Progress In Iraq

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/04/13/ap3611024.html

Police Cut Violence in Ramadi
By TODD PITMAN 04.13.07, 3:41 PM ET


A year ago, Ramadi's police force had virtually been wiped out by a potent insurgency that destroyed every police station, leaving only a couple dozen officers on the job and a lawless city with nowhere to turn for help.

Now, guerrilla fighters have begun to disappear, schools and shops have reopened, and civilians have begun walking previously deserted streets.

The reason: thousands of police - some believed to be former insurgents and most loyal to local sheiks - have begun pouring into this once-lawless Euphrates River city.

"I wouldn't tell you that this place is safe, but I will tell you that it's stable," U.S. Col. Miciotto Johnson said of the district of Tameem, where one of Ramadi's nine police stations opened in January. "We still may have sporadic gunfire here and there, but we're definitely not having the RPG and IED attacks that we had before."



http://billroggio.com/dailyiraqreport/2007/04/iraq_report_senior_al_qaeda_le.php


Iraq Report: Senior al Qaeda leaders captured in Anbar, Karbala, Baghdad bridge bombed

U.S. and Iraqi forces maintain the pressure on al Qaeda and the insurgency nationwide. Combined U.S. and Iraqi raids inside Baghdad led to 129 captured insurgents and the discovery of two bomb factories over the past 48 hours. Iraqi security forces, with the help of the Anbar Salvation Council, killed Ahmad Hadid, the leader "Islamic State in Fallujah," and Ibrahim Keitan, Al-Qaeda's military coordinator in Al-Anbar. An American military intelligence official tells us Ahmad Hadid is the brother of the notorious Omar Hadid, Abu Musab al Zarqawi's right hand man in Fallujah until he was killed in Novermber of 2004. Thirty-seven al Qaeda were captured in Fallujah, 6 in Amiriya and another 11 were captured along the Euphrates River Valley.

Coalition raids in Taji, Mosul, Baghdad and Amiriya netted 17 al Qaeda, including the "al-Qaeda emir of Rusafa and former vehicle-borne improvised explosive device cell leader." In Basra, British troops killed 8 members of two roadside bomb teams as they were in the process of planting IEDs. On March 11, Iraqi police captured 2 members of a cell thought to be "responsible for planning and building improvised explosive devices containing chlorine."



http://billroggio.com/archives/2007/04/islamic_army_of_iraq.php

Islamic Army of Iraq splits from Al-Qaeda

The largest Sunni insurgent group has severed ties with al Qaeda and its Islamic State of Iraq; Sunni religious leaders oppose al Qaeda

The Sunni civil war in Iraq continues to gather steam. The Islamic Army in Iraq, the largest Sunni insurgent group which has previously operated closely with al Qaeda in Iraq, has severed ties with the terror group after several months of infighting, Al Jazeera reported today. Ibrahim al-Shammari, an Islamic Army in Iraq spokesman, "told Al Jazeera on Thursday that the Islamic Army in Iraq had decided to disunite from al-Qaeda in Iraq after its members were threatened."

"In the beginning, we were dealing with Tawhid and Jihad organisation, which turned into al-Qaeda in Iraq," Al-Shammari explained. Specifically after Abu Musab al-Zarqawi died, the gap between us [and al-Qaeda] widened, because [they] started to target our members... They killed about 30 of our people, and we definitely don't recognise their establishment of an Islamic state - we consider it invalid."



Evidence of the split between the Islamic Army in Iraq and al Qaeda began to appear early this year. Mishan al-Jabouri, the owner of Al Zawraa - or Muj TV, which is the propaganda television station for the Islamic Army in Iraq, lashed out against al Qaeda in February of 2007. Jabouri aired a laundry list of complaints against al-Qaeda and its puppet Islamic State of Iraq. the grievances included:

