U.S. troops take the offensive in Baqouba

Stars and Stripes ^ | 6/20/07

[bnelson44]

BAQOUBA, Iraq — American ground forces, backed by Apache helicopter gunships and fighter jets, launched a large-scale offensive Tuesday to clear al-Qaida and other insurgent groups from the capital of Iraq’s volatile Diyala province.

The offensive began before dawn, with ground elements of 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment and 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment moving in a pincer movement on the western half of the city. Other elements, including the 1st Battalion, 12th Cavalry Task Force (1-12th Combined Arms Battalion), moved to secure the other half of the city, east of the Diyala River.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper, as the offensive is called, is meant to kill and capture as many insurgents as possible, secure the local population and “set the conditions” for eventual turnover to the Iraqi army and police, according to senior U.S. officers.

[bnelson44]

ping

[bnelson44]

The Money Quote
Buried in an article about the summer offensive in Diyala

From a resident of Baqubah via AP

“For the first time we feel that al Qaeda is weak. Up until two days ago we thought they would control everything over us,” said resident Rami Abdullah.

Security is 90% perception. Something journalists should be clear on when they are overly critical of Iraqi Security Forces.

http://soldiersdad2.blogspot.com/2007/06/money-quote.html

[Williams]

Why doesn’t our president publicly announce these missions and cheer on the troops?

[bnelson44]

Because if they fail it would be harder on the troops with the world laughing at them.

[Texas_Dawg]

Because if they fail it would be harder on the troops with the world laughing at them.

when

[bnelson44]

What??

[Texas_Dawg]

What??

There's no "if" left to these silly exercises. They will all fail to produce anything substantial as they all have for the past 4 years.

[Prokopton]

They will all fail to produce anything substantial as they all have for the past 4 years.

They killed a lot of hard core bad guys, that's got to be good.

[Texas_Dawg]

They killed a lot of hard core bad guys, that's got to be good.

And a whole lot of innocent people in the process as well. That's got to be bad.

And for hundreds of billions of dollars sucked out of the US economy... all for some 3rd world dump with a microscopic economy.

Iraq is a total failure. That's why people around here mainly talk about Mexicans now instead.

Anything to avoid having to admit what one supports is fatally flawed. No different than what Liberals do sadly.

[Dilbert56]

Wow, all this time we have been reading the reports coming out of Iraq from embedded journalists and soldiers there. They say we're killing the enemy and giving the people of Iraq a chance. We thought they killing Al Qaida was a good thing. We thought that the Iraqis are humna beings who deserve a chance for freedom. We thought that abandoning Third World shitholes like the Middle East was what got us into 9-11 and all the attacks that preceeded it.

All we needed to do was consult you, the oracle of all that is true. We could have saved so much time. Sigh.

[heylady]

“We thought they killing Al Qaida was a good thing. We thought that the Iraqis are humna beings who deserve a chance for freedom “

Thank you. I couldn’t have said it better myself. My son is in Baqouba in 1st Cav out of Ft Hood Texas.

[Radio Free Tuscaloosa]

May God protect your son. May his efforts not be in vain. And may He also grant you peace during this time.

[Tennessean4Bush]

And a whole lot of innocent people in the process as well. That's got to be bad. And for hundreds of billions of dollars sucked out of the US economy... all for some 3rd world dump with a microscopic economy. Iraq is a total failure.

How many times have you been attacked by ME terrorists this past month?

[randog]

My son is in Baqouba in 1st Cav out of Ft Hood Texas.

God bless him and watch over him.

[squarebarb]

Prayers for your son, may the Lord watch over him.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

You don't have a clue....see this concerning what this is all about:

'Everyone Is Afraid to Criticize Islam'

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

My grandson is back,...son in law is still in Kuwait...working the supply mission....see link at post #17....an interview with a woman ...EX -Muslim....gives some idea of the magnitude of the effort we are involved in....

God bless our Soldiers and your Son....

[cookcounty]

"They killed a lot of hard core bad guys, that's got to be good.

And a whole lot of innocent people in the process as well. That's got to be bad.

99% of the innocents have been killed by terrorists. Stop lying about my son's fine work, Mr Kerry.

[Texas_Dawg]

We thought that abandoning Third World shitholes like the Middle East was what got us into 9-11 and all the attacks that preceeded it.

That's pretty funny.