Posted on 03/07/2006 4:59:04 AM PST by StoneGiant
Here’s an email from one of the West Point gang… on the ground in Iraq. You’ll note, of course, that it reflects a slightly different perspective than what is being reported in the MSM.
-SG
-----Original Message-----
From: carl.@us.army.mil
Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 7:47 AM
To:
Subject: Taji 4 Mar
Sorry I haven't written in awhile, but we've been through a very busy and productive period here with the 2nd Brigade, 9th Division. Despite the continuing death and destruction, I am becoming more and more confident that the Iraqi Army will do its part to make Iraq peaceful and prosperous. I am absolutely convinced that 2nd Brigade will be a big part of that ultimate success.
First, we completed a successful tank training event in a location about 70 miles from Taji. This training event was always in doubt as the coalition leadership wondered if it was really necessary or desirable to train Iraqi tankers with their main guns. In the end, we secured the necessary approval, and the training has gone very well. While nothing like a U.S. gunnery, each company had four days of training to include night firing. This was an essential step in creating the competent and confident tank crews that this country needs to provide security.
The bombing of the Mosque in Samara was a huge tragedy for this country, and there has been plenty of bloodshed in response. However, the Iraqi Army has grown in stature by taking the lead in restoring order. 2nd Brigade performed magnificently as it was called to send a battalion task force of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles into Baghdad. We received a warning order around lunch-time that we should "be prepared" to move. At first, our sister brigade was going to be the primary unit to deploy. By 6 PM, we knew that 2nd Brigade would have the mission if it came, and the Iraqis started getting ready in earnest. The order came at 8 PM, and by 2 AM, we were rolling. The companies linked up with guides in the middle of the night, and they were escorted into their base camps to join Iraqi infantry units from another division. After being up for 24 hours, these Soldiers refueled and rolled right into battlespace to take up positions at critical points in Baghdad. By 1 200, all three companies were completely in place. I accompanied the last company of tanks to move out, and I couldn't be more proud to be a part of this piece of history.
Since the move to Baghdad, our tankers and infantrymen have been on the Arab news every night, and I understand they have been seen in America as well. The Iraqi officers and even the interpreters tell me that the boost in morale for the people cannot be overstated. The infantry that we joined is equipped with machine-guns mounted in Nissan pick-up trucks; they are just starting to receive Iraqi up-armored HMMWVs. As a result, many people did not really believe that the US was serious about creating a capable Army. But when they saw the BMPs and T72 tanks with the Iraqi flags waving, the citizens realized that they had a professional force in the making. In Iraq, I believe that the tank has a symbolic importance far out of proportion to its actual capability. But perception is reality!
The ultimate impact of the Samara mosque bombing is yet to be determined. It clearly pushed the country closer to civil war than ever. Officers and interpreters who live in Baghdad told stories of people being dragged out into the street to be murdered. They spoke of dead bodies lying around, and chaos everywhere. It is better now, but the latest estimates point to over 1300 people being killed in the aftermath.
But the silver lining here is that this event might pull the people of Iraq together against the foreign terrorists. We all saw the Sunni and Shia religious leaders coming together to condemn the violence, and the cross-denominational prayer services have been effective in pulling the country back from the brink. Importantly, the government and its Army have been perceived as being effective in establishing security. There are still plenty of problems, but the overall direction appears positive.
Probably the most important work left to be done is to improve the performance of the Iraqi police. The Iraqi police are generally despised, and many of the death squads seeking retribution appear to have been assisted by the police. By all estimates, the coalition emphasis on the Army first has left the police about a year behind in development. The coalition has declared 2006 as the "Year of the Police," so maybe we'll get that going.
Time is flying by with less than 120 days to go (in-sha-allah). The Iraqis continue to be great hosts and all is well with my advisor team. I'm looking forward to getting home, but I'm also excited about finishing my part of the job before I leave. It has clearly been an extremely rewarding experience, worthy of our best efforts.
Carl
Was Carl saying the "Civil War" has broken out?
However you count it, 1300 casualties is more than mere hooliganism, but I believe he's saying that they have pulled back from the brink of civil war.
Thank you for your service to this great country, Carl.
Excellent post!
Odd that this is not quite in keeping with John Murtha's description of events...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.