Saturday, June 30, 2007

Successful "Surge" Operations Continue

News in balance

News in balance:

The mainstream media continues Saturday to under-report the broad success of the "Surge" and focus mainly on individual acts of violence in Iraq.

For example, focusing totally on violence, AP reports American soldiers rolled into Baghdad's Shiite Sadr City slum on Saturday in search of Iranian-linked militants and as many as 26 Iraqis were killed in what a U.S. officer described as "an intense firefight."

But residents, police and hospital officials said eight civilians were killed in their homes and angrily accused U.S. forces of firing blindly on the innocent. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki condemned the raids and demanded an explanation for the assault into a district where he has barred U.S. operations in the past.
Separately, Reuters and AP report two American solders were charged with the premeditated murder of three Iraqis, the U.S. military said Saturday. And in Muqdadiyah, 60 miles north of the capital, police said a suicide bomber blew himself up near a crowd of police recruits, killing at least 23 people and wounding 17.

Also of note, Congressional Democrats, as of yet to exhibit the political skills needed to do more than perform vocal obstructionism, have promised to step up their efforts to end the war according to AP, The Washington Post, and The Politico.

The Surge, however, moves forward and signs of progress are evident. AFPS reports Coalition forces are in control of more than 50 percent of Baghdad (up from the last report) and are making progress in the rest, the coalition’s military commander in the city said Friday.

A new Iraq strategy that targets multiple terrorist outposts and capitalizes on Iraqis’ growing dislike of al Qaeda are combining to degrade insurgent operations in the country, a counter-insurgency expert said today in Baghdad.

“The intention behind the counter-operations that we’re doing is to try to knock over several insurgent safe havens simultaneously,” David Kilcullen, the senior counter-insurgency adviser to Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said during a conference call with military analysts.
“I think that al Qaeda have really worn out their welcome,” Kilcullen said, noting a key U.S. objective in Iraq is to prevent it from becoming a safe haven for terrorists.

“What we’re seeing here is the population of Iraq starting to reject terrorist groups,” Kilcullen said. “I think that’s a good sign, in that it’s not us enforcing absence of al Qaeda, which would mean that we’d have to essentially occupy Iraq for a very long term period to make that stick.”

Instead, the Iraqis are “driving out al Qaeda from their midst,” he said.
Kilcullen acknowledged peace isn’t breaking out in Iraq, just yet. But recent developments there, like Sunnis’ rejection of al Qaeda, provide cause for optimism, he said.

“There’s a long way to run, but I think it’s a positive indicator at this stage,” he said.

AFPS notes Americans still face a tough fight inside Baghdad, but the trend lines are improving, the commander of Multinational Division Baghdad said today.

Iran-Tied Terrorist, Other Suspects Nabbed In Iraq Raids
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, June 29, 2007 -- Coalition forces captured 27 suspected terrorists, including an alleged terrorist with ties to Iranian elements, during missions conducted across Iraq today as Operation Phantom Thunder continues, U.S. military officials reported.

Coalition forces detained a suspected secret cell terrorist today in Baghdad’s Sadr City section. It is believed the suspected terrorist has close ties to Iranian terror networks and is responsible for numerous attacks on Iraqi civilians as well as on Iraqi and coalition forces in Baghdad.

The detainee also is suspected of recruiting Iraqis to fill the ranks of Iranian terror groups operating in Iraq, officials said.

“Coalition troops continue to target the terrorists who bring explosively formed penetrators and other aid into Iraq,” said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq spokesperson. “We remain committed to dismantling terror networks that seek to kill innocent Iraqis and coalition forces.”

Explosively formed penetrators are sophisticated roadside bombs designed to penetrate armored vehicles.

This and other ongoing military operations are part of an overall offensive against insurgents in Iraq called Operation Phantom Thunder, which began June 15, once all “surge” troops were in place.

Also today, coalition troops killed three terrorists and detained 26 others during a series of operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and terrorist-bomb networks.

