Last week in Iraq - a recap of our military's outstanding security efforts

CENTCOM ^ | 8/02/03

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Last week in Iraq - a recap of our military's outstanding security efforts

 

Sacrifices made by our brave troops on behalf of our freedom - U.S casualties week of July 27 - Aug. 2:

 

July 27: One soldier from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was killed and one wounded - RPG attack on a patrol near the village of Al Haswah.

 

July 28: One 1st AD soldier died and three others wounded - IED dropped from overpass onto convoy, Al Rashid district of Baghdad.

 

July 28: One U.S. Army soldier died and one was injured - vehicle accident, n. of An Nasiriyah.

July 30: TIKRIT, Iraq – One 4th ID soldier was killed and two wounded - small arms attack at tactical ops center 40 km east of Ba’qubah.

 

July 31: Iraq – One 1st AD soldier was  killed and three wounded - M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier hit a landmine, Baghdad.

August 1:– A 1st AD soldier died August 1 of a gunshot wound.. a bullet, fired from a celebrating Iraqi, struck him July 31.

August 2: One 4th IDivision soldier was killed and three injured  Aug. 1, convoy - RPG attack south of Shumayt.

*****

 

Total U.S. casualties week of July 27 - Aug. 2:  21 - 7 soldiers killed (5 due to hostile action), 14 wounded.

 

*****

 

What OUR troops did to the bad guys this week, with the help of the Iraqi people - and other security SUCCESSES:

 

July 28, 2003

SECURITY TOPS HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) continue to graduate police officers from academies throughout the Mosul area while 1st Armored Division soldiers are training the Iraqi Police Services in modern policing techniques.

The 101st AAD’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team, nicknamed the “Rakassans,” graduated 60 police officers July 26 from their academy in Sinjar. The new police officers will serve as future cadre for the academy. New classes are scheduled to start this week.

Soldiers from the 101st AAD have also started training a new class of officers for the Iraqi Facility Protection Security Force. The FPSF provides security at power plants, water treatment plants and at other infrastructure locations. The long-term goal of the FPSF is to take over the duties of American soldiers and Iraqi police who currently guard key sites.

Soldiers from the 101st AAD have also started a three-day Correctional Officer Course. The course is being held at the Temporary Juvenile Prison near Mosul. Although course content between the various academies varies, classes basically include instruction in security duties and responsibilities, medical first aid, apprehension techniques, professionalism and ethics, weapons safety and rifle marksmanship.

Military Police from the 1st AD began training the second class of Iraqi police officers July 26 as part of the Training Integration Program in Baghdad. The program is designed to introduce modern policing techniques to the IPS. The 1st AD soldiers are teaching IPS officers about crime scene investigation, application of citizens’ rights, appropriate use of force and level of response and police response to incidents and complaints.

The current class includes 200 IPS officers. Once the program is fully operational more than 4,000 Iraqi police will have completed the training.

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July 28, 2003

COALITION FORCES CONTINUE PATROLS

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition forces continued to conduct patrols and raids throughout Iraq, removing former regime loyalist, in support of the effort to create a secure environment.

The 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) detained two former regime loyalist brothers confiscating $100,000 to $200,000, 30-40 million Iraqi Dinar and three AK-47s in the process.

While conducting a routine patrol, a unit of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment discovered large caliber ammunition, consisting of several primers and 130 mm rounds, at a house in the area. Seven individuals were detained for questioning. Third ACR engineers destroyed the ammunition.

Military Police of the 4th Infantry Division confiscated a weapons cache, consisting of 48 57 mm anti-aircraft rounds, in Samarra on July 27. An Iraqi man was detained for questioning.

Two high-ranking former regime loyalists were detained in separate raids on July 26. 1st Armored Division detained a former colonel in the Babil area. The 101st AD detained a high-ranking individual in Irbil.

A 1st Marine Expeditionary Force weapons company discovered an incomplete assembled improvised explosive device consisting of a 120 mm round with a grenade attached to it. The IED was located near a bridge on a heavily traveled road in the Al Hillah area. An explosive ordnance disposal team was dispatched to dispose of the IED.

Also in the Al Hillah area, Iraqi Facility Protection Service guards prevented armed thieves from entering the bus assembly plant by engaging them with small arms fire.

In the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 29 raids, 1,096 day patrols and 889 night patrols and conducted 122 day patrols and 139 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police. Iraqi Police conducted 13 day patrols and 14 night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 241 arrests for various criminal activities including four for murder, one for kidnapping, 19 for car jacking, six for aggravated assault, 16 for burglary and 10 for looting.

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July 29, 2003

WEAPONS SIEZED IN MULTIPLE RAIDS

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Possible attacks were prevented through the removal of enemy weapons during multiple raids throughout Iraq on July 28 by Coalition forces in support of the effort to create a secure environment.

Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) conducted a raid on a local café in search of a person who allegedly attacked various police stations in the Mosul area. The soldiers detained 10 individuals and confiscated two AK-47s and 400,000 Iraqi Dinars.

A large weapons cache was located at a café in the Layal area by the 4th Infantry Division. The soldiers confiscated a number of weapons including two 120 mm mortars, two 82 mm mortars, two 60 mm mortars and three rocket-propelled grenade launchers. More than 2000 RPG rounds and an unknown number of 82 mm and 60 mm mortar rounds remain in the café, which is being guarded by Coalition forces.

Coalition forces detained three Iraqi males and confiscated one van, three AK-47s, and ammunition when the 4th ID closed an illegal checkpoint in the vicinity of one of its base camps. Another 4th ID patrol confiscated 1,000 grenades that were hidden in a haystack in the vicinity of Salman Pak.

Another 4th ID patrol located a cache of weapons in Samarra in an area normally filled with vendors. All of the vendors fled the area as the patrol approached. Confiscated weapons include two tubes of C4 plastic explosives, eight AK-47s, 18 strips of detonation cord, 32 silencers, 49 blasting caps, 15 sticks of dynamite, three improvised explosive devices, two grenades, 2,500 various small arms rounds and an ammunition container filled with NATO 5.56 rounds.

Possible attacks were prevented by a 1st Armored Division explosive ordnance disposal team who conducted a controlled detonation of 10-107 mm rockets in the Baghdad area.

In the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 58 raids, 973 day patrols and 797 night patrols and conducted 167 day patrols and 137 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police. Iraqi Police conducted 20 day patrols and 11 night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 176 arrests for various criminal activities including 17 for murder, two for kidnapping, five for car-jacking, five for aggravated assault, 10 for burglary and two for looting. 

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July 30, 2003

MEASURES TAKEN TO PREVENT ATTACKS

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Aggressive measures were taken yesterday by Coalition forces in efforts to create a safe and secure environment in Iraq.

In the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 51 raids, 953 day patrols and 737 night patrols and conducted 142 day patrols and 145 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police. Iraqi Police conducted 16 day patrols and nine night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 559 arrests including two for murder, four for robbery, five for aggravated assault, 39 for theft two for controlled substance violation, 235 for weapons violations and 272 for various other crimes.

Three artillery pieces and some 50 caliber rounds that were found in the Fallujah area were destroyed by a 3rd ACR explosive ordnance team. 

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July 31, 2003

LOCAL LEADERS SUPPORT COALITION

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Karbala city council members publicly expressed their support for Coalition forces actions during recent demonstrations in the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force area of operation on July 29. The Karbala city council said the Coalition is handling the security situation in Karbala properly.

At a Husaybah border-crossing checkpoint, an attempted improvised explosive device attack was prevented when 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment soldiers discovered it. The IED consisted of a propane cylinder connected to electrical wires and had wires connected that ran into an alley nearby. The local Iraqi Police dismantled and removed the IED.

During the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 44 raids, 1011 day patrols and 817 night patrols and conducted 136 day patrols and 136 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police. Iraqi Police conducted 16 day patrols and nine night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 161 arrests including 16 for murder, one for kidnapping, 10 for carjacking, eight for aggravated assault, four for burglary and eight for looting.

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August 1, 2003

ATTACKS AVOIDED, WEAPONS CONFISCATED IN NORTHERN IRAQ

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Possible attacks were foiled and prevented as Coalition forces disrupted a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a fuel convoy and located a large weapons cache in northern Iraq.

A rocket-propelled grenade ambush attack in northwest Iraq was foiled by soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at approximately 5 p.m. on July 31 by engaging and wounding an individual before he could fire the RPG accurately. The individual was captured and received medical care for leg wounds at a Coalition medical facility.

A large amount of ammunition and weapons were found and confiscated at a refugee camp located approximately 80 km northwest of Kirkuk by the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 101st AAD on July 29. The 101st AAD declared an amnesty period, when weapons could be turned in without fear of punishment, on July 30.

The total confiscated weapons cache included 745 RPGs, more than 3,730 rounds of ammunition, 41 fragmentary grenades, 11 air defense artillery missiles and a number of various other weapons.

The confiscated ammunition is systematically destroyed by EOD as caches are brought in. The small arms weapons are checked and usable weapons are reissued to Iraqi Policemen, the New Iraqi Army and members of the Coalition Provisional Authority security force.

In the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 27 raids, 692 day patrols and 618 night patrols and conducted 112 day patrols and 169 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police. 

*****

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I'm not sure, chuck. Iraq is a "McGyver military mission" - improvise, do what's necessary - and they DO.

