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

CENTCOM ^ | 8/02/03

[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.