint operation with Iraqi Security Forces, detained 14 individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi forces activities during raids in a government-housing complex near Ad Dawr on Nov. 28 at about 12:40 a.m. The Soldiers detained the individuals believed to be insurgents responsible for attacks in the area. Iraqi police and Iraqi National Guard soldiers began registering legal residents of the housing complex following the operation. The individuals were transported to a Multi-National Forces detention facility for questioning.

Iraqi forces starting to make an impact!

43 Detained in Northern IraqMosul, Iraq -- Special Iraqi Police Commandos from the Ministry of Interior and Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained 43 people suspected of anti-Iraqi activities during operations Nov. 27th in northern Iraq. Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment conducted a cordon and search operation in Hammam Al Alil and detained 20 people suspected of planning and conducting anti-Iraqi activities. During traffic control point operations near Hammam Al Alil, Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment detained five anti-Iraqi suspects and confiscated weapons. Second Battalion, 8th Field Artillery Regiment Soldiers detained one person in Hammam Al Alil wanted for anti-Iraqi activities. Special Iraqi Police Commandos also detained one person for anti-Iraqi activities in Hammam Al Alil. All 27 suspects are in custody undergoing further questioning and investigation with no MNF Soldiers injured during operations. Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24 Infantry Regiment also conducted cordon and search operations in western Mosul to disrupt insurgent activity in the area. During the operation, Soldiers detained 16 people for suspected anti-Iraqi activities while also confiscating intelligence documents and a 55-gallon drum of bomb-making material. All suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported during the operation.Release #041128c

New Bridge needed Posted by Hello

Ironhorse Brigade Begins Reconstruction of Bombed Bridge
Army Engineers work to rebuild bridge for local Iraqis.
By U.S. Army Spc. Jan Critchfield122nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 18, 2004 — On Nov. 11, a white pickup truck carrying explosives was parked on the Diyala River Bridge, one of three major bridges in the Al-Thawra District.
The truck exploded killing a cargo-truck driver and wounding a dozen others in addition to severely damaging the bridge. The blast destroyed one lane of the bridge and blocked the other with the smoldering remains of the explosion. The bridge was unusable except by pedestrians desperate enough to straddle a narrow passage between the charred truck and a gaping hole in the deck of the bridge, with the murky waters of the Diyala below.
“The thing we want to impress upon the people of Baghdad is that the insurgents are making their lives harder, and this project is a visible sign that (multinational forces) are trying to help them, and help the country move in the right direction,” Capt. Marc Distefano, Company A commander.
“Insurgents are targeting major infrastructure sites, like bridges,” said Capt. Marc Distefano, Company A commander, 20 th Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. “In April of last year, insurgents put shape charges on the Diyala River Bridge … and destroyed parts of it.”
Working rapidly, Company A had one lane of the Diyala River Bridge open for traffic within 48 hours. A few weeks later, a local contractor finished patching the other lane. That quick turnaround is something Company A hopes to repeat, Distefano said.
“There are a lot of old people, handicapped people, children that are walking across this rubble to get to the other side to get to work, to go to church, to go to school, and it’s severely inconvenienced them, and made a daily chore very dangerous,” Distefano said.
Company A already had $200,000 in renovations planned for the bridge, including $120,000 going into improving the bridge’s deck subsequently damaged in the bombing.
“The bridge constantly needed maintenance,” Distefano said. “Alpha company had been out there at least six times to do minor repairs with the tools we have. The decision was made to replace all the decking on the bridge with a little more sturdy material and lay asphalt over the top so it wouldn’t come apart so much.”
Construction started Nov. 15, and is scheduled for completion by the first week of December. “The thing we want to impress upon the people of Baghdad is that the insurgents are making their lives harder, and this project is a visible sign that (multinational forces) are trying to help them, and help the country move in the right direction.”

Going High Tech on IED detection!


