The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article regarding the movement of US troops out of most urban areas in Iraq. The shift is one of the conditions outlined in the security agreement signed by the US and Iraq at the beginning of the year.
BAGHDAD -- The top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. Ray Odierno, said Monday that American combat troops are on track to leave Iraqi cities by the end of the month as scheduled, and he said the U.S. had closed or handed over 142 former American installations to the Iraqi government so far.Questions have lingered about the status of combat troops in still-volatile areas, like Mosul in the north of the country. But Gen. Odierno said American combat forces would pull back there too, thanks to improved security conditions across the country.
A small number of support troops will remain behind in some urban areas, as expected, he said. He said American forces will remain at 320 locations after a June 30 deadline for pulling U.S. combat troops out of Iraqi cities.
Although not Stryker-related I thought the following article from The New York Times was interesting. Improvements in security have brought cultural changes to the city.
BAGHDAD — Vice is making a comeback in this city once famous for 1,001 varieties of it.Gone, for the most part, are nighttime curfews, religious extremists and prowling kidnappers. So, inevitably, some people are turning to illicit pleasures, or at least slightly dubious ones. [...]
“Everything is going back to its natural way,” said Ahmed Assadee, a screenwriter who works on a soap opera.
FOB Tacoma linked to a study by the Washington Post confirming what has been obvious for a while now - mainstream media coverage of the war in Iraq is declining rapidly. Excerpt:
BAGHDAD -- The number of foreign journalists in Baghdad is declining sharply, a media withdrawal that reflects Iraq's growing stability and the financial strains faced by some news organizations.In a stark indication of the changing media focus here, the number of journalists traveling with American forces in Iraq has plummeted in the past year. U.S. military officials say they "embedded" journalists 219 times in September 2007. Last month, the number shrank to 39. Of the dozen U.S. newspapers and newspaper chains that maintained full-time bureaus in Baghdad in the early years of the war, only four are still permanently staffed by foreign correspondents. CBS and NBC no longer keep a correspondent in Baghdad year-round.
Be sure to read it all.
The Long War Journal has a nice summary of the current status of Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and what it means for future draw downs of US personnel there.
By Donna Miles, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON — The White House will nominate Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, currently commander of Multinational Force Iraq, to be the next U.S. Central Command commander, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced April 23.
“I recommended him to the president because I am absolutely confident he is the best man for the job,” Gates told reporters. He cited Petraeus’ in-depth understanding of the situation in Iraq as well as counterinsurgency operations, and the successes seen in Iraq under his leadership.
“The kinds of conflicts we are dealing with not just in Iraq, but in Afghanistan and some of the challenges that we face elsewhere in the region in the CentCom area, are very much characterized by asymetric warfare,” he said. “And I don’t know anybody in the United States military better qualified to lead that effort.”
The Long War Journal has another detailed overview of recent events in Iraq, which apparently includes operations by Stryker soldiers within Sadr City. Excerpt:
Less than two weeks after Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki launched Operation Knights' Assault to clear the Mahdi Army and other Iranian-backer militias in Basrah, the Iraqi government is moving to ban Muqtada al Sadr's political movement from participating in the election if it fails to disband the militia. Facing near-unanimous opposition, Sadr said he would seek guidance from senior Shia clerics in Najaf and Qom and disband the Mahdi Army if told to do so, according to one aide. But another Sadr aide denied this.The pressure on Sadr and his Mahdi Army started on Sunday after Maliki announced the plans to pass legislation to prevent political parties with militias from participating in the political process. "The first step will be adding language to a draft election bill banning parties that operate militias from fielding candidates in provincial balloting this fall," Reuters reported on Sunday. "The government intends to send the draft to parliament within days and hopes to win approval within weeks." [...]
Maliki has said the military will continue to operate against the Mahdi Army, and US and Iraqi forces have kept Sadr City and Shula in Baghdad under curfew. US and Iraqi forces fought pitched battles in Sadr City over the weekend. At least nine Mahdi Army fighters were killed by US helicopters after attacking Iraqi patrols in the city. Twenty Iraqis were reported killed and more than 50 wounded during the fighting.
According to various media reports Stryker soldiers were involved in the clashes in Sadr City.
By Bill Roggio, The Long War Journal
Fighting between the Coalition and Mahdi Army fighters broke out today as operations against the Mahdi Army and the Special Groups continue despite Prime Minister Maliki's call for a halt in operations. Early reports indicate between nine and 20 Iraqis were killed during clashes in Sadr City at the 55 intersection and Falah Street. Abdellatif Rayan, a media adviser to Multinational Forces Iraq said a US Army helicopter killed nine "criminals" in Sadr City. "We do have reports of an air weapons team engagement, a US helicopter, where nine criminals were killed at around 8:00 AM," Rayan told Voices of Iraq.
The US military has confirmed several clashes today in Sadr City. "Today, while Iraqi Army Soldiers were moving through those areas they were engaged by armed criminals with [rocket propelled grenades] and [small arms fire]," Lieutenant Colonel Steve Stover, the Public Affairs Officer for Multinational Division Baghdad told The Long War Journal. "US troops moved in to assist and that did include Bradleys and Abrams Tanks as well as Strykers." US and Iraqi Army forces kicked off operations to clear the southern sector of Sadr City in Jamilla and Thawra I on March 25.
US helicopters killed nine Special Groups "criminals" after they attacked the Iraqi soldiers at 8 AM local time. "An air weapons team [AWT] fired a Hellfire missile and killed three criminals after they were observed firing rocket-propelled grenades at the Iraqi Army soldiers," Stover said. "The team identified four more criminals fleeing the scene and attempting to hide weapons in a vehicle. The AWT fired a missile and destroyed the vehicle and killed the six criminals." No US or Iraqi Army casualties were reported.
[...]
Related Article:
22 Killed in Sadr City Clashes - The Associated Press
Paul McLeary, who was recently embedded with the 2/25 SBCT, just published a long profile of Bill Roggio of The Long War Journal. In my opinion Bill and his staff provide some of the best reporting and analysis of the war in Iraq. His website is one of the very few that I consistently consider a "must-read". Excerpt:
For the past several years, Roggio, working largely as a one-man bureau, has been at the forefront of reporting on these groups and how they’re being confronted militarily. His process, as he explains it, is to scour English-language media that he has learned to trust in these countries, and vet, amplify, and contextualize what he finds there with his own sources in the U.S. intelligence community, Israel, Iraq, and elsewhere. To this he adds his own expertise. “Bill has what a lot of journalists reporting on the conflict lack: a background in military science and history,” says B. A. Patty, a reporter whom PMI helped send to the Philippines last year. “It’s not just that ‘x happened’—a bomb went off, a sniper rifle was found, etc. It’s what that means… at a strategic or operational level; and in the local situation, to understand what it means tactically.”
By Bill Roggio, The Long War Journal
Six days after the Iraqi government launched Operation Knights’ Charge in Basrah against the Mahdi Army and other Iranian-backed Shia terror groups, Muqtada al Sadr, the Leader of the Mahdi Army, has called for his fighters to lay down their weapons and cooperate with Iraqi security forces. Sadr’s call for an end to the fighting comes as his Mahdi Army has taken serious losses since the operation began.
"Sadr has sent a message to his loyalists urging them to end all armed activities," the Al Iraqiya television channel reported. Sadr "disowned anyone attacking the state institutions or parties' offices and headquarters."
"Based on responsibility towards Iraq and to stem Iraqi bloodshed and to preserve the country's unity and integrity as a prelude to its independence, I call on the people to be up to their responsibility and awareness in order to maintain Iraq's stability," according to a statement issued by Sadr and sent to Voices of Iraq. Sadr has called for the government to free members of the Mahdi Army and the Sadrist Movement captured during recent operations.
[...]
Bill Roggio of The Long War Journal has another detailed overview of the recent clashes between coalition forces and the Mahdi Army. Excerpt:
With the fifth day of fighting in Baghdad, Basrah and the South completed, the Mahdi Army has suffered major losses over the past 36 hours. The Mahdi Army has not faired well over the past five days of fighting, losing an estimated two percent of its combat power, using the best case estimate for the size of the militia.A look at the open source press reports from the US and Iraqi military and the established newspapers indicates 145 Mahdi Army fighters were killed, 81 were wounded, 98 were captured, and 30 surrendered during the past 36 hours.
Bill Roggio at The Long War Journal has a detailed overview of the recent fighting in Iraq. Excerpt:
As the fighting in Basrah is underway, the fighting in Baghdad has intensified. US and Iraqi security forces have clashed with the Mahdi Army in Shia-dominated neighborhoods numerous times in Baghdad since the fighting began on Tuesday. Major fire-fights have broken out in Sadr City, Adhamiyah, Rusafa, New Baghdad, Kadhamiyah, Mansour, and other neighborhoods in northern and eastern Baghdad where the Mahdi Army has a significant presence.US and Iraqi security forces killed 26 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad on March 26. Another 42 Mahdi Army fighters were killed in a series of battles throughout Baghdad on March 27. Eight of the Mahdi Army fighters were killed after they attempted to overtake an Iraqi Army checkpoint. The Iraqi soldiers beat off the attack, losing one soldier in action.
It's unclear which unit the Strykers mentioned below are from.
By Sudarsan Raghavan and Sholnn Freeman, Washington Post
BAGHDAD, March 27 -- U.S. forces in armored vehicles battled Mahdi Army fighters Thursday in Sadr City, the vast Shiite stronghold in eastern Baghdad, as an offensive to quell party-backed militias entered its third day. Iraqi army and police units appeared to be largely holding to the outskirts of the area as American troops took the lead in the fighting.
Four U.S. Stryker armored vehicles were seen in Sadr City by a Washington Post correspondent, one of them engaging Mahdi Army militiamen with heavy fire. The din of American weapons, along with the Mahdi Army's AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, was heard through much of the day. U.S. helicopters and drones buzzed overhead.
There's quite a bit of news regarding the Iraqi Army's recent operations against militias. Provided below are a few articles of interest.
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD — The top military commander in Iraq gave some insight yesterday into what he will consider as he prepares to report to the president and Congress in April on the way ahead.
Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Force - Iraq, spoke with reporters accompanying Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is visiting the country.
The security trend lines all are favorable, the general said. “Attacks have continued to go down. We’ve had a five-month period consistently of a level of attacks we’ve not seen since spring of 2005,” he said. “This past week was the fourth-lowest since October 2004.”
The Long War Journal has published Part 3 in its series of articles examining the current state of Iraqi politics. Excerpt:
Understanding the constitutional structure and current composition of Iraq’s legislative branch is a prerequisite to analyzing the much-maligned progress of key legislation. As with the executive, the political diversity of Iraq’s legislature presents many significant challenges and a few opportunities to meeting the legislative benchmarks considered important to stability and reconciliation.
The Long War Journal has published Part 2 of its look at the Iraqi political system. Excerpt:
The Government of Iraq’s executive branch has several goals central to maintaining security gains and achieving sectarian reconciliation: effective hiring and management of the highly publicized Concerned Local Citizens (CLCs), the auxiliary security forces greatly responsible for the significant reduction in violence; the delivery of reconstruction resources, including basic services, to Baghdad and the provinces; and the creation of jobs and economic opportunity for average Iraqis.
The Long War Journal turns its analytical eye on the state of Iraqi politics in this in depth article. While not specifically Stryker-related it is worth sharing. Excerpt:
Security gains in Iraq have maintained momentum for five months and the focus has turned to spurring and gauging the country’s political progress. The ultimate goal of the troop surge executed by the military was for improved security to provide “breathing room” for such progress, which can be simplified to three fronts: “ground-up” political progress, executive political progress by the federal government, and federal legislative progress.
The Long War Journal has a graph-rich analysis of the recent downward trend in violence in Iraq.
Bill Ardolino at The Long War Journal takes a close look at the reduction in violence recently in Iraq to determine its causes. Excerpt:
As violence in Iraq has decreased significantly over the last two months, analysts attempt to identify the forces behind the trend. Some attribute the reduction to a reinvigorated US strategy of counterinsurgency and the “surge” of combat troops which commenced in February, while critics of US strategy cite the exodus of Iraqi refugees and successful sectarian partition and cleansing as primary factors.The drop began in September, as civilian deaths (884) fell 52 percent from August and 77 percent year-over-year, while military deaths (65) fell 23 percent and 10 percent over the same periods. October’s declines made it a trend: Civilian deaths (758) dropped an additional 12 percent from the previous month and 38 percent year-over-year, while US military deaths (38) dropped 42 percent and 64 percent during the same periods.
"Is it the surge, is it just dumb luck, or are there a series of factors that all contribute towards the lessening violence in Iraq?" asked General Terry Wolff, the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Iraq and Afghanistan Policy Implementation on the National Security Council, in a conference call last Friday. Wolff and other senior military and intelligence officials offered a list of "complementary" factors theorized to have reduced the violence in interviews with The Long War Journal.
I'm not sure what precipitated the change, but recently there has been almost no coverage regarding the Stryker Brigades by traditional media from within Iraq. Consequently, I'm thankful there are still folks like Michael Yon and Bill Roggio providing in-depth reports regarding the current situation in Iraq. Provided below are a few links of interest, and while they are not Stryker-related they are still enlightening.
Although not Stryker-related, the following two articles are worth reading for insight into military operation in Iraq.
By Sgt. Armando Monroig, 5th MPAD
BAQUBAH, Iraq - She carried a bag full of what she considered to be precious cargo – precious enough for her to risk her life delivering its contents.
She made several trips across the Diyala River, armed only with a pistol and a few friends as body guards.
This woman braved the dangers of traveling in a combat zone, where coalition forces and Iraqi security forces waged war against al-Qaida terrorists who used Baqubah as a stronghold.
Bill Roggio at The Fourth Rail takes a close look at the launch of Operation Phantom Strike. Operation Phantom Strike is being represented as the follow-on to Operation Phantom Thunder, of which Arrowhead Ripper was a part of. Excerpt:
Operation Phantom Strike follows Operations Fardh Al-Qanoon (the Baghdad Security Plan) and Phantom Thunder, which pushed Coalition and Iraqi security forces into areas previously unsecured, as well as ejected terror groups from safe havens in Baghdad, and Northern Babil, eastern Anbar, Salahadin and Diyala provinces. During this time, Iraqi and Coalition forces conducted daily, intelligence driven raids against al Qaeda in Iraq and the Iranian-backed cells nationwide, with a heavy emphasis on cells in Baghdad, Diyala, and central and northern Iraq.The Baghdad Security Plan and Phantom Thunder can be considered shaping operations for Phantom Strike. Once Iraqi and Coalition forces moved into previous no-go zones, they have established local security forces and intelligence networks able to pinpoint the makeup and location of the Sunni and Shia extremist groups. Phantom Strike will be a largely intelligence driven operation.
