OSWESAT OPERATION � U.S. Army soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division provide security around a weapons cache site discovered during an operation to capture terrorists and ordnance in Oswesat, Iraq, Feb. 19, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin L. Moses Sr.

Iraqi, Coalition Forces Detain Insurgents, Find Weapons

Iraqi, Coalition Forces Detain Insurgents, Find Weapons
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 – Iraqi and coalition troops detained 11 insurgents and found several weapons caches throughout Iraq yesterday, military officials reported.
Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, and coalition troops detained 11 terrorists and confiscated a weapons cache during several actions yesterday.

Troops detained six men for suspicious activities associated with a previously discovered cache west of Rawah. Soldiers then detained an insurgent during a search of a targeted house north of Husaybah.

Troops later seized one terrorist who tested positive for explosive residue at a vehicle checkpoint.

Three men were apprehended after soldiers found a weapons cache during a cordon-and-search operation in Rawah. The detainees and cache contents were turned over to authorities for further investigation.

Troops from the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, received an insurgent's cache from local citizens during a combat patrol yesterday. The townsfolk retrieved the cache contents after observing a man burying them. The cache contained AK-47 ammunition and binoculars.

Iraqi soldiers found 11 other weapons caches throughout Iraq yesterday:


In Khalidiyah, soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, found a cache during a combat patrol. The cache consisted of high explosive anti-tank rounds.
In Karabilah, soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, working with coalition troops, discovered a weapons cache during a patrol. The cache consisted of tank rounds, mortar rounds, fuses, rocket-propelled grenades, hand grenades, rocket propellant, and blasting caps.
Iraqi soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, and coalition troops discovered nine weapons caches while providing security for two previously found cache sites west of Rawah. The caches consisted of tank rounds and more than 1,100 rounds of various sizes, ranging from 60 mm to 160 mm.
(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq and Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Iraqi Security Forces Continue Progress in Quantity, QualityBy Samantha L. QuigleyAmerican Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 – Iraq now has 123,000 trained and equipped police officers, but numbers don't tell the whole story, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman said during a briefing from Baghdad today.
"What we're seeing across Iraq is that the police forces are indeed gaining capability and gaining public confidence," Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch told reporters, adding that police forces are the coalition's focus this year. "They continue to grow in not just quantity, but in quality and capability."
The capability of all 232,000 trained and equipped Iraqi security forces -- including soldiers, border guards and police -- are improving, he said. Two of the 10 Iraqi army divisions are capable of assuming battle space and leading counterinsurgency operations, Lynch said. Improvements are expected to continue, he added.
"We are clearly on a great ... path to creating this domestic security force that can maintain domestic order and deny Iraq as a safe haven for terrorists," he said, adding that defeating the insurgency is about more than capable security forces.
"It's about improving the government's capability, it's about improving the economic situation, it's about improving the communications across Iraq," he said. "We're seeing improvements in that area as well."
The Iraqi people want to be able to go to work, send their children to school and live in a democratic society, Lynch said. This desire is in direct contrast to the insurgency's goal. "(The insurgents) can't stand the idea of a democratic Iraq," he said.
The Iraqi people, on the other hand, are actively rejecting the insurgency more frequently, even at the local level, Lynch said. This is causing the leader of the insurgency in Iraq, Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, to change his tactics.
"We're dealing with a cowardly insurgency," Lynch said. "They've shifted their ... target to the Iraqi civilians and the Iraqi security forces and away from the coalition."
While the number of attacks this week, 555, didn't change from the previous week, they were more "successful," the general said. Twenty-three percent of the attacks resulted in casualties. Of those casualties, 60 percent were Iraqi civilians.
Not only has Zarqawi changed his targets, Lynch said; he's focusing his efforts on a tender Iraqi nerve: tensions between religious sects. Lynch cited letters recovered from a detainee as evidence that this was the motivation behind seven recent mosque attacks across the country, including on the Golden Mosque, a Shiite shrine in Samarra, a majority Sunni city.
The attack was meant to drive a wedge between the Shiite and Sunni Muslim sects because the cooperation of those two groups is the basis for a unified government, Lynch said. So far, Zarqawi has failed to achieve his objective because of the government's quick decisions to recall security forces on leave, post security at mosques and shrines, and call for calm through the situation, Lynch said.
"We're not seeing civil war igniting in Iraq. We're not seeing 77, 80, 100 mosques damaged. We're not seeing death in the streets," Lynch said. "We're seeing a confident, capable Iraqi government using their capable Iraqi security forces to calm the storm that was inflamed by a horrendous, horrific terrorist attack yesterday against the Golden Mosque in Samarra."

