Enemy Attacks Drop 70 Percent Since Iron Hammer's Start

DoD - American Forces Press Service ^ | Nov. 20, 2003 | John D. Banusiewicz

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Enemy Attacks Drop 70 Percent Since Iron Hammer's Start

By John D. Banusiewicz
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2003 – Enemy attacks against the coalition in and around Baghdad have dropped by 70 percent since Operation Iron Hammer began Nov. 12, the commander of the 1st Armored Division said today.

Army Brig. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters in Baghdad and the Pentagon press corps here by video teleconference that information gathered over several weeks -- mainly from Iraqi citizens -- and pattern analysis of enemy actions have combined to make Iron Hammer "an intelligence-based, precise combat operation."

The general said Iron Hammer is a joint operation involving the Army, the Air Force and the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and police. "Fundamentally, we want to communicate to the enemy the high cost of continuing to resist, as well as to assure the good citizens of Baghdad of our resolve," Dempsey said. The operation involves cyclical processes that comprise three phases, he said.

Dempsey explained that gathering and fighting for intelligence is the first phase. Next comes "force-oriented reconnaissance," he said, followed by attacks. He noted the distinction between reconnaissance in general and the force-oriented reconnaissance that makes up the second phase of Iron Hammer operations.

"I make that distinction because reconnaissance can be aimed at terrain and other things as well," he said. "But in this case, we're looking for those individuals who are fighting us. And then we will attack again, based on that intelligence, as well as exploiting the intelligence that we've gained in the earlier phases.

"Each phase is event-driven, not time-driven," the general continued. "And so we'll base our decision on when to move from phase to phase based on our determination that we've got what we want out of that phase."

Of Baghdad's 88 neighborhoods, the general said, six to eight are "less secure than we want them to be." Ethnic, religious, tribal and economic differences among those neighborhoods prevent the use of a single set of steps in approaching the security problems from neighborhood to neighborhood, he added.

"Each neighborhood requires a degree of determination and a degree of patience and a degree of precision in order to make sure that the outcome is what we want it to be, which is a safe and secure environment," Dempsey said.

One operation challenges, he said, is trying to get at enemies who attack coalition forces with mortars and rockets. He called them unsophisticated "hit- and-run attackers" who often operate from trucks that allow rapid escape, or set up their rockets on a timer, laid up against the side of a berm or on a roof's rain gutter, so the attackers are out of the area when their attack actually takes place.

Still, with more and more human intelligence -- mainly from Iraqis -– Iron Hammer is succeeding in identifying and defeating the cells of resistance responsible for most of the attacks against coalition and Iraqi targets, Dempsey said.

He showed reporters a videotape taken from an Army AH-64 Apache helicopter. The crew witnessed a rocket attack and tracked the truck from which it was launched, watching as it stopped at several places and waiting until it was in a part of the city where attacking it would not put the citizens of Baghdad at risk, Dempsey said. At that point, when the truck was at the attackers' safe house where the attackers met some comrades, the Apache engaged it, killing two insurgents and wounding three others. Eight were captured.

Dempsey said that while the specific tactics of the anti-coalition attackers do not seem to be organized or directed by any central command, evidence does indicate some sort of coordinated supply and financial support.

Dempsey emphasized that nothing in Operation Iron Hammer is done as a "show of force"; every target is chosen for a reason, he said. As an example, he cited the destruction of an abandoned dye factory that was attacked twice from the air, even though it was widely known as a useless building. Though it was nothing more than a frame, Dempsey said it had been used "on countless occasions" as a sanctuary for attacks against the coalition, and he explained why the building was attacked twice.

"Well, if you shot a target like that once -- the enemy's a pretty cagey fellow. He probably says, 'Well, they're done for tonight, aren't they?' And so you fly away. He comes over. Next thing you know, you're getting shot at again from the same building," Dempsey said. "We went back and shot it again. What I want to make sure the enemy knows is that there is no sanctuary in Baghdad."

