Baghdad Offensive Gains Ground

threatswatch ^ | 8/29/06 | Kirk H. Sowell

[bnelson44]

Awaited Offensive Expands into Multiple Sections of the City, Iraqi Forces Left in Cleared Areas Appear to be Holding Up

By Kirk H. Sowell

Over the course of the past week the Iraqi government’s “Operation Together Forward” - a neighborhood-by-neighborhood sweep-and-hold operation - has moved on following a promising start in the neighborhood of Ameriya to include Ghazalia, Kadhimiya, Mansour and Nura (see our recent report, Second Battle of Baghdad Underway, for background). Although some terrorist attacks have still gotten through, indications now are that while July was Baghdad’s worst month, August has seen lower daily rates of both attacks and casualties. Estimated attacks per day have declined from 52 to 31 (MNF-I).

Last week started reasonably well with the commemoration of the Shi’a religious festival of Musa, celebrating the life and martyrdom of Musa bin Jafar al-Kadhim, the seventh imam. While a sniper attack managed to kill at least 20 of the pilgrims, given that there were hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and the scale of recent violence, the attack was not nearly as deadly as it perhaps might have otherwise been. More deadly was this past weekend, when a series of attacks killed at least 60.

A number of important operations have been conducted in Baghdad and other areas in the center of the country. As recounted by Major General William Caldwell at an August 22 press conference:

[TexKat]

Hello there pissant!

[TexKat]

Yes, the Problem is ‘Islamic Fascism’

[Prophet in the wilderness]

I can only take a good guess that the MSM will run this Katrina propaganda 24/7 up until election day.

[TexKat]

24 Bodies Dumped in Baghdad Shiite Areas

[bnelson44]

While the outcome of Together Forward is by no means assured, the statistics since the major clearing operations began in early August are encouraging. The operations are having a positive effect in reducing the level of violence in Baghdad. “Attacks within the Baghdad province averaged about 23 attacks per day over the past week, which is lower than the monthly average for July. The average daily murder rate in Baghdad province has dropped 46 percent from July to August. And if you look to just the past few weeks, from the 7th through the 25th of August, the murder rate has dropped 50 percent over the daily rate for July,” said Maj. Gen. Caldwell.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1692257/posts

[pissant]

George Bush is a man among boys in DC and the world stage.

[freema]

Justferuping, Justanobody ; ) Maybe it's true this time, and maybe they're all bad guys.

I can't, for the life of me (and mine) fathom why information on an ongoing operation is being made public.

[bray]

More good news you'll never find in the Stone-age press!

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[bnelson44]

Looks like Sadr's goons lost to an independent IA Division.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Associated Press even recognized that in their headline although the article started out with the usual list of violent incidences:

Progress Made in Curbing Iraq Disorder - AP Admits it...the Tide is turning...

[bnelson44]

"In August, thank God, the number of deaths has evidently decreased," he said. "It's quite noticeable. Thank God, terrorist operations have decreased in Baghdad."

U.S. officials attributed the fall in sectarian killings to a major security crackdown launched Aug. 7. About 8,000 U.S. troops and 3,000 Iraqi soldiers were sent to the capital to search homes systematically and patrol the streets.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From your link to Threats Watch .....there is this little item:

Western and Arab news reports were in conflict as to the result, although the Iraqi newspaper Al-Rafidayn reported that there was a ceasefire in which the militia formally recognized government control of the city.

The militia being al-Sadr's merry band....

Score a BIG ONE for our side!!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

See post #32....some media is lying as usual!

[Just A Nobody]

I can't, for the life of me (and mine) fathom why information on an ongoing operation is being made public.

I thought this crap was not allowed.
I cannot imagine what you go through reading this stuff. Please know you (and yours) are in my prayers.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Aspirations of global grandeur on the part of Islamic militants must be seasoned by the realities of democracy. Can democracy allow for a religious practice which, by all appearances, is oppressive? I don't know. We do not jail Satanists, or even Communists, in the USA by virtue of their "faith." Sheez. We don't even lay a hand on practicing abortionists.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Score a BIG ONE for our side!!!!"
You got that right. Let us keep in mind this operation is going to go on for months. All forms of resistance and religous revenge killings are going to be stopped.
We have patiently waited for a portion of the Iraqi Army to actually be transfered under the direct control of the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. Now that has come to past as we read yesterday at FR.
Maliki has announced changes will be made in cabinet posts. One can only surmise he is kicking out dumbasses, Iranian symphasizers, and those that are apposed to taming the capital and associated cities once and for all.
One could easily forget those many cities, towns, villages, beduein villages, and shit holes throughout al Anbar that now contain both trained Iraqi Army and Police units, that stayed after those many major raids the US Army and Marine Corps. had conducted last year, and earlier this year.
Al Anbar no longer can support al Qaeda as it once had, and it no longer can support the Saddamist.
Sure, we shall continue to on occasions read about this group or that pulling off a successful suicide attack in say Baquaba, Tikrit, Mosul, ar Ramadi, Haditha, Balad etc., but for the most part, the insurgency can no longer operate with safety in those areas/cities.
As the British forces now take the battle to the eastern front against factions that hold allegience to the Iranian operatives in the east and south, the pressures are added to the SCIRI party under the lead of guys like Hakim to further seperate themselves from the religious oriented trouble makers as well as ties with Iran.
The US Congress will put the pressure on Iraq to prove how well it can tackle this insurgency in it's many varied forms.
I do hope Maliki and crew can hold up and gain in stature amoung all Iraqi at this point. As more Iraqi see the light at the end of the tunnel, increased HUMIT, and government support shall follow, which obviously provides a greater barrier to any insurgent/resitance group from having any success.
Things are looking up IMHO.

[bray]

Looks like the only real Civil War is inside the CommiecRat Party!

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

[TexKat]

Iraq Commander Plays Down Grim Report

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Love it!

[bnelson44]

See:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1700138/posts