Related Article:
Coalition Troops Launch Operation Phantom Strike in Iraq - AFPS
This is a huge deal in Iraq. See Mike Gilbert's blog for a bit of background.
JAKARTA, Indonesia -- Iraq delivered an inspirational victory Sunday by winning the Asian Cup with a 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, a beacon of hope for a nation divided by war.
It was an extraordinary triumph for a team drawn together from all parts of the Gulf and with its players straddling bitter and violent ethnic divides.
By John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, July 13, 2007 – Now at full strength, the U.S. troop surge in Iraq is showing “definitive progress” and the number of forces serving in Iraq’s Multinational Division North could be halved by summer 2009, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon said today.
A reduction of U.S. forces under the general’s command could begin as early as January 2008, he told Pentagon reporters via videoconference.
Mixon, commander of both Multinational Division North and the U.S. Army’s 25th Infantry Division, is responsible for six Iraqi provinces in northern Iraq, including the city of Baqubah -- site of the ongoing Operation Arrowhead Ripper.
Michael Yon has a rather gruesome dispatch from Baqubah, although he was not with any Stryker soldiers. Excerpt:
On 29 June, American and Iraqi soldiers were again fighting side-by-side as soldiers from Charley Company 1-12 CAV—led by Captain Clayton Combs—and Iraqi soldiers from the 5th IA, closed in on a village on the outskirts of Baqubah. The village had the apparent misfortune of being located near a main road—about 3.5 miles from FOB Warhorse—that al Qaeda liked to bomb. Al Qaeda had taken over the village. As Iraqi and American soldiers moved in, they came under light contact; but the bombs planted in the roads (and maybe in the houses) were the real threat.The firefight progressed. American missiles were fired. The enemy might have been trying to bait Iraqi and American soldiers into ambush, but it did not work. The village was riddled with bombs, some of them large enough to destroy a tank. One by one, experts destroyed the bombs, leaving small and large craters in the unpaved roads.
The village was abandoned. All the people were gone. But where?
The following article offers a broad perspective on the recent offensives involving the two Stryker Brigades currently deployed.
BAGHDAD — U.S. commanders plan a summer of stepped-up offensives against Al Qaeda in Iraq as they tailor strategy to their expectation that Congress soon will impose a timeline for drawing down U.S. forces here.
The emphasis on Al Qaeda, described by commanders in interviews here this week, marks a shift in focus from Shiite Muslim militias and death squads in Baghdad. It reflects the belief of some senior officers in Iraq that the militias probably will reduce attacks once it becomes clear that a U.S. pullout is on the horizon. By contrast, they believe Al Qaeda in Iraq could be emboldened by a withdrawal plan and must be confronted before one is in place.
The Fourth Rail has an excellent summary of the current offensive in Iraq. Arrowhead Ripper is one of many simultaneous operations occurring across the country. Excerpt:
Four days after the announcement of major offensive combat operations against al Qaeda in Iraq and its allies, the picture becomes clearer on the size and scope of the operation. In today's press briefing, Rear Admiral Mark noted that the ongoing operation is a corps directed and coordinated offensive operation. This is the largest offensive operation since the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom ended in the spring of 2003.
The Fourth Rail takes a look at the ongoing situation in Diyala, including the formation of a new alliance of local tribes to confront al-Qaeda in the province.
The following article does not specifically mention the Stryker Brigade soldiers operating in Diyala, but it does describe in some detail the current situation in the region.
By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr., The New York Times
BAQUBA, Iraq, March 31 — In the last moments of his life, Sgt. First Class Benjamin L. Sebban saw the flatbed truck speed into the concertina wire guarding his small Army patrol base near Baquba.
“Everybody get down! Get down!” he screamed. Soldiers dropped to the ground.
A combination of the strong wire and muddy gravel stopped the bomber, who then detonated explosives packed into the truck bed. A 50-foot-wide fireball enveloped the base, an L-shaped school that weeks earlier had served as an insurgent hide-out. Soldiers were slammed into walls and windows, they later recalled, battered by pieces of brick and glass turned into shrapnel.
A number of people have emailed us to suggest we link to recent interviews with Martha Raddatz, the Chief White House correspondent for ABC News. She recently released a book titled, "The Long Road Home: A Story of War and Family", and has been featured on programs such as Charlie Rose (interview begins at the 31:30 minute mark) and Good Morning America. I haven't read the book or watched the full interview, but those who have appreciate that she focuses so much time on the soldiers' families back home. J.M. Simpson at Blog-Ah! has a more detailed book review if you'd like to read that as well.
There are a number of independent journalists currently embedded with troops in Iraq.
Most of you are probably familiar with Michael Yon, who was embedded with the 1/25 SBCT in 2005. He is back in Iraq and hopes to stay there for all of 2007.
Bill Roggio is currently embedded with a joint Army/Marine Transition team in Iraq, and is publishing dispatches on his website, The Fourth Rail. This is his third trip.
Finally, Bill Ardolino just returned from an embed with a Marine unit in the Al Anbar region west of Baghdad (Fallujah). He is filing exclusive reports in The Examiner, but also supplements them with information on his personal website, INDCJournal.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
The top general at Fort Lewis is leaving to become part of the U.S. military’s new leadership team in Iraq.
The White House has nominated Lt. Gen. James Dubik to take charge of training Iraqi military and police forces.
There was no word Thursday when Dubik might appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee for confirmation, or who will replace him as commanding general at Fort Lewis and I Corps.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
SEAN COCKERHAM; The News Tribune
MOSUL, IRAQ Sometimes the base can seem almost like a normal place. Theres a 7-Eleven, a Java Hut and a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store.
But walk down the street to the combat support hospital and the pain and horror of this war are all around. Here, Fort Lewis nurses care for an Iraqi man with horribly disfiguring burns from a bomb at the market.
It is unclear whether this reporter is with the 3/2 or 172nd SBCT.
UPDATE: Apparently this is 1-23 INF, 3/2 SBCT.
BAGHDAD, Iraq They call themselves the "Earth Pigs," although they're perfect gentlemen to my crew and me. Captain John Lovin and his men don't have to take television crews with them on a mission, but they've loaded us into their Stryker vehicles, and now we're rolling around a Shiite neighborhood in West Baghdad.
This will turn out to be a routine patrol. Not every mission ends in a gunbattle or a roadside bomb blast. But there is always danger, and the Earth Pigs remain on high alert.
The comments in a few of our recent entries have focused on the lack of media coverage coming from certain parts of Iraq. I just happened to read a recent entry written by Donald Sensing at Winds of Change discussing this very topic, and what he has to say is quite interesting.
Can you guess how many embedded reporters there were in all of Iraq on 9/19/06? Nine! Since then a team from The News Tribune has embedded with the 3/2 SBCT in Baghdad, but that is still an amazingly low number. It might be convenient to blame media outlets for the lack of interest/coverage, but the reality seems to be a bit more compicated. Read his report for more info.
Link to Full Article
The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq U.S. and Iraqi forces have captured a leader of Ansar al-Sunnah, the group behind the 2004 attack on a U.S. military mess hall that killed 22 people, the prime minister's office said Saturday.
Muntasir Hamoud Ileiwi al-Jubouri and two of his aides were arrested in Al-Taeyh, about 50 miles northeast of Baghdad, said Brig. Qassim al-Mussawi, spokesman for the General Command of the Armed Forces _ the prime minister's military office. He did not say when the arrest was made.
The Sunni militant group has claimed responsibility for numerous suicide attacks, the August 2004 execution of 12 Nepalese hostages and a December 2004 explosion at a U.S. military mess hall in Mosul that killed 22 people. It is believed to be an offshoot of another group, Ansar Al-Islam.
Staff Sgt. James Sherrill
124th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq, Sept. 13, 2006 Looking down from a hilltop through the darkness, Alexander could see the enemy campfires burning on the distant plain just east of Mosul.
He couldnt see the soldiers warming themselves, but he knew that even if there were only a few men around each fire his army would still be vastly outnumbered. Alexander, king of the Macedonians, paused for the first time on his route of conquest. He made a sacrifice to Phobos, the god of fear and terror.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Susy Raybon let us know about a new blog maintained by Brad Blauser, Supporting Troops. Brad is a civilian contractor working at a base in Mosul. His entries offer a relatively unique perspective on events there. Please stop by and read about his many projects. From his site:
For those who don't know, I'm on a military base in a combat zone. Civilians and soldiers work everday, with civilians working 12-13 hours/day. One cool thing for me is to have the chance to hang out with the troops in the off time. I'm involved in a couple of different projects I started - Wheelchairs for Iraqi Kids and Study Bibles for Soldiers.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Kirk H. Sowell at Threats Watch has an in depth analysis of recent operations in Baghdad. Excerpt:
Once U.S. and Iraqi forces have swept an area, it will be up to Iraqi national police to maintain order. According to MNF-I, Iraqi Interior Ministry forces, considered the national police, have reached 92 percent of the intended strength of 188,000, and are 90 percent trained and 83 percent equipped. Of those areas of Baghdad outside the control of the government, some are controlled by Sunni jihadists, some by Shia militia cells, and some are subject to total chaos. It will now be up to U.S. and Iraqi troops to lock down these neighborhoods one by one, and Iraqi police will then have to hold them. Their mettle will be verified soon.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
MOSUL, Iraq -- Mosul police officers and Iraqi soldiers defeated a complex attack by terrorists in eastern Mosul Friday morning. The attack included a suicide bomber using a vehicle-borne improvided explosive device, several IEDs and small arms fire.
The Iraqi Security Forces were led by the Iraqi police officers and supported by Iraqi Army soldiers from 1st Battalion, 4thnd Iraqi Army Division. Additionally, Coalition Forces Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 2nd Infantry Division (Arrowhead Brigade) responded to the attack in support of the Iraqi Police and Iraqi Army.
by Spc. Rich Vogt, 138th MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq -- On a bright and clear morning in July, members of the Police Transition Team in Mosul, Iraq sized up the aspiring Iraqi policemen to determine who would be the chosen ones.
The first group of guys we train, were going to teach to be the trainers, said Mark Allain, Iraqi Police Liaison Officer from Fort Worth, Texas. So were going to work extra hard with them.
Link to Full Article
By Michael R. Gordon The New York Times
BAGHDAD The Bush administration's announcement on Tuesday that it will shift more forces to Baghdad is much more than a numbers game. It reflects a new strategy to reclaim control of the Iraqi capital and a new approach for deploying the troops.
The plan is to concentrate on specific neighborhoods rather than distribute the forces throughout the city, control movement in and out of sectors of the capital and try to sweep them of insurgents and violent militias.
In effect, the scheme is a version of the "ink blot" counterinsurgency strategy of grabbing a piece of terrain, stabilizing it and gradually expanding it. Only this time the objective is not a far-flung Iraqi city or town, but the capital, the seat of the fledgling government and home to some seven million Iraqis.[...]
US Central Command Press Release
MOSUL, Iraq Task Force Band of Brothers will turn over control of the former Saddam Hussein presidential compound here to Iraqi government officials in a ceremony in Mosul July 20.
The Mosul VIP Residence site, built over 2.2 square kilometers and completed in 1994, contained Saddam Hussein's northernmost presidential site and includes several palaces and VIP residences, three lakes, and man-made waterfalls. According to the complexs pre-war caretaker, it was built for Saddam Husseins son, Qusay. Apparently, neither Hussein nor his sons actually stayed there.
Link to Full Story
By Claude D. McKinney
Gulf Region North
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Mosul, Iraq Iraq is a desert. That should come as no surprise to anyone. However, Iraq is also blessed with water. Between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, Iraq has more surface water than many of its neighbors. Because of the rich, fertile land along these waterways, most of Iraqs population lives along the rivers. Unfortunately, this water is of little benefit to Iraqis who live in other parts of Iraq -- away from those life-giving flows. In Northern Iraq, many villages have never had flowing water. Now, another source of water has been found and tapped in this area -- an underground aquifer. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun a well initiative that is due to be completed in mid-summer 2006. At its completion, the initiative will create 49 wells to service 37 Northern Iraqi communities.[...]
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
The following is a very in depth description of the coalition effort to find al-Zarqawi.
Link to Full Article
By Sean D. Naylor, Army Times
In the end, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi could not escape Task Force 145s unblinking eye.
TF 145 is the latest name for the shifting collection of U.S. and British special operations units that has hunted the most wanted terrorist in Iraq for three years, and the unblinking eye is what its members call the fusion of intelligence and operations that allowed them to relentlessly peel away the layers of Zarqawis al-Qaida in Iraq organization until the terror mastermind was left defenseless and almost alone.
Link to Full Article
Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the al-Qaida leader in Iraq who waged a bloody campaign of suicide bombings and beheadings of hostages, has been killed in a precision airstrike, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Thursday. It was a long-sought victory in the war in Iraq.
Al-Zarqawi and seven aides, including spiritual adviser Sheik Abdul Rahman, were killed Wednesday evening in a remote area 30 miles northeast of Baghdad in the volatile province of Diyala, just east of the provincial capital of Baqouba, officials said.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recnt events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Link to Article
Written by Spc. Timothy Tamburello, 133rd MPAD
MOSUL, Iraq (Mar. 3, 2006) -- Taking a photograph is one way for Soldiers to bring back their memories and experiences during their time here in Iraq.
What if that Soldier could take their favorite photograph of theirs and turn it into a modern day work of art?
At Forward Operating Base Courage they can, with a little help from Mahmoud The Painter.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Link to Full Article with Photo
The photo shows 2-1 INF soldiers helping recover the downed Kiowa on Jan. 13.
Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON The Pentagon is seeking answers as to why three U.S. helicopters have crashed in Iraq within the past two weeks, a senior Defense Department official said here today.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Link to Full Article
MARIAM FAM and SINDBAD AHMED, Associated Press
MOSUL, Iraq - Power outages and gunfire are daily fixtures in this northern city. But so are election posters, talk of this week's vote and a new freedom to criticize authorities.
