Posted on 05/12/2007 7:22:04 AM PDT by SandRat
RAMADI Iraqi Soldiers patrolled the Nazer Canal for weapons caches independent of Coalition support Monday.
According to Iraqi Army Maj. Ani, an intelligence officer of 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, the mission to find weapons caches was a demonstration of the Iraqi Armys capability of hunting down the weapons caches of insurgents attacking Ramadi.
While most operations are conducted in a joint effort between Iraqi and Coalition forces, the Iraqi Soldiers operated independently in this mission after months learning from their Coalition counterparts.
Were here today to sweep the banks for caches, Ani said. There have been mortars, improvised explosive devices and small-arms weapons found here in the past because insurgents use this area a lot.
Patrolling on their own, Iraqi Army Soldiers arrived after dawn to explore the shores of the Euphrates River for anything suspicious.
The Iraqi Soldiers assessed the area and decided to divide into two teams, who each went separate directions to cover more ground while searching the banks of the river.
You find lots of munitions during searches like this, said Ani. We find something almost daily. Earlier today, we found a rocket wired with some detonation cord, which could have killed many people.
While ongoing operations are expected to give the Iraqi democracy an opportunity to fully establish itself, Iraqi forces are beginning to need less Coalition support due to training, experience and combat readiness.
This is all their show, said Military Transition Team U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Clifton Terry, who monitored their progress from a distance. The only thing were doing here is getting an eye on things [just in case] we need to call in for air support, or if we run into Coalition forces, to act as the mediators.
According to Terry, the Iraqi troops he works with are doing a good job.
Everything they do here today is a reflection of their training, he said. All the things they recover and stop today are [because of] them. Were just here to watch.
While only a few munitions were recovered during the operation, both Iraqi and Coalition leaders consider any find a victory in their quest to secure Ramadi from insurgent forces.
(U.S. Army story by Spc. Ricardo Branch, 1st Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs)
PING!
Some interesting reading.
We are winning, despite what the MSM passes to us as news.
The Surge is Working
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
If the Presstitutes of the LameStreamMedia would just report it it insted of behaving as “Copper Heads.”
PravdABDNC has one objective and that is getting Dems/fellow communists elected. Anything that varies from that will be ignored which includes the Truth.
Pray for W and Our Troops
"No it's not! It's a FAILURE, you hear me?! A FAILURE!!!"
All current “Copper Heads” should be treated just as their “Copper Head” forebearers were by Pres. Lincoln during the Civil War!
Copper Heads were/are good for one thing, decorating Lampposts.
Pray for W and Our Troops
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