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!"