SGT Joseph Sanchez used to provide us with daily press releases from Mosul as part of Task Force Olympia. He recently conducted an interview with CBS Radio that was broadcast nationally. In it he talks about his time in Iraq.
Provided below is a link to an .mp3 audio file. The best way to listen is to right-click on the link and select "Save Target as..." from the menu. This will save the file to your computer.
SGT Sanchez Interview (.mp3 file, 3.5 MB)
The following is an informative article profiling an officer with the 139th MPAD, which was deployed to Mosul as part of Task Force Olympia.
Link to Full Article
By Dennis Hines, The MidWeek
Several local students and school officials recently received some important information about cultural diversity.
Captain Angela Bowman of the Illinois Army National Guard gave a presentation during the 16th annual DeKalb County Partnership for a Safe, Active and Family Environment (DCP/SAFE) assembly in which she talked about her experiences in Iraq and about the Iraqi culture.
Bowman served as an operations officer for the 139 Mobile Public Affairs Attachment and as a deputy public affairs officer for Task Force Olympia from January 2004 to January 2005.
During her time in Iraq, Bowman was stationed in Mosul. She said Mosul is one of the most diverse cities in the Middle East and includes numerous religious sects and ethnic groups.
“Talk about trying to understand the culture and having it thrown at you like a fire hose. Literally, that’s what it was,” Bowman said. “We were trying to understand all of this, because this is the culture which we were existing and going to be living in within the next year.”
Bowman said Mosul features some of the largest universities in Iraq. She about 35,000 students attend the University of Mosul.
“I had no concept that 35,000 people in Iraq went to college,” Bowman said. “It just totally blew my mind.”
Bowman said religion is an important part of the Iraqi culture. The Imams (religious leaders) are considered some of the more prominent people in the country. Bowman said various religious sects have a different view about the Imams. The Sunnis believe the Imams are spokespersons for Mohammed, and the Shias believe the Imams are direct decedents of Mohammed.
“There’s a distinct difference in how you deal with each sect. It’s critical to understand what they think about their Imams (the ones that run the mosques),” Bowman said.
This long article continues...
Soldiers from Maine's 133rd reflect on their time in Mosul.
Link to Full Article
BY NICK SAMBIDES, OF THE NEWS STAFF
John Nelson has a small hunk of shrapnel that needs to be cut out of his neck, and it probably will be in a few weeks. Other flecks of ball-bearing-gauge metal float in the flesh on his shoulder blades like tiny steel pins, so numerous and difficult for surgeons to find and remove that they'll probably stay in him for the rest of his life.
A torn tendon aches in his right shoulder, another painful reminder of the terrorist detonation that threw him and a lunch table he had been sitting at about 10 feet. His ears continually ring, and he has lost about 40 percent of the hearing in his left ear.
But the small, blood-red scar dug into his forehead?
"That's just running into something and not having hair. It's really a pain in the ass, not having hair," Nelson said. "I used to have hair, but then I had children."
Sitting earlier this week behind a desk at his compact, neat real estate management office on West Broadway in Lincoln, Nelson, a major doing detached service with the 133rd Engineer Battalion, had come a long way from the battlefields of Mosul, Iraq.
The Maine Army National Guardsman was just sitting down to his favorite lunch - a chili and cheese hotdog with onions - in his unit's mess tent on Dec. 21 when a suicide bomber wearing a vest laced with ball bearings and plastic explosives set himself off.
Nelson was about 30 feet from the human bomb.
"There was no bang. You never hear the one that gets you," Nelson said. "I saw this huge red flash, but it stayed there in my eyes. I felt this heat on the back of my neck, and I thought to myself, 'We've been hit.'"
When Nelson came to, he found himself under the lunch table with his ears ringing and his left ear in pain. Although he might not have realized it at the time, he was about to see just how well the mass-casualty medical response plan he helped devise actually worked.
The cover story on Army Times this week is about military blogs. Colby Buzzell of the 3/2 SBCT (My War) is featured, and LTC Paul Hastings of Task Force Olympia is quoted.
(via Blackfive)
Provided below are a few articles describing the homecoming of two Task Force Olympia units.
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
Brig. Gen. Carter Ham’s first and only assignment at Fort Lewis didn’t last long. He was here four months before the Army shipped him off to Mosul, Iraq, last January.
But he played a major part in the fortunes of Fort Lewis troops, thousands of whom worked under his leadership in northern Iraq the past 13 months.
The post held a ceremony to say farewell Friday to the 53-year-old commander of Task Force Olympia, who’s back from Iraq but on his way now to a new job at the Pentagon.
Ham will be “deputy director for regional operations to the joint staff,” a liaison between U.S. Central Command and the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs. Centcom, located at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Fla., is responsible for combat operations in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Maj. Gen. Jimmie Collins, the deputy Fort Lewis commander, pinned him with a Bronze Star medal and praised him as “dedicated, committed, a team player, a war fighter without rival.”
A self-effacing Army general is a rare thing, but Ham joked with well-wishers that he thought Collins must’ve been talking about someone else.
“This past year has been the defining period of my life,” he said. “There have been triumphs and tragedies both large and small.”
By BILL NEMITZ, Portland Press Herald Writer
FORT DRUM, N.Y. — The first wave of soldiers from the Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion returned to U.S. soil late Wednesday, ending a year-long deployment in the often-hostile city of Mosul, Iraq. "It's like a dream come true. It doesn't feel real," said Spc. San Pao of Portland moments after stepping off the chartered MD11 aircraft. "Hopefully we'll wake up tomorrow morning and it will still be real."
