Posted on 02/11/2007 9:54:51 AM PST by SandRat
CAMP LIBERTY — Iraqi Security Forces and American Soldiers patrol the streets of Baghdad together. Their mission: provide security so the citizens of Iraq can live in a safer environment.
Since the beginning of February, these force's operations have resulted in the discovery of 60 weapons caches. Combined, these caches contained more than 2,000 mortar rounds, rockets, dynamite, homemade explosives, anti-tank landmines and numerous pistol and rifle munitions.
“The confiscation of weapons and munitions from caches hinders the (the insurgents) ability to attack Iraqi security forces, the coalition and Iraqi citizens,” said Lt. Col. Scott R. Bleichwehl, Multi-National Division (MND)-Baghdad spokesman. “These munitions are secured and disposed of by explosive ordnance disposal teams.”
Soldiers from 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), partnered with Iraqi Army troops from 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division conducted operations southwest of the capital earlier this week and uncovered several caches. One of the caches was the largest cache found by the units currently in that area to date, and yielded more than 1,100 high-explosive mortar rounds.
Soldiers from 2nd Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division located a cache northeast of the Iraqi capital that included more than 400 mortar rounds while partnered with 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division.
Soldiers from the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, partnered with 1st Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division. They conducted targeted raids and confiscated arms and munitions including rifles, pistols, bayonets and assorted munitions.
“Every weapon or explosive device we take off the street only improves the overall security situation here,” said Bleichwehl. “These missions are making a difference and helping to move the city toward a more secure existence.”
Since a lot of this stuff is coming from Iran these days, why don't we return it to them?
These discoveries sound more and more akin to DEA drug interdiction announcements - "yesterday we caught 500 pounds of cocaine heading into the US border." While both make for good press releases, they present a false picture of success.
I wish they would oh,.... say,.... a MEGATON at a time.
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