"On that day, when you need your brothers and sisters to care, I'll be right here"

I've never blogged twice in a row about the same thing, but this damn video is making me cry like a baby. The scene where they rescue the soldier in Iraq just tears me up...

"On that day, when you need your brothers and sisters to care, I'll be right here"

"On that day, when you don't have strength for the burden you bear, I'll be right there"

"I Will Never Accept Defeat"

"Citizen Soldiers, Holding the Line"

Huh? Murtha the Surrender Monkey says "I think the Surge is Working."

What's up with this guy? First he wants us to surrender, then he says the Surge is working...You can't have it both ways, Surrender Monkey.

Read more

At least 25,000 refugees have returned to Iraq: Red Crescent

"Between 25,000 and 28,000 Iraqi refugees have returned to Iraq since mid-September, the Iraqi Red Crescent Organisation said in its latest report, citing improved security as the main factor."

Surrender Monkeys in Trouble

Oops, the Surge is working. Obama, Murtha, Reid, Pelosi were all wrong...where is the outrage?

Free Ticket to Baghdad

Free ticket to Baghdad

Nov. 27 - The Iraqi government has launched a campaign to get 1 million Iraqi refugees in Syria to come home. (from MSNBC)

Fallujah Rebuilds, Al Qaeda Refuge No More

Nearly 450 Iraqis are currently working to get Fallujah’s first-ever sewer system operational by next summer. That number is expected to soon grow to a construction force of 700 Iraqis.

Reuters also reports on November 28 -

"FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Falluja, once the heart of Iraq's bloody insurgency, is hoping to trade mortar bombs for bricks and mortar as it seeks to heal its wounds and return to normality.

With a greater number of police officers on the streets, there are signs that the city is on its way to achieving it.

By day, people, cars and minibuses compete on the streets as police try to direct the teeming traffic.

At night, men relax outdoors on plastic chairs, smoking and talking. Driving is still banned, but people ride bicycles and children play street soccer under the glow of recently installed solar-powered street lights.

The city is undertaking public works projects big and small.

In the western part of the city, minaret towers are being erected above a new mosque in place of a building destroyed in an air strike.

There are new hospitals, clinics and schools..."

On the March

Police trainees practice drill and ceremony during training in Adl, Iraq, Nov. 21, 2007.

New Police Stations Open

Mayor Najim of Tal 'Afar, Iraq, speaks during a validation ceremony in Tal 'Afar, Iraq, Nov. 6, 2007. The ceremony celebrated the six Iraqi police stations in the city that are now operating independently of coalition forces.

"Combat" Team Helps Build Baghdad Hospital

Spc. Sheena Griffin, a medic with Company C, 610th Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, leads a group of Soldiers through an unfinished hospital in the Jihad neighborhood of Baghdad's West Rashid district, Nov. 24. The 4th IBCT plans to assist the Iraqi government in building a hospital on the site.

"Iraq 'progress' shifts US political sands"

From AFP last week...

"WASHINGTON (AFP) — Hints of US military progress in Iraq are shifting the political ground under Democratic White House candidates, and boosting the spirits of Republicans who have taken a beating over the unpopular war.

Recent monthly declines in US troop deaths, signs that sectarian violence might be ebbing and claims by the Bush administration of grassroots political progress in Iraq, have lent new angles to the furious war debate.

Upbeat commentary on the war is also complicating life for Democrats in Congress, who have repeatedly failed to fracture President George W. Bush's firewall of support among Republicans on the war.

Lawmakers who backed Bush's troop surge strategy are jubilant."

BBC Reports Baghdad Security Improving

"Four Iraqis across Baghdad describe a welcome drop in violence in their city in recent weeks"

Attacking the Enemy South of Baghdad

Reports indicate the next battle for Iraq is in the badlands south of Baghdad - our forces are already advancing on the enemy.

Iraqi Islamic Party: “Al Qaeda is Defeated”

From Michael Yon Online Magazine -

“Al Qaeda in Iraq is defeated,” according to Sheik Omar Jabouri, spokesman for the Iraqi Islamic Party and a member of the widespread and influential Jabouri Tribe. Speaking through an interpreter at a 31 October meeting at the Iraqi Islamic Party headquarters in downtown Baghdad, Sheik Omar said that al Qaeda had been “defeated mentally, and therefore is defeated physically,” referring to how clear it has become that the terrorist group’s tactics have backfired. Operatives who could once disappear back into the crowd after committing an increasingly atrocious attack no longer find safe haven among the Iraqis who live in the southern part of Baghdad. They are being hunted down and killed. Or, if they are lucky, captured by Americans."

And here's the video one more time - I love this shit, the truth finally comes out!

Playing with Bombs gets Insurgents Killed

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle footage observing individuals placing an IED on a dirt road, which is exploded by an Apache helicopter.

The motto? Playing with bombs gets insurgents killed.

Blasting Al Qaeda in Iraq Hiding Place

The Jewel of Baghdad Reopens

Signs of Victory

In Hand

A young Iraqi boy shakes hands with U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Brian Griggs from 2nd Platoon, Alpha Troop, 3-1 Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, while stopped at a snap joint tactical control checkpoint outside of Patrol Base Assassin, Iraq, Oct. 26, 2007.

Smells Like Victory

Troop Surge, Iraqis’ Anger Puts al Qaeda ‘On the Run’

A combination of unceasing pressure by U.S. and Iraqi security forces and citizens’ anger at al Qaeda in Iraq’s brutal tactics have put the terror group “on the run,” a senior U.S. military officer said today.

“The surge in operations centered in Baghdad and the surrounding belts and up in the Diyala River Valley have driven much of al Qaeda into the rural areas and has caused them to flee northward,” Navy Rear Adm. Gregory J. Smith, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference yesterday.

The recently launched Operation Iron Hammer is designed to prevent fleeing al Qaeda operatives from re-establishing safe havens and networks, Smith said. Three U.S. brigade combat teams and three Iraqi Army divisions are participating in the large-scale offensive, which stretches across four provinces in northern Iraq, he said.

Previous operations resulted in the capture of (35) al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) insurgents in October, Smith reported, noting six of those detainees are senior terrorist leaders.

“The targeting of (AQI) leadership and their networks has contributed to the downward trend in violence we are seeing across Iraq,” the admiral said.