Four Soldiers Killed; DoD Releases Name of Previous Casualty

Four Soldiers Killed; DoD Releases Name of Previous Casualty
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2006 – Four U.S. soldiers from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, were killed near Hawijah, Iraq, yesterday when their vehicle struck a roadside bomb, military officials reported today.
The soldiers were on a combat patrol at the time of the incident. Names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Meanwhile, the Defense Department has released the name of a previous U.S. casualty in Iraq.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Jay T. Collado, 31, of Columbia, S.C., died Feb. 20 from an improvised explosive device near Baghdad. He was assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he was attached to the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Defense Department news releases.)

Iraqi Soldiers, Police Find Weapons Caches

Iraqi Soldiers, Police Find Weapons Caches
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2006 – Iraqi soldiers and police captured numerous types of munitions in two caches Feb. 20.
Following a tip from a local resident, soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, found a weapons cache in an abandoned building in Baghdad's Adhamiya district, officials reported today. The cache included 97 sticks of TNT, three pre-assembled bombs, six blasting caps, and other miscellaneous items.

Elsewhere, Iraqi police discovered another weapons cache during a routine patrol of Samarra, one of four Islamic holy cities in Iraq and located about 78 miles north of Baghdad. The cache consisted of a 130 mm round, a 120 mm round, a battery, a timer, and a radiophone base station. An explosive ordnance team disposed of the cache.

(Compiled from Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq news releases.)

Terrorist Attack Kills 21 Iraqis; U.S. Forces Discover Weapons

Terrorist Attack Kills 21 Iraqis; U.S. Forces Discover Weapons
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2006 – An improvised explosive device killed 21 Iraqi civilians today in Baghdad, and two Iraqis were killed and 11 were wounded in separate attacks, military officials in Iraq reported.
Terrorists detonated the IED at 5:30 p.m. in Abu Dshair in the Doura district of Baghdad. Another 25 Iraqis were wounded in the attack. Iraqi police and soldiers from Multinational Division Baghdad responded to the scene of the attack.

Elsewhere, two Iraqi Public Order Brigade officers were killed and two were wounded today when a terrorist detonated a roadside bomb southeast of Baghdad. One Iraqi civilian was also injured in the attack.

In another incident, a rocket exploded at 2 p.m. today in the Habiba area in eastern Baghdad, wounding five Iraqi policemen and four Iraqi civilians. Iraqi police and elements of the 2nd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army, responded to the scene.

In other Iraq news, U.S. soldiers conducting a reconnaissance patrol near Quratiyah, about 350 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, discovered more than 3,000 pieces of munitions yesterday. This cache is among the largest discovered to date in western Anbar province, officials said.

The soldiers, from the Fort Wainwright, Alaska-based 4th Squadron, 14th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, assigned to Regimental Combat Team 7, were actively seeking out weapons caches. Local citizens provided information regarding the site, where the soldiers discovered two displaced piles of dirt and rocks near a vehicle trail. Upon further investigation, the displaced areas were identified as weapons caches and they were excavated.

The cache of munitions ranged from 60 mm to 125 mm mortars and included various other projectile-type munitions.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Division Baghdad news releases.)

Iraqi Police induct more than 1,000 to force
By Maj. Anna Friederich
Printer-friendly version
E-mail this article
E-mail Alerts
RSS Feed
AL HIILA, Iraq (Army News Service, Feb. 21, 2006) � More than 1,000 Iraqi Police stood in formation Thursday, as provincial leaders and police officials praised the achievements and courage of the latest IP Academy graduates, welcoming them to the ranks of an elite force.

The IP academy graduates, decked out in their finest, displayed their best drill and ceremony techniques for the audience as they took the parade field for the formal portion of the graduation ceremony.

Speaking on behalf of the Babil Provincial Police was Brig. Gen. Qais Hamza, provincial police chief. He expounded on the accomplishments of those currently serving and the future of those joining the team.