Across Mosul, one of two Iraqi cities President Bush cited last week as improving, residents paint a complex picture of life and violent death, progress and decline, hope and despair.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis regarding recent events.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Bill Roggio continues his coverage of Operation Steel Curtain as fighting moves to the city of Ubaydi.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Bil Roggio has a number of recent articles devoted to coverage of Operation Steel Curtain, a recently initiated coalition operation in western Iraq. Start at the top and work your way down.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Link to Article (Full text provided below)
By Claude D. McKinney, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
MOSUL, Iraq, Oct. 31, 2005 By next spring, Al-Zharaa, a suburb of Mosul, will have a below ground, pipe-enclosed sewer system installed to replace the surface flow system operating today. Workers are digging the first 1.5 kilometers of trenches and pipe is pre-positioned to make this modernization a reality.
The replacement system will bring improved sanitation and health conditions to more than 700,000 of Mosul's 1.5 million residents.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (November 1, 2005) A construction project to repair a stretch of Al-Intesar Road in eastern Mosul was completed Oct. 30. Iraqi workers had been working on the project that repaired and repaved the street since Aug. 25.
The roads previous condition allowed for little or no civilian traffic, leaving the area economically depressed. The conditions also allowed insurgents to easily emplace improvised explosive devices in potholes along the route. Recently insurgent activity has been much lower in the area with the improved roadway. The improved roads will enable economic growth in the area.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Bill Roggio continues to provide in depth analyses of recent coalition operations in Iraq. Northern Exposure outlines Task Force Freedom's advances against al Quaeda in Mosul.
Michael Yon, who is now in Baghdad, will again appear on the Pundit Review Radio program this Sunday evening. Details from their website:
When: Sunday, October 23, 9pm EST
Where: Streaming Live at Bostons Talk Station, WRKO
Contact: Call toll free at 877-469-4322
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 15, 2005) Polling centers opened early throughout Iraq today allowing citizens to stand up for democracy.
Voters went to the polls by the thousands to cast their ballots and participate in this historic national referendum in the city of Tal Afar, which during the January elections had the second-lowest voter turnout in the country. Iraqi Army and Police were the first people to vote in Tal Afar this morning.
Michael Yon is no longer in Mosul, but he is back in Iraq to cover the upcoming elections. He's posted a new dispatch, The Embed, on his site.
The Fourth Rail has published another excellent analysis of recent coalition operations along the Euphrates river in Iraq, including Operation Restoring Rights in Tal Afar. Excerpt:
The following presentation details the current operations being conducted along the Euphrates River which began on October 1, and are still ongoing. The purposes of the operations are threefold: drive al Qaeda, the most dangerous and violent element of the insurgency from the region; establish the security conditions to allow elections on the constitution [October 15] and the parliament [December 15]; and establish a permanent presence of Iraqi Army and police forces.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Insurgents determined to wreck Iraqs upcoming constitutional referendum killed more than 40 people and wounded dozens in several attacks Tuesday, including a suicide car bomb that ripped apart a crowded market in a town near the Syrian border.
U.S. and Iraqi officials have repeatedly warned that the insurgents would step up their attacks to undermine Saturdays vote, a crucial step in Iraqs democratic transition.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Link To Article
By U.S. Army Maj. Jim Hawkins
Gulf Region Division
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Sept. 30, 2005 A substation expansion project in Mosul will increase the existing capacity of the 400 kV Mosul substation to allow for an additional 400 kV transmission line between Mosul and Baghdad. The Mosul substation expansion is a critical, electric grid system element to increase the amount of available power to the entire country. The expansion provides the capacity to distribute power more reliably, thereby affecting six million people.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Arthur Chrenkoff has published his final Good News From Iraq entry, with in depth coverage of positive developments there. A new site, Good News from the Front, will carry on what Arthur started.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Arthur Chrenkoff has published his latest installment of Good News From Iraq, with a long list of positive developments worth exploring.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Arthur Chrenkoff has published his latest edition of Good News From Iraq, which highlights a variety of positive developments not often reported.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to recenet news and analysis.
TFF Press Release
MOSUL, IRAQ (August 6, 2005) Security Forces detained six suspected terrorists and seized a number of items including a letter written to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi while conducting a raid on a safe house in Mosul July 27. In the letter from al-Zarqawi the author, Abu Zayd, a terrorist operating out of Mosul, complained of the poor leadership in Mosul and mistreatment of foreign fighters.
Abu Zayd informs in his letter to the Sheikh that, This is a clarification of what has become of the situation in Mosul, and it is no secret to you the noticeable decrease in the attacks carried out by the Mujahidin, from not long ago when Mosul was in the hands of the Mujahidin Abu Zayd continues by listing the multiple reasons why the Mujahidin have been less effective recently.
Michael Yon has posted a brief dispatch from Mosul, Prelude, at his website.
Two detailed entries for your review.
Link to Full Article
Jed Boal Reporting
In addition to the war against Iraqi insurgents, American troops continue to help rebuild the country. The news media is often accused of not telling the story of the reconstruction, the positive stories, but a Utah man is on his way to Iraq to spread that story.
Returning troops, soldiers in Iraq, and the Department of Defense often claim negative stories and pictures are the only images you get to see from the war. They say their success stories rarely make it to air or print. Public Affairs Specialist Claude McKinney packed up his office at the 96th Regional Readiness Command at Fort Douglas; he's headed over to help out. [...]
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
MOSUL, Iraq (CNN) -- Four separate attacks in and around the city of Mosul killed eight people and wounded four others, including two U.S. soldiers.
Wednesday's deadliest attack came when an Iraqi police patrol moving toward western Mosul was ambushed at about 2 p.m. (6 a.m. EDT). Gunmen using machine guns killed seven officers and wounded one.[...]
Army Times reporter Matthew Cox is maintaining a blog while he is in Iraq. There are only a couple entries at this point, but hopefully he'll add to it as time goes on.
A new entry in the Good News from Iraq blog.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there. One of the links included is an analysis of recent armor added to certain Stryker variants in Iraq.
They have also updated their long list of resources for those looking to support the coalition forces. To their list I'd like to add a few of our own.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 2, 2005) Over 1,000 citizens and 500 Iraqi Police from numerous villages in southern Ninewah Province participated in a historic event today. This was the first March Against Terrorism and was conducted in the town of Qayyarah south of Mosul today. This was a strong demonstration which indicated citizens have had enough.
Many influential sheiks, mukhtars and imams took the lead to support and rally together citizens from all backgrounds, including Arabs and a large contingent of Kurds from east of the Tigris.
Author Michael Yon was interviewed yesterday by phone on the Hugh Hewitt radio program, and the complete transcript is available online. He talks extensively about his time in Northern Iraq.
(via Blackfive)
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 29, 2005) Four Iraqi civilians, including one child, were killed and another 21 injured when terrorists conducted a mortar attack on a neighborhood in Tal Afar Tuesday night. The injured civilians were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Terrorists continue to disregard the health and safety of Iraqi citizens. A number of terrorist attacks over the past three days have killed 22 and injured another 32 Iraqi civilians in northern Iraq. These attacks have directly targeted and disregarded civilian lives.
There are two Iraq news summaries worth browsing this morning.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 23, 2005) Iraqi Security Forces detained nine suspected terrorists during operations in northern Iraq today.
Troops from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division Iraqi Army alongside troops from 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade Iraqi Intervention Force and 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade Iraqi Commandoes detained seven individuals suspected of terrorist activity during a cordon and search operation in western Mosul. IA troops from the 2nd Brigade also detained one individual suspected of terrorist activity during a raid in central Mosul. IIF troops from the 1-3rd detained one individual suspected of terrorist activity during a raid in western Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no ISF injuries reported.
Concerned Iraqi citizens continue to provide valuable information leading to the detention of terrorists. Coordinated efforts of Iraqi Security Forces are leading to the arrest of terrorists and criminals responsible for attacks against innocent Iraqi citizens. Anyone with information on anti-Iraqi insurgent activities should call the Joint Coordination Centers telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Winds of Change has published a number of recent entries that might be of interest to you:
Winds of Change has publsihed its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there. Included is a link to Arthur Chreknkoff's extensive summary titled Good news from Iraq, part 29.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recents events there.
Michael Yon has another entry on his site describing his recent visit to a village near Dohuk, Iraq.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- A suspected deputy of terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has been captured in the restive city of Mosul, the Iraqi military said Saturday.
Iraqi and U.S.-led coalition forces on Friday arrested Mullah Mahdi and five other suspected terrorists -- Mahdi's brother, three other Iraqis and a Syrian, Iraqi Maj. Gen. Khalil al-Obeidi said.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 2, 2005) A number of innocent Iraqi civilians were injured during two terrorist attacks in northern Iraq today.
A motorcycle bomb detonated in central Mosul injuring a number of innocent civilians. The scene of the attack is still under investigation. A pregnant woman was injured when a terrorist pulled next to her vehicle and shot her in northern Mosul. All injured were taken to local hospitals for treatment.
Michael Yon has a new entry on his site, A Fork in the Road, describing a recent visit to Dohuk in Northern Iraq. There are a number of photos included as well.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 28, 2005) Eight innocent Iraqi civilians were killed and a number more wounded during the second terrorist attack in northern Iraq today.
Eight Iraqi civilians, including, children, were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated in a central Mosul neighborhood. An unknown number of injured civilians were transported to a local hospital. The attacks are under investigation.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 28, 2005) At least ten innocent Iraqi civilians were injured during a terrorist attack in northern Iraq today.
The Iraqi civilians were injured in a car bombing south of Sinjar. The injured were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The attacks are under investigation.
General Carter Ham, former commander of Task Force Olympia in Mosul, led a press briefing at the Pentagon that focused on the situation in Iraq. The entire transcript is quite long, but provides some good information.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 26, 2005) An Iraqi Chief of Police and two Iraqi police were assassinated in northern Mosul Wednesday.
The Chief of Police of al Sharqat, Miklif Mussa, and two Iraqi police were assassinated at Mosul University. This is the latest of terrorists targeting civil servants for assassinations.
(TFF Press Release)
Iraqi Security Forces seized two weapons caches during operations in northern Iraq Wednesday.
Iraqi Police seized a weapons cache during an operation northeast of Mosul. The cache included hundreds mortar rounds.
Winds of Change has an excellent roundup of information regarding Operation Matador, the major offensive initiated by the US military in Iraq yesterday.
Link to Full Article
By Tom Regan | csmonitor.com
A recent rise in suicide attacks that has left at least 300 people dead in the last 10 days, including eight US troops over the weekend, has US commanders rethinking their strategies in Iraq. The Washington Post reports that higher priority will be given to fighting "foreign troops and Iraqi jihadists."
The following are a variety of interesting articles regarding Iraq and the military in general.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 3, 2005) After further investigation it was determined that two Iraqi children were killed and another 15 Iraqi citizens were injured when a combined suicide car bomb and improvised explosive device attack detonated in a western Mosul neighborhood Monday. Initial reports had indicated only one child was killed in the attack.
This attack comes one day after another car bomb loaded into a stolen hospital ambulance was driven into a tent where a funeral service was being held, killing as many as 25 Iraqis in Tal Afar Sunday evening, and just two days after a child was killed in an improvised explosive device attack. This is the fifth terrorist attack in three days against innocent Iraqi citizens. The attacks have killed 31 and injured at least 53.
WARNING: Displayed below is one of the photos that was included with this press release. While difficult to look at, I thought it was one of the most moving photos I've seen.
CORRECTION: We originally attributed the photo to the US Army. The photo was in fact taken by Michael Yon.
UPDATE 05/07/05: We may get permission to post this photo in the near future, but for the time being we have removed it. To see the picture and read about the story behind it, please visit Michael Yon's website.
UPDATE 05/09/05: We received permission from the photographer's representative to post the photo.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (April 26, 2005) Over 450 new Iraqi policemen crossed paths as new recruits flew off to the Jordanian Police Academy and newly trained policemen arrived in northern Iraq Monday.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (April 23, 2005) Col. Khalid Najim Abdallah, Director of Corrections for Ninewah Province, was assassinated by terrorists in Mosul Friday. His vehicle was stopped by terrorists who shot and killed Abdallah and wounded his wife and child.
There is a brief update in the following article regarding the group's efforts in Mosul.
USAID and the US Army have completed work to rehabilitate Mosul's water treatment and sewer systems. In support of the Army's efforts to install diesel generator systems and rehabilitate Mosul's six water treatment plants and eight pump stations, USAID worked to clear the city's sewer and storm-drain systems and provided trucks and other equipment including pumps and pump control systems, valves, penstocks, pipes, spare parts, tools, and electrical equipment. USAID also provided welding training to water treatment plant operations and maintenance staff. With the completion of this project and the re-commissioning of the elevated tanks, Mosul will have 24 hours of water available.
A few links of interest.
Link to Full Article
By Sandra Jontz, Stars and Stripes
CAMP DUBLIN, Iraq He was a soccer star in a previous life, the one untouched by war. He was famous among his fellow Iraqis, as soccer players usually were.
But now, he lives a life in obscurity his face hidden behind a black ski mask when on the job. Its too risky for the 24-year-old soccer star-turned-cop to reveal to the world his life as a member of the Emergency Response Unit, an elite part of the rebuilding Iraqi police force.
He prefers his new life.
Plenty of information regarding recent events in the following entries:
[Link to Full Article]
By Mariam Fam
The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Fatma peeked out the window of her Mosul home and saw masked men lobbing mortars at a nearby Iraqi army base for the third time. She decided it would be the last.
As she telephoned to report the men, Fatma became one of an increasing number of Iraqis tipping off the authorities. Officials say it's a sign the country's fledgling security forces are winning the trust of citizens, turning them against the insurgency.
Link to Full Article
By Monte Morin, Los Angeles Times
MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi troops on patrol with U.S. forces had just captured and cuffed a sniper suspect in this northern city when a bomb hidden in a box of biscuits exploded under an Iraqi army pickup truck.
Screaming and shouting filled the air. Four soldiers were hurt. Then the insurgents opened fire.
MOSUL, Iraq (AFP) - At least one Iraqi was killed and five wounded when two car bombs blew up almost simultaneously in the path of US military convoys in the northern city of Mosul, witnesses and a local hospital said.
TFF Press Release
MOSUL, IRAQ (April 2, 2005) A group of Sunni Arab clerics issued a statement on Friday urging fellow Sunni Arabs to join the Iraqi Army and Iraqi Police.