US Forces Slaughter Al Qaeda in Battle

U.S. and Iraqi forces killed an estimated 15 al-Qaeda gunmen during a fierce battle south of Baghdad after the militants launched a major attack on recently formed neighborhood patrols, the U.S. military said Tuesday.

Al Qaeda in Iraq Defeated

Other media are reporting victory as well...even the WASHINGTON POST!

"(CBS News) BAGHDAD Many U.S. military commanders in Iraq believe they have dealt a large enough blow to al Qaeda in Iraq to declare victory over the group, according to a report in the Washington Post."

Iraq Surge Great Success

Owned

Enemy combatants launched a mortar attack against Balad Air Base recently and quickly received counter fire.

"Iraq Deaths at Yearly Low"

From TIME Magazine - "(BAGHDAD) — Deaths among American forces and Iraqi civilians fell dramatically last month to their lowest levels in more than a year, according to figures compiled by the U.S. military, the Iraqi government and The Associated Press."

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1667013,00.html

"Civilian killings in Iraq plunge in September"

"BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Civilian deaths from violence across Iraq fell by 50 percent in September from the previous month to the lowest level recorded this year, government data showed... "

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071001/ts_nm/iraq_civilians_dc

Major Evening News Networks - "Good News from Iraq"

Last week the lead story on ABC News was about "good news from Iraq" - and discussed the drop in violent incidents and the lowerst US combat deaths in a year.

Seems the Surge is working.

Violent incidents down; Al Qaeda ‘off balance’ in Iraq

U.S. Army Pfc. Joshua Smith and Sgt. Trent Boone, both of Alpha Troop, 27th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, provide security during a good neighbor mission in Mosul

Attacks and violent incidents in Iraq are down, but Iraqi and Coalition forces still have a lot of work ahead, a top Coalition spokesman in Iraq said at the end of September.

“In a whole sense there is no question about the fact that, in our minds, the trend is going in the right direction,” said Navy Rear Adm. Mark I. Fox, communications division chief for Multi National Force-Iraq.

“Our efforts to continue the reduction in violence will allow Iraqi society to begin to mend. There is a lot of hard work to do.”

Hard work means stopping extremists before they strike, Fox said in a news briefing. To that end, he said, Iraqis are reporting insurgent activity in their neighborhoods.

Al Qaeda Chief Laments "We Are So Desparate"

Air Cavarly Kills 20 Al Qaeda

Multi-National Division-Baghdad air assets engaged more than 20 Al Qaeda insurgents approximately 28 kilometers northwest of Baghdad Sept. 29 after the insurgents fired a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and small arms at the aircraft. The resulting firefight ended with more than 20 of the Al Qaeda cell members being killed and four of their vehicles being destroyed.

Patrolling the skies, aircraft from the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division had reported to the scene to observe possible extremist activities in the area based off of a report from local Iraqi Security Volunteers that an Al Qaeda cell was working in the area.

Upon arriving to the scene, the aircraft observed about 25 Al Qaeda personnel carrying AK-47 assault rifles, with one of the men brandishing an RPG, and walking through an area of local shops and into a palm grove. Shortly after spotting the men, the aircraft were fired upon by the insurgent fighters.

The incident took place within the 1st “Ironhorse” Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division’s area of operations where Ironhorse troops from the 2nd “Stallion” Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment have been working alongside the Iraqi Security Volunteers and Iraqi Security Forces to root out Al Qaeda operatives and extremists.

No Iraqi Security Volunteers or U.S. Soldiers were hurt or killed during the engagement.

‘Dragon’ Offensives Destroy al Qaeda Outposts in Dora

U.S. Army Pvt. Joseph M. Dement (right) provides security in the city of Dora in Southern Baghdad, Iraq, on Sept. 20, 2007.

Coalition offensives in southern Baghdad, spurred by Iraqi intelligence, have dramatically reduced al Qaeda-inspired violence, a military commander said on Friday.

“We’ve had about a 60-percent reduction in murders since we arrived and took over in March,” Army Col. Ricky Gibbs told online journalists and “bloggers” during a conference call from Iraq. “That’s huge.”

Gibbs commands the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team “Dragons” of 1st Infantry Division, part of Multinational Division Baghdad, deployed from Fort Riley, Kan. His soldiers patrol the Rashid district in southern Baghdad, where al Qaeda insurgents have sought to establish a base, Gibbs explained.

“We’ve had great success,” the colonel said of operations Dragon Hammer, Dragon Fire, and now Dragon Talon II.

The current mission is focused specifically on the southeastern part of the Dora neighborhood, which is particularly ripe for al Qaeda infestation, Gibbs explained. So far, 24 caches filled with weapons and explosives have been discovered, and 102 suspected insurgents have been arrested, including 17 “high value targets” who finance, lead and organize al Qaeda operations, the colonel said.

“We have also been able to cut down dramatically the numbers of IEDs that were in our area,” Gibbs said.

Just last night, the colonel elaborated, his soldiers seized 36 rockets and two mortar systems similar to those that are sometimes fired into Baghdad’s heavily fortified International Zone.

“One of the things that is helping us is the people,” Gibbs said. “They trust the American soldier. They seek out the American soldier and give him tips.”

A classic case of citizen assistance happened just today when a coalition patrol was warned of potential danger by Iraqi children waving and shouting from a roof top, the colonel explained.

“That’s one very simple example of the Iraqi people supporting the American operations and giving us intelligence to defeat these terrorists and criminals,” Gibbs said.

Another positive development is the addition of “Iraqi security volunteers,” the colonel explained.

“These are people who live in the neighborhood who volunteer to serve as security guards on key facilities and infrastructure who at a later date will be allowed to join the Iraqi security forces,” Gibbs said.

Senior Al Qaeda in Iraq Leader Killed by U.S. Forces

Abu Usama al-Tunisi is now Dead

U.S.-led forces have killed one of the most important leaders of Al Qaeda in Iraq, a Tunisian believed connected to the kidnapping and killings last summer of American soldiers, a top commander said Friday.

Abu Usama al-Tunisi was in the inner leadership circle of Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq and was a likely successor to him. Al-Tunisi was the military emir of Baghdad’s southern belt and took over the role of emir of foreign terrorists when al-Masri became the overall leader.