Maj. Gen. Joseph Peterson, Multi-National Security Transition Command � Iraq, commended the courage of the newest IPs and their dedication in keeping the province safe from terrorist activity and moving the region toward stability.

About 50 IPs were awarded distinguished honor graduate certificates for their exceptional performance during the training. Quais, Peterson and Col. John Tully, commander, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, shared the honor of awarding the certificates and congratulating the security officers.

A demonstration took place on the parade field following the ceremony in which an IP bus, sirens blaring, entered the area followed by several law enforcement vehicles loaded with seasoned policemen.

As the vehicles slowed to a stop, the officers jumped from the vehicles and raced to the bus. They swiftly secured the area, using distinct tactical formations learned at the academy and cleared the bus of role-playing suspects.

Once they had the �terrorists� face-down on the ground and their hands secured behind their backs, they were escorted to the waiting security trucks and whisked them away to face justice.

The demonstration achieved its purpose: to showcase the skills taught at the academy and portray a potential real-life situation.

�It was very impressive and smoothly executed, a good combination of their tactical proficiency and road experience,� said Tully.

The day ended with a tour for the guests through the Hall of History which opened last month. Peterson marked the event by signing the guest book as dignitaries and IP leadership thanked him for his attendance and support of the force.

RIVER PATROL � U.S. Army soldiers in MK2 combat support boats guard discovered ordnance during an operation to capture terrorists and weapons in Oswesat, Iraq, Feb. 19, 2006. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Kevin L. Moses Sr.

Seminar on Suicide Bombings Held in Iran By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer

Seminar on Suicide Bombings Held in Iran By NASSER KARIMI, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 29 minutes ago



TEHRAN, Iran - An Iranian group that claims its members are dedicated to becoming suicide bombers warned the United States and Britain on Saturday that they will strike coalition military bases in Iraq if Tehran's nuclear facilities are attacked.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mohammad Ali Samadi, spokesman for Esteshadion, or Martyrdom Seekers, boasted of having hundreds of potential bombers in his talk at a seminar on suicide-bombings tactics at Tehran's Khajeh Nasir University.

"With more than 1,000 trained martyrdom-seekers, we are ready to attack the American and British sensitive points if they attack Iran's nuclear facilities," Samadi said.

"If they strike, we have a lot of volunteers. Their (U.S. and British) sensitive places are quiet close to Iranian borders," Samadi said.

Samadi reviewed the history of suicide bombing as a weapon, praising it as the most effective Palestinian tactic in their confrontation with Israel.

The organizers showed video clips of suicide attacks against Israelis, including one in the Morag settlement near Rafah in Gaza strip in February 2005. One settler, three Israeli soldiers and the two attackers were killed in the attack.

Hasan Abbasi, a university instructor and former member of the elite Revolutionary Guards, told the audience of about 200 that Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons as claimed by the United States and some of its allies.

"Our martyrdom-seekers are our nuclear weapons," said Abbasi, the event's main speaker.

After his speech, about 50 students filled out membership applications.

"This is a unique opportunity for me to die for God, next to my brothers in Palestine. That was why I signed up," said Reza Haghshenas, a 22-year-old electrical engineering student.

A 23-year-old woman student, Maryam Amereh, said: "We are trying to defend Islam. It's a way to draw the attention of others to our activities."

But Rahim Hasanlu, a 22-year-old industrial management student, declared himself not interested in joining.

"I just attended to learn what they're saying, thats all."

Esteshadion was formed in late 2004, calling for members on a sporadic basis at Friday prayer ceremonies, state-sponsored rallies and at the group's occasional meetings.

Tall Afar, Iraq, residents watch as U.S. Army Pfc. Chris Canedo, assigned to the 1st Armored Division, conducts a combat patrol in Tall Afar, Iraq, Feb. 14, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon

U.S. Army Spc. Jose Jimenez, assigned to the 1st Armored Division, conducts a combat patrol in Tall Afar, Iraq, Feb. 14, 2006. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon

I wouldn't turn my back on those 2 clowns!

