U.S. President George W. Bush makes remarks on the global war on terror to the Military Officers Association of America in Washington September 5, 2006. (REUTERS/Jim Young) (UNITED STATES)
Posted on 09/05/2006 3:40:12 PM PDT by Gucho
Tuesday, 05 September 2006
BAGHDAD — Iraqi and Coalition forces this week continued their efforts to secure the capital city as part of Operation Together Forward.
On Sept. 4, Iraqi security forces, working closely with Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers, conducted Operation South Sword Search in the Baghdad neighborhood of Bakriyah.
Policemen with the 2nd Iraqi National Police Division and Soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army Division, along with U.S. Soldiers from 1the 2nd Infantry Division, are working to clear the area of illegal weapons and put an end to terrorist activities there.
“This was a totally combined operation,” said Maj. Jesse Pearson, 23rd Infantry Regiment. “They were extremely successful in helping us capture enemy personnel, and question them for intelligence.”
“We are capitalizing on successes of Operation Together Forward by denying terrorists the means to hide weapons,” added Capt. Miller, also from the 23rd Inf. Regt.
While his troops secured the neighborhood, Lt. Col. Avanulas Smiley, commander, 1st Battalion, 23rd Inf. Regt., took advantage of the opportunity to talk to residents about essential services in the neighborhood.
“With the Iraqi battalion we are working with, we are going to continue on the path to reduce violence and crime,” said Smiley. “One of the ways to do that is by cleaning up the neighborhood.”
Since the launch of Operation Together Forward, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team has searched more than 27,000 buildings, seized over 600 illegal weapons and detained 32 suspected terrorists.
Several days earlier, in the Adhamiyah neighborhood of Baghdad, Soldiers of Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team rolled into a cordoned section of Baghdad to continue clearing operations.
The Soldiers, along with members of the Iraqi National Police, patrolled the neighborhood, looking for weapons caches and other signs of possible terrorist activity.
With the help of a dog team from the 67th Specialized Search Dogs Detachment, the platoon was able to clear approximately 130 residences and businesses in three days of operating in the area.
“Our mission today was to root out any weapons caches, find any foreign fighters and (eventually) bring some peace and normalcy to the area,” said Capt. Duane Waits, a platoon leader.
The platoon’s two-fold mission also involved collecting information from residents about trouble in the neighborhood, in addition to general information about the local populace.
“We have been going more or less house to house, getting a census of the community to see who lives where, what’s going on and what problems they have been having in the neighborhoods,” said Spc. Phillip Page, 14th Cavalry Regiment.
“For example, we are trying to gain information about terrorists groups in the area and how they are affecting the populace, and as a result, how the populace feels about Coalition forces coming into this neighborhood,” said Page. “We want the local residents to feel comfortable enough to tell us what’s going on and to lead us in the right direction to track down these terrorists.”
In the Adhamiyah neighborhood – where agriculturally-minded residents grow everything from date palm trees to garden vegetables - the neighbors appear pleased with the progress they’ve witnessed.
“Most of the residents we have spoken with are farmers,” said Page. “They are good people who have been living in the area for quite a while and just trying to make a living for themselves.”
Until recently, violence had touched even the most innocuous of sites. During their patrols, U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers came across a kindergarten school that had in recent weeks come under fire from terrorist mortars.
The terrorists were aiming at the Iraqi National Police station nearby, explained the head security guard for the kindergarten. “If (these patrols) happen more times, maybe the terrorists would leave.”
The guard said he has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, and has watched the area change for the worse. Now he said he feels the security operations underway will be good for the neighborhood.
“Even my babies, they see Americans and Iraqi forces and they feel safe because they think this will give security to them,” said the guard.
“A lot of the residents I have spoken with said as soon as we rolled in, the terrorists, or whoever was taking over this area, rolled out,” added Page. “Violence has gone down and it seems pretty peaceful.”
An irrigation canal, built with the cement, will supply water for drinking and for the crops.