Al-Tunisi facilitated foreign terrorists and helped equip them for improvised explosive device attacks, car-bombing campaigns and suicide attacks throughout Baghdad. Foreign terrorists conduct most of the high profile attacks in Iraq. Over 80 percent of the suicide attacks are conducted by foreign terrorists.

During an operation Sept. 25, Coalition forces targeted al-Tunisi and other al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders. Credible intelligence from several previous operations led Coalition forces to the location of a known al-Qaeda in Iraq meeting and supporting aircraft attacked the time sensitive target. Al-Tunisi and two other terrorists were killed during the attack.

Reports indicate that al-Tunisi was involved in the planning and operation of numerous attacks on Coalition forces and is believed to have operated in Yusufiyah since the second battle of Fallujah in November 2004.

Al-Tunisi, like the other top leaders of al Qaeda in Iraq, was not Iraqi. He was Tunisian and had been in Iraq since at least 2004.

“This is one more al-Qaeda in Iraq criminal who will never kill another innocent civilian,” said Maj. Winfield Danielson, MNF-I spokesman. “We will relentlessly pursue all terrorist leaders who threaten Iraqi citizens, their elected government, and Iraqi and Coalition forces.”

Bush Defends Military, Condemns Democrats

Hope for the Future

Iraqi residents look on as U.S. Army Soldiers engage in operations to remove al-Qaida and other militant groups from the Diyala area.

High Five

A Time to Smile

Columbia, Md., native Capt. Albert Marckwardt, commander of B Troop, 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, talks with a shop owner in the main market of Baghdad's Adhamiyah neighborhood.

Remembering the Fallen

Servicemembers and Civilians of Multi-National Corps-Iraq joined the U.S. military for a Sept. 11, 2001 Remembrance Service at Al Faw Palace. Army Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commanding general, MNC-I, expressed the profound impact Sept. 11 has had on the United States and other nations.

A Caring Touch

Capt. Russell Giese, of River Falls, Wis., examines an Iraqi girl Sept. 8, in the Radwaniyah area of Baghdad, as the girl's mother looks on. Russell is a doctor with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, attached to 4th Brigade, 1st Inf. Division.

The Innocent Freed

A tearful female relative greets Mustafa Hassan Ali (center) while he is escorted back to his house in the Graya area of Baghdad by Fayetteville, N.C. native 1st Lt. Larry Pitts (2nd from right), and Los Angeles, Calif. native Staff Sgt. Julian Romo, of B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. The paratroopers helped secure Mustafa's release from a holding facility after he was wrongly detained.

A Child's Smile

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Antonio Alvarado of Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, jokes with a boy from Grey'at during a patrol through the Adhamiya District of Baghdad.

Violence in Iraq Down, Iraqi Capability Up, Odierno Says

Attacks in Iraq are at their lowest level since before the February 2006 bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, a top U.S. commander in Iraq said today.

In addition to a decrease in attacks, the number of civilian casualties is decreasing, car bomb and suicide attacks are at their lowest levels in a year, and Iraqi and coalition forces have found more weapons caches in the first nine months of 2007 than they did in all of 2006, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, commander of Multinational Corps Iraq, told reporters in Baghdad.

“Coalition and Iraqi forces continue to keep the pressure on extremists, and I believe we will be able to continue to improve security in Baghdad and across Iraq,” he said.

Forces Continue to Target al Qaeda Leaders in Iraq

A US Soldier moves out as parts of operations to kill or capture insurgents


Coalition forces killed seven terrorists and detained eight suspected terrorists today during operations targeting al Qaeda leaders in the central part of Iraq.

Coalition forces targeted a senior leader of al Qaeda during an operation in Mahmudiyah in continued efforts to boost security in the southern belt around Baghdad. After several hours of monitoring a known terrorist group, ground forces returned to the area where terrorists had engaged them with small-arms fire during previous operations.

As coalition forces arrived at the target area, they identified hostile intent from the group of men they were monitoring and called for close-air support. Seven terrorists were killed, and three suspected terrorists were detained on the scene.

In Samarra, coalition forces captured three individuals believed to be closely tied to senior leaders of al Qaeda and two additional suspected terrorists.

"Terrorists cannot hide from our operations against their leadership network," said Army Maj. Winfield Danielson, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "Iraqi and coalition security forces will ensure al Qaeda in Iraq does not come between the Iraqi people and the future they choose for their country."

Coalition Forces Kill Key Car-Bomb Mastermind

Coalition forces have killed an al Qaeda leader who orchestrated a massive bombing in an impoverished Baghdad neighborhood, a U.S. military spokesman announced yesterday.

Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner conducted a televised satellite briefing at Multinational Force Iraq headquarters in Baghdad to announce the killing of Abu Yakub al-Masri.

“He actually directed attacks specifically to incite sectarian violence,” Bergner told online journalists and “bloggers” during a conference call from Iraq after his briefing.

Masri, the so-called “emir of Taji,” masterminded a November car bombing that killed 180 people and wounded 250 others in Baghdad’s predominantly Sunni neighborhood of Sadr City, Bergner said.

The Egyptian-born terrorist was killed in an Aug. 31 raid by coalition forces near the city of Tarmiya, north of Baghdad, thanks to information provided, in part, by Iraqi citizens, the general explained. “They are increasingly the source of actionable intelligence and an important enabler,” Bergner said.

Much like Sunni sheiks who have railed against al Qaeda insurgents and Shiia leaders who are now urging their followers to do the same, Bergner said local citizens working with Iraqi and coalition forces is key to defeating terrorism in the country.

“We are continuing to focus precise raids against the al Qaeda leadership,” Bergner said. “We are also making progress in a variety of other places.”

Surrender Monkey Murtha Avoids Haditha Questions

The Unluckiest Anti-Iraqi Fighter Ever

Reports from Iraq indicate the Surge is affecting the training of insurgents causing them to make critical errors...

IED-Planting Terrorists Get Killed

Insurgents are watched by the eye in the sky, caught in the act, and then killed.

President Bush National Address on Surge Progress

No Surrender

Surge Reduces Overall Attacks in Iraq

Surge Reduces Violence in Baghdad

Petraeus Outlines Threats to Iraq

Petraeus - Surge in Iraq Showing Progress

Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, told the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees today that the surge in Iraq is showing progress, and he said troops reductions could begin by next summer.

