Posted on 06/30/2007 11:25:52 PM PDT by dervish
The U.S. military is enlisting hundreds of fighters each day from tribal and insurgent groups in alliances aimed at countering al-Qaeda in Iraq, the top U.S. general in Baghdad said yesterday, calling it a "very positive development" but one that requires caution to ensure it works to promote security.
Maj Gen. Joseph F. Fil Jr., commander of Multinational Division Baghdad, said U.S. and Iraqi troops control nearly half of the capital's neighborhoods, but that hard fighting remains as operations continue to clear out insurgents from the rest of the city. Overall attack levels in Baghdad remain constant, he said, but casualties have fallen among Iraqi civilians and Iraqi security forces and risen for U.S. troops as their operations and numbers intensify.
In the Abu Ghraib region outside Baghdad, about 1,500 fighters have agreed to renounce violence against U.S. and Iraqi government forces, and join the Iraqi police. About 300 are signing up each day, said Fil, commander of the 1st Cavalry Division. A similar program is underway in the western Baghdad district of Ghazaliyah, he said.
"Some of them, who have previously been fighting us, have come to us, . . . and they want to fight with us. They are tired of al-Qaeda and the influence of al-Qaeda in their tribes and in their neighborhoods, and they want them cleaned out," Fil said. "We're excited about it. But we are, frankly, being cautious."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
It's about time.
“Is it possible the MSM ‘gets it?’”
No. They are just not hiding it. Ask yourself, “Which dem benefits from most from success in Iraq?
Don’t they trot out this story every single month or some version of it? Sorry but I’ve grown cynical these last few years. I will know progress is being made when IED planters are strung up on trees.
Don’t they trot out this story every single month or some version of it? Sorry but I’ve grown cynical these last few years. I will know progress is being made when IED planters are strung up on trees.
AGREED except I would firebomb one square mile of every area 1 hour where there is an IED explosion. The warning to the Iraqis is: If you see them setting up an IED, you better let us know or....you will be all gone within an hour of the explosion. I don’t trust any of them.
Except that Anbar is now a fairly peaceful province because the locals turned against al Qaeda. And that is slowly shifting into other areas now, including Baghdad.
And that is the only way the war will be won. But the shift showed the Iraqis that the US would not be forced out by Dem peacenik opposition. So they in turn are willing to step forward now.
In honor of “ Die Hard”
Welcome to the party, Pal.
exactly.
The Taliban life Al Qaeda takeover is a worse evil. Credit these war lords with a modicum of brains.
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