Coalition troops disrupted the al Qaeda in Iraq senior leader network during a raid on several buildings east of Fallujah. Three terrorists were killed and 16 suspects were detained.

In Anbar province today, coalition forces raided a suspected terrorist haven northeast of Karmah. The ground forces captured four individuals at the scene, including one man who allegedly has ties to a senior al Qaeda leader who was killed during a May 1 coalition operation.

Just south of Baghdad, coalition forces today raided a building in search of a suspected agent for a leader in the Baghdad vehicle-bomb network. The ground forces detained two suspected terrorists and moved to a second building, where they found and captured the suspected agent.

Also today, coalition troops captured a close associate of the suspected military commander for al Qaeda forces in the Tarmiyah area during a raid west of the town. And in Mosul today, coalition forces detained two suspected terrorists while targeting the alleged al Qaeda emir in Kirkuk, believed to be responsible for issuing anti-coalition edicts.

In other Iraq news, U.S. and Iraqi security forces uncovered weapons caches in two mosques in Baghdad’s Rashid district during June 27-28 operations.

On June 28, U.S. soldiers with Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment and Iraqi security forces entered Al-Sadiq Mosque and found six AK-47 asault rifles and a bag of hand grenades buried in the courtyard.

Inside the mosque, they found a PKM machine gun, a drum of PKM ammunition, 22 assault rifle magazines, an expended rocket-propelled grenade booster, seven demolition boosters, 30 feet of detonation cord, a stick of dynamite, two RPG warheads, 10 blocks of TNT, a 122 mm mortar round, a sniper scope, three RPG fins, 14 blasting caps, more than 500 loose 7.62 mm rounds, six pressure switches, six timers, 12 9-volt batteries, a 6-volt battery and assorted communications devices.

The cache, enough to build numerous roadside bombs, was destroyed by an explosive ordnance disposal unit. Under Iraqi law, citizens are allowed one assault rifle and one 30-round magazine for protection.

Early on June 27, Company A, 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, and Iraqi Security Forces entered the Al-Mahada Mosque in the Saydiyah portion of the city and found eight AK-47s with 40 magazines and body armor.

In other news, members of the 4th “Dragons” Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, found a cache of Iranian-made rocket materials, stopped the emplacement of an improvised explosive device and detained numerous suspected terrorists during operations in Baghdad’s Rashid district June 27-28.

On June 28, U.S. soldiers killed three insurgents, wounded two others and detained 10 suspects. In Risalah, a patrol from 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment “Vanguards” began to take fire from two machine guns. The patrol returned fire, killing both insurgents and confiscating their PKC machine guns. During that same operation, the Vanguards captured an alleged IED cell member with known connections to Jaish Al-Mahdi leaders.

A few hours later, an insurgent was killed and three Iraqis wounded when three teenagers tried to breach a checkpoint on a tractor. When the three were stopped and tried to flee, one raised an AK-47 and Multinational Division Baghdad troops opened fire, killing him. The two others were not targeted, but were hit by stray rounds. A girl was hit by a ricochet round, treated for her injuries at the scene and was released.

Also on June 28, soldiers of 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, detained six suspected terrorists, one of them believed to be a financier of a local terrorist cell.

On June 27, the “Black Lions” of Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, found a cache of Iranian-made rocket parts in Aamel. The cache consisted of several empty 107 mm cases with the same lot numbers as those seized June 17, a rocket launcher, materials to build more than 50 launchers, 13 60 mm mortar rounds, an 81mm mortar, rocket-propelled grenades, a large quantity of homemade and plastic explosives, a bag of shotgun shells, two bags of loose 7.62 rounds, a light anti-tank weapon, three assault rifles, an optical sight and an assortment of initiators and grenades.

Also on June 27, troops from the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Brigade, currently operating in the Rashid district under the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, witnessed a suspicious person digging a hole in an area where IEDs have been previously placed. The troops opened fire. The digger and two other individuals supervising nearby were injured.