"I believe that we will be able to reduce our forces to the pre-surge level of brigade combat teams by next summer without jeopardizing the security gains that we have fought so hard to achieve," Petraeus said.

Petraeus joins Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker during the first of two days of hearings on the status of the war and political developments in Iraq.

Forces Target al Qaeda in Iraq’s Tigris River Valley

Coalition forces killed six terrorists and detained 21 suspects during operations over the past two days in Iraq’s Tarmiyah area and Tigris River Valley to disrupt al Qaeda senior leadership.

Several synchronized raids in Tarmiyah targeted the al Qaeda network operating in the northern belt around Baghdad, including its leaders. The network is responsible for car bombings, kidnappings, publishing extremist propaganda and operating an illegal court system in the area.

I didn't know Bin Laden was a Democrat

In a obvious sign that the leader of al Qaeda gains comfort from the congressional Democratic leadership in the US Congress - the latest tape from the terrorist leader chides them for not doing enough to aid Al Qaeda's progress in Iraq and calls on them to embrace Islam and surrender.

"Why have the Democrats failed to stop this war?" asks the terrorist leader.

Bin Laden said there were two solutions to stopping the Iraq war. "One is from our side, and it is to escalate the fighting and killing against you. This is our duty, and our brothers are carrying it out," bin Laden said.

"The second solution is from your side. ... I invite you to embrace Islam," he said.

One result of that, bin Laden said, would be an end to the Iraq war. He said "warmongering owners of the major corporations" would rush to appease voters who showed they are looking for an alternative, "and this alternative is Islam."

Leaders Meet in Iraq

President George W. Bush, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, National Security Advisor Steve Hadley, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al Makili and other Iraqi government officials at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Sept. 3, 2007.

Leaders Thank Soldiers and Marines

President Bush shakes hands with troops during a surprise Labor Day visit to Iraq, Sept. 3, 2007. The president told the troops he's proud to be their commander-in-chief.

President Assembles 'War Council' in Anbar Province

President Bush has assembled his “war council” here in a surprise holiday weekend-meeting, at this remote airbase, in what is probably the group’s last meeting before the president makes his decision on next steps for U.S. involvement in the war.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Adm. William Fallon, commander of U.S. Central Command, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multinational Force Iraq, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker are all slated to meet with top Iraqi political leaders over the next several hours.

Bush to troops, "Strength and Success"

The military surge into Iraq is working, President Bush told troops today during a surprise visit here - and they responded "Oo-rah!" to the President, shaking the building with the sound of the Marine battle cry.

"Every day the United States of America is grateful for what you're doing. I want you to tell your families the Commander-in-Chief stopped by to say hello, and he said, I'm incredibly proud to be the Commander-in-Chief of such a great group of men and women."

"I'm keeping pretty good company, as you can see. I brought out the A Team so they could be with the folks who are making a significant difference in this war against these radicals and extremists. In Anbar you're seeing firsthand the dramatic differences that can come when the Iraqis are more secure. In other words, you're seeing success. "

"You see Sunnis who once fought side by side with al Qaeda against coalition troops now fighting side by side with coalition troops against al Qaeda. Anbar is a huge province. It was once written off as lost. It is now one of the safest places in Iraq. (Oo-rah!) Because of your hard work, because of your bravery and sacrifice, you are denying al Qaeda a safe haven from which to plot and plan and carry out attacks against the United States of America. What you're doing here is making this country safer, and I thank you for your hard work. (Oo-rah!) "

"But I want to tell you this about the decision -- about my decision about troop levels. Those decisions will be based on a calm assessment by our military commanders on the conditions on the ground -- not a nervous reaction by Washington politicians to poll results in the media. (Oo-rah!) In other words, when we begin to draw down troops from Iraq, it will be from a position of strength and success, not from a position of fear and failure."

The president said he came to Anbar province so he could see the success in the war on terror and thank the men and women who are making sacrifices for that success

Oo-rah!

Bush joins US forces in Al Anbar, thanking them to the deafening sound of the Marine Corps battle cry - "Oo-rah!"

Troops Kill, Detain Dozens of al Qaeda in Iraq

Coalition and Iraqi forces killed and captured dozens of insurgents and seized scores of weapons during operations in Iraq over the past three days, military officials said.

Combined forces killed eight terrorists and detained 11 suspects during raids today targeting al Qaeda leaders and their networks in central and northern Iraq.

During operations southeast of Kirkuk, coalition forces targeted a regional terrorist unit commander, also referred to as an “emir,” and one of his operatives, both of whom are believed to facilitate the movement of foreign terrorists in Iraq, military officials said. As the assault force approached the target site, troops observed the two armed men in tactical fighting positions poised to attack.

Coalition forces called for close-air support, which engaged the two armed terrorists, killing them. Once the assault force was at the target location, four armed men attempted to maneuver around them into tactical positions, but coalition forces engaged and killed them using fire from the supporting aircraft. Ground forces surveyed the area and found weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, an RPG sight and a suicide vest. An explosives team safely destroyed the materials on site.

During two coordinated operations at the border of Salah ad Din and Tamim, northeast of Tikrit, troops targeted a senior-level al Qaeda advisor operating in the Kirkuk area. The targeted individual is believed to be tied to the international terrorist Khalid al Turki, who was killed in an operation June 23, and several other al Qaeda leaders in the area, military officials said.

As coalition forces arrived at the first location, they received small-arms fire from a nearby rooftop. Troops responded to the enemy fire, calling for close-air support to engage and kill two armed men identified on the roof.

When coalition forces secured the building, they discovered two women and a boy who were injured in the engagement. The assault force treated the three civilians and transported them to a military medical facility for further treatment. Troops detained six suspects during the operation. At the second location, coalition forces detained two additional suspects with alleged ties to the al Qaeda advisor.

During a raid in southern Baghdad, troops targeted al Qaeda leaders associated with a car-bomb network that operates in the Iraqi capital. Ground forces captured three alleged members of the cell with ties to both its current leader and a suspected former leader detained in an operation May 5, military officials said.