The edict that was issued Friday was signed by 64 Imams and religious scholars was an unexpected turn around for the clerics who have lashed out at the army and police in previous sermons. Clerics hope that integrating more Sunni Arabs into the army and police, which is largely composed of Shiites, will help cut down attacks.
In part the edict stated, because the police and army are a safeguard for the whole nation, not a militia for any special party, we have issued this Fatwa calling on our people to join the army and police.
Recent events in Iraq are covered in depth in the following articles.
Link to Full Article
By Rowan Scarborough, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
In the privacy of their E-ring offices, senior Pentagon officials have begun to entertain thoughts that were unimaginable a year ago: Iraq is turning the corner.
Military officials and analysts say the clearing out of enemy-infested Fallujah in November, the Jan. 30 elections and the increasing willingness of Iraqis to fight and die for a democratic country are contributing to the momentum.
MOSUL, Iraq (AFP) - A suicide car bomber blew himself up in the path of a US military convoy in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, police said, but it was not immediately known if there were any US casualties.
Two news summaries highlighting recent events.
The following articles examine the security situation in Iraq. The Newsday article takes a close look at Mosul, in particluar.
Provided below are links to in-depth analyses of recent events in Iraq.
Link to Full Article
BY MOHAMAD BAZZI, NEWSDAY
BEIRUT -- Iraqi and U.S. forces have come close to capturing Islamic militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi at least twice since mid-January, according to Kurdish intelligence officials.
In each case, Iraq's most wanted man escaped shortly before raids on his hideouts, the two officials said in phone interviews from Iraq. Even though al-Zarqawi fled, Iraqi and U.S. officials were pleased by the accuracy of the intelligence that led to the raids.
The following article examines the various insurgent groups suspected of operating in the Mosul region.
Link to Full Article
By EDWARD WONG
SULAIMANIYA, Iraq, Feb. 21 - Radical Islamist groups that originated in Iraqi Kurdistan are responsible for most of the attacks now taking place in the northern insurgent stronghold of Mosul, senior Kurdish officials say.
The activities of the related jihadist groups, Ansar al-Sunna and Ansar al-Islam, have overshadowed those of the nationalist insurgent cells in Mosul led by members of the former ruling Baath Party, the officials say. The nationalist fighters have quieted down since December, when the Americans increased the number of troops in Mosul to clamp down on the insurgency in advance of the Jan. 30 elections, the Kurdish officials say.
Lt. Gen. David Patreaus provides some information regarding Mosul in the following press briefing. The subject was the continued training of Iraqi forces.
Patreaus: What we are already focusing on more is in a sense the effectiveness of those units. And some of this is somewhat objective. Personnel fill, equipment fill, sort of basic training levels. And then there's also an [inaudible], sort of a subject evaluation of are they fighting. And by the way that's obviously a pretty important quality. What we look at, frankly, what I look at quite a bit as we look at these various units.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (February 9, 2005) Iraqi Security Forces killed one insurgent attempting to murder an ISF commander in northern Iraq yesterday.
Iraqi Intervention Forces guarding their Battalion Commander shot and killed an insurgent suicide bomber who was attempting to drive his vehicle, which was rigged to explode, into the commander. No IIF injuries were reported in the incident.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (February 6, 2005) Iraqi Regular Army Soldiers detained five individuals in northern Iraq yesterday.
Iraqi Regular Army Soldiers from the 101st Infantry Regiment detained four insurgents suspected of terrorist activities in northern Mosul. While conducting a cordon and search Iraqi Regular Army Soldiers from the 104th Infantry Regiment, also detained one insurgent suspected of terrorist activities in eastern Mosul. Suspect is in custody with no IA injuries reported.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (February 2, 2005) As the first democratic election appointing the legislative assembly ends, Iraqi Security Forces will continue to maintain a high level of security.
Iraqi Security Forces will continue to conduct cordon and searches in order to detain insurgents suspected of terrorist activities, and confiscate weapons and ammunition. ISF has been trained to help make Iraq a safer place and will continue to serve their country in it's time of rebuilding.
(TFF Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (February 2, 2005) The Ninewah Province had a more secure time leading up to Election Day due in-part to an early no roll put into affect January 27.
Governor Duraid Kashmoula instituted the no roll, which did not allow anyone in the province to drive from January 27 until February 1, a day before the nation-wide security measure went into affect. The decision resulted in much less insurgent minority attacks in the Ninewah Province as compared to other areas of the country.
A few worthwile entries to explore:
Link to Full Article
By CHRISTINE HAUSER
MOSUL, Iraq, Jan. 30 - The men were dressed in black. They stood on the side of the road in a group, intently watching the street. The deputy governor of Mosul sped by them in a convoy with bodyguards in police vehicles, their lights flashing.
Seconds later, a roadside bomb exploded with a deafening crack, hitting a police vehicle and claiming another victim in the kind of attack that has made Mosul one of the most notoriously dangerous cities in Iraq.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 30, 2005) Initial indications look good for voter turnout in northern Iraq today.
Within hours of the polls opening long lines of voters had formed outside polling stations across Mosul and the Ninewah Province. Increased Iraqi Security Force and Multi-National Force operations to include detentions and confiscation of weapons over the time leading up to the elections have helped ensure the security for Election Day.
Officials are very hopeful that election turnout will continue to be high.
Associated Press
ASKAN, Iraq Some couldn't read, but knew their party's identification number on the ballot. Others couldn't see, but were led to the polls by police.
Across wide swathes of Iraq, especially in the southern Shiite and northern Kurdish areas, Iraqis went to the polls today, expressing fierce determination and pride, together with hope that the election will improve their hard lives.
"I don't have a job. I hope the new government will give me a job," said one voter, Rashi Ayash, 50, a former Iraqi lieutenant colonel.
From the early hours of this morning, Iraqis stood in long lines that wrapped around street corners, defying militant threats of violence to cast their votes for the 275-member National Assembly. Dozens were killed as militants fired mortars, and in one town, a suicide bomber mingled with voters waiting outside a polling booth.[...]
By Steve Walsh / Post-Tribune staff writer
MOSUL, Iraq For the last three days, Iraqis in Mosul have woken up in a city fortified in large part by local Indiana National Guard troops.
Beginning Thursday, the Indiana National Guard 113th Engineer Battalion worked long nights to secure the west side of this ancient city.
The concrete barriers are intended to keep polling places safe for the historic election. Patrols of local soldiers put the last few fortifications in place just hours before the polls were to open at 7 this morning. [...]
By Luke Baker
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Some smile, some are stoic and others hide their faces as Iraqis go to the polls, braving anti-U.S. insurgents determined to drown the historic vote in blood.
Suicide bombs and mortar fire marked the event, the first multi-party poll in 50 years, killing at least 22 people countrywide. But still thousands dared to cast their votes.
In Falluja, the devastated Sunni city west of Baghdad that was an insurgent stronghold until a U.S. assault in November, a thin stream of people turned out, defying expectations.
"We want to be like other Iraqis, we don't want to always be in opposition," said Ahmed Jassim, smiling after voting.[...]
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 29, 2005) Iraqi Security Forces were able to thwart an anti-Iraqi insurgent attack on a power station in northern Iraq today.
The Christian Science Monitor has an excellent outline of the election process and related issues.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the 31 Marines killed in the Super Stallion crash yesterday in Iraq. 27 of the Marines were from the Kaneohe base in Hawaii, while the helicopter's crew was from Miramar in San Diego, CA.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
Arthur Chrenkoff has published his latest edition of Good News From Iraq. As Arthur explains:
[This compilation] is not the full picture of Iraq - merely that part of it you don't often see on the nightly news or the pages of newspapers. This does not automatically make it more - or less important in the scheme of things, merely equally important to consider.
Winds of Change has published its weekly Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY, STAFF CORRESPONDENT
MOSUL, Iraq -- Mud-slinging is the last thing Dr. Hunain al-Qaddo has to worry about now that campaign season is in full swing and he is competing with more than 200 slates of candidates for a spot in the country's first democratically elected parliament.
Al-Qaddo fears for his life.
Two in depth summaries worth exploring:
Mosul is mentioned throughout the following article.
Link to Full Article
By Annia Ciezadlo, The Christian Science Monitor
SULAYMANIYAH, IRAQ For six weeks, the US military pounded Fallujah in an effort to crush the core of Iraq's insurgency - and kill or capture its putative leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
But two top Kurdish intelligence officers say that even before the campaign destroyed that base, insurgents were scattering, evolving into dozens of small cells determined - and empowered - to disrupt security ahead of the country's national elections Jan. 30, with or without Mr. Zarqawi. [...]
Two very worthwhile entries to explore.
Link to Full Article
By Bradley Graham, Washington Post
AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- A giant video screen, hung inside a warehouse here that has been transformed by the U.S. Air Force into a state-of-the-art operations center, provides a window on the military action that still occupies the skies over Iraq.
One day earlier this month, the radar signatures of a half-dozen U.S. fighter jets could be seen over Mosul, Fallujah and Babil Province south of Baghdad, their locations reflecting the best guesses of military commanders about where trouble might flare.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 18, 2004) Iraqi Security Forces defeated two separate attacks in Mosul by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to ambush an Iraqi National Guard patrol and seize a police station in northern Iraq. In addition, anti-Iraqi insurgents attempted to attack a Multi-National Force patrol with a roadside bomb but instead the blast hit and Iraqi school bus killing one student and injuring six.
Insurgents attempted to ambush an Iraqi National Guard patrol with small arms fire in western Mosul. ING soldiers quickly maneuvered on their attackers returning fire and eliminating three while detaining one person. No ING Soldiers sustained injuries during the attack and the detained individual is in custody undergoing questioning.
Link to Full Article
Edmund Sanders, Los Angeles Times
Baghdad -- Masked gunmen in the turbulent Iraqi city of Mosul ambushed a car carrying Turkish police officers Friday, shooting three to death and decapitating a fourth who tried to run away, witnesses said.
In a daytime attack reminiscent of the killing in March of four U.S. security contractors in Fallujah, militants looted the policemen's weapons and set the car ablaze before escaping.
Excerpts from yesterday's press briefing at the Pentagon by Gen. Casey.
Q: All right, you had said that with the fall of Fallujah for the insurgents, they don't have a safe house inside the country anymore. Mosul, since Fallujah has seen a lot of trouble up there, what is the status of Mosul now? And do you think that is becoming a safe haven for insurgents? And what are you doing to try to alleviate the ongoing problem up there?
GEN. CASEY: Let me talk about safe haven for a minute, what I mean when I say safe haven. For me, a safe haven is a place where insurgents and terrorists can go and plan, and build improvised explosive devices, and bring in recruits and receive them in, give them training, link them up with operations, stage for operations, rehearse operations, with impunity. And that's what they had in Fallujah, and that's what they don't have anymore. That's what they had in Samarra for a while. They don't have that -- (inaudible). That's what the Muqtada militia had in Najaf. They don't have that anymore.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (December 16, 2004) The residents of Al Fayida, a refugee settlement in a former Iraqi Army training facility near Dahuk, crowded the streets and cheered when seven flatbed trucks laden with food arrived in their village December 15.
They were the recipients of a large shipment of rice, noodles, cooking oil and other non-perishable food products purchased by the Islamic Supreme Council of America (ISCA) and delivered by Multi-National Forces Soldiers.
Provided below is a list of selected news summaries and articles to browse.
Link to Full Article
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MOSUL, Iraq -- Militants bombed two churches Tuesday in Mosul, wounding three people in a coordinated attack apparently aimed at stirring trouble between religious groups in this ethnically diverse northern city.
Deputy provincial governor Khasro Gouran said one blast struck a church about 2:30 p.m. in eastern Mosul's Wihda neighborhood, wounding three people.
The following are detailed compilations of recent news from Iraq.
Registration required to view full article. Fricke has a son with the 1/25 SBCT as well.
Link to Full Article
By Amanda Covarrubias, Times Staff Writer
When U.S. Army Maj. Daniel E. Fricke visited police stations in Iraq this year, he was surprised by what he didn't see flak jackets, gun belts, flashlights and batons.
As a sergeant with the Los Angeles School Police Department, which serves the Los Angeles Unified School District's 1,042 campuses, he knows how difficult it is to conduct police work even under the best circumstances.
Link to Full Article
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1, 2004 -- Successful military operations in Fallujah, Iraq, have put insurgents and foreign fighters on the run, and the military commander of coalition forces in Iraq said today the city is "no longer held hostage to terror."
In an interview from Baghdad with the Pentagon Channel, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said coalition forces have taken a "major step forward" in the campaign to end the insurgent stronghold that has held the city captive. [...]
A couple military officials in Mosul are quoted in the following story.
Link to Full Article
By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and JAMES GLANZ
MOSUL, Iraq, Nov. 29 - Iraqi police and national guard forces, whose performance is crucial to securing January elections, are foundering in the face of coordinated efforts to kill and intimidate them and their families, say American officials in the provinces facing the most violent insurgency. [...]
In the northern city of Mosul, almost the entire police force and large parts of several Iraqi National Guard battalions deserted during an insurgent uprising this month. Iraqi leaders had to use Guard battalions of Kurdish soldiers to secure the city, kindling ethnic tensions with Arabs. Police stations in western Mosul have perhaps several hundred officers in an area that is supposed to have several thousand.
For those brave enough to come to work, "right now, all they're doing is looking out the window and making sure the bad guys aren't coming to get them," said an American military official in Mosul, who did not want his name to be used.
Provide below are two extensive compilations of recent news from Iraq.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (November 21, 2004) Soldiers from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) discovered on Saturday in central Mosul the bodies of nine Iraqi Regular Army soldiers. Each of the victims was found with a gunshot wound to the back of the head. The bodies were retrieved and transported to the city morgue.
Initial reports that seven of the victims were beheaded are false.
Winds of Change has published its most recent Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there. Also, in case you missed it previously, they have a very comprehensive roundup of news related to Fallujah.
In addition to the sources we've mentioned previously, Winds of Change has a very comprehensive roundup of information on the situation there. Their entry will be updated as new information becomes available, so you might want to bookmark it.
In addition to the sources we've mentioned previously, Winds of Change has a very comprehensive roundup of information on the situation there. Their entry will be updated as new information becomes available, so you might want to bookmark it.
It's not clear from the article whether this Marine reservist is part of Task Force Olympia, but he operates in the Mosul region and has some very interesting experiences to share.
[Link to Full Article]
By Derek Gentile, Berkshire Eagle Staff
LEE -- Vivien Cord of Armonk, N.Y., acknowledges that she knows James Pow only by the beautiful, flower-petal designs he shows at the arts and crafts shows she runs in New York and Connecticut.