A bit more on the "Rakassans":

Army News Link, Apr. 17: 101st soldiers deliver medicine, build trust in Baghdad

'The 101st Airborne Division actually launched its post-war restoration efforts last week in Baghdad, including both peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.

The Iron Rakassans of 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment are working in Area 37, the southwest-central region of Baghdad. They are safeguarding against terrorist and criminal activities.'

___

''For those that don't know, his forward support battalion's mission is to provide combat health support for the 3rd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. They are known as the Rakassans. Yes, this is the same brigade that just threw out Geraldo Rivera for drawing their location in the sand on live TV.'' -  Letter from the fiance of a soldier:

 

Rakassans — Japanese for "falling umbrellas."

Thanks for asking. I discovered a CBS affiliate in Columbus, Ga. actually prints the CENTCOM press releases on their website. Awesome!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for posting your wonderful essay. It needs to be repeated daily. It deserves a separate thread.

We are being kicked in the ass by treasonous bastards who have no respect for the great achievements of our own brave Patriots and would rather help build up the moral of our enemies.

You're right. Check out my links at #2. I was recapping CENTCOM and DoD briefings and debunking the "news" that followed throughout the major operations on the daily FR OIF threads. I was shocked to come back to the main forum in June and discover that Freepers were not only getting their war news from the mainstream media, they were believing the same 'reporters' who equated Baghdad Bob with SOD Rumsfeld and Saddam Hussein w/ Pres. Bush.

The basic facts are there for everyone who cares enough to find them - straight from the source. I repeat them daily, mass e-mail links and essays to others. Once people see what the press didn't bother to report, they begin to see the press's role in undermining our efforts in Iraq - and our country.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

My pleasure, Tonkin. Thanks for asking Fearless Flyer to post his terrific essay. Spreading the word is the least a homebody can do for the troops...especially with Veterans all over the place inspiring us by their own actions. (^;

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Last week in Iraq - a recap of our military's outstanding security efforts

PRO MILITARY NEWS PING

Ragtime Cowgirl : Thanks!

Fearless Flyers : Great essay on post 20!

[Soaring Feather]

Thanks and bump

[Pro-Bush]

Thanks for the Bump 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub, excellent analysis by Ragtime cowgirl regarding the situation in Iraq, and what led to it. The breakdown on the past week really puts "things" in perspective. Great Post!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for the kind words. Defending our troops on the homefront is easy. Just share the facts.

Thank goodness for the net.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The final official security report for the week from CENTCOM:

August 3, 2003

COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Former regime loyalist and weapons were seized in numerous successful raids and patrols conducted by Coalition forces throughout Iraq on August 2.

Raids conducted by the 4th Infantry Division resulted in 26 detainees including two suspected key mid-level former regime loyalists. Additionally, 162 hand grenades, 9 rocket-propelled grenades, 10 AK-47’s, four blocks of dynamite one heavy machine gun, various ammunition and explosives, and 200 million Iraqi Dinar were seized.

Twenty former regime loyalists, including a targeted leader, were captured in a series of raids conducted by the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment on August 3.

In the last 24 hours, coalition forces conducted 22 raids, 836 day patrols and 605 night patrols and conducted 154 day patrols and 164 night patrols jointly with Iraqi police.

[ohioWfan]

We just talked with Eric on the phone, Ragtime, and he told us they were just given the stats on casualties in Iraq, and that they are, in fact, going down......in spite of what the press would have us believe.

I don't know where to get the exact figures month by month, but there were more in May, less in June and even less in July. Do you happen to know where I could get the exact numbers?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

May God continue to Watch over and Protect Eric and all our troops.

[fatima]

Bump.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I'm so glad you heard from Eric. He's fortunate to have a Freeper mom (heads up on the press) during wartime...so are his friends.

Please know that I do this out of deepest respect for Eric and the troops - to honor their achievements and daily sacrifices - not to minimize the dangers. The inaccurate reporting threatens their safety and undermines their mission at home and abroad.

I don't know about any official detailed accounting. For the first two months at the OIF war thread I followed the bizarre reporting and responded with estimates from a quick glance at the CENTCOM headlines - seeing that we lost very few while making good progress daily. I was posting the CENTCOM security and humanitarian logs and knew where to find the info: www.CENTCOM.mil, click on News Releases - search by # of days, or month: April, May, June, July, August.

When the press became especially destructive (deceitful) I began doing 'snapshots' to show that the press was misrepresenting the situation on the ground:  ONE DAY IN IRAQ .

During the month of June, the troops conducted three major aggressive operations to take out regime loyalists. It was dangerous work. They did an amazing job. Instead of supporting and praising their successes, the press hysteria grew to a daily dirge -  influencing world and American opinion, and giving foreign nations an excuse to bail on promised troops and $$$  - even as our troops were making excellent progress in Iraq.