The first group of 206 soldiers - 162 from Maine and 44 attached to the 133rd from New York's 204th Engineer Battalion - touched down on the frigid tarmac at Fort Drum's sprawling airport precisely on schedule at 10:37 p.m. Inside a reception building, 16 members of the 10th Mountain Division band greeted them with "The Army Song" and various other marches.
It was the first of three flights that will return the 133rd's 548 men and women to the United States by this weekend. The second flight is expected to arrive early this evening, with a third flight arriving Friday.
Wednesday's contingent included all of Bravo Company, most of Alpha Company and 48 members of the Headquarters Support Company.[...]
Link to Full Article
By JOHN RICHARDSON, Portland Press Herald Writer
The largest Maine-based military unit sent to Iraq, and the only one currently stationed there, is expected to return to the United States next week.
The Maine Army National Guard's 133rd Engineer Battalion, which has about 500 members primarily from southern Maine, is pulling out of Mosul, Iraq, slightly ahead of schedule, said Maj. Peter Rogers, Guard spokesman in Maine.
Many of the troops are already in Kuwait arranging for the return of equipment and their unit. Others remain at Forward Operating Base Marez, working with a newly arrived unit that will replace them there.
The 133rd could reach Fort Drum in New York late next week and could be back in Maine by mid-March, a week or two sooner than expected, Rogers said.
The first edition of The Freedom Ring newsletter has been released by Task Force Freedom, and includes the following article regarding the efforts of its predecessor, Task Force Olympia.
Link to Article
By SPC Nunn, 366th MPAD
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FREEDOM, Iraq – After leading the U.S. Army presence in the northern Ninawa province of Iraq, Soldiers of Headquarters and Headquarters Company I Corps Forward Task Force Olympia (TFO), of Fort Lewis, WA, reflect upon a successful year long mission, as they depart for home.
During their deployment, members of TFO were able to be a part of history, as they were key in the United States mission to transfer authority of this country to the Iraqi people earlier last year, for the first time since the Saddam Hussein’s take over in June of 1979.
“I think the biggest success our forces have done was allowing the Iraqi’s to take charge of their country on January 24th, 2004. Mosul is better off after this year with our involvement,” said Brig. General Carter Ham, Commander of TFO. “They have a tough fight in front of them, but for the first time in many of their lives, they are starting to feel safe.”
To their credit, the United States presence here has led the way in aiding the people of this region and rebuilding their country and tempering their security into a strong unified body that currently enforces an environment of safety and order that many Iraqi’s have never known.
“We have done some amazing things with aiding the government in rebuilding their security forces, with funding and special training, they have been doing a great job maintaining order here in Mosul,” said Ham. “Now in Ninawa Province there are two Brigades of Security Forces, and four Battalions of the Iraqi Regular Army. We are helping keep this area safe for the good people of this country.”
According to Ham, Army Stryker units have completed over 100,000 successful raids, and have aided in the fortifying of the Syrian border. TFO has also been instrumental in building hundreds of schools throughout the area and installing Police Stations, not only in Mosul, but many of the surrounding towns.
“I think this summer was when the insurgents recognized where Mosul was headed, that the elections were going to take place and the infrastructure was growing stronger every day,” said Ham. “They decided that they needed to stop this from happening, and since then, we have seen attacks from the insurgents increase. It is going to be a tough fight, especially for the Iraqi people, but elections are going to happen.”
Task Force Freedom, out of Fort Erwin, CA, have been preparing for this transfer of authority for the last six months, through battle drills and direct communication with TFO.
“They are a great group of guys, they are tailor trained for this mission and they know what they are getting into,“ said Ham. “They will do a fantastic job.”
From the start, TFO fell into an environment with some unique problems; they replaced a brigade command normally staffed with over 300, with a team of 80 individuals.
“This group is great at finding creative ways to solve unique problems,” said Col. Carl L. Chappell, Chief of Staff for the TFO. “Out of all my experiences here in Iraq, I will miss working with them the most, they are absolutely a blast to work with.”
According to Ham, much of the work done this past year was directly due to do the efforts of the Iraqi people, many of whom have lost loved ones and colleagues during the struggle for a free Iraq.
“Iraqi’s do more without our presence everyday, sometimes one of the hardest things was to sit back and let them do it their own way,” said Ham. “At the end of all of this, credit goes to those brave Iraqi’s that are willing to step up and bravely lead their country.”
Task Force Olympia is returning to their active duty post of Fort Lewis, WA, after a year long deployment to Mosul, Iraq. Task Force Freedom, of Fort Erwin, CA, takes over command in February of 2005.
There are a number of other stories included in the newsletter as well. Follow the links at the bottom of the story.
I apologize for not posting this until today. Welcome home and thank you!
Link to Full Article
MICHAEL GILBERT AND BILL HUTCHENS; The News Tribune
Fort Lewis offered a formal welcome home Friday to the men and women of Task Force Olympia, back from a year of running U.S. military operations across northern Iraq.
The 100 or so soldiers arrived in Iraq in January 2004 in time to replace a much larger division headquarters, and left as Iraqis held their historic election last month.
Lt. Gen. James Dubik, the Fort Lewis commanding general, praised the task force for assembling on short notice to replace several hundred soldiers who’d been doing the same job with the 101st Airborne Division.
The task force had less than 30 days to plan its move from the local post to Iraq.
“Time was a luxury that this task force did not have,” Dubik said, later adding, “They demonstrated that we are an Army that’s relevant, an Army that’s ready.”
The Army plucked the task force commander, Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, from his post as deputy commanding general for training and readiness at Fort Lewis.
The task force comprised mostly senior officers and noncommissioned officers from the post’s I Corps staff, covering an array of specialities: legal, finance, engineering, contracting, security, civil affairs, communication, training and others.
They were the headquarters for U.S., coalition and Iraqi units, the largest of which were the two Fort Lewis-based Stryker brigades. It was the first combat since the Korean War for the I Corps headquarters.