Villagers unload 100-pound bags of cement provided by 3rd Brigade Support Troops Battalion’s Civil Affairs Team in Azghana, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Pete Casiano)
By Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Pete Casiano - Provincial Reconstruction Team - Gardez
PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2006 — The 3rd Brigade Support Troops Battalion’s Civil Affairs Team in coordination with the Gardez Provincial Reconstruction Team delivered more than 1,200 pounds of concrete to a remote mountain village in Paktya Province.
The Coalition forces stationed in Gardez traveled with the Paktya Director of Irrigation to the remote mountain village of Azghana. The cement will be used to build a new irrigation canal.
Village elder, Gul Faraz, said the canal will supply water important for local crops and villagers.
“We need more drinking water,” he said. “Also, the water is important for the trees. This project is important because the water is too far away. We need a way to bring the water to our crops and to our people during winter.”
Paktya Province’s Director of Irrigation Mohammed Zahir conducted an assessment of the village’s irrigation needs. He expects the canal to increase the amount of water delivered to the 2,000 people who live in the area and to assist them in farming their land.
It is a project that Faraz said is possible because of the improved security provided by Coalition forces.
“The Coalition forces are here for our benefit,” he said. “They have brought security to our areas. We are able to maintain our farms because of the security provided by the Coalition forces.” This is the second load of cement the soldiers have provided to Azghana. They have now delivered more than 3,000 pounds of cement to help the villagers build their canal.
As Ramadan approaches, the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team showed its respect for Islam by donating prayer rugs and Qu’rans.
A worker at the Office of the Director of Hajj unloads Qu’rans at the Hajj’s office in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, Aug. 31. The Provincial Reconstruction Team donated prayer rugs and 75 Qu’rans to the office to honor the upcoming Ramadan. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jesse Reder)
By 1st Lt. Melissa J. Stevens - Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team
JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 5, 2006 — In honor of Ramadan, the Jalalabad Provincial Reconstruction Team donated prayer rugs and 75 Holy Qu’rans to the Nangarhar Office of the Hajj and Mosque on Aug. 31.
“We wanted to show our respect to Islam, the Director of Hajj and the people of Nangarhar and felt that offering these sacred gifts in honor of the upcoming month of Ramadan would show that we respect the religion and culture of the people,“ said Lt. Col. Dave Naisbitt, the PRT commander. “It’s a sign of good faith and respect for the upcoming fast and religious time.”
Mawlawi Asadullah Sajid, Nangarhar Director of Hajj and Mosque, said the donation to the mosque directorate is appreciated and is a good step toward helping Muslims. He said the PRT handled the Holy Qu’rans with perfect respect and according to Islamic customs.
Sajid said there is no doubt the international community and Coalition forces have great respect for the religion of Islam. During Ramadan he said he believes Coalition forces will help the mosques, madrassas and the people of the province. In order to see the positive changes in the views and ideas of the Afghan people regarding Coalition forces and the PRT, the PRT must continue to rehabilitate mosques and madrassas because, Sajid said, religion is very important to the people. The director said he would like to present the Holy Qu’rans as a gift to ulamas during Ramadan, and hopes the PRT will be able to donate more Holy Qu’rans to madrassas students because he said they needed them most.
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Pakistan's president set to visit Afghanistan
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
NATO's secretary-general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, right, gestures during a press conference at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) head quarter in Kabul, Afghanistan on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2006. 'The fight must be won and will be won,' NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told reporters. 'We should win because not winning means Afghanistan becoming a failed state again.' De Hoop Scheffer acknowledged that NATO forces had met stiffer resistance than expected since they took command of the south from a U.S.-led coalition a month ago. (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
By Sgt. Kristin Kemplin - 363rd MPAD
Sep 5, 2006
BAGHDAD, Iraq – In the early morning hours of Aug. 29, Soldiers of Multi-National Division –Baghdad’s 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team piled into heavily-armored vehicles and rolled into a cordoned section of Baghdad to continue clearing operations as part of Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s Operation Together Forward.
This was the third day in a row that Soldiers of 1st Platoon, Troop A, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd SBCT and members of the Iraqi National Police had patrolled this neighborhood, located on the outskirts of an Iraqi National Police station, looking for weapons caches and other signs of possible terrorist activity.