Big Boy Toy! Posted by Hello

Engineers Blaze Trail in Ba'Qubah
Combat engineers of the North Dakota Army National Guard's 141st Engineer Battalion help keep fellow soldiers safe by ridding the roads of explosive devices.
Story by Sgt. Kimberly Snow 196th Mobile Public Affairs DepartmentBA'QUBAH, Iraq, Nov. 04, 2004 — At 5:00 a.m. on a cool autumn morning, all is quiet but for the ever-present humming of generators. Hulks of metal giants glint under the starlight. Soldiers from the North Dakota Army National Guard's 141st Engineer Battalion begin filtering out into the pre-dawn chill. They start to get ready for their mission.
Pre-combat checks and inspections are completed. Convoy briefs are concluded. The soldiers bypass the huge 5-ton trucks, and heavy engineering equipment. They climb into five humvees and one mine detection vehicle, and they're on their way. They are ready to start "Trailblazing," searching for improvised explosive devices, also known as IEDs.
"We search out IEDs, hasty mine-fields and ambush sites," said Staff Sgt. Cody Hertz, a combat engineer. "But what it basically boils down to is finding IEDs, that's the biggest threat now on the roadways."
Soldiers use a specialized vehicle to perform a route sanitation of a roadway south of Hibhib, near Ba'qubah, Iraq. The soldiers are assigned to the North Dakota Army National Guard's Company C, 141st Engineer Battalion,Photo by Sgt. Kimberly Snow
While most convoys traveling the roads of Iraq drive as fast as safety allows, the "Trailblazers" maintain a speed of only 20 to 25 mph. During these route clearance operations, every Soldier in every vehicle scans the roadway, median and shoulders looking signs of disturbance or anything that seems out of place, intent on seeking out the deadly devices.
"We've been over this route so many times that every driver and truck commander knows every pothole and landmark on the route," said Sgt. Jed A. Korth, Alpha Team leader. "We usually notice when something's not right."
When they do find something suspicious, such as a recent ground disturbance, a dead animal, or something as simple as a trash bag or cardboard box, the "Meerkat" is sent in to investigate.
"I'd say it's probably about the best piece of equipment we've got here," said Spc. Matthew A. Davenport. "We're lucky to have it. It's not something everybody can use because of its size - it's small, so you can only put small people in it."
The Meerkat is a single-occupant mine detection vehicle resembling an oversized, armored dune buggy. It features a three-meter-wide array, which uses both metal detection and ground penetrating radar sensors. Should a blast occur, a V-shaped undercarriage directs the blast away from the vehicle, protecting the driver.
The vehicle is designed to withstand the blast of an anti-tank mine, or 15 pounds of TNT. The engineers' vehicle has so far weathered four blasts in Iraq without serious injury to the drivers.
Spc. David Feldman pops his head up from his Meerkat mine detecting vehicle during a route sanitation sweep on a roadway south of Hibhib, near Ba'qubah, Iraq. Feldman is a combat engineer assigned to the North Dakota National Guard's C. Co., 141st Engineer Battalion. Photo by Sgt. Kimberly Snow
"I was blown up in it. It was kind of fun, actually," said Davenport. "I kind of thrive on that stuff, so it was interesting. It handles pretty well and you don't get jerked around that bad. You're definitely safe in there."
The troops also employ the "Buffalo," a blast-resistant vehicle that features a hydraulic arm used to uncover a suspected IED site and move suspect items from the road.
But the Meerkat and Buffalo are not the only items in the unit's arsenal. They also use more traditional engineering equipment in their mission to rid the routes of the deadly roadside bombs.
The day following the route clearance, the troops again head out on their mission to make the roads safer. But this day, they also bring along a scraper and a grader to "sanitize" the route - remove brush and debris from the roadside and median, leveling the surface and making it harder to emplace and hide the roadside bombs.
The Soldiers of Company C have so far located about 60 improvised explosive devices from the roadside, but not without incident. They have been ambushed by rocket propelled grenades and small arms fire on several occasions, and they have endured six explosions. One of them killed Spc. James Holmes, an air defense artillery soldier who volunteered to come to Iraq with the Trailblazers.
"Everyone was shell-shocked, we walked around in a daze for a couple of days," said 1st Sgt. Keith A. Hertz, Company C, 141st Engineer Battalion. "Everyone was blaming themselves. I blamed myself because I called him in to assist, the Lt. blamed himself because he missed it. But I think we did everything right though, now. I don't think we short-changed him. I think about him all the time, and I don't feel guilty anymore."
Because explosive devices are the leading cause of death and injury to coalition forces, the engineers realize the importance of their mission. They compete within the platoons to see who can find the most and constantly strive to stay ahead of the device emplacers.
"When an IED goes off on the road, the first thing I do is run over and look," Hertz said. "When was the last time we went over that? Did we miss it or did they get a chance to set it after we went by. We take it personal when we miss one."