But a few months ago, Pow, a 45-year-old Marine reservist-turned-craftsman, told Cord and her husband, Ed, that he was being sent overseas to Iraq.
"I said to him, 'Please, keep in touch,' " recalled Vivien Cord. "It was a little unsettling." [...]
Here are two items to read if you're interested in exploring the situation in Iraq beyond the headlines.
In addition to traditional news reports from embedded reporters you might want to bookmark the following sites, both of which will likely follow the situation in Fallujah closely.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi declared a 60-day state of emergency Sunday, as preparations were under way for an all-out offensive on the insurgent stronghold of Falluja.
"The council of ministers has approved this, the presidency has approved it," Allawi said of the state of emergency. "We declared it today, and we are going to implement it whenever is necessary and wherever is necessary."
The interim prime minister cautioned that Iraqi and U.S. forces "are not going to be easy" with suspected terrorists and insurgents.
There is a brief mention in the following article of an incident in Mosul.
[...] In the northern city of Mosul, another car bomb blew up near a military convoy Tuesday, killing four civilians and wounding at least seven soldiers.
Iraqi police say the attack was an attempt to assassinate Maj.-Gen. Rashid Feleih, the commander of a special task force.
He was not hurt.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (November 3, 2004) Mehdi Achmed Moussa, a known car bomb maker in Mosul, died from burns suffered when one of his car bombs accidentally exploded in a southern Mosul market last week.
Before his death, Moussa received treatment for his burns at a local hospital where three separate Iraqi citizens identified him as the notorious organizer of car bomb attacks in the Mosul area during the last few months.
Multinational Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Local citizens should cooperate with security forces by providing information that leads to the capture and arrest of anti-Iraqi forces. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center in Mosul at 125 or 513462.
[Link to Full Article]
The Associated Press
In Mosul (MOH'-sul), police and the U-S military say two car bombs have hit two separate U-S convoys. Military sources say five soldiers were hurt in the blasts.
Iraqi police say the first attack killed one Iraqi civilian. No word on civilian casualties in the second...
The U-S military isn't yet commenting.
UPDATE: This article has slightly different information. "The US military said two soldiers had also been slightly wounded in the blast, but had returned to duty. A Stryker armoured vehicle was damaged and two cars destroyed."
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 29, 2004) Special Iraqi Police Commandos from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior and soldiers from the Iraqi National Guard detained six people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities Thursday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Police Commandos and Iraqi National Guard soldiers conducted cordon and search operations in Mosul and detained six people wanted for planning and conducting attacks against civilian and military targets. The suspects are in custody with no injuries reported during the operation.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 26, 2004) Three terrorists were killed Monday when the car bomb they parked near the Mosul Provincial Hall prematurely detonated. No one else was killed or wounded in the blast.
The three men, two dressed in police uniforms, drove through a checkpoint and into an outer parking area near the seat of Mosul provincial government where they parked the vehicle loaded with artillery shells. As one of the men, Sahir Khodhir, walked away from the vehicle, the car exploded, instantly killing the two men inside and wounding Khodhir, who later died of wounds at the hospital.
Wires and a remote detonation device were found on Khodhirs body. One man killed in the blast was his brother and the other worked as his bodyguard. Reports stating Khodhir was a tribal leader in the northern region of Iraq are false.
Winds of Change has also published its latest Iraq Report, with link to news and analysis of recent developments there.
Arthur Chrenkoff has published his latest edition of Good News From Iraq. As always, this will keep you busy for a while.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 25, 2004) Mosul city government and Iraqi Security
Forces were the targets of two car bomb attacks today that failed to disrupt
government operations in Mosul. The near simultaneous car bomb attacks
occurred at approximately 11 a.m.
The first car bomb occurred in an outer parking area within the Ninevah
Provincial Hall compound in the center of Mosul. Two people were killed in
the blast and one person was injured who later died of wounds at a local
hospital. All three are suspected of being responsible for the attack. The
Governor was conducting a Ninevah Provincial Council meeting at the time.
The Provincial Hall building sustained no damages, and government business
continued.
[Link to Full Article]
By MEREDITH GOAD, Portland Press Herald Writer
So you think you've suffered as a Red Sox fan? Try watching your favorite team finally make it to the World Series from a desert country half a world away.
That's the situation for Spc. Chad Haskell of Augusta and his buddies in Iraq. A Sox fan since 1969, Haskell has been getting up at 3 a.m. to watch every playoff game, and plans to do the same during the coming week, no matter how worn out he is for duty the next day.
(TFO Press Release)
UPDATE: Here's a photo from Yahoo! News related to this story.
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 22, 2004) Soldiers of the Iraqi National Guard conducted operations in northeastern Mosul at approximately 12:30 p.m. today. ING soldiers acted on information that confirmed bomb makers had sought sanctuary in the Al Norain mosque.
ING has detained suspected bomb makers for further questioning. As the ING soldiers were searching the mosque, terrorists fired small arms, rocket propelled grenades and mortars at them.
No Multinational Forces/United States forces entered any area of the mosque building or surrounding grounds at any time. MNF served in a security role only and were not stationed near the mosque.
One civilian was injured and is being treated for minor wounds.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 22, 2004) Approximately 2,000 Iraqi Regular Army soldiers from 4th Brigade graduated during a ceremony held Oct. 15 at the Al Kisik military installation in northern Iraq.
The soldiers underwent approximately four months of extensive training with the assistance of members of the Multi-National Forces.
During this time, soldiers were taught basic rifle marksmanship, how to conduct patrols, individual and team movements and how to secure and clear buildings. The soldiers also learned basic first aid and leadership skills.
The graduates will become part of the 3rd Infantry Division, Iraqi Regular Army and will be able to provide greater security for the citizens of northern Iraq. The addition of new soldiers is important for the Iraqi security forces in their responsibility for the security in Iraq.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lin Noueihed
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) - Rebels have fired several mortar rounds in Iraq's northern city of Mosul in an attack possibly aimed at visiting interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
Journalists accompanying Allawi on Thursday heard about five blasts as the prime minister's party was about to leave the city. Moments later a small blaze and plume of black smoke could be seen by those aboard the helicopters taking his entourage away.
[Link to Article]
By Kathleen T. Rhem, American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2004 -- The pace of reconstruction projects is picking up in Iraq as officials make commitments for the $18.44 billion Congress allotted to the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund.
Army officials responsible for managing reconstruction programs and administering contracts said today that they have so far committed -- or set aside for specific projects -- $10.5 billion in reconstruction monies.
Acting Army Secretary Les Brownlee briefed reporters in the Pentagon today that $7.7 billion are already obligated, "which means we have actually signed contracts." He added that officials also already have more than $1 billion in "construction work in the ground."
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 18, 2004) A car bomb detonated on a Mosul bridge Sunday killing five Iraqi citizens and injuring 15 others.
The car bomb detonated at approximately 10:30 a.m. on the western side of the bridge between the neighborhoods of Al Matlan and Al Shefa and the Mosul amusement park. The blast occurred after the driver of the car bomb collided with another car. Several other cars were destroyed.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 18, 2004) Soldiers from the Iraqi National Guard detained six in separate incidents and Iraqi police discovered a large weapons cache in a Mosul neighborhood Sunday.
Guardsmen with the 102nd Iraqi National Guard Battalion conducted a cordon and knock operation near the northern Iraq city of Al Hadr in an attempt to capture subjects suspected of planning attacks against Iraqi and Multinational Forces. Soldiers detained three individuals, who remain in custody.
[Link to Full Article]
Reported by: Jennifer Steiner
A Sycamore Township firefighter who risks his life everyday to help fight fires in Iraq says he'll do it all over again in an instant.
For three months Zach Van Lieu has been working to keep members of an Army engineering detachment in Mosul safe from the constant threat of fire.
9News interviewed Van Lieu three months ago when he first left for Iraq and recently spoke again with him in a phone interview about the constant danger in Iraq.
Winds of Change has published its most recent Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
First a brief explanation of why I'm posting this now. This summary of positive developments in Iraq was originally published on Monday, but it didn't seem appropriate to share given the tragic news coming from Mosul this week. It's been a very difficult time for everyone. However, I keep remembering an email I received from a soldier about six months ago during another particularly rough stretch. He asked if we could please post some good news for a change. Progress was being made, but it didn't seem to make it to the headlines on our site.
Consequently, if for no other reason than to honor the sacrifices being made by our soldiers and their Iraqi allies, I wanted to share Chrenkoff's Good News From Iraq, Part 12. This is what they are helping make possible.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 12, 2004) The Iraqi National Guard detained eight people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities and collected a variety of weapons Monday in northern Iraq.
Soldiers from the 109th Iraqi National Guard Battalion conducted a cordon and search in Tal Afar and detained eight people wanted for planning and conducting roadside bomb attacks against civilian and military vehicles. ING soldiers seized three AK-47s during a search of the residence and reported no injuries during the operation.
Iraqi National Guard forces continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Police, Iraqi Army, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Local citizens should cooperate with their security forces by providing us with information that leads to the capture and arrest of anti-Iraqi forces. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center in Mosul at 125 or 513462.
The 29th Signal Battalion is a Ft. Lewis-based unit currently deployed to central Iraq that supported the Stryker Brigade throughout its training. Consequently, we wanted to highlight some of the great work it's performing right now.
LSA Anaconda, Balad, Iraq Anaconda-based Soldiers are helping local Iraqi children start the new school year with new schools and new school supplies during October.
Soldiers from the 29th Signal Battalion kicked off the new school year Oct. 2 by distributing school supplies to 130 children in Al bu Hassan. The first day of classes at the battalion sponsored $78 thousand new school was made extra special by the visiting Soldiers donations.
The 29th Signal Battalion is a Ft. Lewis-based unit currently deployed to central Iraq that supported the Stryker Brigade throughout its training. Consequently, we wanted to highlight some of the great work it's performing right now.
LSA Anaconda, Balad, Iraq Anaconda-based Soldiers are helping local Iraqi children start the new school year with new schools and new school supplies during October.
Soldiers from the 29th Signal Battalion kicked off the new school year Oct. 2 by distributing school supplies to 130 children in Al bu Hassan. The first day of classes at the battalion sponsored $78 thousand new school was made extra special by the visiting Soldiers donations.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 5, 2004) Soldiers from the 416th and 426th Civil Affairs Battalions delivered 20 bags of wheat seeds to the Ninevah Agriculture Directorate Saturday in an effort to improve farming conditions in the breadbasket of Iraq.
The project was a culmination of three months of work to deliver eight varieties of wheat and barley from the United States directly to the farmers in Ninevah Province. The World Wide Wheat corporation and Texas A&M, University of Colorado State and University of Kansas State, contributed the Arizona-grown cultivars. Arizona wheat was chosen because it has adapted to a climate similar to that of Iraq.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report. One of the items they link to is Belmont Club's analysis of recent fighting in Samarra. A successful joint Iraqi/American mission seems to be a very positive development.
The following article is another reminder of the tremendous history of Iraq.
[Link to Article] (Photos included)
By Spc. Crista Birmingham
UR, Iraq (Army News Service, Oct. 1, 2004) The coalition is preserving both the old and new at southern Iraqs ancient city of Ur.
Now the site of Tallil Army Air Base, Ur was the birthplace of Abraham, revered as a patriarch in the Bible, Torah and Koran. Ur was also an ancient royal burial site and boasts the Ziggurat of Nanna, a monument to the ancient Sumerian moon god.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (October 4, 2004) A ceremony was held October 3 to formally dissolve the Turkish peace monitoring force, marking the end of its seven-year mission to contribute to the security of northern Iraq. The PMF was formed in 1997 to monitor a cease-fire between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Members of the Iraqi government were present at the ceremony to recognize the contributions of the Turkish government.
Conflict between the KDP and PUK intensified in 1996, drawing the attention of the global community. During a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, a cease-fire agreement was established by representatives of the two parties and representatives from the United States, Britain and Turkey. The cease-fire, known as the Ankara Peace Process, called for a Turkish force to enforce the cease-fire and monitor relations between the two parties.
The following article is one of many recently that attempts to analyze the progress, and setbacks, in Iraq quantitatively. Mosul is mentioned, which is why I wanted to share it.
If you're interested in this kind of information you should also read Belmont Club's detailed examination of recent attacks against civilian and military targets in Iraq. Is the security situation improving or worsening? He explains how very different outlooks can be supported by the facts presented.
Finally, this seems like a good place to mention a new website, the MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base, described as, "a comprehensive database of global terrorist incidents and organizations." You can drill down to individual incidents, or generate a list for a geographic area, such as Mosul.
A number of in-depth summaries to browse.
MOSUL, Iraq (AP) - A car bomb exploded in the northeastern city of Mosul on Monday as an Iraqi National Guard patrol was passing by, killing at least four guardsmen and wounding three others, police said.
At least three vehicles were damaged in the blast, witnesses said.
Police Capt. Mushtaq Abdul-Karim said the explosion killed at least four guardsmen and wounded three others and also hurt a civilian.
(TFO Press Release)
By Spc. Blair Larson
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 26, 2004) Iraqi National Guard soldiers from Mosul, Irbil and Dahuk received 1,032 body armor vests and 1,500 protective helmets September 25.
The equipment was purchased by Task Force Olympia with funds from the Commanders Emergency Response Program as part of a larger effort to equip the Iraqi security forces.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 24, 2004) The Turkish peace monitoring force, which was formed in 1997 to monitor a cease-fire between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), will be dissolved in early October. A ceremony will be held to formally recognize the contributions of the Turkish government and the successful efforts of the force to contribute to northern Iraqs security.
The conflict between the KDP and PUK intensified in 1996, drawing the attention of the global community. During a meeting in Ankara, Turkey, a cease-fire agreement was established by representatives of the two parties and representatives from the United States, Britain and Turkey. The cease-fire, known as the Ankara Peace Process, called for a Turkish force to enforce the cease-fire and monitor relations between the two parties.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Interim Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, laying out his government's security, economic, and political aspirations Thursday to a joint meeting of Congress, said elections for a transitional national assembly will be held in January, as scheduled.
"Elections will occur in Iraq on time in January," Allawi promised.
He mentioned the doubts many have expressed about Iraq's achievements over the months and said, "We will prove them wrong again."
