Sitrep: Baghdad

Jane's Defence Weekly ^ | 6 November, 2003 | Peter Felstead

[batter]

By Peter Felstead, JDW Special Correspondent, Baghdad

To the soldiers of the US-led coalition in Iraq, the political arguments over Operation 'Iraqi Freedom' - that the war may have been mis-sold and that weapons of mass destruction may in fact not exist - are irrelevant.

What matters is that Iraq has been crippled by a cruel regime and more than a decade of sanctions. The mission of coalition troops - to provide a safe and secure environment for the Iraqi people - means they are playing a major role in putting Iraq back on its feet.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2BCT) of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division is currently fulfilling this mission in the Al-Rashid district of Baghdad, an area that comprises the southern third of the city and houses 1.2-1.5 million Iraqis. Baghdad's original name, Madinat as-Salam, meant 'city of peace'. While it is hard to see when that will again ring true, troops are making real progress on the ground.

As soon as the 2BCT deployed to Al-Rashid, stabilisation operations got underway, with the US troops working to rebuild the local infrastructure and restore the city's medical, legal, and education systems. By the end of September, 80% of the 572 schools in Al-Rashid had been refurbished and were back up and running.

While the security situation in other parts of Iraq, most notably in the so-called 'Sunni triangle' to the north and west of Baghdad, remains precarious, in Al-Rashid the threat from Saddam loyalists remains sporadic. The Western media have made much of the lack of troop contributions from the international community and the rising number of US combat deaths in Iraq since 1 May, when major hostilities were declared to have ended: a figure that passed the 100 mark in mid-October. The soldiers of the 82nd, however, remain unfazed.

In terms of troop numbers, Col Haight says "We will never need more than we have," while his soldiers remain dismissive of the threat they face. "Everything they [the enemy] do is bad," said one. "The only reason they're killing people is because there are so many people out here."

While the troops of the 2BCT can expect occasional attacks by RPGs, hand grenades and mortars, sometimes in concert with small arms fire, the primary threat in this area of operations remains the roadside bomb, or IED (improvised explosive device). The most obvious reason for this is the sheer abundance of ordnance available to those inclined to use it.

The planting of IEDs is not necessarily the work of Saddam loyalists, although they probably do fund such operations. According to Sgt Luetzow, there will usually be two payments: one to the bomb-maker, and one to whomever places the device. Given that any Iraqi prepared to plant a bomb can make enough money to buy a car after placing just two devices, there is no shortage of takers from among the criminally inclined, although many 17- and 18-year-olds have killed themselves trying to make what they saw as easy money.
492 of 1999 words

[batter]

If anyone has access to the rest of the article (ie subscribers) - feel free to post the rest!

[batter]

The article seems to bring more good news from Iraq. I'm sure the cBS et al will not carry this story. Also, I noticed that the story is dated on the third (a couple of days ago) - sorry about the wrong date on the post.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

ping

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks! This reads like a Pentagon briefing. *g*

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2BCT) of the US Army's 82nd Airborne Division is currently fulfilling this mission in the Al-Rashid district of Baghdad, an area that comprises the southern third of the city and houses 1.2-1.5 million Iraqis. Baghdad's original name, Madinat as-Salam, meant 'city of peace'. While it is hard to see when that will again ring true, troops are making real progress on the ground.

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Iraq-ization, 82nd Airborne Division winning hearts and minds, ping ~*

8 District Advisory Council Dedication  [new Al Rashid town hall]  ~ CENTCOM  | 11/04/03
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[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Valin]

The Western media have made much of the lack of troop contributions from the international community


Translation, The French aren't there.

[blackie]

Iraq-ization, 82nd Airborne Division winning hearts and minds ~ Bump!

[windchime]

Bump!