The platoon set out to clear a sector in northern Adhamiyah as part of the brigade’s mission, “to quell sectarian violence in certain city hot spots,” said Capt. Duane Waits, 1st platoon leader, Troop A, 4th Sqdn., 14th Cav. Regt.
The platoon, working with a dog team from 67th Specialized Search Dogs Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 16th Engineer Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, was able to clear approximately 130 residences and businesses in three days of operating in the area.
“Our mission today was to root out any weapons caches, find any foreign fighters and (eventually) bring some peace and normalcy to the area,” said Waits, a native of Littlerock, Ark.
The platoon’s two-fold mission also involved collecting information from residents about trouble in the neighborhood as well as general information about the local populace.
“We have been going more or less, house to house, getting a census of the community to see who lives where, what’s going on and what problems they have been having in the neighborhoods,” said Spc. Phillip Page, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 4th Sqdn., 14th Cav. Regt.
“For example, we are trying to gain information about terrorists groups in the area and how they are affecting the populace, and as a result, how the populace feels about Coalition Forces coming into this neighborhood,” explained Page, who is aided in these efforts by an interpreter.
“We want the local residents to feel comfortable enough to tell us what’s going on and to lead us in the right direction to track down these terrorists,” said Waits.
Many agricultural businesses operate within Adhamiyah, growing everything from date palm trees to garden vegetables. “Most of the residents we have spoken with are farmers,” said Page, a native of Alliance, Ohio. “They are good people who have been living in the area for quite a while and just trying to make a living for themselves,” he said.
The Soldiers also came across a kindergarten school that had recently come under fire from mortars launched by terrorists.
The terrorists were aiming at the Iraqi National Police station nearby, explained the head security guard for an Adhamiyah kindergarten school through an interpreter. “If (these patrols) happen more times, maybe the terrorists would leave,” he said.
He said he has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, has observed the area change for the worse, he said, and feels the current security operations being conducted in Adhamiyah will be good for the neighborhood.
“Even my babies, they see Americans and Iraqi (security) forces and they feel safe because they think this will give security to them,” said the father of three.
“A lot of the residents I have spoken with said as soon as we rolled in (three days ago), the terrorists, or whoever was taking over this area, rolled out. Violence has gone down and it seems pretty peaceful,” said Page.
“Our kids have only experienced war time,” said Hussein. “We hope we never see another war. We hope our kids live in peace.”
No weapons caches or terrorists were discovered in the third day of operations within the neighborhood.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
BAGHDAD – Spc. Phillip Page (right), 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, works through an interpreter to talk with local residents about problems in the neighborhood. The mission is part of ongoing efforts in support of Operation Together Forward. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, 363rd MPAD)
BAGHDAD – Spc. Phillip Page (right), 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, went out with 1st Platoon, Troop A, 4-14 Cav. Regt., Aug. 29 to collect information from local residents about trouble in the neighborhood. Page also gathered census data from families in the area. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, 363rd MPAD)
BAGHDAD – Capt. Duane Waits (left), platoon leader, communicates to Soldiers using the radio carried by Pfc. Greg Pingitore, infantry scout, as homes and businesses are cleared by 1st Platoon, Troop A, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad here Aug. 29. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, 363rd MPAD)
BAGHDAD – Staff Sgt. Patty Arnold-Carney, a truck driver with 172nd Stryker Brigade Support Battalion, searches a greenhouse in the northern sector here Aug. 29 with 1st Platoon, Troop A, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. Carney worked with the platoon in case a female terrorist suspect needed to be searched during the operation to rid the area of terrorists and weapons caches. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, 363rd MPAD)
BAGHDAD – The family of the head security guard for an Adhamiyah kindergarten school, watches as he answers questions about recent terrorist activity in the area. Spc. Phillip Page (right), 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, talked with local residents about problems in the neighborhood to help Coalition Forces locate terrorists and weapons caches. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, 363rd MPAD)
BAGHDAD – A Soldier from 1st Platoon, Troop A, 4th Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment, 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, moves through a date palm tree grove in the early morning hours Aug. 29 searching for hidden weapons caches. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kristin Kemplin, 363rd MPAD)
Saturday, 02 September 2006
By Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel
CAMP LIBERTY — Engineer soldiers from the 6th Iraqi Army Division proved their prowess on the latest methods of route clearance, patrolling and improvised-explosive device detection during “Capstone” training conducted by U.S. Soldiers from Multi-National Division – Baghdad’s 16th Engineer Brigade.