Iraq Reconstruction update November 14, 2004

El Salvadoran Forces' Humanitarian Projects in the Province of BabilBAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 14, 2004 - Since the arrival of the El Salvadoran Battalion to Camp Charlie, located in the city of Al-Hillah, they 've visited communities in their area of responsibility to assess problems and coordinate assistance with the local authorities regarding infrastructure problems.
El Salvadoran Battalion, as a member of the Multi-National Division Central-South, focused on projects to be executed in the scope of reconstruction of infrastructure and humanitarian assistance in different communities of the Babil province. These include the cities and villages of Al-Ibrahimiya, Al-Madhathiya, Al-Hashimiyah, Ashimiya, Al-Qasim, At-Taliyah, Al- Kilf and Ash-Shumali.
With the development of these projects, 128,000 Iraqis in these areas will obtain some benefits. The selected priorities include furnishing of schools and health centers, improving roads, installingwater pumps, water treatment, repairing old water systems, construction of a steel girder bridge and improvement of the living conditions of Iraqi forces in the province of Babil to successfully continue in their performance of conducting stability and security operations there. These projects are being developed with Commander Emergency Response Program funds amounting to a total of $ 1,175,078.50. El Salvadoran Battalion started these projects in Oct. 2004 and plan to complete them by Dec. 2004.
El Salvadoran Forces accomplished their third rotation in Iraq on Aug. 20, 2004, where Salvadoran strength totalled 380 personnel. The fourth rotation is planned for early in 2005. The commander of the third rotation of El Salvadoran Battalion is Col. Roberto Artiga. El Salvadoran Battalion is located in Camp Charlie, situated in the city of Al-Hilla, and has been there since Sep. 10, 2004.
El Salvadoran Battalion has become a very important part of the MND-CS in Iraq and the El Salvadoran contingent is performing an excellent duty to help Iraqis and Iraqi forces as well. The battalion is part of the overall Multi-National Force contribution to the continuous re-building and stability of the infrastructure of Iraq.

Marines, Seabees Fix Insurgent Handiwork in LutafiyahFORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq - U.S. Marines and Navy Seabees repaired a a key bridge south of Baghdad Nov. 13 after repeated insurgent attacks left it all but untrafficable to thousands of commuters.
Elements of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit spent 12 hours fixing the bridge's twin spans running north and south through Lutafiyah, about 20 miles south of the capital.
Militants have struck the bridge with numerous improvised explosive devices in recent months. The latest attacks came on Nov. 3, when a fatal blow buckled and caved the southbound span, and on Nov. 11, when a car bomb left a third gaping crater in the northbound span.
The Nov. 13 repairs opened up traffic in both directions, restoring both lanes on the northbound side and one on the southbound side.
The target of choice, which bridges a canal bisecting Route 8 -- a key corridor through south-central Iraq -- illustrates the willingness of insurgents to victimize innocent Iraqis to achieve their aims.
But according to the MEU commander, the quick reconstruction suggests the futility of the path of chaos and violence.
"We will rebuild what the terrorists tear down," said Col. Ron Johnson. "We will hunt down and destroy those bent on mindless destruction. And we will stand beside the good people of Iraq until they are ready to stand on their own."
Iraqi Police Graduate 2,500 from Basic TrainingBAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Police Service graduated nearly 2,500 officers from Basic Police Training courses this week as the Iraqi government continues the police force training effort in the country.The graduations from the Jordan International Police Training Center in Amman, Jordan, the Baghdad Public Safety Academy, and the training school in Sulaymaniyah ushered a class of 1,440, another class of 809 and another 249 officers into the IPS ranks, respectively. Instruction in Baghdad, included the graduation of 79 female officers. IPS basic training runs recruits through instruction in the fundamental basics of policing skills and the techniques and ideals of law enforcement in a free society. The Sulaymaniyah graduations were the first at the school in Northeastern Iraq.All graduates will deploy for immediate duty at stations throughout the county.

Iraqi Receives Equipment, Armament BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi Security Forces continue to receive large shipments of weapons and materiel from the Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq.
Since Nov. 1, the rollout has included 2,919 AK-47 assault rifles, 4,210 helmets, 107 PKM machineguns, 832 RPK machineguns, 7,850 sets of body armor, 11,000 field jackets, 50 Glock pistols, 100,000 RPK/PKM machinegun rounds, 2,400 9mm pistol rounds, 300,000 AK-47 rounds, 600 tactical vests, 30 computers, 300 kneepads, 50 radios, 15,763 pairs of running shoes, 20 holsters, 20 Walther 9mm pistols, 1,300 army t-shirts, and 19,782 desert combat uniforms.
All equipment has either been issued to Iraqi Army, Iraqi National Guard, or Iraqi police forces or delivered throughout the country for distribution to personnel.

Al Washash Water Treatment Plant Work CompleteAL WASHASH, Iraq - Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 264th Engineer Group and Shujaa Company Contractors completed the construction of a Commander’s Emergency Repair Program project to install an adequate water treatment plant for Al Washash Village recently.This project, which started in September, provides water for a village of 100 homes and 300 people. The total cost of this project was $95,000. Before this project was completed, there was no running water and the people of this village had to haul all of their water up from the Tigris River on donkey back. The building of the water treatment plant furthered the alliance between the American Soldiers and Iraqi Citizens.