“We continue to seek out terrorists wherever they hide, to diminish their ability to attack the Iraqi people,” said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “We work very hard to avoid injuring innocent bystanders and provide immediate medical care if we do.”

In a separate raid this morning, Iraqi and coalition forces captured a highly sought weapons facilitator before dawn in Baghdad, military officials said. Combined forces captured the suspected senior weapons distributor, who allegedly is connected to a network of “special groups” that receive arms -- including explosively formed penetrators, the most deadly form of improvised explosive device -- and funding from Iran. The suspect, who allegedly is linked to senior terrorist commanders, is responsible for distributing such Iranian weapons and other forms of lethal aide across the Iran-Iraq border, military officials said.

During the raid, troops detained two others who are suspected of distributing weapons smuggled into Iraq from Iran. Coalition forces confiscated money and identification documents from one of the targeted buildings for further analysis and evaluation.

“We assess that this capture will degrade the weapons smuggling network,” Garver said. “Coalition forces will continue their focused operations to interdict Iranian supported terror groups operating in Iraq.

“We remain committed to dismantling terror networks that seek to kill innocent Iraqis, Iraqi security forces, and coalition forces,” he added.

Citizens Root Out Terrorists

The citizens of Iraq are fighting back against terrorists in one Sunni dominated area south of Baghdad.

"This is a resounding victory for the concerned citizens and for the Coalition Forces. The few remaining extremists have nowhere to hide because the population will no longer harbor them."

Capt. Henry Moltz
Commander, Company A.

Paratroopers from Company A, 1st Battalion, 501st Airborne, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, are now fighting the enemy with information from hundreds of citizens who have pledged responsibility for the security of their neighborhoods.

The Concerned Citizens Program is similar to an all-volunteer Neighborhood Watch. During a recent operation in Jurf as Sakhr, concerned citizens led Iraqi soldiers and U.S. paratroopers to a stronghold where five al-Qaeda members were killed after paratroopers called in precision air strikes from helicopter gunships and U.S. Air Force fighter jets to destroy the building.

This has been the first attempted attack by al-Qaeda and other extremists since the Concerned Citizens Program began almost two months ago.
"This is a resounding victory for the concerned citizens and for the Coalition Forces. The few remaining extremists have nowhere to hide because the population will no longer harbor them" said Capt. Henry Moltz, commander, Company A. "There are 160 paratroopers in Company A, but with the Concerned Citizens there are now thousands of eyes and ears working toward the same security goals."

There are now more than 500 registered members of the Concerned Citizens Program who have volunteered to protect their villages and roads while they await training for the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police forces.

At least 300 concerned citizens have already been accepted into the Iraqi army. Moltz estimates another 300 people will register for the Concerned Citizens Program in the next few weeks, and that the Iraqi police will begin to accept the concerned citizens into their ranks within the next month.

Jurf as Sahkr has long been one of the most hostile and dangerous areas of Iraq.

"In the past three weeks these brave volunteers have helped clear their villages of terrorists who are no longer welcome here," Moltz said. "Together with the local population, almost all of Jurf as Sahkr has been reclaimed from al-Qaeda and other extremist fighters. The streets are finally quiet."

Terrorists Get Killed as they Prepare to Attack

Coalition forces from the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division engage seven insurgents staging an attack on a combat outpost in southeastern Baghdad.

Senator McConnell Says Surge a Success

Glenn Beck Lauds Surge Progress

Senators Say They See Progress From Surge

Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker returned last week from a four-day trip to Iraq and reported clear successes to the Chatanoogan -

“During our visit we saw clear successes in some provinces, with coalition forces working with Iraqis on the ground – running out Al Qaeda and providing security for Iraqis to live their lives.

"I’m enormously impressed with General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker and with what they are accomplishing militarily, and I’m looking forward to their report this fall. I hope the lessons of the last few months and the recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton bipartisan Iraq Study Group Report will provide the basis for a Petraeus plan to put us on a path to finish the job in Iraq.”

Murtha says Surge Not Making any Progress

John Murtha denies the Surge has made any progress. Once again, the troops on the ground disagree with "King Corruption"

Oh well, he'll have plenty to keep him busy now that he is likely to be censured.

Raids Kill Iranian-Supported Terrorists

Coalition troops detained 36 terrorists and killed nine others today during a series of raids in Baghdad and other areas in central and northern Iraq, officials reported.

Individuals detained in the Baghdad raid are believed to be involved in the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq into Iran for terrorist training. Coalition forces also confiscated a number of documents, photographs and possible improvised explosive device components.

Intelligence reports indicate one of the detainees is a “special groups” senior-level terrorist facilitator with possible Iranian connections.

“The special groups network constitutes a significant threat to security and stability in Sadr City and other areas around Baghdad,” said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. “We will continue to dismantle and degrade the special groups terrorist network, eliminating their ability to attack innocent Iraqis as well as Iraqi security forces and coalition forces.”

Coalition forces killed eight terrorists and detained 16 others during additional raids in and around Baghdad aimed at key leaders in the al Qaeda in Iraq network operating in central and northern Iraq.

US Forces Help Secure, Respect Local Citizens

Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of coalition forces in Diyala province, Iraq, speaks with Sheik Sammi, a tribal leader in Sheik Sa'ad Village, to ensure that the local citizens feel secure and are being treated with respect during operations in support of Operation Lightning Hammer, Aug. 14, 2007.

NIE Cites "Measurable" Progress from Surge

Key Judgements from the just-released National Intelligence Estimate indicate the Surge is working. Some quotes -

There have been measurable but uneven improvements in Iraq’s security situation since our last National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq in January 2007.

We assess, to the extent that Coalition forces continue to conduct robust counterinsurgency operations and mentor and support the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), that Iraq’s security will continue to improve modestly during the next six to 12 months but that levels of insurgent and sectarian violence will remain high.

The IC assesses that the emergence of “bottom-up” security initiatives, principally among Sunni Arabs and focused on combating AQI, represent the best prospect for improved security over the next six to 12 months, but we judge these initiatives will only translate into widespread political accommodation and enduring stability if the Iraqi Government accepts and supports them.

Iraqi Security Forces involved in combined operations with Coalition forces have performed adequately, and some units have demonstrated increasing professional competence.