The individual digging the hole was a teenager. He was taken to a coalition medical facility for treatment. All three suspects were detained for further questioning. Also that day, soldiers of 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, detained four more suspects.

In other news, U.S. soldiers recovered three weapons caches and seized five suspected insurgents in three separate incidents in eastern Baghdad, June 26.

Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, found two rocket-propelled grenades, three rocket-propelled grenade motors, a drum of ammunition and a spool of wire in New Baghdad, thanks to a tip from residents. Two suspects were detained in the operation.

A second raid by the same unit in New Baghdad that day netted a pistol, an air rifle and three more insurgent suspects.

A third operation, conducted by soldiers with 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, uncovered a weapons cache in Baghdad's Rusafa district. The troops recovered a cache containing two AK-47 assault rifles, two machine guns, an armor vest and four grenades.
(Compiled from Multinational Force Iraq and Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)

NOTE:
Operation Phantom Thunder is a large-scale operation targeting al Qaeda strongholds in and around Baghdad.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper is one operation in a drive to take on insurgents in the towns and villages ringing Baghdad.

Operation Marne Torch, southeast of Baghdad, and offensives in Anbar province, the Sunni-dominated region west of Baghdad, are also targeting militants living in villages there.


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE

Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!
Buy.com's Deal of the Day! A Different Product Every Day.

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Friday, June 29, 2007

Combat Camera: Saintsations Take Camp Arifjan

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
New Orleans Saintsations cheerleaders put on a performance for the service members at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, June 17, the first in a series of shows in Kuwait and Iraq as a part of the 2007 Saintsations Tour. Photographer: 50th Public Affairs Detachment

COMBAT CAMERA More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Combat Camera Video: IED and Vehicle Engagements

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Spc. John Galebach scans the horizon in Baqubah, Iraq, June 19, while standing rear guard atop a Stryker vehicle. He is with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Summer M. Anderson, June 29, 2007

Video: IED Strikes Convoy on Patrol
B-roll of an improvised explosive device striking a convoy on patrol. Scenes include U.S. Soldiers preparing for a patrol, riding down the street in Humvees and recovering from an IED attack. Produced by Spc. Jay Townsend.
Unit: 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Stewart)

Video: Marne Torch IED and Vehicle Engagement
B-roll of U.S. Soldiers engaging an improvised explosive device and a vehicle at the scene. Scenes include troops destroying an IED and a vehicle.
Unit: 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Stewart)

Video: IA, CF Discover IED Factory After Receiving Tips
B-Roll of Iraqi Army and Coalition Forces conducting a raid on an improvised explosive device factory. Scenes include aerial shots of the factory building before and after it exploded.

Video: Soldiers Seize Weapons in East Rashid
B-roll of U.S. Soldiers finding a weapons cache in an abandoned house in the East Rashid neighborhood of Baghdad. Scenes include Soldiers discovering the weapons, documenting their find and securing the area.
Unit: 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division (Fort Lewis)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE

Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!
Buy.com's Deal of the Day! A Different Product Every Day.

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Combat Camera: Arrowhead Ripper Makes Headway in Baqubah

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Trucks from the 5th Iraqi Army Division enter Baqubah, Iraq, as Iraqi soldiers provide security June 22. The movement was part of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaida terrorists and secure the city. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
A Soldier from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., and an Iraqi soldier from the 5th Iraqi Army Division, provide security during Operation Arrowhead Ripper in Baqubah, Iraq, June 22. The operation is a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaida terrorists and secure the city. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
A Soldier from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., and an Iraqi soldier from the 5th Iraqi Army Division, provide security during Operation Arrowhead Ripper in Baqubah, Iraq, June 22. The operation is a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaida terrorists and secure the city. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Soldiers from the 5th Iraqi Army Division, run through a smoke screen in Baqubah, Iraq, June 22, as Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., follow. The action was part of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaida terrorists and secure the city. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Maj. Gen. Salem, 5th Iraqi Army Division commander (center) and Col. Steve Townsend (left) commander of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, from Fort Lewis, Wash., meet June 22 in Baqubah, Iraq. The visit to the city was part of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaida terrorists and secure the city. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Trucks from the 5th Iraqi Army Division enter Baqubah, Iraq, as Iraqi soldiers provide security June 22. The movement was part of Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a joint effort between U.S. and Iraqi security forces to defeat al-Qaida terrorists and secure the city. Photographer: Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Tikrit