Iraqi Military Academy Gets $10M FaceliftBAGHDAD, Iraq — A variety of construction and renovation projects worth nearly $10 million continue to progress at the Iraqi Military Academy Al Rustamiyah, including the rehabilitation of barracks and classrooms used for training Iraqi army officers.
The academy, which trains officers for the Iraqi army was founded in 1924 and currently has 16 major construction projects including the gymnasium, study hall, base laundry, and a medical clinic with most of the major work to be completed by the middle of December. The projects are being completed primarily by Iraqi contractors and workers with more than 850 Iraqi workers comprising 82 percent of the total workforce.
According to 1st Lt. Michael Pierson project engineer, who works for the Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq's engineering section, activities for each location include demolition and removal of damaged and deteriorated material, replacement of electrical systems and fixtures, replacement of plumbing systems and fixtures, and replacement or installation of mechanical systems and fixtures. Some existing packaged air conditioning units are being serviced and restored for use in some buildings. Typical work packages include restoration of existing wall finishes, replacement of doors, and replacement or repair of windows throughout the buildings.
Pierson said renovation of the gymnasium, library, and auxiliary mechanical building is progressing. Window repair and removal of existing flooring in the gym as well as a new roof for the building is in progress and the ceiling is being painted. New ceramic tile is being installed, and both the gym and the library will get new doors and new electrical systems. But it hasn't all been smooth going, he said.
"We've had some challenges," Pierson said. "Needed materials for the job site and security for the site have been big ones. Keeping the workers safe and having a plan for them to come onto the base and go home at night can sometimes be challenging as well. And, making sure we have trustworthy workers so that we don't have to watch them 100 percent of the time."
In spite of the difficulties Pierson said the work itself has gone very well. He added that the fact that most of the contractors and workers are Iraqis has been a bonus.
"Having Iraqi workers is a big plus because we don't have the manpower here to be able to do all the construction work," Pierson said. "And it also helps the Iraqis to get back on their feet... get the country back on its feet. It doesn't make sense to bring our workers over here. It has to be done by Iraqis because they are the ones who will be living here."
Pierson added that the new construction and renovation will also improve the quality of the training that is conducted at the base and help to give the Iraqis a sense of ownership in the base.
"Everything will get better when we get the Iraqi troops into new facilities that have flushable toilets... good classrooms... air conditioning and tile floors," Pierson said. "In an environment that is conducive to learning I feel that the product you're going to get is going to be a lot better than what you have now. And, they get a sense of ownership, this is part of their country and they can have a sense of pride in their country by having their own base and facilities to learn in.
"Just having the correct facilities like obstacle courses and shooting ranges, where, not only are the facilities upgraded but you have additional shooting ranges and things like that, that will benefit the classes. And, though some of these things they had before, now they are being upgraded with new ideas incorporated into them," said Pierson.
Additional work at IMAR includes renovation of the clock tower buildings, seven concrete buildings, the medical clinic, a Morale Welfare and Recreation building, the Post Exchange and barber shop, the motor pool compound, the quartermaster store, armory and warehouse, and work on main roads and irrigation channels throughout the camp.
"They are on schedule. Everything was put off a little bit because of the fighting in April and in August," Pierson said. "And, you really get a lot of people scared when they get their name put on a list that says you cannot work with the Americans or we'll bring harm to your family, that's the biggest thing. Iraq is just full of threats, and sometimes they carry them out, so you have to take them seriously, so we have to show them that we will do what we can to provide security and to back them up."

Map of Iraq Posted by Hello

Chemical lab discovered in Fallujah Posted by Hello

Chemical Lab clean up Posted by Hello

Iraqi Bounty Hunter supports our troops!


A great program to support our troops! Posted by Hello

Some of the captured weapons Posted by Hello

24th MEU in action! Posted by Hello

Operation Plymouth Rock rolls on!



