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Commander Says Iraq Surge Operations Have ‘Significant’ Impact
American Forces Press Service ^ | Gerry J. Gilmore

Posted on 07/13/2007 5:35:29 PM PDT by SandRat

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2007 – Ongoing anti-insurgent operations conducted in and around Baghdad and to the south of Iraq’s capital city are achieving continued success, a senior U.S. military officer said today during a teleconference with retired military analysts. Maj. Gen. Rich Lynch, commander of Multinational Division Center and U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said he is optimistic that the surge will reduce violence in Baghdad while seriously disrupting insurgent operations in Iraq.

“Eventually, I believe you’ll see (an) improved security situation inside of Baghdad” due to the surge operations, he said. “But, it’s not going to happen overnight.”

Seeing on TV that the surge has minimal impact on the insurgents, “causes me great confusion,” he noted.

In reality, U.S. and Iraqi security forces participating in Operation Marne Torch are busily knocking out insurgent sanctuaries located within his battle space, Lynch said, which includes parts of eastern and southern Baghdad, as well as Najaf, Karbala, Babil and Wasit provinces.

“We’ve had significant impact on the enemy with the surge forces,” Lynch asserted. “I contend that they are indeed being successful.” Yet, he cautioned it will take some time to gauge the overall effectiveness of the surge operations.

Operation Marne Torch is one of several ongoing operations that are part of an overall offensive against insurgents in Iraq called Operation Phantom Thunder, which began June 15, once all of the surge troops were in place. President Bush directed a deployment of about 30,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq earlier this year as a surge of forces to assist the Iraqi government in confronting the insurgency.

Many surge-related operations designed to eliminate enemy activity in Baghdad and its environs are being conducted within Multinational Division Center’s battle space, Lynch said. Since it was launched nearly a month ago, Operation Marne Torch has killed or captured 300 insurgents and netted 60 large enemy weapons caches, the general reported.

When he surveyed his area of operations in March before all the surge troops had arrived, Lynch observed there were four enemy sanctuaries that needed to be taken out.

Those sanctuaries were used by Sunni and Shiite insurgents, as well as al Qaeda in Iraq operatives, because “there weren’t any security forces” in the area, Lynch explained.

“So, we’ve got major operations across my battle space to disrupt those four sanctuaries,” Lynch said. One ongoing operation is focused on knocking out Sunni-insurgent strongholds in the Tigris River valley region, including the Arab Jabour area south of Baghdad.

Lynch said another offensive, Marne Avalanche, has just commenced against Sunni and Shiite insurgents operating in the Euphrates River valley.

And, a top al Qaeda in Iraq chieftain believed responsible for the downing of a U.S. helicopter in April 2006 and the adduction and killing of two soldiers in June 2006 was apprehended July 9 thanks to tips from Iraqi citizens, Lynch said. Iraqi citizens had tipped off coalition forces about the location of a large enemy weapons cache that day, he noted, while local Iraqi militia had captured the suspected terrorist and turned him over to coalition authorities.

Lynch also pointed to suspected Iranian support of insurgents in Iraq, noting his troops have found numerous rocket-propelled grenades and other ordnance, including powerful explosive-formed-penetrator munitions, with Iranian markings.

The Iranian ordnance is being trucked-in into Iraq from the border in Wasit province, Lynch explained, noting much of it has been delivered to Shiite-backed insurgent groups. Lynch said U.S. and Iraqi troops, including a brigade from the country of Georgia, are setting up additional checkpoints in that area to intercept such cross-border arms shipments.

Yesterday, coalition troops patrolling east of the Tigris River destroyed 40 enemy-emplaced, Iranian-sourced rockets that were aimed at U.S. troops, Lynch said.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: frwn; impact; iraq; progress; surge

1 posted on 07/13/2007 5:35:32 PM PDT by SandRat
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To: 91B; HiJinx; Spiff; MJY1288; xzins; Calpernia; clintonh8r; TEXOKIE; windchime; Grampa Dave; ...
FR WAR NEWS!

WAR News at Home and Abroad You'll Hear Nowhere Else!

All the News the MSM refuses to use!

Or if they do report it, without the anti-War Agenda Spin!

2 posted on 07/13/2007 5:35:51 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

The drive by media is silent on this....


3 posted on 07/13/2007 5:37:59 PM PDT by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand;but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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To: SandRat

Wonderful news. This will get out to the public one way or another because of talk radio and the Internet. The MSM can go f*ck themselves.


4 posted on 07/13/2007 5:45:14 PM PDT by WashingtonSource
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To: SandRat

If America wins Dimocraps lose and the MSM can’t have that. The military has had more success since day one in Iraq than the Dimocrap Congress has had - ever.
60% of Americans have confidence in the military and their job performance while the same people have 14% confidence/trust in Congress, no matter how much Congress pounds their chest with their fists.


5 posted on 07/13/2007 5:45:42 PM PDT by caisson71
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To: SandRat

Seeing on TV that the surge has minimal impact on the insurgents, “causes me great confusion,” he noted.

Democrat Majority Press perfers lying to giving crdeit where it is do, they think it’s in their best interest.

Thank you and the Troops for being committed to doing the best for America, Gen. Lynch, commander of Multinational Division Center and U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.


6 posted on 07/13/2007 6:00:01 PM PDT by Son House ( Democrats are Hostile to Tax Payers.)
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To: SandRat
Two Notes:

1. The COUNTRY of Georgia seems to realize the benefits of a US alliance, and the benefits of killing Islamists.

Until we strike the heart of the Beast (Iran and Syria, the Northwest Territories of Pakistan), this is just pillow talk. It's time to kill the CORE of the Jihad.

7 posted on 07/13/2007 6:08:10 PM PDT by Mariner
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To: SandRat

No, no - Harry Reid already told me that the surge has failed, and he should know better than THIS nitwit.

Sheesh. They’ll take quotes from ANYONE on military operations won’t they? Doesn’t the press have any shame? Only congress-critters are qualified to make judgments on operational success, and usually before the operation starts.

Stupid media does it again.


8 posted on 07/13/2007 7:00:04 PM PDT by bolobaby
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To: Jen's Mom; Tut

.


9 posted on 07/14/2007 8:04:24 AM PDT by Kaslin (Fred Thompson for President 2008)
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To: Kaslin
Great article. Thanks for some good news that won’t be reported on the alphabet media or the liberal blogs.
10 posted on 07/14/2007 12:40:13 PM PDT by Stars&StripesNE (Liberals are the enemy within)
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To: Jen's Mom

The LSM will hide the report so far that no one can find them and the liberal blogs will twist it around so that it appears to be just the opposite


11 posted on 07/14/2007 12:47:09 PM PDT by Kaslin (Fred Thompson for President 2008)
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To: SandRat
Funny- The Dems in their radio adress to the nation said the surge isnt working and that we are losing.....must change course...

Democrats should be charged with Sedition. Period.

12 posted on 07/14/2007 2:42:55 PM PDT by blasater1960 (Rehavam Zeevi- HaShem Yikom Damo)
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To: blasater1960

Move one more letter to the right in the alphabet for the start of the word and I think you have it.


13 posted on 07/14/2007 2:46:13 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: SandRat

;o)


14 posted on 07/14/2007 2:48:27 PM PDT by shield (A wise man's heart is at his RIGHT hand;but a fool's heart at his LEFT. Ecc 10:2)
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To: shield
I don't think I have enough to last to wait to see this on the Lame Stream Media News.
15 posted on 07/14/2007 2:51:16 PM PDT by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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