Ham is still in Mosul, handing over duties to his replacement. He is expected to return to Fort Lewis in the next week or so, but he won’t stay long. He’s been assigned a new job at the Pentagon.
If you haven't already, I highly recommend reading In Iraq For 365, which is a blog written by an Army journalist who just returned from a year in Mosul. Children Are The Future and Collection of Memories are excellent recent entries, but be sure sure to browse his entire archive.
Reflections from an embedded reporter as he leaves the TFF operational area. This is very interesting reading.
Link to Full Article
The Post-Tribune
MOSUL, Iraq. With the elections over and the Indiana National Guard 113th Engineer Battalion in place in northern Iraq, I am heading back to Indiana.
The weight of U.S. troops in Mosul helped guarantee the election had been run with few instances of major violence.
Troops with the 113th Engineers had been shot at while they laid barriers for the election.
Attacks on the base in southern Mosul had ground nearly to a halt in the days leading up to last Sunday’s election.
Over the last two days, the violence has begun to pick up again. The nightly mortar attacks have started again over the last two nights at Forward Operating Base Marez, where most of the local National Guard soldiers are stationed.
On the way back from Sykes, near the Syrian border, the convoy I was riding in was ambushed in the city of Tall Afar.
The Humvee I was riding in was several lengths behind the shooting.
Near the front of the convoy, Spc. Kenneth Smith and Spc. Victor Mobley of Gary were involved in a fire fight, along with one of the Stryker escorts.
Northern Iraq remains a dangerous place. [...]
Mosul on election day
This time, on election day, I toured the streets of Mosul with a group of Strykers, who were part of the intense U.S. troop presence in the city. They were under orders not to go near the polls, for fear of giving the impression that the Americans were running the process.
A Stryker officer offered to drop me off a block away and let me walk to the polls on my own. I didn’t have the proper credentials. I had been embedded for nearly a month at that point and I hadn’t even heard of the media credential process that was going on in Baghdad, until a colleague mentioned it in an e-mail a few days before the vote.
I tried to talk my way through the security, which was being run by the Iraqi National Guard. The first soldier spoke no English, and I know only a few words of Arabic.
I showed him my Post-Tribune ID. I said I was an American journalist, pointed to my camera, and then to the entrance to the polls, which was shrouded in concertina wire.
They didn’t let me in.
When the Strykers with 24th Infantry out of Fort Lewis, Wash., offered to drop me off while on a second mission, I was left off on a crowded street on the west side of Mosul.
I had seen a long line at the same polls when the Strykers had driven by hours earlier. People greeted me as I walked toward the polling place. Some people showed me the purple ink that marked their fingers to show they had voted.
After being patted down for weapons near the outer barricades and after several pantomime-laden conversations, they agreed to let me in the gate. [...]
Soldiers have mixed feelings about why they are in Iraq. Some feel they are part of history, helping to give birth to a new democracy. Many more have little interest in the larger issues that brought Americans to Iraq. They just want to finish their duty and get themselves and their fellow soldiers safely home to Gary, Griffith, Highland, Valparaiso, Michigan City and several other small towns and cities throughout Northwest Indiana.
With this as my second time going into a combat zone with an Indiana National Guard unit, I am always struck by the contrasts between the two experiences.
Before they deployed to Camp Atterbury in November, these people were doing very ordinary things in their nonmilitary lives as a mail carrier in East Chicago, a firefighter in Cedar Lake, a marketing coordinator from Griffith, crane operators at U.S. Steel, cops working a beat in LaPorte and Hobart, and a schoolteacher in Merrillville.
Today, they are halfway around the world, sloshing through mud and going to sleep to the sound of Apache helicopters streaking overhead and .50-caliber machine guns, firing at the front gate.
Suddenly decisions made in Washington and Baghdad are no longer abstract and remote. These were my neighbors and now they have gone to war.
I will be back at my house in Valparaiso in less than a week. I’ll take a hot shower, in a room by myself. I will get in a car and drive myself somewhere, anywhere, without passing through a checkpoint. The trip will not end with me cracking open the Velcro on my body armor. For me at least, the war will be over. I will be home.
BG Carter Ham, commander of Task Force Olympia, will have a new assignment at the Pentagon.
Link to Full Article
By UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
WASHINGTON -- A U.S. general who has had strong success against the Iraqi insurgency in Mosul, Iraq, is being brought back to the Pentagon for a wider role in the war.
Brig. Gen. Carter Ham, commander of the Multi-National Brigade North, has been selected to become the deputy director for regional operations on the Joint Staff. [...]
As deputy director of regional operations, he will oversee the movement of military forces in Iraq, conduct operational briefings for the national leadership and serve as the operational link between U.S. Central Command and Washington.
The past few days press releases from Multi-National Forces in Northern Iraq have been sent by Task Force Freedom, rather than Task Force Olympia. While I haven't seen an official statement regarding a transfer of authority, we can assume that a new command element is, or will be shortly, in control of coalition forces in that part of the country. Consequently, we added a new category, and all future news from the Mosul region that is not Stryker Brigade related will go there. As a reminder, all coalition forces (Active, Reserve, National Guard, Air Force, Marines etc.) in the area are part of this Task Force - the Stryker Brigade is one of many units operating under the command of Task Force Freedom.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 29, 2005) – Military officials in northern Iraq have announced the launch of J-LENS.
The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensors System, J-LENS, has made its much anticipated debut in northern Iraq. The system will help Multi-National Forces in the Ninewah Province determine where anti-Iraqi insurgent attacks originate from, thus enabling them to more easily track down the insurgents.