Nov. 28, 2004
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U.S., British, Iraqi Forces Nab Insurgent Suspects South of Baghdad
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 26, 2004 -- Iraqi, U.S. and British forces rounded up 81 suspected insurgents near Yusufiyah, Iraq, Nov. 25, continuing a three-day-old offensive aimed at restoring security and stability to northern Babil province.
In a series of early-morning operations, the Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics -- or SWAT -- team, elements of the U.S. 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the 1st Battalion of Britain's Black Watch Regiment descended on a number of targets in a restive area southwest of Baghdad.
Black Watch troops detained 26 suspects, while Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines captured 43. Elsewhere in the MEU's area of operations, Marines captured an additional 12 men in connection with anti-Iraqi activity.
Operation Plymouth Rock, launched Nov. 23 with multiple raids in the south- central town of Jabella, is an intensification of efforts under way since August.
Far different from the recent assault into Fallujah, where determined resistance was expected and crushed, the campaign south of Baghdad calls for a different approach. Anti-Iraqi forces there have sought to avoid large, decisive engagements, preferring to hit, run and evade.
Over the past four months, Iraqi security forces and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit have pursued both foot soldiers -- those who plant roadside bombs and lob mortars and rockets, often for money -- and local militant leaders. Success typically comes one or two insurgents at a time.
Patience and persistence are key to a successful counter-insurgency, noted the MEU commander, Col. Ron Johnson, who vowed to stay in the attack.
"Time is on our side, not the enemy's," Johnson said. "With each operation, the (Iraqi security forces) get stronger and the day the Iraqi people are in full control of their destiny draws nearer."
Those detained Nov. 25 boosted to 116 the number of suspected insurgents captured since the latest operation began.
In other Iraq news, on Nov. 24 Iraqi security forces supported by U.S. Marines of the 1st Marine Division discovered the largest weapons cache to date in the city of Fallujah. It was found in and around the Sa'ad Abi Bin Waqas Mosque in the Hey Al Shorta district.
Abdulla Janabi, a cleric considered a guerilla leader, was known to use this mosque to preach anti-coalition rhetoric. The complex had also been suspected to be a safe house and logistics node for insurgents and their activities.
In the mosque's compound, Iraqi security forces and Marines also discovered a vendor truck that contained various explosive compounds, rocket-propelled grenades, grenades, mortar rounds, and rockets, as well as miscellaneous improvised explosive device-making materials. Initial assessments indicate the truck may have been a mobile IED factory.
The mosque itself is a multi-building complex that is situated within a larger compound and surrounded by a 10-foot-high concrete wall.
The main prayer building, a three-story ornate structure, was heavily laden with small arms, artillery shells, heavy machine guns, and anti-tank mines. Other buildings within the compound had mortar systems, rocket-propelled grenades, launchers, recoilless rifles, and parts of surface-to-air weapons systems. Marines also found the barrel of an anti-aircraft gun outside one of the buildings.
Inside the rectory, Iraqi and U.S. forces found documents that detailed insurgent interrogations of recent kidnap victims, as well as a rifle and a box of ammunition. Just outside the rectory door, they found a large bag of rockets. In a small shed adjacent to the rectory, used to house the mosque's air-conditioning unit, Marines found a room packed with ordnance and weapons that had been rigged to explode.
The insurgents have used mosques as safe havens and took advantage of Multinational Force Iraq's respect for these sites. Mosques are granted protected status unless they are being used for militant purposes. Many mosques in Fallujah lost their protected status as places of religious worship when insurgents fired from minarets at multinational forces.
In Tikrit, an Iraqi citizen provided information that helped Task Force Danger soldiers and Iraqi police capture one individual during a raid near Khanaqin at 2:40 p.m., Nov. 24.
The soldiers assisted Iraqi police with the search of a residence where a man was detained and several weapons were found. The detainee was found with one RPK Soviet light machine gun, 70 RPK rounds, six grenades, four anti-personnel mines, 30 rocket-propelled-grenade propellants, and two AK-47 rifle magazines in his possession.
The detainee and weapons were transported to Multinational Force facilities. No coalition soldiers were injured in the incident.
(Information compiled from Multinational Force Iraq press releases.)
Related Sites:Multinational Force Iraq24th Marine Expeditionary Unit
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Friday, November 26, 2004

Operation Plymouth Rock rolling up insurgents, Abu Saeed reportedly Captured

Anti-Insurgent Raids Net Large Seizure
of Iraqi Rebels, Weapons
By VOA News 26 November 2004
U.S. and Iraqi government forces have captured scores of suspected insurgents and seized an enormous stockpile of weapons and explosives during anti-insurgent operations in Iraq.
The U.S. military says 81 suspected rebels were rounded up Thursday in raids around Youssifiyeh, south of the capital, Baghdad. Iraqi officials say Abu Saeed, a top lieutenant of wanted terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was captured in Mosul.
Military officials also say U.S. and Iraqi troops uncovered what they called the largest cache of weapons found so far, in a mosque in Fallujah.
The discovery came as Iraqi troops searching for suspected terrorist hideouts in Fallujah uncovered what appeared to be a chemical bomb factory. Iraqi officials say the laboratory may have been used to make toxic substances and contained pamphlets on manufacturing anthrax.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

Zarqawi getting his ass kicked and is pissed!