This is what the hysterical press called mass casualties and guerilla warfare:

June 15 - June 29, US troops suffered 33 total casualties: 13 fatalities (3 non-hostile), 20 wounded  across the whole nation (not just where the troops were conducting Operation Scorpion and riling the bad guys), out of ~146,000 troops we had in Iraq in June. 

 

**During Operation Desert Scorpion which lasted from June 15 to June 29, the 4th Infantry Division and the 1st Armored Division conducted multiple raids resulting in 1,330 individuals being detained. Confiscated weapons include 497 AK-47s, 235 hand grenades, 124 rocket-propelled grenades, 22 machine guns, 130 pistols and 100 rifles and 8,122 rounds of ammunition. The division also confiscated $9,463,000 in U.S. dollars, 1,557,000,000 in Iraqi Dinars, 1,071 bars of gold and 52 vehicles. Link   **

We had more US casualties in a few minutes during a Chicago porch accident at the end of June than we had during those two most dangerous weeks in Iraq. 

The press kept it up, of course. I repeated the theme here: Week of July 10 - July 16.

***

The week following the Hussein brothers demise was dangerous. We lost 13 - and 25 troops were wounded - 38 total from July 22 - July 28 -  7 from one cowardly grenade attack at the children's hospital. I know the troops expected a far bigger response from the Hussein loyalists.

 

The press rarely mentions the total number of troops in Iraq (~150,000 today) or the number of bad guys we take out (Amnesty In'tl would have a fit).

 

I may do a week by week count soon and put it in perspective.

 

Someone else must be doing this somewhere.  

 

Forgive me for speaking so plainly. Somewhere post-Vietnam it became un-PC to talk about the troops with pride, and to celebrate their daily victories. The same people who defended Saddam Hussein's brutal rule and protested the war are hyping casualties today...and their 'concern' goes unquestioned.

 

I more than question their 'concern'.

Hugs to you and yours.

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Tonk, thanks for the ping.
Ragtime, I think you just took on a new weekly duty.

I think the Pentagon breifing should start with a weekly summary of what has gone on in Iraq and Afganistan.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I accept the challenge. (^; Am working on a basic summary of casualties from post Baghdad Liberation Day on - by week and month. Each new week can then be added, trends spotted.

Sorry it took me this long to do this. I didn't believe so many American clymers-pols (most of the press and the DNC - + XXX42) would betray their country.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee needs a GOOD Freep. Without Jesse Helms there to protect our national defense from the international socialists, our military leaders and troops are up against some real rats - Biden, Dodd, Chafee, Hagel - clueless about the big picture, following the DNC-NY Times lead (attacking the military leaders who are doing an outstanding job with a very difficult mission) - working against this administration's efforts to bring in more reliable (and less anti-American) allies (New Europe +).

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

That's great.

Ol Chris Dodd has come out of his hidy hole now that he thinks we've forgotten that he helped recruit Chinese money during his stint at the DNC.

[Constitution Day]

BTTT for later... looks like a great post!

Regards,
CD

[radu]

EXCELLENT, Ragtime Cowgirl!!!!! Thank you so much for posting this! It disgusts me that we don't hear these reports on tv and such. Sure, things aren't 100% smooth-going in Iraq (it is war, after all) but they've gone a LOT better than I think anyone ever expected them to. I'm so proud of our men and women in uniform.

I'm sending this link to several friends and family members who'll appreciate hearing "the rest of the story". Add to your original post all the additional links and you can't beat this thread with a big stick! LOL!

Thanks for the ping, Tonk!!!!!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

You're very welcome.

 

I'm throwing my own parades for our awesome troops.

 

Check out these operations.

 

Here's a small one:

 

July 14, 2003

OPERATION IVY SERPENT YIELDS RESULTS

TIKRIT, Iraq – Operation Ivy Serpent, in its second day, resulted in the capture of 226 detainees and the confiscation of 800 82-mm mortar rounds, 50 AK-47s, 26 rocket-propelled grenades and three hand grenades. Six of the detainees are former regime loyalist leaders.

Operation Ivy Serpent, which started July 12, is the initiative of the 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse to search for and apprehend high value targets and confiscate weapons and ammunition caches. Operation Ivy Serpent, like previous operations Peninsula Strike, Desert Scorpion and Sidewinder, will sweep the task force’s area and root out elements that have attacked Coalition forces.

So far in Operation Ivy Serpent the 4th ID and Taskforce Ironhorse have conducted 27 raids. To date, no Iraqi civilians have been killed or wounded in the operation. Additionally, no Coalition forces have been killed or wounded.

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That week the unelected, unaccountable press complained.

We won't forget what this press is doing to our troops.