I've been collecting a number of non-Stryker related articles that I thought might be of interest. Rather than post them all separately I've listed the article titles below and will let you click through to read the full article if you see something you like.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with plenty of links to news and analysis of recent events.
[Link to Full Article]
By ERIC SCHMITT, New York Times
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 - Three months into its new mission, the military command in charge of training and equipping Iraqi security forces has fewer than half of its permanent headquarters personnel in place, despite having one of the highest-priority roles in Iraq.
Only about 230 of the nearly 600 military personnel required by the headquarters, from lawyers to procurement experts, have been assigned jobs with the group, the Multinational Security Transition Command, military officials in Washington and Iraq said. One officer said the military's Joint Staff had given the armed services until Oct. 15 to fill the remaining jobs, but other officials said those people might not actually be in place until weeks later. [...]
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 16, 2004) The Iraqi Police detained one person for anti-Iraqi activities and discovered a huge variety of weapons and munitions Wednesday in northern Iraq.
Iraqi Police detained one person at a traffic control point 15 km north of Mosul for illegally attempting to smuggle munitions into Mosul yesterday. During a search of the suspects vehicle, police discovered 147 60mm mortar rounds. Police detained the suspect and remains in their custody. The U.S. Explosive Ordnance Disposal team secured the munitions for future destruction.
By Ann Scott Tyson, The Christian Science Monitor
MOSUL, Iraq It's 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Khalid Ahmed jostles in the back of a U.S. armored vehicle on a combat mission, tightens his flak vest, and pulls on a thick black ski mask. Covering his eyes with wrap-around sunglasses, he obscures the last clues to his Iraqi identity.
It's a mask Mr. Ahmed hates intensely, although he knows it could save his life. As an interpreter for a U.S. Army colonel, he faces constant danger on and off the job. In Mosul alone, at least four of his colleagues including his predecessor have been assassinated for working with American forces.[...]
Chrenkoff has published his latest installment of Good News From Iraq - Part 10
(TFO Press Release)
By Spc. Autumn Grimsley
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 8, 2004) The Iraqi Border Patrol soldiers are better equipped after receiving 550 new 9mm hand guns.
The new weapons will allow the border patrol soldiers to search cars easier, said Lt. Col. Sabah-Aklawi.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi Defense Ministry said Sunday that Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, deputy commander of armed forces under Saddam Hussein, was captured near Tikrit by the Iraqi national guard and U.S. troops.
But the Pentagon had no immediate confirmation, and a senior Pentagon official expressed some doubt about the report. [...]
[Link to TFO Press Release]
By Spc. Autumn Grimsley
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 2, 2004) The Mosul Police Department can better protect the citizens of Mosul after being handed the keys to over $175,000 worth of new vehicles in a brief ceremony at the Mosul Palace on September 1.
Four new trucks were given to the local police to replace vehicles destroyed when a car bomb exploded in front of the Somer Police Station in southeastern Mosul on Aug 1. The police use the flat-bed trucks to move large numbers of officers to incidents at one time.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (September 1, 2004) Terrorists attacked the Mosul city center today with four mortars killing one Iraqi Police Officer and wounding another. Also injured in the attack were 17 civilians.
The attack happened just before noon in downtown Mosul. Mortars hit near the government building, located in the center, and according to Col. Khalid Hassan Ahmad, staff officer of operations at the Joint Coordination Center, did not damage the structure.
Chrenkoff has published his latest installment of Good News From Iraq - Part 9.
Additionally, Winds of Change has posted its latest Iraq Report.
Finally, The August 20 & 27 editions of The Coalition Scimitar are available for download. There is one article from Mosul in each edition, both of which have been posted here previously.
(TFO Press Release)
By. Spc. Blair Larson
MOSUL, IRAQ (August 28, 2004) Members of the Iraqi Border Patrol battalion in Diyanah, Iraq, received 25 sets of night vision goggles and 10 Jeep Libertys August 28 from Multinational Forces.
The night vision goggles were purchased by Task Force Olympia with funds from the Commanders Emergency Response Program and cost approximately $101,000. The goggles will be used to assist the IBP in conducting night patrols to capture smugglers near the border.
[Link to Full Article]
Morning Sentinel
EDITOR'S NOTE: On the day he was to fly to California and enroll as a freshman at the University of Southern California, Derek Mitchell took the time to answer questions about his ground-breaking trip as a young journalist in Iraq. Mitchell, a 2004 graduate of Skowhegan Area High School, reported live by satellite three times daily to WHQO 107.9, based in Skowhegan. From June 14 to 25, he was embedded with the 133rd Engineer Battalion, where his father, Capt. Michael Mitchell, is stationed.
We mentioned journalist Michael Weisskopf earlier this year. He was a Time magazine correspondent embedded with the Army's 1st Armored Division when he lost his hand trying to dispose of an enemy grenade that landed in the Humvee he was riding in. Weisskopf was recently honored by the Army with the Fourth Estate Award.
[Link to Article]
By Sgt. Lorie Jewell
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Army News Service, Aug. 19, 2004) Before the war in Iraq, Michael Weisskopfs lengthy journalism career was short on Soldier stories.
Three weeks with the 1st Armored Divisions Tomb Raiders in Adhamiya, a powder keg neighborhood in Baghdad, changed that. Weisskopf, a senior correspondent with Time Magazine, was embedded in November and December 2003 with the Survey Platoon, Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment. Earlier reporting from Iraq, in April 2003, peaked his interest in telling the war story from the trench level, he said.
Winds of Change has two recent Iraq Reports with plenty of coverage of events there. The first was published on August 19th, while the second was published today, August 23rd.
[Link to Full Article]
VOA News
A rocket has hit a busy market in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, killing at least five civilians.
The U.S. military says at least 10 other civilians were wounded in the early afternoon Wednesday. It is not clear who was responsible.
Chrenkoff has published his latest edition of Good News From Iraq (Part Eight), and Winds of Change has published a new Iraq Report.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (August 13, 2004) Soldiers of the 107th Iraqi National Guard Battalion identified an improvised explosive device on Aug. 12 and safely reduced it. In a separate incident, three terrorists were detained after they attacked Multinational Brigade patrol with a roadside bomb.
Iraqi soldiers from Company A, 107th Battalion stationed near Hammam Al Alil, identified an explosive device near the Hammam Al Alil Agricultural College. The Iraqi National Guard explosive ordnance disposal team reduced the explosive without injury or damage.
The Brookings Institue maintains a database, "tracking reconstruction and security in post-Saddam Iraq." Called the Iraq Index, it is probably the most detailed compilation of statisitcs I've seen regarding the war in Iraq. From the website:
The Iraq Index is a statistical compilation of economic and security data. This resource will provide updated information on various criteria, including crime, telephone and water service, troop fatalities, unemployment, Iraqi security forces, oil production, and coalition troop strength.
If you're interested in this kind of information you can check in regularly - the study is updated three times a week.
[Link to Full Article]
By Mike Lopresti
PATRAS, Greece The soccer team from Iraq had just scored the go-ahead goal, and in section 108, they were bouncing up and down to celebrate.
"I must call my brother," said Muhammad Bilal, reaching for his cell phone. "He is watching in Iraq." [...]
Winds of Change has published another Iraq Report this week, with links to news and analysis of recent events there. If you're interested in news from Najaf they have plenty of coverage.
[Link to Full Article] (Photos included)
By Spc. Chris Stephens
CAMP CASEY, South Korea (Army News Service, Aug. 10, 2004) -- Units from the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division are now deploying to the Middle East from South Korea.
For more than 50 years the 2nd Infantry Division has guarded freedoms frontier in South Korea, as part of the Armistice Agreement signed on July 27, 1953.
Winds of Change has published its most recent Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
There's a great picture on the TFO website today of the 133's work.
by Sgt. Joseph Sanchez (TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (August 8, 2004) An academic workshop will be held in Amman, Jordan, hosted by the University of Jordan, August 15-19. The workshop will focus on horticulture, food services, plant protection, agriculture economics and extension.
This workshop is the first hosted by the Hawaii- Iraq Partnership for Revitalizing Agricultural Higher Education and Development. More than 100 participants are expected to attend. Participants will come from colleges and universities across northern Iraq including: University of Mosul College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Dohuk College of Agriculture (CA), Salahaddin University (CA), Sulaimani University (CA), Tikrit University (CA), University of Baghdad (CA), Mosul Technical Institute, Mosul Dairy Plant, Nineveh Extension Center, Nineveh Food Industries in Addition to the University of Jordan.
The August 6th edition of The Coalition Scimitar is available for download. I saw a couple stories regarding Mosul and Task Force Olympia included.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Julie Friedman
Local workers painstakingly recreate the ramp leading up to the Nergal Gate using the authentic Assyrian cobblestone pattern.
MOSUL, Iraq (Army News Service, Aug. 6, 2004) - Two major historic sites in Mosul dating back to the 8th century B.C. are being restored with help from the 416th Civil Affairs Battalion.
Maj. Wayne Bowen, head of the 416ths Higher Education and Antiquities Team, is working with Ninevah Director of Antiquities, Muzahim Mahmood, to facilitate restoration projects at the Nergal Gate and King Sennacheribes palace.[...]
Although not Stryker-related, this article was too interesting not to post.
[Link to Full Article]
Army Lionesses hit streets with Marines on combat ops
By Gordon Lubold, Times staff writer
RAMADI, Iraq When Marines on the hunt for insurgents here kick in the door, Spc. Shannon Morgan isnt far behind. Shes part of Team Lioness, a small group of women proving itself in one of Iraqs hottest combat zones.
Women are serving throughout the war zone, but the soldiers in this band of sisters are unique. Theyre joining male Marines and soldiers on offensive ops, taking part in raids, security patrols and vehicle checkpoints.
Adam Lynn and Peter Haley of The News Tribune have just returned from covering the 81st BCT (WA National Guard) in Iraq. You can browse their archive of stories here.
BAGHDAD (AP) Fierce gunbattles broke out Wednesday between Iraqi police and dozens of masked militants roaming the northern city of Mosul, killing 12 Iraqis and wounding 26 others, officials said.
Police confronted the militants, who were carrying assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers while moving through streets in the Bab al-Toub area of Mosul. The battle was punctuated by explosions, witnesses said. [...]
This is not new news, but it hasn't been posted before.
[Link to Full Article]
By Maj. Robert Weaver, HQ&A 225th FSB
FORWARD OPERATING BASE WARRIOR, Iraq -- Soldiers of Headquarters and A Company, 225th Forward Support Battalion conducted a Refuel on the Move mission July 21 in support of a Republic of Korea Army convoy through AO Warrior.
Before this mission the company conducted ROM operations in support of the 1st Bn., 14th Infantry Regiment's movement to Mosul.
Each of these ROM missions were unique for a light FSB, since none of the ROM equipment is organic to the battalion. The 225th built the capability to execute ROM missions since being deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom II. [...]
(MNFI-MNCI Press Release)
Baghdad - Multi-National Forces, at the request of the Iraqi Interim Government, began on Monday conducting border enforcement missions along Iraq's Syrian border to disrupt the movement of anti-Iraqi forces into the country.
Operation Phantom Linebacker involves ongoing joint border patrols between the Iraqi National Guard, Iraqi Border Police and Multi-National Forces, and includes MNF training and mentoring of the IBP.
Winds of Change has published its most recent Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events there.
Chrenkoff has published his seventh edition of Good News From Iraq.
An interesting letter from a pilot with the Montana Air National Guard currently operating from Balad, Iraq.
[Link to Full Article]
By Lt. Col. Mike Alien Buck, Montana Air National Guard
Greetings, Montana:
It had now been six weeks since we began flying missions from Balad Air Base, Iraq. Summer is in full swing here along the Tigris River, which provides irrigation for the ancient farms that surround our base. Our airfield is easily recognized from miles away as an island of tan amid the greenery. Typical afternoon high temperatures exceed 115 degrees, with 133 being the highest noted so far. The weather has been cloudless, but the steady breeze occasionally increases to the point where blowing dust reduces visibility to less than a mile.
Marines find an interesting way to keep water cool in the Iraqi heat. Thanks to Mike for the link.
[Link to Article]
by Sgt. Jose L. Garcia
CAMP AL QAIM, Iraq(July 27, 2004) -- Marines from 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion use socks for other reasons than just their feet.
Patrolling the western border of Iraq can take a toll on the Marines and the water is a must for Marines to drink in the hot temperature that reach well over a hundred degrees every day in the summer.
The following is an article from Army Public Affairs.
by Spc. Gretel Sharpee
MOSUL, Iraq- School children in many outlying villages in Ninevah Province do not need to worry about rain falling on their heads when they return to school this fall. They can now focus on education.
Twenty villages in the Ninevah Province will receive new concrete primary schools to replace the weather beaten mud buildings that were used before. Iraqi workers from Mosul are building schools out of concrete and plaster in preparation for the approaching school year.
The following is an article from Army Public Affairs.
by Spc. Gretel Sharpee
MOSUL, Iraq- School children in many outlying villages in Ninevah Province do not need to worry about rain falling on their heads when they return to school this fall. They can now focus on education.
Twenty villages in the Ninevah Province will receive new concrete primary schools to replace the weather beaten mud buildings that were used before. Iraqi workers from Mosul are building schools out of concrete and plaster in preparation for the approaching school year.
July 30 edition of the Coalition Scimitar is available for download. (Large PDF file)
I did not see any TFO or Stryker Brigade related stories in this edition.
James Glanz files another story from Mosul.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By JAMES GLANZ
MOSUL, Iraq, July 17 - Across the hardscrabble Iraqi countryside, dozens of modest construction initiatives, many so tiny and inexpensive that they could be called microprojects, are generating at least a taste of the good will that Congress envisioned when it approved billions of dollars for grandiose rebuilding plans that have mostly been delayed.
Typical of the little projects is a hole in the ground that was being dug last week by an ungainly contraption, chugging along with big, spinning wheels and an enormous weight that smacked the muddy earth again and again outside the isolated village of Khazna, south of Mosul.
Although not Stryker related, the following article describes the efforts of cavalry scouts in Iraq.
[Link to Full Article]
By Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq Standing on a high bridge over a railroad track northwest of Baghdad at dusk, cavalry scout Capt. Will Hickok VI scans the horizon, looking for insurgents planting bombs or preparing mortar and rocket attacks.
This is what I like, just scouting, said Hickok, of Dillsburg, Pa. Sitting out here, spying, watching out, its relaxing ... its almost like cowboys and Indians.
