Posted on 01/10/2005 1:43:34 PM PST by Bob Hyneman
From Multinational Force headquarters:
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/media-information/January/050110e.htm ******* [quote][size=18]Weekly Operations Summary for January 2 - 9, 2005[/size]
Baghdad, Iraq – During operations over the past week, Multi-National Force – Iraq (MNF) forces - discovered and cleared 97 improvised explosive devices, - discovered and cleared 87 weapons caches, - conducted 63 cordon and searches of suspected anti-Iraqi forces facilities, - conducted 35 raids on a suspected anti-Iraqi forces facilities and - detained 771 suspected AIF. Major operational successes this past week include:
- Iraqi National Guard Soldiers and Multi-National Forces foiled a car bomb attempt and found a very large cache of weapons and munitions during operations in Mosul containing 15 artillery rounds, four fuel containers, and a large propane tank. They were able to disarm the fully prepared car bomb before it was used to harm innocent people. While searching the area the Iraqi National Guardsmen also found a large cache of weapons and munitions which included 93 mines, 88 artillery rounds, 5 rocket propelled grenade launchers, 34 RPG rounds, 17 grenades, 1000 feet of detonation cord, eight AK-47s, over 10,000 rounds of ammunition and roadside bomb-making components. A total of six anti-Iraq forces were detained in that operation.
- An Iraqi civilian’s call to a tips hotline led Iraqi policemen to a rocket launch site in Baghdad. The Iraqi policemen disassembled the launcher and destroyed the explosives.
In partnership with the Iraqi government, the Multi-National Force - Iraq conducts full spectrum counter-insurgency operations to isolate and neutralize former regime extremists and foreign terrorists. The Force also organizes, trains and equips Iraqi security forces to create a security environment that allows all Iraqi people to live in peace.
Release #050110e[/quote] *********
Would you say that a.) the Insurgents had planned things this way, - or - b.) the insurgency poorly-planned?
What a quagmire for the insurgents. What is their exit strategy now?
FACT: If 716 American forces were captured in one-week [size=24]NOBODY[/size] would shrug it off as "well we still got lots more Americans."
FACT: if truckload after truckload of AMERICAN weapons had been captured it would be (accurately) protrayed as a HUGE victory for the insurgents and NOBODY would shrug it off saying "Well we still go lots more weapons."
FACT: We are kicking butt If this had happend to 716 American troops the would have pre-empted the playoffs. The analsyis would have been "the fact that the insurgents can pull this off shows that we are losing . . porly planned . . . overly optmistic . . .no exit strategy."
Here's what I find hard to imagine.
- Imagine a country where sunni arabs make up some 10-15% of the population. - Now imagine a factionalized (ie a pro-saddam faction and a pro-UBL faction) uprising among some small portion of that 10-15%. - Now imagine that BOTH of those faction are so unpoular among the 10-15% sunni arab minority that they have to wear masks when the conduct raids because their sunni-arab neighbors are turning them in every chance they get.
Here's the hard part: - Now try to imagine the insugency will be successful. try to imagine that without some larger neighboring country staging an outright invasion that the factionalized uprising of a small percent of 10-15% of the populaiton will ever rule the country.
Extra Credit for LSD users: - Since the 60-65% Shia majority lives in the South and most of Iraq's oil reserves are in the North try to imagine the Shia majority allowing their country to be split into pieces cutting them off from their own oil.
And finally: - Imagine that in a single weekend those insurgents capture 110 Ameican foot soldiers, 6 major officers and make off with truckload after truckload of American weapons and ammo. (Because this is exactly what WE did to THEM this weekend). I imagine that such an occurrence would be all over the front page and would be (correctly) treated as "proof positive" that the Americans are bunch of poorly-planning bumblers who don't have snowball's chance of success.
- Now try to imagine it being portrayed any other way. Try to imagine any analist shrugging it off saying "Oh that doesn't mean much we've still got lots of other soldiers and lots of other ammo. It doesn't mean we are going to lose"
Can you smell the victory?
Probably because we let most of them go by now. The Iraqis really do need to start executing most of these people, especially once they have an elected government.
Yes, Saddam also raped and executed his own citizens. Plus he bought lots of gold-filigreed items and priceless statues for his own viewing pleasure. I can see why the Libs like him so much.
well we try to get as much information out of them as possible and we are not going down to their level. It is an insult to make our soldiers into executioners.
Maybe when the Iraqis have a solid legal system we will be turning the terrorists over to them.....
Maybe "MikewhowasinIraq"...
I dunno - but thanks for serving. Really - Thank you.
hehe
thanks....
I am writing all these suggestions down....we will see how the vote goes though too....
A buddy of mine on leave from Iraq was speaking about his run-ins with the media in Iraq. He said that they are having a problem with insurgents coming up to reporters and asking them to go with them on an ambush. The reporters follow the insurgents and watch as they lob mortars and launch grenades at US and other Allied troops. The story is far more important than the lives of the soldiers. Instead of notifying the troops they are going to be attacked - they get their story and soldiers die.
DEBRIEF AND NEUTRALIZE!
hehe thanks :)
Thsi is the way that the press operates in Gaza. Ever notice how the cameras are rolling from behind the kids who throw rocks at the Israeli tanks? They don't show the Hamas guys behind them with the AK-47s. Think, Peter Arnett and CNN in Iraq. CNN didn't want to get tossed from Iraq if they reported on what was really going on under Saddam.
"Captured"?
Yeah, yeah, but how the heck do we pronounce it?
"The word I get is that the majority of captured insurgents aren’t held for long or even aggressively interrogated."
I was going to post the same thing. How many "insurgents" were released last week?
There are 30 IED attacks a day. While I appreciate the cache haul, it needs to be kept in perspective.
we would need to find a way to change the graphic to have the country of Iraq in it :)
pronouncing it, well I an not exactly an English scholar....
bump! for later read.
TheMikeFormerlyInIraq.
Oh, and welcome home, brother.
Agreed, but a more brutal step is needed to stop the terrorists. The terrorist scum must be treated as they would treat those they want to kill. After the elections, the Iraqi government should brutally torture and execute the terrorist AND their families in FULL public view. They should broadcast to the world that this is the ONLY way true justice can be meted out to the terrorist scum and their supporters. They MUST ALL be executed shortly after capture. Do this and in 30 days most of the terrorist activities would cease. To do otherwise, it so appease the left and all evil anti-Individualists worldwide. The Warrior class needs to take charge. Only after the terrorists realize they death will be quick upon capture, will peace reign and the rule of Law assume its proper role. Political correctness is a cancer that will destroy civilization. PC is a tool of totalitarianism. Extreme violence against the terrorists is the only solution, not trials and the damn niceties the left desires.
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