Zarqawi network appeals for help in first signals of defeat
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COMFriday, November 26, 2004
BAGHDAD — Sunni insurgents backing Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi have expressed alarm at the prospect of a defeat by the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
An audio tape said to be from Al Zarqawi charged Muslim clerics with letting down the insurgency "because of your silence."
On Wednesday, Al Zarqawi, with a $25 million bounty on his head, was the target of a major manhunt in the Sunni Triangle, Middle East Newsline reported. Iraqi military sources said Al Zarqawi was said to have been seen in an area south of Fallujah.
Islamic sources said that for the first time in more than a year the Tawhid and Jihad group led by Al Zarqawi appears to have lost control over many of its insurgents in the Sunni Triangle.
The sources said Iraqi and U.S. assaults on major insurgency strongholds in such cities as Baghdad, Fallujah, Mosul, Ramadi and Samara have resulted in heavy insurgency casualties and a break in the command and control structure.
Over the last few days, Al Zarqawi supporters have appealed for help from Al Qaida and related groups. The sources said Al Qaida's allies, including the Salafist Brigade for Combat and Call, have sought to increase recruitment of Muslim volunteers to fight the coalition.
The Internet has also reflected the growing concern that Islamic insurgents would be routed in Iraq. A message posted on an Islamic website appealed for help from Islamic insurgents in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Pakistan and the Palestinian Authority.
The message, posted by a purported insurgency supporter who used the name Abu Ahmed Al Baghdadi, acknowledged that the Sunni insurgency has been harmed by the U.S.-led offensive in Fallujah. Al Baghdadi said insurgents have lost their haven in Fallujah, but asserted that Al Zarqawi has acquired a broader base for operations and recruitment.
For his part, Al Zarqawi has also expressed concern over the U.S. military operation against Fallujah, Mosul and other insurgency strongholds.
On Wednesday, an audio tape posted on an Islamic website and purportedly from Al Zarqawi accused Muslim clerics of failing to support the insurgency in Iraq.
"You have let us down in the darkest circumstances and handed us over to the enemy," the message said. "You have stopped supporting the holy warriors. Hundreds of thousands of the nation's sons are being slaughtered at the hands of the infidels because of your silence."
In early November, Al Baghdadi posted a plan for the Tawhid group to take over Iraq. Islamic sources said Al Baghdadi was believed to be pseudonym used by a major Islamic operative.
Al Zarqawi accused unnamed clerics and scholars of preventing Muslims from joining the Sunni insurgency in Iraq. He said Muslim clerics abandoned the insurgents to the United States.
"Are your hearts not shaken by the scenes of your brothers being surrounded and hurt by your enemy?" Al Zarqawi asked.
"How long will you continue to abandon the nation to the tyrants of the east and of the west, who are inflicting the worst suffering, cutting the throats of the holy warriors, the best children of the nation, and taking its riches?"

Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Another leading Insurgency Commander captured near the Syrian border!

U.S. military captures top insurgency commander
SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COMTuesday, November 23, 2004
BAGHDAD – The U.S. military has captured what officials termed a senior Sunni commander in Iraq, near the Syrian border.
The military said the Marine Corps detained the top commander in Al Anbar province in western Iraq. The commander, who was not identified, was one of six insurgents captured on Nov. 21 in the Anbar town of Haqlaniya.
"One of the six detainees is believed to be a high-ranking cell leader of anti-Iraqi forces operating in and around the Al Anbar province," the military said in a statement on Monday. The military did not provide additional details.
Al Anbar has been deemed the biggest challenge for the U.S. military in Iraq. Much of the province, which borders Syria, has been under insurgency control over the last 18 months, Middle East Newsline reported. They have included Faluja and Ramadi.
Officials said the suspected senior Sunni commander was captured during a raid of Haqlaniyah, along the Euphrates River. Marines also found arms and munitions in the counter-insurgency operation.
The U.S. military has intensified its search for Sunni commanders in Al Anbar, many of whom were said to have escaped from Faluja over the last month. They said Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi and his leading aides have escaped Faluja and were sited in northern Iraq.
The Kurdish newspaper Al Taakhi quoted Iraqi police sources as saying that Al Zarqawi was believed to have been injured in the U.S.-led assault on Faluja. The newspaper quoted a police source from the northern city of Kirkuk as saying that Al Zarqawi was seen arriving in Tuz Khormato, about 75 kilometers south of Kirkuk.
Al Zarqawi's leading aide, Omar Hadid, was also said to have been injured in the battle for Faluja. Officials believe he was still in or around Faluja and leading the Sunni insurgency against the U.S.-led coalition force. The military has reported eliminating most pockets of resistance in the city.
For his part, Hadid told the Qatari-based A-Jazeera satellite channel that he was not a senior commander in Faluja. He told A-Jazeera that he is 24 years old, never met Al Zarqawi and served in Saddam Hussein's military for three months.

Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi sighted near Kirkuk!

