Coalition forces seize multiple weapons caches

BAGHDAD – Coalition forces seized multiple weapons caches near Tuwaitha Sunday. Soldiers from Company D, 1st Battalion, 15th Regiment, who are currently attached to 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment conducted Operation Destroyer Strike based on information gathered from local citizens.

The operation was a part of Operation Marne Torch, being conducted by Multi-National Division-Center in efforts to eliminate insurgent sanctuaries southeast of Baghdad.

“In that area there are a lot of people frustrated with sectarian violence and al-Qaeda,” said U.S. Army Capt. Troy Thomas, a staff officer with 3-1 Cav. Regt. “They are just fed up with it.”

U.S. Army Capt. Brian Gilbert, commander of Company D and the commander of all Soldiers involved in the operation. He is in contact with local leaders and members of the city council on a daily basis. He spoke with local citizens and city council members following the operation.

“We talked to pretty much everybody that lives there and they were happy to see us,” Gilbert said. “They were specifically happy about us showing our commitment to their security and taking the bad guys off the street.”

The first objective in the operation was a large farm whose owner, according to local residents, was killed by al-Qaeda. Locals also said that al-Qaeda was using the farm as a training area, Gilbert said.

Troops cleared two target locations to seize caches and disrupt insurgent activity. Four individuals were detained attempting to flee the first objective. One of the detainees is suspected of making road-side bombs for al-Qaeda and another provided additional information on cache sites.

“All of the information provided by the informant coincided with previously collected intelligence,” said Thomas.

The intelligence gathered from that detainee led to six additional searches and the detention of a suspected sniper with ties to the Mahdi Army, Thomas said.

Items found in the cache included 54 mortar rounds, two artillery rounds, 29 cell phones, 29 nine-volt battery connectors and more than 20 circuit boards, all commonly used in the manufacturing of improvised explosive devices. The cache also contained four rockets, five AK-47 assault rifles, a .50-caliber machine gun and Iraqi Security Forces’ body armor.

Coalition forces continue to conduct operations to destroy al-Qaeda’s forces and create a stable and safe Iraq.

Bit by bit we will win the hearts of the majority of Iraqi. And with it will end the insurgency. Where will the baddies hide as the people point them out and in some cases literally start to go after them on their own.
The writing is on the wall. Iraq will become pretty much what this administration had hoped for. In fact, with the right kind of future trade and rebuilding, they just may become a model for the rest of the ME to look at in wonder. They surely have enough of oil reserves to literally transform what is now a broken land into one where all Iraqi are safe as well as stable.
More muslims shall come to see, that a democratically elected government at federal and provincial levels that will be held accountable and modern things obtained from oil and other industrial resources will eventually bring most of them a better standard of living.
More will choose between this way and their backward ways that have proven to be fatalistic over the long run. Their eyes are slowly being opened.
We have read on occasions reports that claim a majority of Iraqi are more secular oriented then strict muslims. I think this is one reason why GWB took the chance for a permenant change. Off course the minority (perhaps less then a million people in Iraq do have strong religious convictions, but how many are really raving lunatics when it really comes down to it. They are often so mislead, and get little or nor balanced view points. Once they see how the Americans and other western nations treat them, they realize we treat them better then any of their peoples have. We have done more for the Iraqi nation at large in a few years then the whole reign under Saddam for a minority cadre.
They are not stupid. And it is time for al Qaeda and other radical groups to get the boot or be killed off.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.