'Graduation' for Iraqi troops

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 12/9/5 | Anna Badkhen

[SmithL]

In the dangerous Sunni triangle, U.S. soldiers watch from a distance -- with a growing sense of pride -- as security forces carry out predawn raid for insurgents

Qadessiya, Iraq -- In the predawn shadows, a squad of Iraqi police officers in black ski masks and flack jackets rapped loudly on the metal gate of a walled-in compound. All around them, hundreds of other Iraqi police officers and army soldiers pounded on gates across this volatile Sunni village in northern Iraq.

The low boom of an American 155-mm gun erupted in the distance, and bursts of magnesium illumination lit up Qadessiya with an orange glow. Two U.S. Apache attack helicopters hummed overhead.

The meticulously planned raid, which involved more than 800 Iraqi police and soldiers, was a major test of the ability of Iraq's nascent security forces to take a far larger role in combatting the insurgency in this part of the rebellious Sunni triangle.

With Americans providing only air and illumination support and the minimum of groundwork and oversight, the operation culminated 12 months of rigorous training of Iraqi forces by the U.S. Army's 2-7 Infantry Battalion of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division.

"It can be considered a graduation exercise for all the Iraqi forces in the region," said Lt. Col. Todd Wood, 42, of Indianola, Iowa, the 2-7's commander. "It's nice to see it all come together. A year's worth of work."

But for the battalion itself, the Thursday morning sweep -- dubbed Operation Rising Force -- had the feel of the Last Waltz. The soldiers are scheduled to return to the United States next month,...

Iraqi police and army troops are silhouetted by headlights as they begin a house-to-house search in a neighborhood of Qadessiya,

[SmithL]

Is this any way to run a quagmire?

[liberty_lvr]

BWAAAHAAAAAAAA!!

Now that's funny! Good one...

[bybybill]

CHECK who ran this article.
Next thing they``ll do is say guns can save lives

[md2576]

Reminds me of my kindergarten graduation.

[ohioWfan]

This is great news! As the Iraqi Army stands up, we will stand down.

Support our Troops. COMPLETE THE MISSION!!

[Blood of Tyrants]

They have the training and motivation, now all they need is more equipment.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Isit in their paper and ink publication.

[SmithL]

I haven't laid hands on the actual paper, but according to the article, it's on page A-1.

[PsyOp]

Comparing Apples & Oranges: Why The Training of Iraqi Security Forces is Taking So Long.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1532262/posts