Dempsey said success in bringing safety and security to all of Baghdad requires that the city's citizens have trust and confidence in the coalition's sincerity. He noted closure during Iron Hammer of $1.4 million in programs to restore infrastructure to the University of Baghdad, and a meeting the coalition organized that brought together 500 Iraqi farmers to form a cooperative group that will give them a voice when the new Iraqi government takes over.

"If I can get the trust and confidence of the people of Baghdad that I am here for the reason they say I'm here – to provide a safe and secure environment so they can establish governance and move into the future – then God bless us all," Dempsey said. "And that's what I'm looking for."

[Coop]

Quite a few have said the same thing right here on FR. Indeed......and mocked those of us who disagreed. You expecting any apologies, Coop? ;o)

I don't need any. The apologies are owed to those serving in Iraq and their family members - which include many here on FR.

[ohioWfan]

Well, to be perfectly honest with you, Coop, those on this forum who degrade this mission in Iraq and the military efforts there as meaningless, DO hurt those of us who have sons and husbands there.

And all their claims that they care for the troops don't hold water in light of the fact that the continually bash every military effort there.

Iron Hammer to them was an empty PR effort by a President who only went to Iraq for political gain. The truth is, that if coalition casualties are down 70% because of it, then my son is 70% safer now than he was before, and that is not meaningless.

I think some apologies in order. But they will never come.

[ohioWfan]

Thanks for the hugs, Ragtime!

Can't wait to give the one to Eric in person! :o)

[Coop]

Well, to be perfectly honest with you, Coop, those on this forum who degrade this mission in Iraq and the military efforts there as meaningless, DO hurt those of us who have sons and husbands there.

I completely agree with you. Perhaps you misunderstood my above comment?? I don't have a family member over there (though I do have some friends), so I personally don't need an apology. But you and other families deserve one.

[ohioWfan]

No, I knew what you meant about not needing an apology. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

I know of others who feel the same as I do about the mission bashing on this forum, though. It's tough enough when your little boy's (or husband's, or daughter's) life is in danger in this noble cause, to have the left bash the war effort, but when it comes from 'conservatives' it somehow hurts more.

But then again, to them, I'm an empty headed, brainwashed Bushbot, so I guess they are no more my colleagues than those on the left, are they?

[Coop]

Remember, just because this is a conservative forum doesn't mean everyone here is a conservative. And that's fine by me. But the hateful comments are just beyond the pale.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Now that's funny!!!!! :o)

We are leaving for vacation, and this is my last day on FR for a while. So as Bob Hope would say.."thanks for the memories", and thanks for the smiles!!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

"it may be impertinent but it sure helps to lighten the mood from time to time . . . "

We can all use that. As much as we all love our troops, and feeling like we do at times, we'll take all the good news we can get! Then we'll take all the laughter and smiles we can get. The troops want and need to laugh too. They thirst for it.

They would LOVE some of these pictures. When we get back from vacation, I'm going to try to figure out how to print off some of these to send to our friend who is flying in Iraq.

Right now I've got to run to pack!!

See you all after the first of December!

FRegards!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

We LOVE Dogs with "attitude". :o)

What a GREAT lookin little stud muffin. (I'm assuming it's a little boy dog, because the colar is blue).

[Destructor]

I hope there's a big pile of terrorist bodies behind that statistic!

[AnAmericanMother]

Now these, these ARE my cats. All in one place at one time.

(sorry about the demonic eyes. It's a Siamese thing, you wouldn't understand . . . )

[Jeff Chandler]

What a GREAT lookin little stud muffin. (I'm assuming it's a little boy dog, because the colar is blue).

Thank you. Actually, her name is Lucy. She can't help it she looks like a boy. She belongs to my daughter, and I don't know why she is wearing a blue collar. She has beautiful markings, but she never developed the bat ears she's supposed to have. We're not breeding her anyway, and the dropped ears make her look like a little bull dog, so we don't mind.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Well, good lookin stud muffette then. Off on vacation for 9 days. Have a great Thanks giving!