The ability of IA engineers to fight terrorism and keep the roads safe for local residents is important for the future of the Iraq, said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Seville, assistant operations sergeant and combat engineer.
“They’re the future for their country. The more (IEDs) they find, the more it validates our training,” said Seville. “The lane training is important to tie everything in. It’s better for them to learn from their mistakes here, take the learning to heart and improve. They’re hard workers and they want to make a difference. I get on them just like my own troops. They’re learning and that’s the main thing.”
The U.S. engineers agreed the future of Iraq depends on the ability of the Iraqi security forces to become fully capable of stabilizing the country so that the Iraqi government can stand on its own and work towards democracy.
“Every day that we do (training), you see them using more and more of what they have learned in class,” said Capt. Luis Gonzalez, combat engineer and explosive ordnance disposal advisor to the 6th IAD. “We’re getting these guys trained so that they can be effective in the greater Baghdad area."
Iraqi Army explosive ordnance disposal soldiers take part in the training as well. When their counterpart Iraqi combat engineers find an IED and secure the area, they are called to eliminate the threat, said Gonzalez.
An Iraqi Army engineer checks the side of the road for improvised-explosive devices during "Capstone" training. (Department of Defense photo by Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Lovel - 363rd MPAD)
"We have EOD embedded in their engineer formation, just like in our Army,” he said.
Many of the Iraqi soldiers appreciated the experience, knowledge, expertise and camaraderie MND-B Soldiers shared with them.
“I see some special guys (MND-B Soldiers). They are disciplined, polite and they give us experience and knowledge that they have,” said Col. Ahmed Khalifa, commander, 6th IAD Engineers.
Khalifa said his soldiers enjoyed working with their MND-B counterparts.
“They love the training. They can’t wait until morning when they can train again,” said Khalifa.
By Paula Wolfson - Washington
05 September 2006
President Bush is defending his handling of the war on terror as the fifth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States rapidly approaches. Mr. Bush says the nature of the terrorist threat is changing, and vows there will be no negotiations with the enemy.
The president says five years after the September 11 attacks, America is safer but not safe enough.
He says the al-Qaida terrorist network has been weakened, but remains angry and determined. He says the movement has become less centralized, with small dispersed groups plotting violent acts. "Some of these groups are made up of home grown terrorists - militant extremists who were born and educated in Western nations or indoctrinated by radical Islamists or attracted to their ideology and join the violent extremists cause," he said.
He says whether these radicals are Sunni or Shi'ite, Western born or from the Middle East, there can be no appeasement, and no middle ground. "These radicals have declared their uncompromising hostility to freedom. It is foolish to think that you can negotiate with them," he said.
In the latest of a series of speeches defending his policy on the war on terrorism, President Bush made the case for vigilance. He did so by quoting the words of the leaders of the terrorist movement, including comments by al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden on the fight for the heart and soul of Iraq. "He says the whole world is watching this war and that it will end in victory and glory or misery and humiliation. For al-Qaida, Iraq is not a distraction from their war on America. It is the central battlefield where the outcome of this struggle will be decided," he said.
Mr. Bush also cited statements made by Iran's leaders, drawing a link between the regime in Tehran and the hierarchy of al-Qaida. "Like al-Qaida and the Sunni extremists, the Iranian regime has clear aims. They want to drive America out of the region, destroy Israel and dominate the greater Middle East," he said.
The president spoke just hours after the White House released an updated version of its 2003 report on the administration's strategy for winning the war on terrorism.
The report contains no new policies, but it does put together in one document for public consumption all the various elements of the counter-terrorism strategy put in place since 2001.
President Bush said the bottom line is to stop acts of terrorism before they occur. He said the enemy has evolved, and so has the response.
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