• Al-Qaeda in Iraq has divided the Iraqi people, failed to protect the Sunnis and brought the Shia death squads down on the Sunnis by inciting sectarian violence through mass suicide attacks.
• The Islamic State of Iraq in Iraq wants the Sunni groups to "pledge allegiance" to leaders, ministers and emirs whose identities are unknown, including Abu Omar al-Baghdadi.
• Islamic State of Iraq has continued to conduct an extensive campaign of assassination against rival sheikhs, emirs and insurgent group leaders, and in many cases added insult to injury by failing to give the bodies back to the families. One of al-Jabouri's own messengers was executed.
• The Islamic State of Iraq has no system of law or justice.
• Weapons and ammunition are being confiscated from insurgent groups that do not support the Islamic State.
• Al-Qaeda in Iraq is intentionally targeting members of the Iraqi Army and police forces, who al-Jabouri and other insurgents believe are acting in the best interest of Iraqis.
• The goal of the Islamic State of Iraq is to serve as a stepping stone to attack other nations, which endangers the Iraqi people.

 

Marines In Anbar Optimistic

American Forces Press Service | April 20, 2007

CAMP FALLUJAH, Iraq, April 19, 2007 – Marine leaders here told Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that they are "cautiously optimistic" about the situation in Anbar province during a briefing today.
Gates called the situation in the once very violent province, "a good news story," during a news conference afterward.


"(Anbar) is a place where the Iraqis have decided to take control of their future and the sheiks have played a key role in making good things happen out here," Gates said, "along with the Iraqi police and the Iraqi army with our help."
While Gates was attending meetings and briefings, Brig. Gen. Mark Gurganus, ground combat element commander for Multinational Force West, spoke with press traveling with Gates.


Gurganus said conditions in Anbar have turned for the better. He said violence is down, tribal leaders and sheikhs of the province are signing on with the government, and the Iraqis are taking on the security mission in the province.


He also said construction projects are moving ahead, and that bodes well for the long-term security of the province. Provincial and local governments are embracing rule of law initiatives.

 

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,133177,00.html?wh=news



British Say Iraqi Police Improving

David Axe | April 22, 2007


Two years ago, men wearing the blue uniforms of Iraqi national policemen abducted American freelance reporter Steve Vincent in the southern city of Basra, just days after Vincent had published an article in the New York Times accusing the local police force of operating nighttime "death squads" that murdered opponents of the dominant religious parties.

Whether the abductors were actually policemen, or just posing as them, there is little doubt that Iraq's 300,000 police have been an object of great concern for coalition trainers working to rebuild Iraq's security forces.

But the police are rapidly improving, according to one British Army general overseeing their training.

"The national police have had a dubious past and come with a dubious reputation," admits Brigadier General Rob Weighill, Deputy Commander of the Civilian Police Assistance Transition Team, or CPAT, based in Baghdad. CPAT works with the Iraqi Interior Ministry to train, equip and monitor the national police, traffic cops and border patrolmen.

But Weighill says that, in stark contrast to press reports going back years, he has not discovered any significant infiltration of the police force by Iraq's radical religious militias such as Moqtada Al Sadr's Mahdi Army.

SNIP

 

USAF Helps Iraqi AF Reconstitution
Air Force News | April 23, 2007


SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- On a daily basis, Staff Sgt. Luke Almeter dons his U.S. Air Force uniform and drives the short commute to New Al Muthana Air Base. This seemingly easy task is something his Iraqi Air Force counterparts can't do because of the dangers that lurk outside the base.


Because of fear of retribution, Iraqi Airmen don't tell their relatives or neighbors they're members of the IAF. They don't go home often, and they live inside the base's secure compound. They're literally deployed in their own backyard.


Even with the constant elements of danger they face, the Iraqi Airmen continue to perform their nation's bidding. With the help of the U.S. Air Force, the IAF is answering their country's patriotic call of duty.

 

http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,133429,00.html

Marine Sees Improvement
Marine Corps News | April 24, 2007
EXCERPT



BAGHDADI, Iraq – (April 24, 2007) -- It was this time last year when a 24-vehicle convoy of Marines rolled into this Euphrates River town delivering logistical supplies. Marines began fortifying police stations, walking the streets to meet the more than 30,000 residents, continuing the transition process with the police in the area.
Through the eyes of a machine gunner from Fancy Farm, Ky., currently serving in Baghdadi and who has previously deployed to Iraq, this country is making great leaps towards self-governance.