Operation Arrowhead Ripper Makes Headway in Baqubah
American Forces Press Service


WASHINGTON, June 28, 2007 -- Iraqi and U.S. troops continue to clear out insurgents in Baqubah and distribute aid to its citizens as part of ongoing Operation Arrowhead Ripper, and recent terrorist bombings in Baghdad have killed 15 Iraqis and wounded 23 others, U.S. officials reported.

Iraqi security forces and U.S. soldiers operating in Baqubah yesterday continued to clear the city of insurgents while providing humanitarian aid to its citizens as Operation Arrowhead Ripper entered its ninth day.

Arrowhead Ripper is one of several operations that are part of an overall offensive against insurgents in Iraq dubbed Operation Phantom Thunder, which began June 15, once all "surge" troops were in place.

Iraqi and U.S. security forces have provided Baqubah’s citizens about 265,000 pounds of rice and flour, more than 10,000 vegetarian rations, and thousands of bottles of water since the operation began.

At least 60 al Qaeda operatives have been killed, 74 have been detained, 31 weapons caches have been discovered, 81 improvised explosive devices have been destroyed and 18 booby-trapped structures have been destroyed since the operation began.

U.S. helicopter crews returned ground fire and killed one insurgent and wounded another during an engagement south of Baghdad June 26.

Two AH-64 Apache helicopters assigned to the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade were fired on by insurgents inside a building. The helicopters returned fire with 30 mm rounds. Paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, were called to search the building and immediate area for insurgents. The wounded insurgent was taken to a local hospital for treatment and will be taken into custody by the Iraqi army.

In other news, Iraqi police from Khalis broke up a gunfight between Iraqi residents of two neighboring villages June 26. The police were dispatched in response to reports that al Koubat villagers were being attacked by members of the Tohoyla village.

The gunfire stopped upon the arrival of the Iraqi police, who discovered that four local Iraqis had been killed and 19 others were wounded. Two Iraqi police were wounded during the altercation. The police secured the scene, provided first aid and transported the wounded to Khalis’s local hospital for further treatment.

American soldiers with the 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, also responded to the attack and assisted Iraqi police in securing the area.

Meanwhile, U.S. soldiers assigned to Troop A, 6-9 Armored Reconnaissance Squadron, killed two gunmen during an engagement near Thurah on June 26.

The U.S. soldiers were conducting security operations in the area when they were attacked by three gunmen armed with AK-47s. The Americans killed one of the gunmen, but his comrades then counter-attacked with rocket-propelled grenades. The U.S. soldiers then chased the remaining gunmen into a building.

The second gunman was killed in the ensuing firefight, while the third insurgent fled the area. There were no U.S. casualties. Small arms and ammunition, a grenade, and an improvised explosive device were found inside the building.

In other news, U.S. soldiers found 11 roadside bombs and defeated insurgent attacks while patrolling Baghdad’s Rashid district June 25 and 26.

“The continued discovery of roadside bombs before they can be used against innocent Iraqis or our forces is a strong indication that the people are growing tired of the violence in Rashid,” Army Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 1st Infantry Division’s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, said.

The U.S. troops defeated enemy forces in two separate engagements in East Rashid over a 24-hour period. Several extremists shot at a U.S. patrol on June 26. American helicopters fired on and killed two extremists. A third extremist was wounded and later detained. Troops detained four more suspects for further questioning.