Chrenkoff has published his sixth installment of Good news from Iraq. As always, there's plenty to keep you busy for a while.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 14, 2004) The Iraqi Minister of Interior confirmed July 14 in Baghdad that Dr. Usama Kashmoula, the Governor of Ninevah Province in northern Iraq, died from wounds received in an attack on his convoy while he was traveling on his way to Baghdad. Governor Kashmoula was enroute to Baghdad for a meeting with the President of Iraq according to Ninevah Vice Governor Khisro Goran. The attack occurred between Baji and Tikrit. The governor was taken to a hospital in Baji, where he died.
Dr. Kashmoula became the governor of Ninevah in early April of this year.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Attackers have killed the governor of the Iraqi city of Mosul as he was driving in a convoy of vehicles towards Baghdad, an Interior Ministry source has said.
The assailants threw a grenade at the governor's vehicle on Wednesday and fired automatic weapons, the source said.
[Link to Full Article]
By Dan Murphy, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
BAGHDAD In April, with anger swelling at the US occupation and a Marine-led assault on the Sunni city of Fallujah,thousands of Shiites provided assistance to their Iraqi brothers in the city.
Adnan Feisal Muthar filled up his truck with food and drove it to Fallujah to help residents rendered homeless by US bombing. His uncle and two of his sons donated blood for the wounded. "We wanted to help the people there,'' says Mr. Muthar. "They were Iraqis and they were suffering."
(TFO press release)
By Sgt. Fred Minnick
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 9, 2004) Iraqi Security Forces in northern Iraq collected the largest amount of munitions and weapons since the transfer of sovereignty in an early morning sweep today. The large-scale operation consisted of three Iraqi National Guard Battalions and the Mosul Police Department.
The 101st, 103rd and 106th Iraqi National Guard Battalion soldiers searched houses in three Mosul neighborhoods where suspected anti-Iraqi forces lived, while the Iraqi Police secured intersections and conducted traffic control points throughout the area.
[Link to Full Article] (Registration required)
By ERIC SCHMITT
WASHINGTON, July 7 - With an interim Iraqi government now in place, the Pentagon is beginning long-range planning on how to reduce the number of American troops in Iraq, senior military officials said Wednesday.
Pentagon officials have previously said that about 135,000 troops would stay in Iraq through 2005. But the military's Joint Staff is working on detailed plans to reduce that number by 2006, on the assumption that Iraqi Army and other security forces will be ready to take on more responsibility by then, officials said.
This certainly is an interesting development.
WASHINGTON American and Iraqi joint patrols, along with U.S. Special Operations teams, captured two men with explosives in Baghdad on Monday who identified themselves as Iranian intelligence officers, FOX News has confirmed.
Senior officials said it was previously believed that Iran had officers inside Iraq stirring up violence, but this is the first time that self-proclaimed Iranian intelligence agents have been captured within the country.
[Link to Full Article]
By DANIKA KIRKA, Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (July 7, 1:26 pm PDT) - The Iraqi government issued a long-anticipated package of security laws Wednesday to help crush insurgents, including a provision allowing interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to impose martial law.
"The lives of the Iraqi people are in danger, they are in danger from evil forces, from gangs of terrorists," said Human Rights Minister Bakhityar Amin, who compared the new law to the USA Patriot Act.
This Iraqi soldier has a pretty amazing story to tell.
BAGHDAD, Iraq - A little more than a year ago, shortly before President Bush flew onto the USS Lincoln off the coast of San Diego and announced the end to the war in Iraq, Soldiers of the old Iraqi Army were already on their way home resigned to defeat and an uncertain future.
Also uncertain has been the understanding of exactly what Soldiers in the new Iraqi Army have gone through since that time. There are no stories of Iraqis with medals pinned to their chests like armor plating. There are no stories of courageous actions of Soldiers taking hills and enemy machinegun positions. The true story of Iraq is that of a nation that will one day do well by that standard. And stories like that of Iraqi Army Lt. Col. Ahmed Lutfi Ahmed Raheem - an officer in this country's newly rebuilt army.
(TFO press release)
By Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 7, 2004) Iraqi National Guard soldiers detained two people wanted for anti-Iraqi activities during a cordon and knock operation yesterday in the town of Shafa, 10 kilometers southeast of Ash Shurah. The suspected terrorists are in custody for further questioning and no injuries were reported during the operation.
Chrenkoff publishes his 5th edition of Good News From Iraq. Lots of material to browse.
Winds of Change has published its latest Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent developments.
The July 2nd edition of The Coalition Scimitar is now available for download. I did not see any articles regarding Task Force Olympia in this issue.
TNT reporter Adam Lynn heads out of LSA Anaconda with a supply convoy. No Strykers accompanied them, but it's an interesting article anyway.
[Link to Full Article]
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
BALAD, Iraq - Don't ever play chicken with Sgt. Pat Umberger. He never blinks.
Just ask the Iraqi drivers who were on the road Sunday as Umberger piloted the lead Humvee of a convoy carrying explosives experts and the tools of their trade across eastern Iraq.
(TFO press release)
By Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 5, 2004) Five Iraqi citizens were injured today after a roadside bomb detonated at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the Al Yarmouk Circle in northwest Mosul.
The five wounded were transported to Mosul General Hospital. Four of the wounded are in stable condition, but one of the Iraqi citizens is in more serious condition.
Even though the following article is about the 81st BCT, it provides an interesting glimpse of life around LSA Anaconda.
[Link to Full Article]
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
BALAD, Iraq - It is a world where people draw cooking water from the same irrigation canal in which they bathe, where insurgents detonate cars packed with explosives at city council meetings, where some people wave at you and others shoot, where foxes howl in the moonlight and imams call the faithful to evening prayers over loud speakers bolted to minarets.
It is filled with grueling stretches of boredom and discomfort punctuated by heart-pounding excitement and, on a good day, extreme satisfaction.
(TFO press release)
By Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 4, 2004) Renovations are underway to turn Mosul Airfield into a commercial airport, bringing international commerce and trade to northern Iraq. A ceremony was held Saturday to celebrate the first phase of the airfield construction and the beginning of the transition.
The process to remodel the existing airport terminal and to demolish military-style bunkers left over on the airfield from Saddam Husseins regime was recently begun. In addition to this first phase of remodeling, Iraqi and multinational officials plan to renovate the airport taxiway, to build a second terminal and a tower and to update the electrical system, the weather forecasting equipment and the runway lights.
Jack sent me a link to the homepage of the recently established Iraq-America Freedom Alliance, "a coalition of Americans and Iraqis committed to fostering goodwill between our nations and winning the war on terror." The group took out a full-page ad in USA Today. Excerpt:
(TFO press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (July 2, 2004) One Iraqi citizen was killed and 27 were injured in two separate indirect fire attacks in downtown Mosul just before noon yesterday. One round impacted near the Chamber of Commerce building and a second round impacted near the Mosul Police Headquarters. Three Iraqi police officers were among the wounded.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment assisted in a search of the suspected point of origin but nothing was found. [...]
Another article from Mosul by CSM.
[Link to Full Article]
By Ann Scott Tyson, Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
MOSUL, IRAQ Hundreds of Iraqi troops and police armed with AK-47s swarmed through a troubled district of Mosul at dawn Thursday, launching the first major military operation conceived and led by Iraq's new security forces.
More than 600 Iraqi National Guard (ING) troops and city police, backed by an outer cordon of 150 US troops, swept the Al Antezar neighborhood in a house-to-house dragnet, confiscating weapons and detaining several terrorist suspects.
MOSUL, IRAQ - One Multi-National Force Soldier was killed and two were wounded after an improvised explosive device attack on a convoy south of Mosul July 1.
The wounded were evacuated to a military medical facility.
The name of the Soldier killed is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.
Release #040701c
[Link to Full Article]
The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq (July 1, 7:03 am PDT) - With troops saluting, Gen. George Casey took charge Thursday of all U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq, saying he was "extremely proud" to take on the job.
Casey replaced outgoing Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez as the senior U.S. officer in Iraq, overseeing 160,000 mostly U.S. soldiers deployed in the volatile country. Lt. Gen. Thomas Metz serves as ground forces commander with day-to-day responsibility for defeating the insurgents.
TNT reporter Adam Lynn has an interesting article describing the living conditions at LSA Anaconda. You can read an archive of his articles regarding the 81st BCT here.
[Link to Full Article]
ADAM LYNN; The News Tribune
BALAD, Iraq - The heat is bad. The bugs are bad. The dust is just plain awful.
But the men and women of the U.S. military assigned to Logistical Support Area Anaconda, including about 1,400 members of the Washington National Guard's 81st Brigade Combat Team, are doing what they can to make themselves comfortable during their deployment.
Amy Ridenour occasionally posts emails she receives from Joe Roche, a soldier with the 16th Engineers (1st Armored Division). The unit was directly involved in the battles against Muqtada Al-Sadr. His most recent correspondence is worth reading in full, as it describes the conflict with a level of detail I haven't seen elsewhere. An archive of his emails can be found here.
From the Christian Science Monitor.
When correspondent Ann Scott Tyson returned to Iraq this week for the first time since last August, she was immediately struck by how much less freely US forces were moving about and interacting with Iraqis. In a city such as Mosul, where soldiers once made frequent foot patrols and even dined in local restaurants, today almost all patrols are by vehicle, with only brief stops. Along with an escalation of violence, the distance is due to a shrinking in the size of the US force here as well as a conscious decision to pull back from the city and hand off duties to Iraqi forces.
Joe Katzman has a good summary of reactions from Iraqi bloggers regarding the transfer of power to the interim government.
[Link to Full Article]
By NADIA ABOU EL-MAGD; Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Saddam Hussein will be transferred to Iraqi legal custody and face charges in an Iraqi court this week -- but he wont go on trial for months and he will stay in a U.S.-run jail because the country doesnt have a suitable prison, the prime minister said Tuesday.
Prime Minister Iyad Allawi promised an open proceeding when Saddam faces war crimes charges, including genocide.
Lt. Gen. Metz describes what the transition will mean for U.S. troops in Iraq.
[Link to Full Article]
By Master Sgt. Karen Petitt
BAGHDAD, Iraq (Army News Service, June 28, 2004) Leading more than 127,000 U.S. troops through a transition of authority from Coalition forces to the Interim Iraqi Government is more of an art than a science says the commanding general for Multinational Corps-Iraq.
CNN provides a summary of today's transer of power.
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraq's interim government was sworn in Monday after the United States returned sovereignty to the nation two days ahead of schedule.
The official handover of sovereignty occurred at 10:26 a.m. (2:26 a.m. ET), when former coalition civil administrator L. Paul Bremer gave interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi a leather-bound transfer document. [...]
Winds of Change has published its most recent Iraq Report, with links to news and analysis of recent events.
(TFO press release)
By Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (May 27, 2004) The first International government donation since the June 24 attacks in Iraq, comes in the form of 10 fully equipped Toyota Ambulances from Japan. The ambulances will help facilitate Mosuls left bank Emergency Medical System (EMS).
Mosul currently has a total of 160 primary healthcare and hospital facilities with less then 80 working ambulances to facilitate emergency and patient transfer needs, said Ameem Hosiin, the assistant director general of health in Mosul. These 10 brand new ambulances will help us have a reliable resource for transferring patients in need of medical care.
[Link to Full Article]
By TAREK EL-TABLAWY, ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Before the first cup of coffee, there were signs the news conference suddenly convened Monday morning was more than advertised - a simple briefing by U.S. administrator L. Paul Bremer.
Journalists were caught by surprise when they finally realized what was up - the formal handover of sovereignty from the U.S.-run occupation to the Iraqis two days earlier than expected.
(TFO press release)
By Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 27, 2004) Members of the local Iraqi security forces destroyed two more improvised explosive devices yesterday in the Mosul area, helping to make the streets safer for all citizens.
One suspected roadside bomb was found by Iraqi police at a major intersection on the east side of Mosul and another was found by Iraqi National Guard soldiers southwest of Mosul. In both incidents they were able to secure the site and destroy the device with no injuries or damage to property.
(TFO press release from Thursday morning. I forgot to post this item yesterday.)
By Sgt. Joseph Sanchez
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 24, 2004) Ambassador Paul Bremer visited Mosul Wednesday to say farewell to the citizens of Ninevah Province and to assure them that the partnership between the Iraqi people and the Coalition forces will carry on after the transfer of sovereignty June 30.
Yesterday's events prevented me from posting a few other links of interest. Here they are in bullet form:
Iraq Report 6/25 - Winds of Change publishes it's latest collection of news links.
Good News From Iraq, Part 4 - Chrenkoff publishes his fourth collection of good news stories from Iraq. Keep in mind that this was written before yesterday.
Sgt. Hook has two great entries, Thanks for the Help and Tight. He knows how to tell a good story.
"Army unit claims victory over sheik" - Published in the Washington Times, this article examines how the coalition effectively neutralized Muqtada al-Sadr. While many observers are unhappy with how the situation in Fallujah was resolved, there's little doubt that Operation Iron Saber was a success.
Speaking of Fallujah, The Atlantic Monthly's correspondent, Robert Kaplan, was embedded with the Marines during the intial battles in the city. You need to purchase the magazine for his full report, but this interview with the author provides some good insight into his experience.
Finally, on a lighter note, the Army is developing some new versions of the Meal Ready to Eat (MRE). 24 new menus are currently being "tested". One tester concluded, "It looked good when I first saw it, but everything tastes the same, honestly...Tabasco helped." Oh well.
As we struggle to make sense of the news today from Iraq, and Mosul in particular, our first thoughts are for the soldiers that were killed or injured and their families. The death toll continued to rise throughout the day and now stands at 100 plus, with 300 plus injured. The majority of those fatalities - 62 as of this afternoon - occurred in Mosul. One Task Force Olympia soldier was among those killed, and three more were injured. Terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi has claimed responsibility for the attacks, which appear to have been concentrated on government and police facilities in six separate cities.
What does all this mean? Is this a prelude to additional attacks as June 30 approaches or is it a last gasp? I certainly don't know, but The Belmont Club and Lt. Smash both attempt to put recent events in perspective, concentrating on Zarqawi and his organization.
In the midst of the difficult news from Iraq today comes this story.
(TFO press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 24, 2004) A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday to celebrate the completion of renovations to the Ibn Alathyr Hospital in eastern Mosul.
The hospital, which specializes in maternity and pediatric care, treats approximately 600 patients each day and has about 300 beds for inpatient care. Recent renovations include improvements to the laboratories and teaching facilities and the installation of air-conditioning for the comfort of the patients.
