Operation Phantom Fury--Day 447 - Now Operations River Blitz; Matador--Day 342

Strong International Coalition Heads Into Fifth Year

By Capt. Steve Alvarez, USA - American Forces Press Service

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla., Jan. 27, 2006 – Just one day after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, nations around the world mobilized and formed a military coalition. Their goal: to combat global terrorism.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the coalition, which is headquartered at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Tampa, Fla. Today, CENTCOM officials said, 63 nations are supporting the global war on terror. Since the coalition's inception, 27 nations have deployed more than 22,000 troops to Iraq. In Afghanistan, coalition nations have deployed more than 3,000 troops hailing from 42 nations. These figures exclude U.S. forces.

Twice weekly, coalition senior leaders -- or senior national representatives, as they are officially called -- meet to discuss operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. The "SNR roundtable," as it has been unofficially tagged, is one of many meetings the coalition holds to keep abreast of progress on the global war on terror. In between these roundtables, working groups for maritime operations, humanitarian service missions and other groups meet to coordinate and plan their militaries' efforts in the war on terror.

The room is filled with uniforms as varied as the people who wear them. Flags from various nations -- France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Britain, Pakistan and Germany, to name a few -- adorn uniforms.

Danish air force Brig. Gen. Soren Falk Portved is the senior coalition officer, overseeing operations of the coalition partners. "Everything here is developed by bilateral agreement," Falk said. "Here we're talking about military strategies."

Coalition partners offer what they can to the global war on terror, Falk said. And coalition forces have made important contributions in the war against terrorism, CENTCOM officials said. They have provided intelligence, personnel, financial support, equipment and assets for use on the ground, air and sea. Coalition members also have provided liaison teams, participated in planning, provided bases, and granted over-flight permissions, as well as make sizable contributions of humanitarian assistance.

Coalition partners have provided about $3 billion in financial assistance Iraq and about $217 million for Afghanistan. Coalition countries have been involved in more than 1,700 reconstruction projects in Central Command's area of responsibility.

The liaison officers link their governments and their deployed troops to CENTCOM. Their presence here enables each nation to be a proactive contributor to global anti-terrorism operations.

Coalition military personnel make personal sacrifices to serve in the war on terror. Many are separated from their families for months serving combat tours in Iraq or Afghanistan, and others are away from loved ones for extended periods as they serve the coalition in Tampa.

Azerbaijani army Lt. Col. Akbarov Ilham's family traveled with him to the United States. Their adjustment has been relatively smooth since his wife is an English teacher in Azerbaijan.

Ilham said his nation and the United States share a common thread that brought both nations together. "We're suffering from terrorism in our own country too," he said. "We're faced with these problems, so we're willing to do this for the global war on terror."

Ilham said he keeps his government informed of developments in the war. But he also serves soldiers on the ground, he said. "We try to resolve any of their problems from here at CENTCOM," Ilham said. "We try to facilitate things for them."

In addition to serving as a vital link for their home nations, coalition officers here work on helping coalition forces adapt to ever-changing environments on the battlefield, handling complex logistical and tactical issues. "One of the things we're constantly worried about is the (improvised explosive devices)," Falk said. "It is a grim weapon. We're constantly seeking ways to improve our tactics to stay ahead in the game."

Falk said officers from countries directly influenced by the conflicts help the coalition better use forces because of their cultural, political and geographical awareness of the region.

"We're targeting bad guys and we want the bad guys off the streets," Falk said. "We can fight all the terrorists in the world, but it's just buying us time to win hearts and minds."

At the senior national representatives roundtable today, the outgoing German representative addressed the coalition. In his final words to the group he said: "Only if we stay together can we rid the world of terrorism. Similar attacks (like 9/11) can happen to us anywhere."

Related Site:

U.S. Central Command

Tal Afar Has Restored Hope, Life, Commander Says

By Sgt. Sara Wood, USA - American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – The efforts of the U.S. military and Iraqi security forces in Tal Afar, Iraq, have transformed the region from an insurgent hotbed to an area of life and hope with restored security, a U.S. military commander in the area said today.

When the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment arrived in the region in summer 2005, Tal Afar was a support base that insurgents used to organize, train and equip terrorist cells, the unit's commander, Army Col. H.R. McMaster, said in a live news conference from Tikrit. Insurgents were drawn to the area because of its access to external support through Syria and its tendency toward sectarian conflict, he said.

Insurgents terrorized the people of Tal Afar, making them afraid to cooperate with coalition or Iraqi security forces, McMaster said. An average of five civilians were killed each day, and the insurgents spread anti-coalition propaganda, he said.

"This enemy was particularly brutal, and this enemy had choked the life out of the city," he said.

Through Operation Restoring Rights, conducted between August and October, U.S. and Iraqi forces were able to address main problems in the city and reverse damage insurgents had done, McMaster said.

The first problem addressed was security, McMaster said. Once insurgents were subdued, the entire atmosphere of the city changed and people returned, he said.

Another issue was political participation, McMaster said. It was impossible for the people of Tal Afar to participate in previous elections because of the insurgents, he said. But in the Oct. 15 constitutional referendum and Dec. 15 election, 90 percent of eligible voters went to the polls.

Sectarian violence is ending in Tal Afar, McMaster said. Before the operation, Turkmen Sunnis, who comprise 75 percent of the population, were not able to join the police force because of threats to their families. Now, all citizens work together on a police force that has grown from 150 to 1,765, and the people want to reconcile their differences, he said.