(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)
More Combat Camera Images on THE TENSION

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE

Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!
Buy.com's Deal of the Day! A Different Product Every Day.

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

"Surge" Disrupts Terrorists in Iraq

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Sgt. David Bauer attempts to breach a door during a house-to-house search for illegal weapons, explosives and high value targets in the Sadiyah section of Baghdad. Sgt. Bauer is from Company C, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. Photo by Spc. Olanrewaju Akinwunmi, June 28, 2007

News in balance:

Again today news outlets focused on casualties without reporting success in Iraq. The Associated Press lead with a grisly headline, a saying car bomb exploded Thursday at a bus station in a mostly Shiite west Baghdad neighborhood, killing 22 people. Officials received word that 20 decapitated bodies had been found near the capital but were unable to confirm the report because of fighting.

A short list or recent success AP failed to report include:

Coalition forces killed two senior al Qaeda leaders June 23 south of Hawija in Tamim province.

One of the leaders killed operated a cell that helped foreign fighters move into Iraq; he also fought against coalition forces in Afghanistan in 2001. The other slain insurgent, known as Khalil al-Turki, operated with the same cell and held close ties to other senior al Qaeda leaders.

In Baqubah June 25, combined troops discovered an illegal prison and house used by al Qaeda for executions. Nearby, forces also uncovered a torture chamber and makeshift courthouse linked to the terrorist network.

In raids around the site, coalition elements uncovered a medical facility where injured al Qaeda operatives received treatment, a stockpile of rocket-propelled grenades and a vehicle wired for use as a car bomb.

Local residents in Mosul this week led Iraqi and coalition forces to a weapons cache and a large bomb factory where troops found insurgents assembling four truck bombs and two car bombs in an assembly-line manner. In conjunction with this raid, combined forces nabbed 32 suspected terrorists.
Phantom Thunder Operations Disrupt Terrorists in Iraq
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2007 -- U.S. and Iraqi troops are disrupting terrorist activities from Baghdad and its environs to Anbar province as the result of surge-related operations being conducted across Iraq, a senior U.S. military officer serving in Iraq said yesterday.

Operation Phantom Thunder is an ongoing anti-insurgent operation that launched June 15, once all "surge" troops arrived in Iraq. The operation has shut down hideouts operated by al Qaeda and other extremist groups, bomb factories and execution rooms, Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner told online journalists yesterday.

Phantom Thunder has produced “a pattern of finding facilities, the operating bases, that al Qaeda and other extremists have been operating from in Iraq,” said Bergner, who serves as Multinational Force Iraq’s deputy chief of staff for strategic effects.

Bergner pointed to the recent discovery of safe houses in Baqubah, Iraq, that were used by insurgents for executions, as well as for prisons and weapons storage.

“We continued that same pattern,” Bergner said, noting an al Qaeda weapons cache, rocket-propelled grenades and other munitions turned up in more recent security sweeps in Baqubah. A recent coalition raid in Anbar province yielded an enemy improvised explosive device factory, the general said.

“So, what we’re seeing is an array of facilities that are established specifically to operate from, launch spectacular attacks from and solidify their control over the neighborhood in which they’re established,” Bergner said regarding insurgent facilities that have been shut down across Iraq in recent weeks.

Just days ago, coalition troops killed two senior al Qaeda agents who had operated a foreign-fighter cell out of northern Iraq, Bergner pointed out.

The purpose of the surge of operations “is really centered on improving population security, creating that linkage between the Iraqi forces and the people, the citizens in these neighborhoods, and connecting them with their government,” Bergner said.

It will likely “take a period of weeks and months” to measure the surge’s full effects against the enemy, he added.

Establishing security across Iraq is “one of those things that takes time to build, and it’s one of those things that takes time to solidify once you’ve got it in place, so that it becomes more resilient,” Bergner said.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE

Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!
Buy.com's Deal of the Day! A Different Product Every Day.