J-LENS is an airborne system that detects and tracks low-altitude and surface threats. The system will not only help track insurgents, but help Multi-National Forces anticipate possible mortar round attacks against forward operating bases. Military officials believe that this technology can help greatly in finding and capturing insurgents.
This story includes an interview with COL Robert Brown, Commander of the 1-25 Stryker Brigade.
Link to Full Article
ADAM LYNN AND MICHAEL GILBERT; The News Tribune
In his normal life, Leigh McCombs works as a roofer in Spokane.
On Monday, the Army National Guardsman helped raid what U.S. forces believe to be a car bomb factory in Mosul, Iraq. The mission netted explosives, weapons and a handful of suspected insurgents, McCombs said by telephone this week.
“I feel good about being able to bring a little bit of democracy up here to Iraq,” said Spc. McComb, a member of the 81st Brigade Combat Team.
He is one of nearly 10,000 soldiers with Washington state ties who are trying to provide a safe environment in which Iraqis can cast ballots in the nation’s parliamentary elections Sunday.
Nearly 6,000 active-duty troops from Fort Lewis – including Stryker soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division – are in the country, as are another nearly 4,000 National Guardsmen from the state. That includes about 3,200 members of the Camp Murray-headquartered 81st Brigade.
The job is tense, especially as Sunday approaches, but satisfying as well, several soldiers said this week.
“I’m not typically excited about being in Iraq in general, but we’re being a part of history here,” 81st Brigade Capt. Adam Iwaszuk said Monday during a telephone interview from Mosul. “It’s a big milestone for the Iraqis.” [...]
Intense security measures also are under way in Mosul, where insurgent violence has increased this month, said Col. Robert Brown, commander of the 1-25.
Brown’s Stryker troops and the additional units, including about 300 soldiers from the 81st Brigade, have set up in 16 or so combat outposts across the city. Some are in areas where there’s been heavy insurgent activity. [...]
“It’s definitely very hard. Very, very tough,” Brown said. “But at the same time, it makes your resolve even greater to not let those guys have died in vain.”
Brown said his line commanders get mixed reports from local leaders about turnout for Sunday’s election.
“Some days, it’s, ‘I’m going to vote no matter what,’” Brown said. “Other days they’re telling me there’s not enough security. It will be secure enough for them to vote.
“We’re doing everything we can to make it as secure as we can. Now it’s up to them to go out and vote.”
And what comes next?
“Who knows? I’m ready for anything. In some ways even if the elections are a success, the enemy is going to want to make a statement. We’re ready for whatever happens,” Brown said. “I’d like to be bored for a while. That wouldn’t bother me a bit.”
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 28, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) secured a weapons cache in northern Iraq yesterday.
Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment located a weapons cache while reducing an explosive devise. The weapons cache included propellant sticks, mortar rounds, mortar fuses, one bag of grenades, ammunition, and other weapons. All of the armament was reduced in the cache without incident.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 325 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions. The operations will continue to increase as elections near to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens wishing to vote.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to help build and maintain a prosperous and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 28, 2005) – Iraqi Regular Army soldiers and Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) continued operations to ensure security for the elections, detaining seven individuals in northern Iraq yesterday.
Iraqi Regular Army soldiers from the 101st Infantry Battalion detained two individuals suspected of attacking the Al Kindi Main Gate in eastern Mosul. Suspects are in custody.
Multi-National Force soldiers detained five individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity while conducting a raid in eastern Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 325 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions. The operations will continue to increase as elections near to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens wishing to vote.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to help build and maintain a prosperous and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Q&A with embedded reporter.
Dear Steve,
Do the soldiers have a work schedule everyday? What do they do afterward for entertainment? Do they have to wake up early?
Anything that we can know will help us all back at home. We love to hear about what is going on overseas as much as possible — the good and the bad — mainly what our soldiers are doing how their days are going.
Thanks, P.J. Wagner, wife of Sgt. J.Wagner, of Lake Village
One of the toughest questions to answer at the base in Mosul is “What day is today?”
Schedules run around the clock, seven days a week.
In response to a reader’s letter, Spc. Eugene Evanauskas, with the Indiana National Guard 113th Engineer Battalion, was asked what he did over one 24-hour period.
Evanauskas was walking through the rain Saturday afternoon. An hour earlier he had been sleeping, after a night of guard duty.
“The last 24 hours basically consisted of a lot of duty,” he said.
Evanauskas is a radio operator for the headquarters company.
At 6:30 p.m. a day earlier, he had come on duty in the command center.
“I was tracking convoys going in and out. Doing a lot of logging and tracking them. Talking with the other companies,” he said. [...]
On Saturday they had the official change-of-command ceremony, with the Virginia National Guard 276th Engineer Battalion handing off to the 113th. During the rainy afternoon, the Virginia flag was lowered in the main courtyard and a contingent led by Lt. Col. Richard Shatto and Sgt. Maj. Larry Smith presented and raised the Indiana flag. Brig. Gen. Carter Ham and Col. Robert B. Brown, commander of the area around Mosul, thanked the Virginia unit.
“Nobody gets off easy,” Brown said of the Indiana soldiers. “You came at the most important time in the history of Iraq — free and open elections. And you will play a key role in that.”
Without being specific, Shatto said the local guard unit is working on projects dealing with the upcoming election, scheduled for Sunday.
“We’ll be providing support to the Iraqi National Guard and the Iraqi Army, as far as securing the town of Mosul,” Shatto said.The change has been happening gradually over the last week and a half.
(TFO Press Release)
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 318 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions. The operations will continue to increase as elections near to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens wishing to vote.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to help build and maintain a prosperous and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Link to Full Article
BY JERRY DAVICH
While his teenage friends play shoot 'em up video games in their bedrooms, Michael Brunsman dodges insurgent gunfire in Iraq.