We assess that changing the mission of Coalition forces from a primarily counterinsurgency and stabilization role to a primary combat support role for Iraqi forces and counterterrorist operations to prevent AQI from establishing a safehaven would erode security gains achieved thus far.

Commander says Iraqi citizens turning against insurgents

BAGHDAD — Iraqis who once aligned themselves with militants are now taking up arms against al-Qaeda, a top commander in the Iraqi capital said during a conference call Friday.

Likening members of terrorist organizations to “street gangsters,” U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Fil, commander of Multi-National Division-Baghdad and 1st Cavalry Division, said Iraqis are becoming tired of price gouging on staples such as gasoline and ice when militant groups move in and take over neighborhoods.

“We have found that throughout the city there is increasing distrust, fatigue and disillusionment by the population with al-Qaeda and Jaysh al-Mahdi (militia group),” he said. “There is a strong desire in the neighborhoods to turn away from them.”

MRAPs Flown to Iraq

U.S. Air Force airmen prepare to load a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle into a C-5 Galaxy aircraft for shipment to Iraq at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C. on Aug. 16, 2007.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has been pushing the production and delivery of MRAPs, which boast a V-shaped hull that deflects bomb blasts and protects troops inside better than the military’s current vehicles. The Defense Department awarded two more contracts for the vehicles the week of Aug. 10, which brings the number of vehicles on contract to 6,415. An estimated 3,500 MRAPs are expected to be shipped to Iraq by Dec. 31.

The MRAPs are shipped to Iraq by the 437th Airlift Wing, out of Charleston. The vehicles are part of the 300 tons of cargo the unit moves on a daily basis. It typically takes two days to airlift the MRAPs to Iraq, said Cynthia Bauer, a public affairs officer with U.S. Transportation Command, which oversees the movement of the vehicles. A small number of MRAPs are taken by sea, which takes between 22 and 30 days, she said.

As of Aug. 9, Transportation Command has shipped 701 MRAPs and MRAP-like vehicles to the Central Command area, Bauer said. The command will continue to ship the vehicles as the military commanders in theater request them, she said.

MRAPs come in three categories: Category I vehicles are designed for urban combat operations and can transport six people; Category II vehicles have multi-mission capabilities, including convoy lead, troop transport, ambulance, explosive ordnance disposal and combat engineering, and can transport up to 10 people; Category III vehicles perform mine and improvised-explosive-device clearance operations and explosive ordnance disposal and can transport six people, or five with additional equipment. The Buffalos that were shipped last night fall under Category III.

President Confident of Success in Iraq as Iraqis Step Forward

More Iraqis are stepping forward to defend their democracy as young men sign up for the army, police patrol the streets, and joint coalition and Iraqi operations double, President Bush said during today during his weekly radio address.

“As the Iraqi people feel more secure, they are also forming neighborhood watch groups. They’re volunteering important information about the terrorists and extremists hiding in their midst,” Bush said.

The increase in tips helps account for the marked reduction in sectarian murders, Bush said. Also, driving out terrorists from cities and neighborhoods creates conditions for reconciliation at the local level, he said.

“Despite continuing violence, leaders in places like Anbar, Najaf and Ninewah are now working through local provincial councils to approve funds to finance the rebuilding of homes and neighborhoods, to fight corruption, and to create new jobs,” Bush said.

Bush added it can be easy to overlook the bravery shown by Iraqi troops and Iraqi civilians who are in the fight for freedom, but American troops on the ground see it every day.

He related the story of Army Staff Sgt. Sean Kane, one of four American soldiers whose life was reportedly spared by an Iraqi civilian who intercepted a suicide bomber last week in Baghdad while American soldiers were meeting with an Iraqi citizens group.

“Suddenly, a suicide bomber came running around a corner and headed straight for our soldiers and the Iraqi civilians,” Bush said.

One Iraqi man saw what was happening and ran to intercept the bomber, Bush said.

“As he pushed the terrorist away, the bomb detonated – killing both men, but sparing four American soldiers and eight Iraqi civilians,” Bush said.

Later that same night, the citizens group contacted the local director of the Iraqi National Police and told him the location of the al Qaeda cell believed to be responsible for the attack. A raid was conducted that resulted in four arrests, Bush said.

New surge operations began in Iraq in June and the president emphasized that it is still the early stages of the new operations, but the success of the past two months has shown that conditions on the ground can change.

“We cannot expect the new strategy we are carrying out to bring success overnight,” Bush said.

Bush said he is confident that helping Iraqis build democracy in their country will benefit Americans and people throughout the Middle East.

Sheiks Strive to Unite Communities

Provincial governor Hamood Shekti al Qaisi takes questions from media via satellite at the Combined Press Information Center, Baghdad, Aug. 23, 2007.

Members of the Salah Ad Din Sheik’s support council held a press conference via satellite at the Combined Press Information Center, Aug. 23.

"It is a long battle against the terrorists. . . We cannot define or decide how long this battle will take. But we think that we are going in the right direction. We believe in our capabilities and we also depend on God. We ask God to provide security for all the Iraqis and progress for Iraq." Hamood Shekti al Qaisi Governor of the Salad Ad Din province.

Hamood Shekti al Qaisi, governor of the Salad Ad Din province, and three sheiks explained the council’s focus on neighborhood security, its cooperation with the Iraqi government and Iraqi forces, and its long term focus of eliminating terrorist activity in their region.

Qaisi said the council is striving to unite the community and bring stability to Iraq. There are approximately 150 sheiks currently involved in the council. Qaisi brought three with him for support.

“All three sheiks here and the leaders of the support council along with all the other members of this support council are working very closely with the local government,” Qaisi said. “And they're working very close to stabilize the security along with accomplishing the national reconciliation with central government.”

Operation Brings the "Hammer" to Al Qaeda

U.S. Army 1st Lt. Brandon Whitis beams with delight after being given a meal on flat bread by an Iraqi man and woman in the Diyala River Valley region of Iraq on Aug. 14, 2007. Whitis and his fellow soldiers from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, are patrolling in the region.

Operation Lightning Hammer concluded Aug. 22 after a 12-day, large-scale operation to disrupt al Qaeda and other terrorist elements in the Diyala River Valley, a complex area of villages and palm groves in Iraq’s Diyala province.