Iraqi Army, U.S. Forces Detain 106, Discover Weapons Caches

WASHINGTON, Feb. 16, 2006 – Iraqi and U.S. forces conducted raids on two targets in Iraq's Diyala province and a raid west of Baghdad that netted a total of 106 individuals and a weapons cache, Multinational Force Iraq officials said.
The 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, advised by U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers, conducted assaults on two targets Feb. 12 in Diyala. The troops detained 102 persons of interest - 25 were on the Iraqi security forces "most wanted" list. They also killed two insurgents and discovered a large weapons cache.

The combined Iraqi and U.S. forces cordon-and-search missions were designed to capture key insurgents and disrupt multiple insurgent cell operations. The targets were chosen based on intelligence that specific individuals wanted for planning and facilitating insurgent activities would be in the targets, officials said.

While beginning a search of the first target house, an Iraqi army assault team encountered four armed insurgents and came under heavy fire. Though the team was forced to withdraw outside of the house for cover, one of the team's sergeants stayed in the house, killing one insurgent and wounding two more before falling back to regroup with his team.

Those three insurgents were taken into custody. The two wounded detainees received immediate medical treatment, though one later died while en route to receive additional medical care.

A weapons cache discovered during the operations included a rocket, artillery and mortar rounds, rocket-propelled grenades and an RPG launcher, AK-47 assault rifles, and a collection of IED-making materials, including electrical wire and fuses.

One Iraqi army soldier was wounded by enemy small-arms fire during the operation. Iraqi and U.S. medical personnel treated him on the scene.

On Feb. 11, west of Baghdad, the Iraqi army's 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, 1st Division conducted its first full battalion-sized operation, netting four suspected insurgents.

The operation, advised by U.S. special operations forces, was a cordon-and-search mission designed to track insurgents and sweep for weapons caches.

None of the combined forces were killed or injured during the operation.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq news releases.)

Would Prophet Muhammed give a Damn?

/

,

Four Insurgents Killed, Three Detained; Troops Seize Weapons

Four Insurgents Killed, Three Detained; Troops Seize Weapons
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2006 – A combined U.S. and Iraqi patrol killed four insurgents yesterday, and in separate incidents Feb. 2, a U.S. team seized a weapons cache west of Fallujah and Multinational Division Baghdad forces detained three suspected terrorists, Multinational Force Iraq officials reported today.
The insurgents were killed after they opened fire on U.S. Marines and Iraqi soldiers patrolling along the Euphrates River south of Hit. The combined patrol was conducting a cache sweep when the insurgents attacked with small-arms fire, officials said. U.S. and Iraq troops returned fire, killing four insurgents and detaining three others for questioning. One of the insurgents killed was wearing a suicide vest.

The patrol was part of Operation Smokewagon, which began Feb. 2. It's a 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) operation.

During a Feb. 2 combat patrol west of Fallujah, soldiers with the Illinois National Guard and Marines from 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) secured a weapons cache. The cache included mortar systems, rounds and fuses, rockets, explosives, hand grenades, land mines, artillery primers, illumination rounds, rocket-propelled-grenade rounds, anti-aircraft rounds, and machine guns. This cache was the eleventh these servicemembers, who make up Task Force Blackhawk, have discovered in a 13-day period, officials said.

That same day, Multinational Division Baghdad's 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, detained a suspected terrorist south of Baghdad. Acting on a tip from a local citizen, a patrol searched the suspect's house and found a mortar sight and possible bomb-making materials.

In a separate incident, 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Soldiers detained two suspects in connection with the detonation of two roadside bombs southeast of Baghdad. The suspects had spotting scopes and bomb-initiating timers in their possession.

(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Division Baghdad news releases.)

Iraqi Troops, U.S. Marines Wrap Up Koa Canyon

Iraqi Troops, U.S. Marines Wrap Up Koa Canyon
Iraqi and U.S. troops moved from village to village during the operation to
disrupt insurgent activity and locate and destroy weapons caches.

By Multinational Force-Iraq
FORWARD OPERATING BASE HIT, Iraq, Jan. 30, 2006 — Iraqi army soldiers and U.S. Marines finished Operation Wadi Aljundi (Koa Canyon) along the Western Euphrates River Valley Jan. 27 after finding and destroying 45 weapons caches and detaining 20 suspected insurgents.
The cordon-and-knock operation began Jan. 15 north of Hit along the Euphrates River in an effort to disrupt insurgent activity and to root out their weapons stores. No Iraqi or coalition forces were injured during the operation, although the force did uncover several improvised explosive devices along the way.