The 2004 Portage High School graduate left his family late last year to serve Uncle Sam in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
At 19, Brunsman is the youngest soldier in his squad with the 113th Engineer Battalion of the Indiana Army National Guard, now based in Mosul.
"I could throw a rock and it would hit a house in Mosul. That's how close we are," wrote Brunsman via e-mail from his forward operating base.
With a population of 2 million, Mosul is Iraq's third-largest city and also its most troubled region leading up to the country's elections Sunday.
"We're the ones guarding the elections so it's going to be very interesting on (Sunday)," wrote Brunsman, who enlisted in the Army at age 17.
Brunsman transferred to the 113th in mid-October from the 376th Engineer Company in Hammond. The transfer came three days after graduating from Army basic training. He's been on the go ever since.
"This all goes by so fast," he wrote, quickly noting that it's also "pretty cool."
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 26, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) continued operations to ensure security for the elections, detaining seven individuals in northern Iraq today. Multi-National Force soldiers detained four individuals suspected of being involved with a anti-Iraqi insurgent cell while conducting a raid south of Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment detained three individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity while conducting cordon and search operations in Tal Afar. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 314 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions. The operations will continue to increase as elections near to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens wishing to vote.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to help build and maintain a prosperous and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 26, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) continued operations to ensure security for the elections, detaining four individuals in northern Iraq yesterday. Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment detained four individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity while conducting cordon and search operations in Gabr Abd. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 307 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions. The operations will continue to increase as elections near to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens wishing to vote.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Link to Full Article
BY DIONNE SEARCEY, Newsday
MOSUL, Iraq - Iraqi election officials kicked off a media blitz yesterday in this terror-gripped city aimed at hiring nearly 1,000 election workers in the next six days to help set up and monitor Sunday's landmark vote.
The task is daunting. Hundreds of workers quit last month under threats from insurgents, and until very recently, Khalid Kazar, a skinny 28-year-old official from the Independent Elections Commission of Iraq, had been running mostly a one-man operation in this city of 1.8 million. So far, only six others have joined Kazar's ranks.
Yesterday afternoon, Kazar arranged interviews with local media in hopes of persuading 993 other residents of Mosul to facilitate the nation's first democratic elections in decades.
Despite the long odds of rounding up enough workers in such a short time, U.S. military officials said they were certain elections would occur in Mosul, the country's third-largest city.
"Time is ticking," said Army Civil Affairs Maj. Anthony Cruz, the military's liaison with the Iraqi commission in Mosul. "We're short on workers, but we're trying to address that."
With the help of Cruz and other U.S officials, Kazar has filmed get-out-the-vote ads to run on television and is making sure American and Iraqi soldiers have enough elections recruitment fliers to hand out to locals on their patrols through town. The elections commission has asked U.S. military officials to help with logistics and security plans in the insurgent strongholds of Anbar province, where Fallujah is located, and Mosul's Nineveh province.
"It will be a race to the finish," Cruz said.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 25, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) confiscate weapons and ammunition, and detained four individuals during operations in northern Iraq yesterday. Multi-National Force soldiers confiscated weapons and ammunition, and detain three individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity in eastern Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade, 8th Field Artillery Regiment detained one individual suspected of anti-Iraqi activities north of Al Hawd. Suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 275 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 25, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) continued operations to ensure security for the elections, detaining 28 individuals in northern Iraq today. Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment detained 20 individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity while conducting cordon and search operations in Wanah. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Multi-National Force soldiers detained eight individuals suspected of being associated with an insurgent cell during a raid south of Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 303 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions. The operations will continue to increase as elections near to ensure the safety of Iraqi citizens wishing to vote.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 25, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) were able to defuse a roadside bomb following a tip received through the Joint Coordination Center in northern Iraq yesterday. An Iraqi citizen called the Joint Coordination Center to inform them of a roadside bomb planted in northeastern Mosul. Multi-National Forces were called to the scene and were able to defuse the bomb. The citizen was given a reward for the tip. These types of courageous acts are often rewarded.
Multi-National Forces encourage citizens of Iraq to cooperate with security forces and turn in military weapons and equipment. Citizens that cooperate could be rewarded for their efforts.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 25, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained six individuals during operations in northern Iraq January 23. Quick Response Forces from Task Force Olympia detained five individuals suspected of planting a roadside bomb. Suspects are in custody.
Soldiers of 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Regiment detained one individual suspected of anti-Iraqi activity north of Hammam Al Alil. The suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 271 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Link to Full Article
By CHRIS WETTERICH, STAFF WRITER
Threatened by bullets, mortar attacks and suicide bombings while trying to bring home good news about the U.S. presence in Iraq and the soldiers' stories, a few members of the Army National Guard's 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment started a rock radio station.
Spc. Justin Savage, 24, of Roscoe and Staff Sgt. Rian Jopek, 40, of Madison, Wis., obtained a 1,000-watt transmitter, and Jopek became the "Mouth of Mosul," introducing Iraq to the likes of AC/DC and Judas Priest.
"We played everything from Green Day to Bowling for Soup," Jopek said, "mixed with Arabic press releases."
The 20 people from the 139th who were sent to Iraq included 14 members headquartered in Springfield and six from a detachment based in Madison. The unit was in the Middle East for about 111/2 months, spending most of its time in Mosul. They were activated on Pearl Harbor Day - Dec. 7, 2003 - and will be officially off-duty Feb. 15. It's unknown if they will be going back. [...]
Members of the unit say that although the United States and Iraqi democrats have faced a potent challenge from insurgents, the news as portrayed by the media has been skewed too much to the negative.
