Posted on 03/23/2007 2:44:35 PM PDT by bnelson44
CBNNews.com - WASHINGTON - The U.S. military has developed battle plans designed to clear al-Qaeda out of Iraq.
High level military intelligence sources have told CBN News the offensive would target the Iraqi province of Diyala.
The province is located just northeast of Baghdad, along the Iranian border.
Many of al-Qaeda's forces in Baghdad moved there when the new troop surge was announced in January. Diyala is now a major launching pad for al-Qaeda suicide bombing attacks.
Is Diyala a risk worth taking? How is this offensive different from other offensives carried out in Iraq? Watch Erick Stakelbeck's full report and interview with Gordon Robertson with these answers now.
"If you want to diminish the amount of car bombers and suicide bombers, you have to take the fight right to the source. And in this case, the source is Diyala," said CBN News consultant Daveed Gartenstein-Ross.
Gartenstein-Ross says the Diyala offensive will be even bigger than the major U.S. operation in Fallujah back in 2004-which cleared out a city that had been a major insurgent stronghold.
Military sources say the Fallujah operation directly led to the success of the 2005 Iraqi elections.
Gartenstein-Ross said, "Here, the goal is going to be to drive these guys out of the country entirely."
Sources say the initial plans involve three distinct strikes from three different directions. The goal is to destroy enemy training facilities and prevent al-Qaeda forces from escaping.
"The insurgents are left with two choices--either to stand and fight or to retreat into Iran--at which point, they're Iran's problem," said Gartenstein-Ross.
Al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, has been laying mines and positioning anti-aircraft batteries to counteract the coming offensive. One of the U.S.military's goals is to take out these anti-aircraft groups. That will likely involve heavy us airpower.
If successful, this could have major benefits at home and abroad, according to retired U.S Colonel Bill Taylor.
"To the American public, it's a sign of progress. To our allies: maybe this effort is still worth supporting," said Taylor.
General David Petraeus has requested up to 3,000 additional troops for Diyala. The operation there can't move forward until his request is approved.
Taylor says Petreaus - who was one of his students at West Point - is the perfect choice to lead America's efforts in Iraq. But he's worried about recent reports that al-Qaeda may be preparing chemical weapons attacks against U.S. troops..
"Iraq has traditionally, a pretty big chemical industry. There's nothing that says that maybe al-Masri and the al-Qaeda people can't get their hands on something like WWII chemical agents, mustard gas for example," he said.
And that brings up the question of casualties.
A major offensive in Diyala could potentially cause a number of civilian and military deaths, especially if al-Qaeda stands and fights.
But experts say that's a risk worth taking. They say a victory in Diyala could cripple al-Qaeda in Iraq and help shore up lagging support for the war at home.
Loose lips...
Wrong goal. Amend: "to kill them all."
Should be a successful operation. Our boys trained for this scenario recently at Mogadishu. Maybe we should bring in the Ethiopians for some Round 2 fun.
I was thinking the same thing you are. Seems stupid to let the Liberal MSM tell the enemy our battle plans in advance. Why not send Pelosi over there as point person.
"Sources say the initial plans involve three distinct strikes from three different directions. The goal is to destroy enemy training facilities and prevent al-Qaeda forces from escaping.
"The insurgents are left with two choices--either to stand and fight or to retreat into Iran--at which point, they're Iran's problem," said Gartenstein-Ross."
So you prevent from escaping and then you kill them, NOT "retreat into Iran". that is not preventing al-Qaeda forces from escaping.
That's pretty much what happens in war.
If the bad guys stand and fight, they will die. If they run, they can continue to stage attacks and harm the remaining US resolve.
JR, if it is posed and here you can rest assured it is NOT the plan.
I don't think CBN is exactly part of the MSM. Blindly condemning all media blurs the distinction that must be made.
Regardless...
Regardless, the conservatives need a media outlet other than conservative talks shows. Many voters get their news from the Liberal MSM on an hourly and nightly basis. IMO, that's fact is reflected in all the stupid polls.
Yeah...why don't we just send them an email telling them "Get out, US forces are coming."
"D-Day Postponed until June 6."
Don't drive them out. Surround them, squeeze them and kill every last one of them.
If Reagan were in office, in 600 years they would still be referring to "Radioactive Lake Diyala."
(Odd mental image of several thousand kilted Black Watch unexpectedly standing up in the tall grass and loosing a volley of smoothbore musket fire.)
cluster bomb them in the open fields. drop all along the border, those cool mines that ether blow up someone or blow themselves up after a few days.
I am opposed to cluster bombs that are mines.
Brilliant! Prepare for a set-piece battle with the US.
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