From the StrategyPage
IRAQ: No Place to Hide

November 23, 2004: Al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi was recently spotted near Kirkuk, 260 kilometers northeast of Baghdad. Al Zarqawi had to go somewhere, and with a $25 million price on his head, many Iraqis are more than happy to let the police know where the Jordanian terrorist is. Al Qaeda is very unpopular in Iraq, mainly because most of the victims of al Qaeda attacks have been Iraqi civilians. Coalition troops offer smaller rewards for lesser information, like al Zarqawi being seen traveling in an ambulance south of Kirkuk, and possibly wounded. Money is a powerful weapon in Iraq, and has been used lavishly by the deposed Baath party officials who are directing the anti-government forces. Al Zarqawi is thought to be receiving some of that money. While al Qaeda and the Baath party rely on lots of volunteers, you still need cash to run a war. Some things, and some people, have to be paid for. For the last 18 months, coalition intelligence forces, and Special Forces units, have been developing informer networks. Tips from informants inside Fallujah were responsible for the rapid progress of the coalition attack, and the failure of many of the defenders ambushes and boob-traps. Now the coalition money is being spent all over central Iraq. With nearly 2,500 anti-government gunmen dead or captured in Fallujah, those who fled are shorthanded, out in the open, and a source of quick money for sharp eyed Iraqis. November 22, 2004: Sunni Arab gunmen continue to fight for control of towns and neighborhoods throughout central Iraq. While some gunmen remain in Fallujah, the majority of those who are active are in Baghdad and Mosul. Both of these cities have large Sunni Arab populations. But Mosul has a large Kurdish population, and Baghdad a large number of Shiites. These non-Sunni populations provide endless numbers of recruits for the army and police. Too many Shia Arab and Kurdish families want revenge on the Sunni Arabs for murder, torture and abuse in the past. While the Sunni Arab thugs have the edge in experience, and reputation, their violence is not overwhelming. The army and police are fighting back, killing and arresting thousands of Sunni Arab gunmen. The Sunni Arabs don't like to dwell on the fact that they are only a fifth of the population, or that they get slaughtered whenever they get into a fight with American troops. Trying to disrupt the January elections is now a major goal for the Sunni Arab extremists. They can do some of that in Sunni Arab areas. But in the next ten weeks, the number of Sunni gunmen available for this may be too low to make much of an impression. The Sunni Arabs are fighting a losing battle. Trying to bring back the good old days of Sunni domination will only work if the Shia Arab and Kurd majority is too weak to resist. No wonder the Sunni Arabs hate foreigners so much.
November 21, 2004: National elections will be held on January 30th. Many Sunni Arab groups are against holding elections, as this will formalize the fact that the Sunni Arabs are only about twenty percent of the population

U.S. starts another offensive south of Bagdad. Five leading fighters arrested in Kirkuk!



More than 5000 US, British and Iraqi troops have attacked areas of resistance south of the Iraqi capital in the latest push to pacify the country ahead of planned elections in January.
The operation on Tuesday came as world powers and Middle Eastern states meeting in Egypt threw their weight behind the war-torn country's first free and multi-party elections in decades.

US marines and a so-called Iraqi swat (special weapons and tactics) team "swept through the south-central Iraqi town of Jabella, kicking off a fresh campaign in northern Babil province," the US military said in a statement.

The offensive, dubbed Operation Plymouth Rock, involved more than 5000 Iraqi, US and British forces and follows the seizure of Falluja, the statement said.

"As the Iraqi people prepare to vote in nationwide elections in January, multinational forces are determined to capture or kill those who desire to destabilise the elections process," the military said.

Joint operation

The joint operation resulted in the seizure of 32 suspected fighters, the military said. Jabella is 80km south of Baghdad.

The military said US and Iraqi forces continued rounding up suspected fighters in house-to-house searches and vehicle checkpoints. In the past three weeks, Iraqi troops and US marines have detained nearly 250 suspects, the statement said.

US-led forces conducted house to house searches
They have been aided by British forces from the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch Regiment, which was brought into the area from southern Basra to aid American forces in closing off escape routes for fighters between Baghdad, Babil province to the south and Anbar province to the west.

It would be the third major military offensive against fighters opposed to the US-led government since the massive Falluja operation, which has claimed the lives of more than 50 US soldiers and injured more than 400.

Close to the northern city of Kirkuk, US and Iraqi forces on Tuesday rounded up dozens of suspected fighters in a pre-dawn raid and seized automatic weapons, ammunition and communications equipment, the US military said.

Detention

Kirkuk's local government on Tuesday also publicised the capture in recent days of five leading fighters including the brother-in-law of Saddam Hussein's chief deputy, Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri.

The governor's office said Umar Ali al-Sufyan, also known as Abu Sufyan, had been arrested by US forces on 28 October.