"The international media has proven to be an extreme disappointment," said Capt. Angela Bowman. "They go looking for bad news. There's been a lot of growth and development and development of infrastructure. Contrary to what you hear, the people of Iraq really appreciate what we're doing there."
Morale continues to be high, and the troops in general feel like they are fighting for a good cause, said Jopek, who was once a disc jockey and newsman for several small radio stations in Wisconsin. "American troops are dedicated to make sure it (a democratic Iraq) happens," he said. "But I think ultimately how long it takes remains to be seen."
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 24, 2005) – The Eid Al Adha holiday proved to be a more secure period for citizens of northern Iraq, January 20-23. Iraqi citizens in the Mosul area were able to enjoy a safer holiday thanks to the protection provided by Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces. Despite continued insurgent activity the increased security measures of the ISF and MNF aided in a safe holiday period.
Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Link to Full Article
By John Yaukey, Gannett News Service
Mary Cozort has lost 16 pounds since her son, Edward, deployed to Iraq more than four months ago. "Every time I e-mailed him I'd write that he has the armor of God around him and he's going to be safe and he's coming home," the Glen Fork, W.Va., resident said. "I have to keep his morale up because he's already been hit by (shrapnel from an improvised bomb)."
Steven Krulish of Swanzey, N.H., now finds himself battling episodes of intense dread after learning his son Ethan's unit sustained heavy casualties in a recent mess tent bombing near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.
"When I write him, I don't ask him questions about what sort of military things he's doing," Krulish said. {...]
Retired Army Gen. Tommy Franks, who led U.S. forces in conquering Baghdad almost two years ago, has speculated that American troops will be engaged in Iraq for as long as a decade, although much of that could be in a relatively low-profile role.
Ultimately, the decision about when American troops leave may not be made at the Pentagon or White House.
The Arab newspaper al Hayat recently reported that a spokesman for Shiite Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, arguably the most powerful man in Iraq, said the new government "might demand that the occupying power leave Iraq."
If that seems like a possible blessing in disguise, consider the cost of a premature U.S. departure.
"That region is home to two-thirds of the world's known petroleum reserves," said Juan Cole, an expert on Arab affairs at the University of Michigan and author of a widely read and respected blog on the Middle East (www.juancole.com). "If it descends into chaos you've got more than just theoretical problems."
Contributing: Christian Hill, The Olympian (Wash.)
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 24, 2005) – Iraqi Security Forces received a large shipment of equipment in northern Iraq January 19. Iraqi Security Forces in the Mosul area continue to receive vital weapons and equipment to enhance their operational capabilities. ISF received weapons, cold weather gear, and other equipment and supplies. The equipment makes the ISF better prepared for operations during the upcoming elections.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 23, 2005) – One Task Force Olympia Soldier was killed by small arms fire while on patrol in eastern Mosul yesterday.
The attack occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m.
The name of the soldier killed is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
This entry will remain at the top of the page today. Scroll down for newer entries.
U.S. soldier shot dead on patrol in Mosul - Seattle Times
Link to Full Article
By Trudy Rubin
MOSUL, Iraq - Gen. David Petraeus is flying in a C-130 transport plane back to the place he once made into a model of U.S.-Iraqi cooperation.
Iraq's third-largest city warmed to Petraeus because he reached out to Sunni Arab leaders during a yearlong assignment as commander of the 101st Airborne. [...]
First stop as he blitzes the city: a briefing on the security outlook for elections - dicey.
U.S. forces were beefed up in Mosul after the police fled, and several battalions of Iraqi troops also have been moved in. A couple of these are composed of Kurds, who are good fighters, but their presence fuels Sunni fears that Kurds want to take over the city.
Next, we travel through Mosul inside heavily armored Stryker vehicles where the only view of city streets is on the TV monitor below the gunner's turret.
We visit one of the Interior Ministry's enthusiastic new police commando units composed of former Iraqi army special forces. They may be best suited to fighting the insurgents, but they can't do it alone.
The Stryker speeds us to the Al-Kindi base, where a new Iraqi division headquarters was set up three months ago and is being fleshed out. Fighters from one of the Kurdish battalions tell me, with graphic motions: "Kurds good, Arabs not good."
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 23, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained sixteen individuals during operations in northern Iraq. Multi-National Force soldiers detained fifteen individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity in eastern Mosul. MNF soldiers also confiscated documents from the individuals. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment detained one individual suspected of anti-Iraqi activity in eastern Mosul. The suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 265 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 23, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained forty-two individuals during operations in northern Iraq yesterday.
Soldiers of 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment detained forty-one individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity while conducting cordon and search operations north of Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment detained one individual suspected of anti-Iraqi activity in eastern Mosul. Suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 249 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Link to Full Article
By Steve Fainaru, Washington Post
MOSUL, Iraq -- A dozen U.S. and Iraqi military officers dropped in on the Mosul police chief last week. After arriving at his headquarters in their armored Humvees, the men crowded into the chief's office to discuss security for the Jan. 30 parliamentary elections.
An Iraqi special forces officer, Lt. Col. Adell Abbas, quickly took over. "I have everything I need to protect you," he assured the police chief.
The police chief appeared doubtful. He looked pleadingly around the room at the Americans, the real power in Mosul. What would they do to protect him?
A Marine seated next to Abbas intervened. "Sir, Col. Adell and I are brothers," said Maj. Frank Shelton. "He has a picture of my daughter. I have a picture of his son. Anything we can do to assist you, that is our mission together."
Abbas, 39, is commander of the 23rd Battalion, 6th Brigade, Iraqi Intervention Force. Shelton, 35, is his senior American adviser. In addition to keeping a photo of Abbas's 4-year-old son, Mustafa, strapped to his left arm, Shelton sleeps five feet from Abbas, eats meals off the same plate and seldom leaves his side. With limited success, he has grown a mustache to resemble the facial hair worn by Abbas and his men. Both men were trained as military divers.