"The Iraqi Army soldiers were totally integrated with [Battalion Landing Team] 1/2 Marines. It was a team effort."

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Drew Smith

Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces worked well together, said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Drew Smith, the commanding officer of Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines. Smith said that, as the operation progressed, so did the level of cooperation among the Iraqis and Americans. "The Iraqi Army soldiers were totally integrated with [Battalion Landing Team] 1/2 Marines. It was a team effort," said Smith.

Elements of 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Infantry Division and Smith's reinforced infantry battalion, along with Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group 22 managed to keep insurgents off balance and unable to tap into their stores of weapons stashed along the Euphrates.

From village to village, the force located and destroyed thousands of discovered artillery shells, mortars rounds and other rockets. Complete mortar systems were found, in addition to the numerous automatic weapons and nearly 11,000 rounds of small and large caliber ammunition.

Hundreds of pounds of explosives were also uncovered and destroyed. One of the sites uncovered was a small building that was being used as an improvised explosive device-making facility. More than 250 improvised explosive device components and various explosives were found at the shack, which was subsequently destroyed.

The Iraqi Army battalion and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are conducting counterinsurgency operations in Al Anbar province under the tactical control of the 2nd Marine Division.

Pro golfer Tiger Woods viewing a static display of various SEAL weaponry. Tiger was in San Diego for the Buick Invitational Golf Tournament and spent the afternoon learning about the Special Operations Community. Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy

U.S. Marine Corps
Lance Cpl. Sam Smithson
Marine Leads Team on Weapons Hunts

By Cpl. Adam C. Schnell 2nd Marine Division
BARWANAH, Iraq, Feb. 1, 2006 � The Marines of 2nd Platoon, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment constantly search the palm groves and desert valleys here for insurgents and their weapon of choice � roadside bombs. Leading one of the platoon�s fire teams during hunts for weapons caches is Woodland, Calif., native, Lance Cpl. Sam E. Smithson. His fire team, with the help of the squad, is responsible for finding at least eight different caches since arriving in the area. In the last month, Smithson was part of two different operations, leading his Marines in finding many caches. His fire team also helped unearth the biggest cache ever found by the battalion, with thousands of pounds of ammunition and propellant. �Finding these caches is helping to take down the insurgency around here piece by piece,� said Smithson, a 2003 Woodland High School graduate. On Jan. 19, his team found a cache while sweeping the open desert looking for caves and valleys commonly used for hiding weapons. With no metal detector, his fire team used subtle indicators in the open desert to pick an area to dig and unearthed a cache containing more than 38 artillery rounds, often used in roadside bombs. �We just saw tire tracks, some loose dirt and a pool of water in the corner and decided to start digging,� commented Lance Cpl. James Nankervis, a native of Richmond, Va., and a Marine in Smithson�s team. As a fire team leader, Smithson is responsible for the Marines in his team and ensuring they make it back to their families safe. This responsibility is something the average 21-year-old doesn�t have to worry about.


�Even though he is a young fire team leader, he is very mature for his age,� commented Staff Sgt. John L. Lucero Jr., Smithson�s platoon sergeant. �He�s not only responsible for more than many other people his age, but he maintains that maturity level at all times.� The combat experience from his first deployment to Iraq is one thing that helped him become a good leader and gave him the ability to teach younger Marines. During the Battle of Fallujah, Smithson and other Marines of the battalion experienced first hand all the training they received before deploying this time. �It was a pretty big accomplishment, we got to experience a real battle and firefights,� Smithson said. �It is great to think that the Marines training for combat today are using experiences we had during that battle.� His experience in Fallujah came a little more than a year after joining the Marines in October 2003. The thrill of going to war and the challenges the Marine Corps offered him were enough to postpone college for the life of a Marine infantryman. �I just wasn�t ready to go to college,� Smithson added. �I had friends in the Marines and thought it was something I would like to do.� Now on his second deployment since joining, Smithson has led his Marines in Operations Rivergate, Red Bull and currently Red Bull II. Although not quite as dangerous as his experiences last year, he has helped rid the �Triad� area (Barwanah, Haditha and Haqlaniyah) of insurgent operations and weapons that can no longer hurt Marines or innocent people in the region.