“The people are getting more involved now,” said Sgt. Douglas Hayden, attached to the Personal Security Detachment, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. “When I was over here last time, the people were pretty much standoffish. They didn’t want anything to do with us until the whole thing was said and done. Now, they want to get involved for their country and make things better for themselves.”

 

Baghdad Clearing Operation a Success

American Forces Press Service | Donna Miles | May 01, 2007


WASHINGTON - A major clearing operation that wrapped up last week in Baghdad succeeded in preventing 3,200 roadside bombs, jailing 42 terrorists, and seizing enough weapons and explosives to outfit an enemy infantry battalion, the commander of the 2nd Infantry Division's 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team reported today.

Col. Steven Townsend described sweeping success in Operation Arrowhead Strike 9, which kicked off March 20 to clear west-central Baghdad's Mansour security district.

The unit's ninth brigade-level operation since arriving in Baghdad in December "significantly reduced insurgent activity" in the region in support of the Task Force Dagger ground forces operating there, Col. Townsend told Pentagon reporters via videoconference from Camp Liberty.

 

I'm surprised it made it this far with the lid the media keeps on progress in Iraq.

 

No. Just a fact of life. Blood sells.

Al Kumait School Reopens By Sgt. 1st Class Robert Timmons 4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO April 18, 2007 BAGHDAD — The children of the Al Kumait School in the Doura region of
Baghdad peered cautiously through the windows and from behind classroom doors at the heavily armed men walking around their recreational area.

But once it became clear that these were the ones responsible for the building’s new windows and coat of paint, hands thrust out from the windows waving Iraqi flags.

Those who were responsible for the school’s renovation were the director of the Rashid District Council Sabeeh Al Ka’abi, Brig. Gen. Ghazwan Sharif Abdal-Hamid, commander of 6th Brigade, 2nd Iraqi National Police Division and
Lt. Col. Faisel Malik Mhsen Al-Talall, who commands the police unit directly responsible for the mulhallah’s security.
“This school opening is important because education means no to fighting and challenges terrorism,” Mr. Sabeeh said. “We have to stop harm doing harm and blood doing blood – we need to think about dialogue and peace and work towards it.”

Lt. Col. Stephen L.A. Michael, commander of 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Carson, Colo. And attached to the 4th
Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, was also present at the opening.
Michael said the school was repainted and broken windows repaired, doors and chairs were replaced and a generator was bought, “which brought this school back to life.”

The Al-Kumait School is just one of many projects in the works for the
Doura area, Michael added. “There are other schools being repaired, there are also plans to bring six generators to this muhallah (neighborhood), so this area can have electricity 24-hours-a-day,” he said. “There is a park that has already been built, and a hospital that is built in the area that will be able to support the entire region.” The school opening is a direct correlation to the bettering security situation in the area.

“We have seen attacks go down since we have been here. Security is a function of the people, a function of the Iraqi security forces and coalition forces.

Those three entities working together will bring peace to the people of Doura,”
Michael said. “The local populace needs to know that they are many and the attacks here are very few.”

 

http://www.defendamerica.mil/articles/may2007/a051107tj1.html

Iraqi, Coalition Forces Focus on Rashid District


EXCERPT

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq, May 11, 2007 — The addition of two brigades to Baghdad during the past several months has had a positive impact, according to the commanding general of Multi-National Division – Baghdad.

"Many of the suspects are picked up during targeted operations, thanks to tips from the local populace."
U.S. Army Maj. Kirk Luedeke

“It makes a huge difference, not only for our forces but for the Iraqi forces, as well,” said Maj. Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr., commander of MND-B and the 1st Cavalry Division. “It gives us the ability to provide a combined presence across the city.”

Clearing operations set the stage for a permanent presence of coalition and Iraqi security forces.

“There were areas before where, essentially, we didn’t have troops to provide to them,” Fil said. “While we’re not in every single neighborhood and on every single street corner, we are in every single security district with enough force to make a difference.”

 

And it's our responsibility to support them in accomplishing their mission.