Their intense relationship is part of a changing U.S. strategy to find a way out of Iraq. After a string of battlefield failures by the nascent Iraqi security forces, the U.S. military has committed as many as 10,000 advisers to work directly with Iraqi units in the coming months. The goal is to develop quality leaders who can prevent the units from falling apart under attack and ultimately assume responsibility for Iraq's security.
In Washington, U.S. officials also said that after the elections they would incorporate more troops and officers from Saddam Hussein's army into the Iraqi military and move Iraqis to the frontlines to battle insurgents.
In Iraq, U.S. commanders have developed a security plan for the upcoming elections in which Iraqi troops will have the mission's most dangerous assignment: protecting the polling sites that will inevitably be targets for attack. U.S. troops will provide perimeter security and respond to emergencies but will stay away from the polls to avoid any appearance they are trying to influence the elections, officers involved in the planning said.
Viewed up close, the relationship between Shelton and Abbas shows how complicated the strategy is: an American Marine teaching fundamental leadership skills in the middle of an escalating insurgency.
Shelton, an intense, 5-foot-7 fireplug whose father, Roy, was an American military advisor in Vietnam, said he and his team of eight U.S. advisers would continue to ride with the Iraqis in vulnerable, unarmored trucks as election day approaches. He said he would stay as close as possible to Abbas, who has been told he has a $20,000 bounty on his head, along with other Iraqi battalion commanders.
"You can kill me and get rich and famous," Abbas joked to Shelton as they ate corned-beef hash from the same metal pan one afternoon last week at the 23rd Battalion's temporary base, a vacant building with neither electricity nor running water.
"Yeah, that's why I'm your primary bodyguard," said Shelton, laughing.
Shelton, who speaks in machine-gun-like bursts, alternates ordering, teaching, scolding and praising. Upon hearing that a vehicle with insurgents had been identified in Mosul, he told a soldier: "If they see this vehicle, they need to stop it and capture it. I want them alive, do you understand? Maybe slightly injured, but alive."
Later, after a soldier from the battalion was badly burned in a kerosene heater accident, Shelton told a group of soldiers to be more careful. "I'm an American, so I'll speak bluntly," he said. "That injury was caused by stupidity, by carelessness. Mortars, rockets, we can't do anything about. But we have to careful."
This is page one of a three page article. Shleton's unit is attached to Task Force Olympia in Mousl.
(TFO Press Reelease)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 22, 2005) – Iraqi Security Forces were able to repel repeated anti-Iraqi insurgent attacks in northern Iraq yesterday. Iraqi Intervention Forces were able to defeat repeated anti-Iraqi insurgent attacks on a train station in southern Mosul. The insurgents tried to overtake the train station, but were defeated by IIF soldiers. No IIF injuries were reported.
Iraqi Security Forces continue to work together with leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
(TFO Press Reelease)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 22, 2005) – Iraqi military leaders met across northern Iraq January 20 to discuss security plans for the January 30 elections. Gen. Babakir, Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Abdul Qater, Commander of the Iraqi Army, and Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Security Transition Command met in northern Iraq in order to hear election security plans from other Iraqi military leaders.
The group of Generals first met with Col. Mohammed, Commander of the Iraqi Commando Battalions at Forward Operating Base Blickenstaff. Col. Mohammed gave his assessment of the security situation for the elections to the Generals.
The Generals then traveled to Al Kindi where they met with Maj. Gen. Khalil, Commander of the 2nd Division Iraqi Army. Maj. Gen. Khalil also assessed the security situation in northern Iraq, and told of the different missions his unit has performed.
Following lunch at the Joint Coordination Center with local government officials, including Nineveh Governor Duraid Kashmoula and Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq representatives, the Generals traveled to Al Kasik. There they met with Maj. Gen. Khoursheed, Commander of the 3rd Division Iraqi Army, and Col. Thomas Thaler, Commander of Al Kasik Military Training Base. Maj. Gen. Khoursheed and Col. Thaler each assessed their forces’ readiness for election time.
The meetings helped military forces operating in northern Iraq make their final security plans for the election.
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 22, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained eight individuals during operations in northern Iraq yesterday. Soldiers of 2nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment detained five individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity in eastern Mosul. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment detained two individuals suspected of anti-Iraqi activity while conducting a cordon and search operation in western Mosul. They also confiscated Iraqi and U.S. money, and weapons from the individuals. Suspects are in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Soldiers of 1-24th were patrolling in southwestern Mosul later in the day when their convoy was hit with a roadside bomb. They conducted a cordon and search of the area detaining one individual suspected of being associated with the bomb. The suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 207 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
The 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment (MPAD) of the Illinois National Guard recently returned home after working with Task Force Olympia for a year. The unit was responsible for the TFO press releases we have come to rely on, as well as producing the many videos we link to, among other things. Thank you and welcome home!
SPRINGFIELD - A dozen members of an Illinois Army National Guard unit are scheduled to return to central Illinois this evening after a year in Iraq.
The 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, based in Springfield, was called to active duty in December 2003 and spent a year in Iraq, according to military officials.
The soldiers were based in Mosul with other members of Task Force Olympia. While there, the broadcast and print journalists covered stories ranging from school openings to the training of the new Iraqi security forces.
The detachment also was responsible for putting out a weekly newsletter for soldiers in Mosul and for producing 14 half-hour news broadcasts.
NPR aired the following audio segment yesterday. To listen, follow the link and click the "Listen" icon at the top of the page.