The operation, which involved about 16,000 Iraqi and coalition forces clearing some 50 villages, was a key element in Multinational Corps Iraq’s overall Operation Phantom Strike, and it resulted in 26 al Qaeda members killed, 37 suspected terrorists detained, and the discovery of 10 weapons caches.

“The strength and determination of the fighting men and women from the Iraqi and coalition forces showed great results during Lightning Hammer,” said Army Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of coalition forces in Diyala province. “We have continued to diminish their supplies and disable al Qaeda’s abilities to disrupt the population.”

Al Qaeda Disrupted During Operations

Coalition forces killed seven terrorists and detained 12 suspected terrorists today during operations in central and northern Iraq.

During an operation targeting an al Qaeda cell, coalition forces returned to an area east of Tarmiyah where they killed 13 terrorists and captured 12 suspects last week. Local Iraqis who had helped coalition forces target the cell last week continued to provide information about terrorist operations there.

The assault force killed two armed men who attacked with small-arms fire. As the force continued to secure the buildings, they repeatedly encountered armed men attempting to barricade themselves in individual rooms. In all five cases, coalition forces fought and killed the men. Coalition forces also detained four suspected terrorists and assessed that nine individuals identified in intelligence reports had been killed or captured.

"With the help of the Iraqi community, we basically crippled this cell," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman. "We'll continue working with local citizens to dismantle the rest of the networks that threaten the security of Iraq."

25,000 turn against insurgency, Al-Qaeda

The U.S. strategy to build alliances with mostly Sunni tribal and local leaders has prompted 25,000 of their followers to turn away from the insurgency and fight against al-Qaeda.

Read more...

Democrats see 'results' in Iraq

The Washington Times reports -

"Top Senate Democrats have started to acknowledge progress in Iraq, with the chairman of the Armed Services Committee yesterday saying the U.S. troop surge is producing "measurable results."

Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan highlighted improved security in Baghdad and al Qaeda losses in Anbar province as examples of success — a shift for Democrats who have mainly discounted or ignored advances on the battlefield for weeks."

G.O.P. Candidates See Signs of Progress in Iraq

The New York Times reports -

"The leading Republican presidential candidates said today that the military escalation in Iraq appeared to be restoring stability in that country and they berated their Democratic counterparts for advocating an end to American involvement there."

Apaches on the Hunt

Insurgents try to run, but...

Insurgents are hit trying to escape after conducting an IED attack on Coalition forces. The lone survivor is then hit with a Hellfire missile.

IED Operator Gets Caught, then Owned

Senior Terrorists Blown into Pieces

Khalid, Khalil, and Khattab al-Turki, senior terrorists operating in Iraq with close ties to top al-Qaeda leadership, were killed after messing with Coalition forces on June 23, 2007.

US Intercepts and Smashes al-Qaeda at Donkey Island

In another sign that the Surge is working took place on June 30 in Iraq with a major US victory against al-Qaeda - and just a few weeks later in the Washington Post.

The Battle of Donkey Island occurred on 30 June 2007 between elements of the 77th U.S. Armored Regiment and a numerically superior force of Al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents outside the city of Ramadi in the Al-Anbar province in Iraq.

Official reports indicate that the US suffered 2 dead and 11 wounded soldiers in the conflict while an estimated 32 insurgents were killed (out of an estimated force of 40 - 70 fighters).

In military terms, the battle was a complete victory for the U.S. forces, detecting and annihilating a superior insurgent force before it could launch a planned assault on Ramadi.

Politically, the battle showed the continuing ability of Al-Qaeda in Iraq to plan and assemble forces in their attempt to destabilize the Anbar region - but they got smacked down anyway.

On the Washington political front, the fact that the Post ran a truthful article about a US victory was stunning.

ABC News Reports Surge Progress

ABC News reporting from Baghdad indicates security situation much improved in Baghdad. Residents are reporting progress in many parts of the city.

Former Critics Says Surge is Working

Is the Surge working? Some long-term critics say, "We are finally getting somewhere." They also report high morale among US troops.

On the Hunt

Apaches hunting insurgents that were attacking coalition forces.

Sniper gets Sniped

UAV footage of an insurgent sniper running from his firing position to a vehicle - and then his life is brought to an end.

Al Qaeda in Iraq Duped Into Following Foreigners

al-Mashadani created an imaginary leader to fool Iraqis into following foregners

A captured al Qaeda in Iraq leader has admitted the network’s followers have been duped into following the direction of foreign leaders, not Iraqis, a military spokesman in Baghdad said today.

Coalition forces captured Khalid Abdul Fatah Daud Mahmud al-Mashadani, thought to the most senior Iraqi in the al Qaeda in Iraq network, in Mosul on July 4, Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Bergner, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said. Bergner said Mashadani is in coalition forces custody and providing “significant insights” into the al Qaeda in Iraq network.

Mashadani, who rose through the al Qaeda network ranks directing media and communications operations, helped create a virtual organization, called the Islamic State of Iraq, on the Web in 2006, Bergner said.


It turns out, Bergner said, that the organization is simply a front for foreign influence into al Qaeda in Iraq. Mashadani partnered with Abu Ayub al-Masri, the Egyptian-born head of al Qaeda in Iraq. The two went as far as creating a fictitious leader, Umar al Baghdadi, as a symbolic political head the ISI, whose role is played by an actor. This allowed the two to work in conjunction with foreign leaders to funnel direction to al Qaeda in Iraq, while its followers believed they were following the directions of Iraqi leaders.


“The rank-and-file Iraqis in (al Qaeda in Iraq) believed they were following the Iraqi al Baghdadi, but all the while they have actually been following the orders of the Egyptian Abu Ayub al Masri,” Bergner said.


“Mashadani has said in his own words that the Islamic State of Iraq should be free of foreign influence, but that is not the case.”

‘Operation Ithaca’ Surprises, Pummels, al Qaeda Forces

American and Iraqi military forces broke up al Qaeda operations in the Diyala River valley during “Operation Ithaca,” conducted July 12, a U.S. military officer said today.

Operation Ithaca targeted Sunni-backed al Qaeda forces in and around the villages of Haimer, Abu Nasim and Jamil, located about 20 kilometers north of Baqubah, the capital of Diyala province, said Army Lt. Col. Andrew P. Poppas, commander of the U.S. 82nd Airborne Division’s 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, which took part in the anti-insurgent offensive.