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Combat Camera: With the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 27, 2007) - Store Keeper 1st Class Ronneil Capones, a member of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan ship band “The Ascended” performs on the flight deck during a leap frog exercise with the ships of the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeremy L. Grisham (RELEASED)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 26, 2007) – Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) transits the Atlantic Ocean after completing a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations. Bataan ESG includes Amphibious Squadron 2, amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), amphibious transport dock USS Shreveport (LPD 12), dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94), guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36), and fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeremy L. Grisham (RELEASED)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 26, 2007) – Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) transits the Atlantic Ocean after completing a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations. Bataan ESG includes Amphibious Squadron 2, amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), amphibious transport dock USS Shreveport (LPD 12), dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51), guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94), guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36), and fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeremy L. Grisham (RELEASED)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
RED SEA (June 23, 2007) - An AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 264 (Reinforced), is parked on the flight elevator aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group are currently transiting back to the United States after a six-month deployment in support of the global war on terrorsim. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Patrick M. Johnson-Campbell (RELEASED)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
ROTA, Spain (June 20, 2007) – Amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) pulls out of the Naval Station Rota Harbor. Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group conducted a port visit to Rota after conducting maritime operations in support of the global war on terrorism. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan Schaeffer (RELEASED)

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
SOUDA BAY, Crete, Greece (June 15, 2007) - Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756) departs Souda harbor following a routine port visit to Greece's largest island. Scranton is on deployment as part of the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), which returned earlier this month to the 6th Fleet area of responsibility. Bataan ESG has the capabilities to support maritime operations, combat operations and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief. U.S. Navy photo by Mr. Paul Farley (RELEASED)

More Combat Camera Images on THE TENSION

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE

Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!
Buy.com's Deal of the Day! A Different Product Every Day.

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Combat Camera: Marines On Night Patrol Through Rawah, Iraq

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Marines with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, head out on a night patrol through Rawah, Iraq. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city. Photo by: Cpl Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Lance Cpl. Steven R. Greene, a scout with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, uses his flashlight to peer into a dark corner while on a night patrol. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city. Photo by: Cpl Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
(Left to right) Cpl. Diego A. Romero, Cpl. Mikhail J. Quijada, Pfc. Cory M. Atkins, and Lance Cpl. Jake R. Roby, Marines with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, make their way down an alleyway in Rawah, Iraq during a night patrol. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city. Photo by: Cpl Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Cpl. Diego A. Romero, a squad automatic weapon gunner with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, looks down a steep hill while on a night patrol through Rawah, Iraq. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city. Photo by: Cpl Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Marines with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, start off on their patrol through the streets of Rawah, Iraq. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city. Photo by: Cpl Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Lance Cpl. Steven R. Greene leads Marines with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, through an alleyway while on patrol through Rawah, Iraq. The Marines say they patrol at night in order to maintain a constant presence throughout the city. Photo by: Cpl Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Iraqi Police and Marines with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, respond to an explosion in the city of Rawah, Iraq. The group set up a safe perimeter around the site before exploring the wreckage of the explosion. Photo by: Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Sgt. Stephen T. Ferguson, a vehicle commander with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, uses his flashlight to watch his scouts after responding to an explosion in Rawah, Iraq. The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device, which was triggered by an Iraqi civilian. Photo by: Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
Staff Sgt. Sean P. Perry, a platoon commander with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, provides security as his Marines search the area near the blast of an improvised explosive device. The device was set off when an Iraqi civilian drove over it. Photo by: Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser

CLICK TO ENLARGE IMAGE
1st Lt. Joseph M. Kistler, executive officer for Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, and an interpreter, inspect the wreckage after a civilian vehicle ran over an improvised explosive device. The two were just starting a patrol when they heard the blast, a few blocks from their position. Photo by: Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser

First LAR always on watch, even in enemy’s nightmares

RAWAH, Iraq, June 11, 2007 -- There is an old saying, ‘All that is needed for evil to win, is for good men to stand by and do nothing.’ Marines like Lance Cpl. Marco N. Garces and Cpl. Diego A. Romero, like the rest of their battalion, refuse to stand by and do nothing.

