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172nd sees successes in Baghdad mission

Oct-29-2006 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

By TATABOLINE BRANT, Anchorage Daily News

The U.S. military command in Iraq acknowledged earlier this month that its two-month campaign to stem violence in Baghdad -- called Operation Together Forward II -- had fallen short and that the effort needed to be refocused. The Alaska-based 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team -- 3,800 Army soldiers from forts Richardson and Wainwright -- are at the heart of that operation. After serving for a year in northern Iraq, the brigade late this summer had its tour extended and was moved to Baghdad to help quell violence there. Col. Michael Shields, commander of the 172nd, spoke to the Daily News by telephone Wednesday. His comments have been edited for length.

Q: What role does the 172nd play in Baghdad and Phase II of Operation Together Forward?

A: We have been a clearing force within Baghdad. ... We do everything. ... Initially, we conducted large-scale offensive clearing operations in areas where there was high threat activity ... for instance kidnappings, murders, body dumpings -- those types of things. ... We were operating in the town, or the neighborhood, of Ghazaliyah, Shaab and Nur. ... That was part of the clear, hold and build methodology that you've heard about ... We were the clearing portion of that. It was not uncommon for battalions to be out clearing, shoot -- 500 to 900 buildings a day, sometimes in 120-degree heat.

Then we transitioned to another bad focus area, where we conducted the same type of operation in an area called Adhamiyah. We were the clearing force for that. We then transitioned to another problem area called Shaab and Ur -- west-northwest of Sadr City -- and did operations in there. We've had some units that supported other brigades in Baghdad doing similar operations. ...

Right now, we're focused in four or five separate areas in Baghdad, some of the tougher areas, conducting operations to neutralize the killing teams, insurgents. ... It's tough. With the violence out there, sometimes it's not easy to identify specifically where it's coming from.

Q: What was the 172nd's mission going into Baghdad?

A: To reduce the cycle of violence in our focus areas within Baghdad. Those focus areas happen to be the areas where there's the most violence: Dead bodies, kidnappings, murders, bombings, terrorist actions, insurgent actions, criminal activity. [...]

The interview continues.


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