He is suspected of sponsoring resistance attacks. In detainee photographs posted by the Iraqi authorities, the portly and moustached al-Sufyan was seen wearing a blue shirt.

Killed

Meanwhile, two Iraqi children were killed on Tuesday when mortar bombs landed on houses near a US military base in al-Muallimin neighbourhood in central Samarra city, medical sources told Aljazeera.

Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri's brother-in-law was arrested in Kirkuk
A number of soldiers were injured and their Hummer was destroyed when an explosive device detonated on the outskirts of Samarra.

In a separate incident, two fighters were killed and a third injured when an explosive device they were attempting to plant, detonated in al-Jubairia district south-east of Samarra city.

Another fighter was killed when an explosive device detonated as he was attempting to plant it on a road in Baiji, north-east of Baghdad, Aljazeera reported.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has announced the deaths of five more US marines near Falluja, where US-led forces are winding down a major assault on the city.
A US soldier was also killed in northern Iraq, although details of the deaths have not yet been released.
The latest casualties bring the US troop toll to more than 1221 since the March 2003 invasion.
Aljazeera + Agencies

Monday, November 22, 2004

Are we approaching a West vs Muslim World War?

Below is a rather frightening article I found on the "Free Muslims Coalition against terrorism" web site. It discusses the virtues of beheading and "Sheik of the slaughterer" Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi.
As I am building this Blog, I have read a lot of articles and viewed many web sites that are Muslim oriented. Its truly frightening to read some of their view points. Extreme muslims want us (us=anybody but extreme muslims) dead. Plain and simple. If Islam is a peacefull religion, where are all the moderate Muslims? Where is their indignation? I wonder.....
With the U.S. pushing to Democritize the Middle East. I suggest these countries could turn into radical Muslim states within a few election cycles. With Iran racing to build a nuclear bomb, All hell could break loose within a few years.
Note: Free Muslim coalition against Terrorism is a outstanding moderate muslim web site. Muslim web site such as this should be applauded!

Http://www.freemuslims.org/news/article.php?article=169


A piece in the Jerusalem Center for Pulic affairs written by Jonathan D. Halevi takes this Islam vs the West concept even further. Good Article, check it out!
http://www.jcpa.org/jl/vp508.htm

Interesting story from the Independent on the Hunt for "Zarqawi the Beheader" let By Col. Ron Johnson and the 24th MEU

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=585070

Chrenkoff has come out with another edition of "Good News from Iraq Part 15".

If your Interested in whats going on in Iraq, this blog is a must read, Its one of the best on the Web!!

http://chrenkoff.blogspot.com/

The Iraqi Dinar is starting to look Interesting as a long shot investment

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2004-11-21-iraq-summit_x.htm

Sunday, November 21, 2004

Current list of the Most Wanted Terrorist and the price on their head

Al Badawi
Al Quso
Al Saoub
Bin Laden
Al-Adel
Zawahiri
Abdullah
Hamed Ali
Al-Liby
Atef
Atwah
Fadhil
Ghailani
Mohammed
Msalam
Swedan
Atwa
Izz-Al-Din
Mugniyah
Yasin
Al-Mughassil
Al-Nasser
Al-Yacoub
El Hoorie
Elbaneh
Al-Zarqawi
El Shukrijumah
Al-Bakri
Umar
Nasar

State Dept. press release on Zarqawi

http://www.rewardsforjustice.net/english/Al-Zarqawi_Reward_Increase3.htm
www.rewardsforjustice.net
1-800-USREWARDS
Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi
Up to $25 Million Reward
Date of birth: October 30, 1966Place of birth: Zarqa, JordanHeight: UnknownWeight: UnknownHair: DarkEyes: DarkSex: MaleComplexion: OlivePassport: Jordanian Z264958Aliases: Ahmad Fadil Al-Khalailah, Abu Ahmad, and Abu Muhammad, Sakr Abu Suwayd.
Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi has had a long-standing connection to senior al Qaeda leadership and appears to be highly regarded among al Qaeda and a close associate of Usama Bin Laden and Saif Al-Adel.
All responses will be kept strictly confidential. Individuals providing information may be eligible for a reward, protection of their identities, and relocation with their families.

An average looking guy, Cold blooded killer! Posted by Hello
a little humor
http://41037.funnyfunnyvideo1.com/video.php?vid=XZGsG763GSgaa
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http://41037.funnyfunnyvideo1.com/video.php?vid=23aa433hwtrVczahH
http://41037.funnyfunnyvideo1.com/video.php?vid=gda784mkbsgfg89u

Who is Abu Musab al-Zarqawi?

Global Research has an excellent article on who this guys is

http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO405B.html

WANTED ABU MUS'AB AL-ZARQAWI

WANTED: ABU MUS'AB AL-ZARQAWI Posted by Hello