Garces and Romero, scouts with Company D, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 2, were part of a patrol early on the morning of May 27, 2007, in the city of Rawah, Iraq, which overlooks the Euphrates River.

“Our patrols maintain our presence, especially at night,” said Garces, a native of Corpus Christie, Texas. “It lets the citizens know that we don’t slack off, and we are still out there doing our job, protecting them.”

A half moon shined down on the empty streets as the patrol made its way out of the company’s headquarters. Their footsteps echoed in the silence as each man used his flashlight to peer into dark corners and down empty alleyways.

“It would be so easy for the enemy to plant IEDs (improvised explosive devices) if we didn’t patrol at night. There would be a lot more mischief, and it would give the enemy a great chance to smuggle things into the city,” said Garces.

The Marines said the night patrols are essential to maintaining the city’s safety, and preventing injuries and even death.

“Night-time is the only time when we can’t visibly see the entire city, so it is important we make sure to eliminate any blind spots by sending out patrols to canvass the area, no matter what time it is,” said Romero, a native of San Antonio.

Romero said he would hate to see the devastation that would await the company if they didn’t send out patrols one evening.

“It would suck for whoever had the first patrol the next morning,” said Romero. “There would be casualties and a lot of dead Marines. Not just us either, the locals would get torn apart. The bad guys don’t care who they hurt, and the civilians rely on us to make sure stuff like that doesn’t happen.”

The duo said the patrols also have an affect on their brother Marines.

“It gives a peace of mind. We know we always have guys out there, so we are safe. As long as someone is always watching, there is a much lower chance of anyone getting hurt,” Romero said.

“I don’t know if anyone would sleep if we didn’t go out at night. Nobody can plant an ambush or an attack if you’re always there, always watching,” Garces said.

The patrols aren’t just the Marines’ responsibility; they also get the local Iraqi Police, or IPs, involved in the nocturnal activities.

“It’s a relief that we take the IPs with us,” said Garces. “It’s good for the locals to see their own guys watching out for them. It has to make them feel better to know that we aren’t the only ones keeping them safe, their own brothers and countrymen are looking after them too.”

The Marines said the night duty just comes natural, and they couldn’t imagine going any length of time without someone in the city, ‘watching their backs.’

“Evil never sleeps, the enemy never sleeps, why should we? I hope he does sleep though and dreams about us, standing outside his door, listening to him breathe. We are always out there, and he knows it. We’re even in his nightmares,” Romero said.

(Story by Cpl. Ryan C. Heiser, 2nd Marine Division.)

COMBAT CAMERA More Combat Camera Imagery on THE TENSION

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,

Labels: , , ,

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

Troops Put Pressure on Insurgents During Current Operations

News in balance

News in balance:

In a rather one-sided report, The Associated Press notes America's No. 2 diplomat in Iraq predicted progress by fall on bringing together Iraq's feuding factions as violence claimed more lives Wednesday, including 14 people killed in a late night car bombing near a Shiite shrine in the capital.

Rather than list successes, AP focuses on reports that at least 60 Iraqis were killed or found dead Wednesday across the country, most of them in the Baghdad area.

AP also backhandedly states that during a news conference Wednesday, "the second-ranking U.S. diplomat in Iraq said he was hopeful that the Iraqis would make progress on "some" legislation by September."

However, the troop surge has become “a surge of operations,” and coalition forces are in the early stages of a difficult fight, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman told reporters in Baghdad today.

Coalition and Iraqi troops working together have led successful operations recently in Baqubah, Mosul, Anbar and Diyala provinces, and north of Baghdad, Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner said.

