Anti-al-Qaida Alliance Forming

Reuters reports that "U.S. and Iraqi officials are in contact with representatives of some Sunni Arab insurgent groups to build an alliance against al-Qaida in Iraq, the outgoing U.S. ambassador said Monday.

Zalmay Khalilzad also said he was cautiously optimistic that “success is possible” in Iraq, but urged leaders to act fast if they were to maintain the support of the impatient U.S. people amid growing pressure for a timetable to withdraw troops."

“One of the main challenges is how to separate more and more groups away from al-Qaida, how to turn them to cooperate with the Iraqi government against al-Qaida,” he said. “That is the strategic objective.”

Surge is "Turning the Tide"

The Patriot Post reports that "one month after the commencement of the U.S. troop surge in Iraq and the enactment of a new plan to secure Baghdad, American troop deaths are down by 60 percent."

They go on to say, "Since the launch of the 14 February operation, the number of civilians killed in Baghdad has dropped to 265, compared with 1,440 killings from mid-January to mid-February; a drop of 82 percent.

During the same time,"terrorist deaths are up in Baghdad: 94 dispatched from mid-February to mid-March, up from 19 killed in the 30 days prior."

"Similarly, Baghdad suffered 102 roadside bombings in the February-March period, a 37-percent decline from 163 during the January-February period. Other statistics include: 36 car bombs in February-March to 56 in January-February (down 36 percent); 109 mortar attacks in February-March to 204 in January-February (down 47 percent); ten kidnapping incidents in February-March to 98 in January-February (down 90 percent); and 22 assassination incidents in February-March to 519 in January-February for a staggering drop of 96 percent."

Baghdad Operations Continue

U.S. and Iraqi security forces continued search and clearing operations in Baghdad, while other coalition and Iraqi security forces discovered and destroyed several enemy weapons caches, officials said.

Nearly 1,600 U.S. and Iraqi security forces teamed up for a second day of anti-terrorist operations in Baghdad’s Mansour district, officials said. During this sweep, U.S. soldiers with the 2nd Infantry Division’s 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team rescued a kidnap victim. The soldiers also found a weapons cache that yielded several AK-47 rifles, ammunition, mortar rounds and other ordnance.

Also today, U.S. troops operating northwest of Taji arrested seven suspected al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists and destroyed an enemy weapons cache during two raids, officials said, and U.S. soldiers detained five more suspected terrorists in Mosul during another raid today.

Democrats Step Up Efforts to Surrender

A new resolution passed this week by the House of Representatives sets an arbitrary date for the return of combat forces from Iraq and includes spending unrelated to the war.

Champions of the resolution include John Murtha, an ex-Marine already infamous for his treason.

The Defense Department’s emergency fiscal 2007 supplemental request includes $93.4 billion to help fund U.S. forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere in the global war on terror. The House bill requires that U.S. combat troops be out of Iraq by Aug. 31, 2008, and includes some domestic spending measures.

The Bush administration repeatedly has rejected establishing a deadline for troop withdrawals, insisting that such decisions must be based on conditions in the war zone.

“The purpose of the war spending bill I requested was to provide troops with vital funding,” Bush said, adding that the House bill only delays the delivery of resources for troops stationed in Iraq.

“A narrow majority has decided to take this course just as (Army) General (David H.) Petraeus and his troops are carrying out a new strategy to help Iraqis secure their capital city,” he said.

The president said the military needs the emergency funds right away, as the effort in Iraq shows signs of progress.

“The secretary of defense has warned that if Congress doesn’t approve funding for troops … by April 15, our men and women in uniform will face significant disruptions, and so will their families,” he said.

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates yesterday told reporters at the Pentagon that the Army will be forced to consider curtailing and suspending home-station training of Reserve and National Guard forces, and reduce funding for the repair of buildings and equipment if supplemental funding was not passed by Congress.

“I expect Congress to do its duty and fund our troops,” Bush said, “and so do the American people.”

American Raids Capture/Kill al Qaeda Across Iraq

U.S. troops attack terrorist stronghold at night, killing 15 of the enemy. U.S. medics then cared for enemy wounded.

In other raids, American troops killed one terrorist and detained 16 others, including an alleged al Qaeda-affiliated killer and a media representative, during a series of morning raids conducted throughout Iraq on Friday.

IN the same period, Coalition forces in Mosul captured an al Qaeda-related suspect known as “The Butcher,” who is allegedly responsible for numerous kidnappings, beheadings and suicide operations in the Ramadi and Mosul areas. Coalition forces also detained five other suspects and killed one terrorist during the raid.

Coalition troops operating in Fallujah also captured two suspected terrorists with alleged ties to foreign fighter operations.

Elsewhere, coalition forces captured a suspected al Qaeda “media emir” and seven other suspects during a raid northeast of Karmah, officials said. Officials believe the detainees are part of an al Qaeda courier network.

“Coalition forces will continue to target al Qaeda in Iraq and foreign terrorist facilitators regardless of where they may hide,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesperson.

Apaches Destroy Enemy Platoon, Anti-aircraft Gun

March 7, Iraq - U.S. ground troops teamed up with AH-64 Apache helicopters to destroy a platoon-sized element of enemy fighters during a March 7 engagement fought west of Baghdad International Airport.

During the lead-up to the battle, a patrol from Troop A, 1st Battalion, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, reported enemy tracer fire in an area known as Az-Zaidon.

As they moved toward the firing, they found armed insurgents arrayed in an ambush position along both sides of a canal road. A truck was parked nearby.

After clearing the area of friendly forces, the patrol called in close-air support. The Apaches engaged the enemy fighters, killing 12 and destroying the truck, which had an anti-aircraft heavy machine gun mounted in its bed.

Don't tell the Surrender Monkeys - The Surge is Working

Reports from the ground and major news sources like The Economist, the Washington Post, other media and even Iraqi bloggers agree - the Surge is beginning to work.

Here are some indicators this week from Iraq the Model blog -

"Iraqi and American forces are increasing their presence in and around Sadr city. Today hundreds of American and Iraqi solders swept through Jamila district just north of Sadr city. They searched homes and shops without meeting any resistance."

"Violent incidents are still decreasing in number and impact in Baghdad."

"In contrast with previous operations to secure the city, this one is managing to not only keep the initial momentum, but the operation’s effects seem to be growing as well."

"We feel safer about moving around in the city now than we did a month before."

Are things still bad? Yes - but the surrender monkeys Biden, Hagel, Levin, Murtha and others aiding and comforting the Iraq insurgency have not succeeded in defeating the brave Iraqi, US and other coalition fighters yet.

Air Strikes Kill al-Qaeda in Iraq

al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents who had targeted U.S. helicopters are killed in an airstrike north of Baghdad

Several al-Qaeda in Iraq insurgents who had targeted U.S. helicopters were killed in an airstrike north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said this week. A second strike killed members of another al-Qaeda cell that has orchestrated car bombings.

Elsewhere in Iraq, coalition forces surge ahead with the new security operations - pushing back insurgents on all fronts.