Iraqi army is making strides in Baqubah

LA Times ^ | June 23, 2007 | Alexandra Zavis,

[bnelson44]

Troops begin patrolling the streets of the city that had been overrun by Al Qaeda-linked insurgents. They find not everyone there is bad.

BAQUBAH -- Lt. Qusai had his doubts when he took his men into an insurgent haven in the western part of this city for the first time this week.

"Honestly, I thought this operation would never be successful because I had information that Al Qaeda had big guns and RPGs," said the Iraqi army commander who provided only one name. "We thought that all the people here are terrorists and everyone is bad, even the women and children."

To his surprise, many of the Sunni Arab locals welcomed the Iraqis who trailed behind U.S. infantrymen through their dusty, bomb-scarred streets, which shimmered in the blazing heat. One man offered them a tray full of glasses of water, and a woman wept at the sight of them.

[REDWOOD99]

This is the Times reporter Michael Yon was talking about.

http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/

[bnelson44]

It is interesting how the reporting is different from the guys on the ground and the NYT and WP pieces which are based on teleconferenced military briefings.

[bnelson44]

ping

[Barnacle]

Iraqi army is making strides in Baqubah

The wife says I'd better start making strides in the Baqard.

[traderrob6]

Related....

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2007/06/2-al-qaida-leaders-captured-in-iraq.html

[WorkerbeeCitizen]

"Honestly, I thought this operation would never be successful because I had information that Al Qaeda had big guns and RPGs," said the Iraqi army commander who provided only one name. "We thought that all the people here are terrorists and everyone is bad, even the women and children."

Seems that this person had an awakening experience.

Not having anymore throw down e-mail address, I don't want to register to read the whole thing.

[ecomcon]

LOL Good one.

[Atchafalaya]

LOL, I feel guilty though. Just me!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

What....?

The LA Times....?

[NormsRevenge]

every once and a while the lib rags have to slip in a scintilla of truthful reporting amidst all the clutter.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Smaller LA News staff means less editing of reports from the reporters at the front....let’s hope.

[NormsRevenge]

That would be an interesting twist to the tale. ;-) I like it.

The San Jose Merc just slashed a bunch of folks too.
Here’s hoping the trend continues.

[Allegra]

The wife says I'd better start making strides in the Baqard.

LOL!!

[Marine_Uncle]

I have in the past and many others eluded or said the same things. Being. Half the problem in Iraq or any ME or FE country is ignorance on part of the peoples. Their damn fool tribal structure prevents them from getting a clue to how others live/feel...whatever.
This Lt.'s comments is so typical. These people to a large degree are no different then their ancestors where dating back literally many thousands of years. Their mind set is be roled by the local yokal, e.g. iman who wipes his arse with the left hand and recites garbage from a text made up over a period of time full of real crap for the mind.
Parrots, actors, and very very seldom a brave but mostly dumb desert warrior.
Sometimes I wonder how the hell we are going to pull this democracy stunt off to where it really can take root in a fully constructive way.
And I also think back to 2004/2005 when Iraqi pleaded for US troops to intervein in their neihborhoods because they simply could not trust the police or budding military.
Hopefully the majority of Iraqi are now getting their heads pulled out of the sand and waking up to the fact, their country is in their hands. Either they do it together or go down in chaos, and in effect, live in continued poverty and despair.