“We are on Day 12 of Operation Phantom Thunder, the Multinational Corps’ offensive to simultaneously increase pressure in and around Baghdad. This has been, and will continue to be, a tough fight; we are in the early stages of that fight,” he said.


Baghdad Media Roundtable 27 June 07

BG Kevin Bergner, Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesperson, and Ambassador Daniel Speckhard, Chargé d'Affaires, US Embassy Baghdad, speak with reporters in Baghdad, Iraq.

Recent successes of "Surge" operations in Iraq:

Speaking about recent operations, the general said coalition forces killed two senior al Qaeda leaders June 23 south of Hawija in Tamim province.

One of the leaders killed operated a cell that helped foreign fighters move into Iraq; he also fought against coalition forces in Afghanistan in 2001. The other slain insurgent, known as Khalil al-Turki, operated with the same cell and held close ties to other senior al Qaeda leaders, Bergner said.

In Baqubah June 25, combined troops discovered an illegal prison and house used by al Qaeda for executions. Nearby, forces also uncovered a torture chamber and makeshift courthouse linked to the terrorist network, he said.

In raids around the site, coalition elements uncovered a medical facility where injured al Qaeda operatives received treatment, a stockpile of rocket-propelled grenades and a vehicle wired for use as a car bomb.

“This array of facilities is an example of how the enemy seeks to consolidate and create an operating base from which they can conduct attacks on the local population, and launch spectacular attacks into Baghdad,” Bergner said. “It is further evidence of the importance of applying pressure in and around Baghdad to remove extremist safe-havens and operating bases.”
Local residents in Mosul this week led Iraqi and coalition forces to a weapons cache and a large bomb factory where troops found insurgents assembling four truck bombs and two car bombs “in an assembly-line manner,” Bergner said. In conjunction with this raid, combined forces nabbed 32 suspected terrorists.

“This is an example of what can be achieved by working and living in the neighborhoods with the people we seek to secure, and operating in partnership with Iraqi police and army forces,” he said.
Speaking about operations in Anbar province, Bergner said troops there discovered a facility where improvised explosive devices were being produced, seizing 66 IEDs and bomb-making components.

In Diyala province, the confidence and trust between local tribes and security has led to success, Bergner said, quoting the provincial police director. Troops there have detained or killed roughly 100 al Qaeda operatives and netted multiple weapons caches, he added.

The coalition’s Iraqi counterparts are “very much in the fight,” the general said. “They are increasingly the first line of defense, while taking casualties at rates of two to three times that of the coalition, and they are not deterred in their mission.”

Some 10,000 Iraqis will join their nation’s army in the next two weeks, Bergner said, and Maliki is considering expanding the Iraqi security force size “to meet the requirements both today and into the future.”

In recent operations in Baghdad’s Sadr City neighborhood, Iraqi special forces detained the leader of a kidnapping, murder and IED cell. The suspect also has provided false identification, uniforms and vehicles to insurgent fighters, Bergner said.

In a dangerous Baghdad area, Bergner visited the Joint Security Station -- one of the mixed communities where Iraqi army and police forces are working in concert.

“I saw firsthand the cooperation, the integration and the courage of those forces,” he said. “They sit astride a very tense area in the Adhamiya neighborhood, but they’re helping to restore security to this area.”
Bergner said that coalition progress is mirrored by progress among the Iraqi people.

“Ultimately, the progress of the Iraqi people is our progress,” he said. “We are humbled by their courage, and reminded every day of their sacrifice. We are working hard to help them move forward, but this will remain a tough fight that is likely to get harder before it gets easier.”
(Sources: American Forces Press Service, Multinational Force Iraq)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Global Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Maintain THE TENSION, visit the online store:
THE TENSION EXCHANGE

Shop Today's Deals at Amazon.com and Save!
Buy.com's Deal of the Day! A Different Product Every Day.

Labels:

AddThis Social Bookmark Button