The operation was a great success and caught al Qaeda “completely by surprise,” Poppas said, noting U.S. ground troops were inserted into the battle space at multiple landing zones by helicopter.

Meanwhile, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthogs,” Army attack helicopters, and Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters fired on the insurgents from the air, Poppas said. Unmanned aerial vehicles kept an eye on insurgent movements during the battle, he added. Each of the aircraft was assigned “very specific, detailed areas” for engaging the al Qaeda forces, Poppas said. In this way, he noted, the enemy lost the ability to control the battle and was blocked by coalition air or ground troops at every turn.

Twenty-nine al Qaeda operatives were killed and 23 others were captured during the operation. Also, three enemy weapons caches were discovered and a safe house was destroyed.

Additionally, eight Iraqis who’d been held hostage by the insurgents were freed.

Local Iraqis fed up with al Qaeda had delivered hand-written maps and other information about the enemy that were used during pre-operational planning, Poppas said.

“We had some very specific intelligence that was provided to us from the local populace,” Poppas said. Unmanned aerial vehicles and other means were used to confirm the information.

Troops See Progress, Grow Weary of Negative Reports on War

"I see -- unequivocally -- that this surge is making a difference."

Troops on the ground in Iraq are not as much tired of the war as they are of those who are not in the fight saying that no progress has been made, a top commander in the region said today.

The troops there see progress every day, said British Army Lt. Gen. Graeme Lamb, deputy commander of Multinational Force Iraq and senior British representative in Iraq, speaking to Pentagon reporters via satellite.

“They see the water going to people who didn't have it before. They see electricity coming on line. They see stability to the networks. They see all the stuff that no one really portrays,” Lamb said. “While it's so clear to them that we're making progress, it's not reflected by those who are not in the fight, but [who] are sitting back and making judgment.”

Overall, Lamb called the day-to-day work there by coalition forces “hard pounding,” and said that extraordinary things are being accomplished by ordinary people.

“You should be enormously proud of what I see your Marines, your Air Force, your Navy, your Army and the civilians who are in the fight out here, as to what they do, and gladly,” Lamb said.

The British general has served in Iraq since August 2006. This is his second tour to the region. He said, that in the first month of the surge there has been “good progress, steady momentum, hard fighting, [and coalition forces] going places where they haven't been before. I see -- unequivocally -- that this surge is making a difference.”

Targeting the Top of al Qaeda in Iraq’s Leadership

Coalition forces conducted anti-insurgent operations over the past few days in Iraq, killing terrorists and capturing suspects. Here's the rundown -

-- A senior member of an al Qaeda media cell gave himself up to coalition forces during a raid in Mosul. He led coalition forces to the media cell headquarters, where they discovered jihadist propaganda and media materials. Three additional suspects were detained.

-- In Baghdad, coalition forces detained two suspects in a raid on al Qaeda in Iraq senior leaders and car-bomb cells.

-- One suspect was killed and two detained in a raid southwest of the capital city that targeted close associates of al Qaeda senior leaders.

-- In Ramadi, coalition forces captured two suspected terrorists during a precision raid. One is an alleged associate of a terrorist who facilitates the movement of foreign terrorists into Iraq for suicide operations.

-- Two coordinated raids in Baghdad targeted members of the Baghdad bombing network. Coalition forces detained five suspected terrorists linked to an al Qaeda leader overseeing the bombing network and two more suspected terrorists with ties to an al Qaeda weapons facilitator.

-- Coalition forces detained eight suspected terrorists north of Taji during a raid targeting a direct associate of al Qaeda senior leaders known for using improvised explosive devices.

“We’re targeting the top of al Qaeda in Iraq’s leadership as well as the operatives who conduct attacks that harm innocent Iraqis, and we’re taking them off the streets so the people of Iraq can live without fear of vicious terrorist attacks,” said Maj. Marc Young, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

Iraqi army, U.S. Special Forces, Capture al Qaeda's "emir of Qayyarah"

Elements of the Iraqi army, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, captured the alleged emir of Qayyarah for the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq yesterday in Qayyarah. The alleged emir directly leads 50 al Qaeda fighters, U.S. officials said.

During the operation, Iraqi army and U.S. Special Forces troops also detained three other individuals at the residence and recovered terrorist propaganda, passports and Korean currency.

Elsewhere, members of the Iraqi army, with U.S. Special Forces as advisors, detained three suspected insurgents linked to a rogue group of the Jaysh al-Mahdi militia during a series of operations yesterday in northern Baghdad. One team received small-arms fire but safely detained the primary and secondary suspects at the location without injury. The third suspect was detained at a separate target location.

The primary suspect is believed to be a rogue Jaysh al-Mahdi battalion commander and is suspected of organizing kidnappings and leading death squad killings of Sunni Muslim Iraqi citizens. Intelligence suggests he has been involved in more than half of the detonated improvised explosive devices in two of the northern districts of Baghdad.

The second suspect is an alleged rogue Jaysh al-Mahdi cell commander in northern Baghdad under the primary suspect’s control. The second suspect’s cell is accused of conducting death squad killings of Iraqi civilians and using improvised explosive devices against coalition forces.

Enemy Mortar Team gets Smashed

Soldiers from the 227th Aviation Regiment engage and crush an insurgent mortar team following an attack on two coalition forces bases in Taji, Iraq.

Iranian Rockets Discovered

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle footage of the discovery of 34 rockets and 46 rocket launchers in Iraq which were found to be of Iranian origin.

Raids Nab More al-Qaeda in Iraq

Thirteen more suspected al Qaeda operatives were captured during Iraq operations yesterday and today.

“We’re continuing to conduct operations that target specific links in the al Qaeda in Iraq chain, to ultimately destroy the network,” said Maj. Marc Young, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman.

Coalition forces also conducted a precision raid yesterday near Samarra and captured an alleged foreign terrorist facilitator and logistician suspected of supplying al Qaeda cells with operatives and suicide bombers. After U.S. troops cornered the suspect and two of his associates, the three fled into a nearby house. The troops yelled for the house’s occupants to come out, and several women and children exited the building. The ground forces moved them away from danger, then entered the house, where they detained the three suspected terrorists.