Link to Audio Report
By Ivan Watson
The northern Iraqi city of Mosul is seeing growing ethnic tensions and violence, and Kurdish militiamen have joined American forces trying to suppress the insurgency by Sunni Muslim militants. The Kurdish fighters, known as Pesh Merga, are filling a security vacuum left after Mosul's police force collapsed in the face of an insurgent offensive last November.
Link to Article (Photos included)
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
MOSUL, Iraq, Jan. 21, 2005 – It's the rainy season in Ninewa province, and the mud sticks to your boots the way old ideas stick in your mind.
But rain also washes away the mud, and officials hope the elections Jan. 30 will wash away the old ideas governing this country.
Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq; Iraqi armed forces chief Gen. Babakir; and Iraqi ground forces commander Army Maj. Gen. Abdul Qadr led a trip to Ninewa to get the latest on the security situation for the elections.
More than 20,000 Iraqi and coalition troops are now in Ninewa province, the largest number since the 101st Airborne Division left last year. Most are concentrated in Mosul, Iraq's third-largest city with a population of around 2 million.
As Election Day approaches, military and police officials anticipate an increase in attacks in the region. The trend in the region is up, with an average of more than 100 attacks each week.
Two battalions of American troops have augmented Task Force Olympia in the area, and several battalions of Iraqi army and Iraqi police have moved into and within the region to help provide security for the high-stakes election next week.
And Mosul needs the help, officials said. In November, insurgents leaving Fallujah infiltrated the province. They began a campaign of bombings, killings, kidnappings and intimidation. Religious fundamentalists and former regime die- hards found, at least temporarily, common ground as the campaign continued.
Iraqi police were among the first victims of the insurgents. Coordinated attacks against police stations and an irresolute response from the police resulted in a security meltdown. Some police fought the insurgents, but most deserted their posts. The result: insurgents had almost free rein to intimidate Mosul residents. Almost all election officials in the city quit their posts, and the city was in turmoil.
The Iraqi interim government brought in units, and with units of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, imposed some order on the city. But the rebuilding and the electoral process stalled, officials said.
Since December, Iraqi and coalition officials have been working to improve the security situation and regain electoral momentum. They have largely succeeded. While the trend of attacks is up, coalition and Iraqi forces have tamped down the violence. Iraqi officials said the election will happen in Ninewa province. "It won't be what you would get in the United States, but it will happen," said Babakir through an interpreter.
U.S. officials agreed that the process will "not be pretty." Mosul has roughly 1 million eligible voters. As plans stand, they will walk to polling places, where they will go through increasing levels of security checks. At the polling places, which will be under Iraqi control, they will cast their ballots for the members of the 275-member national assembly that will write Iraq's new constitution.
U.S. forces will stand by and act as a quick-reaction force ready to respond if asked. Iraqi officials in the regional Joint Coordination Center in Mosul will monitor the situation. A recent rehearsal allowed officials to identify and correct deficiencies in the plans. "Insh'allah (God willing), we will be ready," said Iraqi Facilities Protection Service Brigadier Moataz, the commander at the JCC.
Babakir also was encouraging. "We have enough troops in the city," he said through an interpreter. In addition to providing site security around polling places, the troops will be stationed at combat outposts ready to move at a moment's notice.
Petraeus said Iraqi units in the city should be up to strength in time for the elections. He said that the Iraqi army units – many of which were Iraqi National Guard units until they were absorbed into the army Jan. 6 – have been conducting independent operations against the insurgents. "The Iraqis are the ones who are best able to spot the insurgents," he said. "They can spot the different accent. They can make an on-the-spot translation of documents and move quickly, and they are gaining capability every day."
And the increase in Iraqi numbers and capabilities is important to Iraq and the coalition, Petraeus said. "The way to defeat the insurgents is to apply pressure across the board," he said. Applying pressure in only one place allows the insurgents to leave the area and regroup somewhere else, he said. The increased numbers of Iraqi units will allow that constant pressure across the country, he said.
While Iraqi and coalition forces are geared to Jan. 30, they are quick to say they are not ignoring the on-going threat. Insurgents will continue to try and intimidate the populace, they will attempt to assassinate those who win the election, and they will continue to plant improvised explosive devices and vehicle-borne IEDs, officials said. The increased number of Iraqi forces will remain in the city for the foreseeable future, Qadr said. "Until the police service is rebuilt in Mosul, we must stay," he said. "We will remain faithful soldiers of this country."
(TFO Press Release)
MOSUL, IRAQ (January 21, 2005) – Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) detained one individual during operations in northern Iraq yesterday. Soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Regiment captured one individual suspected of firing on them in Tal` Afar. They followed the detention with a cordon and search of an unoccupied building. The 1-5th found and confiscated military intelligence documents. The suspect is in custody with no MNF injuries reported.
Military officials have said the Mosul area is becoming safer with each seizure and removal of dangerous weapons and detention of anti-Iraqi insurgents. Since January 5 Iraqi Security Forces and Multi-National Forces have detained 199 individuals and confiscated numerous weapons and munitions.
Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation. Anyone with information should call the Joint Coordination Center’s telephone numbers at 513462 or 07701623300.
Link to Full Article
USA Today - Associated Press
BAGHDAD (AP) — U.S. troops launched fresh raids Thursday around the northern city of Mosul to rein in guerillas who have threatened to disrupt the upcoming election. Iraqi forces sealed off main routes into Baghdad one day after a wave of car bombings rocked the capital. [...]
Troops from the Army's Stryker Brigade Combat Team detained nine people and seized weapons in the overnight sweeps in Mosul, the military said.
U.S. forces have intensified nighttime operations in Iraq's third-largest city in a race to make it safe enough for voters to cast ballots in the Jan. 30 parliamentary and regional elections. In the past two weeks alone, U.S