CNN has an article describing the events throughout Iraq today. Mosul was definitely one of the cities hardest hit. More news to follow.
UPDATE: Army Times also carries an article from The Associated Press that has additional information on Mosul.
News Tribune reporter Adam Lynn and photographer Peter Haley have landed in Kuwait and will meet up with the 81st Brigade Combat Team in Iraq in the next few days. They are the first journalists to embed with this Washington National Guard unit, and they'll be on the ground for six weeks - including when control is returned to Iraqis next week.
The full archive of stories will be located here. Additionally, Lynn will be maintaining a weblog ("blog") while he's in Iraq. Well add both to our Links Page.
One more 416th CAB article.
[Link to Full Article]
By Spc. Blair Larson
139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq (USASOC News Service, June 21, 2004) Soldiers from the 416th Civil Affairs Battalion, an Army reserve unit from Norristown, Pa., are using their civilian skills to train and outfit Iraqi firemen.
The Battalions public safety team is made up of Soldiers who are paramedics, emergency medical technicians and vehicle rescue technicians in the civilian world.
Another article about the 416th CAB.
[Link to Full Article]
By Spc. Aaron Ritter
139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
DAHUK, Iraq (USASOC News Service, June 21, 2004) Coalition Soldiers of the 416th Civil Affairs Battalion provided police officers in the Dahuk Governorate much needed equipment May 5 to better prepare the police department to protect its citizens from crime and to continue the rebuilding of Iraqs infrastructure.
It looks like there is a public affairs detachment visiting the 416th CAB right now.
[Link to Full Article]
By Spc. Blair Larson
139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
MOSUL, Iraq (USASOC News Service, June 21, 2004) When the second wave of troops came to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, there was concern over how so few people would be able to take the place of so many. For 20 Soldiers from the 416th Civil Affairs Battalion, replacing 200 Soldiers has been a challenging, but rewarding task.
(TFO press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 23, 2004) One Iraqi National Guard (ING) soldier was killed today when a roadside bomb exploded on an ING patrol in southern Mosul at approximately 11:55 a.m. Reports confirm that at least four other soldiers wounded in the attack have been evacuated to a military hospital in Mosul, while an unconfirmed number of ING soldiers have been taken to a local hospital.
Iraqi National Guard soldiers assist other local security forces in Mosul in maintaining peace in and around the city. This is yet another example of Anti-Iraq forces attacking Iraqi security forces who are working to improve conditions in Iraq and facilitate the transfer of sovereignty on June 30. The terrorists have no regard for the lives of those who are helping to maintain security in the country as they continue to directly oppose the success of a democratic and free Iraq.
I'm not sure if anyone has noticed recently, but we haven't linked to a CPA briefing lately - there haven't been any. The organization obviously wanted to lower it's profile after the interim Iraqi leaders were chosen. The following article provides a few parting thoughts by Paul Bremer.
[Link to Full Article]
By Kathleen T. Rhem, American Forces Press Service
BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 21, 2004 As he prepares to leave Iraq after the handover of sovereignty to the interim Iraqi government, the American who has led the country since the end of major offensive operations looked back and detailed what he believes are the three greatest accomplishment there to date.
(TFO press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 22, 2004) The Dean of Law at Mosul University, Dr. Layla Abdullah Saeed, was found assassinated outside her home this morning, in the Kuwait neighborhood in southern Mosul. Her husband, Moneer Yahya Ali Al-Khairo, was also killed in the attack. Mosul police discovered the bodies and are currently investigating.
[Link to Full Article]
By Jeff Jacoby
TO HEAR the media tell it, virtually nothing in Iraq is going right. Suicide terrorism, Abu Ghraib, sabotaged pipelines, swelling anti-American sentiment -- the coverage has focused on almost all bad news, almost all the time.
But don't be fooled. There are plenty of good-news stories in Iraq, too. Here are half a dozen.
Ok, the title of the article is a bit dramatic, but it contains some interesting information about the development of the Iraqi security forces.
[Link to Full Article]
By BY VIVIENNE WALT / BAGHDAD
Lieutenant General David Petraeus has just returned to his office in Baghdad's Republican Palace from visiting a close friend a tribal sheikh he had come to know well during his 10-month command of the 101st Airborne Division in the northern city of Mosul. As is often the case, Petraeus is one lucky man: His friend, Sheikh Ghazi Yawar, was appointed as Iraq's new president three weeks ago. And Yawar's most critical priority is the one Petraeus is now charged with overseeing: getting Iraq's military and police forces up and running. "It was wonderful to see him," gushes the 51-year-old general about his friend from Mosul. Another key relationship could be about to pay off big.
[Link to Full Article]
By Sheila Flynn, Associated Press
GRAPEVINE, Texas Once Spc. Rick Aul saw his daughter for the first time, he didnt see much else.
After landing at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on Wednesday following three months in Iraq, he plowed through a crowd welcoming the returning soldiers, kissed his wife, took 2-month-old Rowyn into his arms and quietly hugged her for several moments.
(TFO press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 21, 2004) Four Iraqi citizens were killed at approximately 9:35 a.m. when a roadside bomb exploded on their convoy approximately 50 kilometers south of Mosul. Three other Iraqi citizens in the same convoy were wounded. All three wounded Iraqis have been evacuated to a military hospital in Mosul.
The Iraqis were employed by a private company working in Northern Iraq. This is yet another example of Anti-Iraq forces attacking Iraqi citizens who are working to improve conditions for their families and all of Iraq. The terrorists have no regard for innocent lives in their attacks on the country. Anti-Iraq forces directly oppose the success of a democratic and free Iraq, and are continuing to kill and wound Iraqi citizens as the country moves closer to sovereignty on June 30.
UPDATE: Additional information below.
(TFO press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 21, 2004) Four Iraqi citizens were killed at approximately 9:35 a.m. when a roadside bomb exploded on their convoy approximately 50 kilometers south of Mosul. Three other Iraqi citizens in the same convoy were wounded. All three wounded Iraqis have been evacuated to a military hospital in Mosul.
The Iraqis were employed by a private company working in Northern Iraq. This is yet another example of Anti-Iraq forces attacking Iraqi citizens who are working to improve conditions for their families and all of Iraq. The terrorists have no regard for innocent lives in their attacks on the country. Anti-Iraq forces directly oppose the success of a democratic and free Iraq, and are continuing to kill and wound Iraqi citizens as the country moves closer to sovereignty on June 30.
UPDATE: Additional information below.
The DOD has identified the soldiers killed in the mortar attack at LSA Anaconda on Wednesday. Even though official confirmation did not come until today, Stars & Stripes published an article yesterday about one of soldiers killed that will break your heart. Peace be with the families and friends of those we lost.
[Link to Full Article]
By Rick Scavetta, Stars and Stripes
CAMP ANACONDA, Iraq After a year in combat, Sgt. Arthur Mastrapa was waiting outside the post exchange Wednesday when an enemy rocket ended his life. He was supposed to fly home Thursday.
[Link to Full Article]
By Marni McEntee, Stars and Stripes
LANDSTUHL, Germany Sammy Davis leaned over 1st Lt. Dwight Mears, who lay nearly motionless in his Army hospital bed, and asked him to hold onto the Medal of Honor draped around his neck.
Mears did, and Davis said: This medal honors everyone in uniform. Im only the caretaker. [...]
I missed this article when it was originally published. It was written by a major serving with the 81st BCT (WA National Guard) in Iraq. We'll try and post any articles we find regarding the 81st.
[Link to Full Article]
By Damon Hunt, Special to The Times
WITH THE 81ST BRIGADE, Iraq At Logistical Support Area (LSA) Anaconda, north of Baghdad, the work never stops. Every day here is like two or three days back home. The main reason is that we run 24 hours a day.
It's always more exciting to read about the violence in Iraq than it is to read about the exploits of the ordinary, hard-working soldier. Although the 81st Brigade Combat Team, with which I'm serving as a major, may not be in the spotlight, we are accomplishing our assigned mission.
Chrenkoff has published the third version of his Good News From Iraq feature. Be sure to read Part I and Part II if you haven't done so already.
In related news, the BBC carries an article about Iraqi blogs. One of the bloggers interviewed is Ali from Iraq the Model. (via Jeff Jarvis)
The most recent edition of The Coalition Scimitar is now available online. I noticed several articles regarding the SBCT and the Mosul region, including two profiles of Stryker soldiers.
Winds of Change has published two recent Iraq Reports (here and here) with links to news regarding the latest developments there.
(Task Force Olympia press release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (June 15, 2004) For the five governorates of northern Iraq, the responsibility for distributing fuels such as propane, benzene and diesel has transferred to a group of Iraqi fuel representatives.
Upon their arrival in Iraq, Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division worked with a group of Iraqi fuel representatives to distribute the almost 15 million liters of fuel that comes from Turkey each day. The representatives meet each day to decide how much fuel will be distributed and where it will go based on the needs of the people.
The following is a column written by Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz. If you're like me and wonder, "what happens after June 30th?", this article is a good starting point. The article also provides some good statistics regarding the reconstruction effort.
[Link to Full Article]
BY PAUL WOLFOWITZ
After a suicide car bombing killed Iraqi Interim Governing Council President Izzedine Salim and eight others on May 17, one Iraqi put that act of terror into a larger perspective for those who wonder if democracy can work in Iraq. His name is Omar, one of the new Iraqi "bloggers," and he wrote on his Web log: "We cannot . . . protect every single person, including our leaders and the higher officials who make favorite targets for the terrorists--but we can make their attempts go in vain by making our leadership 'replaceable.' "
[Link to Full Article]
By Sgt. 1st Class Doug Sample, USA
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, June 8, 2004 -- Coalition forces rescued four civilian hostages today south of Baghdad, military officials reported.
Three Italians and one Pole were rescued, Army Lt. Gen. Ricardo S. Sanchez, Multinational Force Iraq commander, said during a Baghdad news briefing.
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a resolution that endorses the June 30 transfer of sovereignty in Iraq and gives authorization for a U.S.-led multinational force.
President Bush said the vote was a "great victory for the Iraqi people." Pakistan's U.N. ambassador called it the "most significant" diplomatic step on Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War.
Interesting reminder that Iraq was the cradle of civilization.
[Link to Full Article]
By U.S. Army Spc. Sean Kimmons / 25th Infantry Division
KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq, June 7, 2004 Four and five thousand-year old artifacts from Iraq's multi-cultured past were discovered here when soldiers of Company B, 65th Engineer Battalion dug into a hill while gathering dirt for Hesco defense barriers in late April.
Capt. Nicholas Gianforti, an intelligence officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and an anthropology major from St. John Fisher University, was one of the first to respond to the archeological site after its discovery.
Provided below is a press release from the Coalition regarding the bombing mentioned below.
MOSUL, Iraq - A car bomb was detonated in downtown Mosul several hundred meters from the City Hall around 9:15 a.m. June 8.
Initial reports indicated 10 Iraqi civilians were killed, and as many as 100 Iraqi civilians were injured. These numbers were initial assessments and the Ninevah Provincial Government's Chief of Staff now reports that nine people were killed and 25 Iraqi civilians were injured.
[Link to Full Article]
The Associated Press
MOSUL, Iraq (AP) - A roadside bomb Monday wounded three civilian security contractors working in northern Iraq for the London-based firm Global Risk Strategies, the U.S. military said.
The three were taken to a U.S. Army hospital, a U.S. military spokesman in Mosul said. No further details were immediately available.
Here are a couple noteworthy stories from this morning:
"Deal to disband Iraq militias announced" - CNN
"U.S. Troops Keep Low Profile In Iraq" - Associated Press
Gunner Palace is the film project of Michael Tucker. He traveled to Baghdad numerous times to film a documentary about the 2/3 Field Artillery Battalion (part of the 1st Armored Division). If you recall, this was the unit featured significantly in Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" issue honoring "The American Soldier."
I have no idea if/when the documentary will be released, but you should visit the film's website to read the story and view a couple trailers. This clip titled Star Spangled Banner "Baghdad Style" blew me away. Caution - you really need a high-speed connection to play the trailers.
(via Blackfive)
A few stories summarizing recent developments.
"Iraqi PM Urges War on Sabotage, Zarqawi Aide Held" - Reuters
"U.S. submits new draft of Iraq resolution" - CNN
"New Iraqi leaders put into power" - The New York Times
"Top cleric endorses new Iraqi government" - Associated Press
Susan sent us this article from her local paper. Great photo included.
[Link to Full Article] (Brief registration required)
By TERESA HICKS, Times-News
JOHNSON CITY - The world is not the same place it was a month ago. Not for Dr. Martin Olsen, at least. Olsen, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at East Tennessee State University, recently returned from a visit to Iraq, where he met with doctors in the northern Iraqi Kurdistan area.
He went there expecting to teach the Iraqi doctors how to reduce maternal mortality rates, but he wound up learning a lot more than he taught.
[Link to Full Article]
By Kris Osborn, THE WASHINGTON TIMES
TIKRIT, Iraq Here in Saddam Hussein's hometown, the senior U.S. military officer says attacks on coalition forces are down and rebuilding efforts are looking up as the June 30 transfer of power to an Iraqi government approaches.
As commander of the 1st Infantry Division, Maj. Gen. John Batiste leads thousands of U.S. and coalition forces deployed in the northern half of Iraq, including Mosul, Tikrit and Baquba.
[Link to Full Article]
Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq - New Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said Tuesday that Iraq needs help from U.S. and other multinational forces to help defeat "the enemies of Iraq,"
The statement was seen as a prelude to the new government negotiating an agreement that would allow troops of the U.S.-led coalition to continue operating in the country.
Winds of Change has published its most recent Iraq Report with links to the latest developments there. Plenty of good information this week.
[Link to Full Article]
By Charlie Coon, Stars and Stripes
MUSHADA, Iraq The convoy of trucks and armored Humvees kicked up dirt as it rumbled down the one-lane road into the village.
Sometimes you wonder what they think, said Maj. Karen Ryan. Can you imagine rolling in like this to the place where you lived?
[Link to Full Article]
HAMZA HENDAWI; The Associated Press
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi Governing Council chose a longtime anti-Saddam Hussein exile to become prime minister of Iraq's interim government, making the surprise announcement Friday despite U.N. concerns over his ties to the United States and the CIA.
The selection of Iyad Allawi - a Shiite Muslim council member who headed an exile group ma