"We began to see the Iraqis taking more and more ownership of this reconciliation process, meeting on their own, for example," he said.

U.S. and Iraqi forces are also restoring basic services to Tal Afar, McMaster said. Before the operation, about 60 percent of the people had electricity and 40 percent had water. Now, virtually all the people have both services, he said.

Statistics can prove success to a certain point, McMaster said, but the most convincing proof is what is only visible to troops on the ground.

"The most tangible thing we can see is the people are happy," he said. "Hope is rekindled; children rush to our soldiers; people spontaneously express their gratitude to us and the Iraqi army. There are bonds of trust, mutual respect and common purpose forming between the Iraqi army and the people."

The success of operations in Tal Afar can be attributed to a few things, McMaster said. Cooperation between Iraqi government leaders, security forces and police created a unity that inspired confidence in the people, he said. "The people of Tal Afar understood that this was an operation for them, an operation to bring back security to the city," he said.

The insurgents' brutality also contributed to U.S. and Iraqi success, because it isolated insurgents from the people and revealed their true intentions of making the city fail, McMaster said.

The operation couldn't have been successful without the discipline, dedication, compassion and endurance of the U.S. soldiers, he said. "Our soldiers ought to be exhausted now, but they're not," he said. "It seems like we're gaining energy every day because we see the difference we are making in real people's lives."

Attacks in Tal Afar have decreased significantly, McMaster said, and the insurgents are no longer organized and can't move freely. Citizens are providing tips to the Iraqi army, many times right after incidents occur, he said. In one dramatic case, a tip came in immediately after a mortar attack and the Iraqi police responded and captured the individuals responsible right away.

Iraqi people in the area are tired of the insurgents' violence and are committed to making positive changes, with many of them volunteering for the police force despite threats, McMaster said.

"I guess what people don't get to see is ... how resolute and how determined these courageous Iraqis are," he said. "There are so many good people in this country who deserve security and who are doing everything they can to build a future for their families, their towns and their country."

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DoD to Build Upon Existing Counter-WMD Capabilities

By Gerry J. Gilmore - American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – The Defense Department is taking more steps to address the threat that terrorists are seeking weapons of mass destruction to use against U.S. forces and the homeland, a senior DoD official told reporters here today.

"If you look at what we've done to date, we've nearly doubled our investments in chemical and biological defenses," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "We've implemented any number of important organizational changes to address the challenges that are posed by WMD more effectively."

The U.S. military must have the capability to protect itself against chemical, nuclear and biological weapons, as well as the competency to locate and characterize such threats, Whitman said.

DoD recently consolidated five formerly separate Defense Threat Reduction Agency locations into one headquarters facility, called the Defense Threat Reduction Center, at Fort Belvoir, Va. DTRA provides capabilities to counter the threat posed by WMDs.

"Countering WMD has been a priority for the department in terms of making sure that our future forces are organized, trained, equipped and resourced to deal with all aspects of threats that are posed by WMD," Whitman said.

The upcoming Quadrennial Defense Review and the 2007 defense budget recommendation will likely reflect the need to bolster counter-WMD programs, Whitman said. "I think that you'll see going forward that we'll be further increasing funding for chemical, biological defense programs," Whitman said.

Whitman characterized a news report today speculating on DoD creating a special military task force to prevent terrorists from acquiring WMDs as "a reflection of some of the things that you will see in the future to build upon some of the things that we've already done."

DoD realizes the importance of having organizations designed, trained and equipped to deal with asymmetrical threats presented by chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, Whitman said.

"The QDR is going to address that," he said. "And our way in which we establish priorities will reflect that."

Related Site:

Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Iraqi Soldiers Seek Captive U.S. Journalist

By Gerry J. Gilmore - American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2006 – Iraqi soldiers and police are conducting a house-to-house search for American freelance journalist Jill Carroll, who was taken hostage in the Baghdad area Jan. 7, a senior Iraqi military officer said on U.S. television today.

"We isolate areas in cooperation with the police and go house to house searching for Jill," Lt. Gen. Nasser Abadi told Fox News Channel. "We've done three areas now, and tomorrow we'll finish one big district."

Abadi, the deputy commanding general of Iraqi Joint Forces, expressed hope that his soldiers would soon find the 28-year-old woman who'd been filing Iraq-based stories for the "Christian Science Monitor."

Carroll's abductors have threatened to kill her unless all Iraqi women captives are released from custody.

Yesterday, 424 detainees including five Iraqi women were released from detention facilities in Iraq, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch told reporters at a Baghdad news conference that day. Lynch said the former detainees involved in that release were found to pose no danger to Iraqi society.

However, the five Iraqi women were not released in response to the threats uttered by Carroll's abductors, Lynch, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq, said. "Those female detainees were released as part of (the) normal process and not as (the) result of demands by terrorists and criminals," he said. "We don't negotiate with terrorists and criminals."

Abadi also commented on the 8th Iraqi Army Division's assumption of counterinsurgency operations in the Diwaniyah and Wasit provinces. Those provinces make up a combined geographic area about the size of the state of Kentucky.

"This is a big milestone in our new army's history," Abadi said, noting that Iraq has conducted three successful democratic elections since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime.

"And now we have a better army," he said.

Iraqis Take Security Lead in 2 Provinces

Task Force Pacemaker Critical to Afghan Operations

The Task Force maintenance soldiers and operators have kept the equipment fully mission capable, an effort ultimately benefiting the Afghan people.

U.S. Army Sgt. Juan Ramos, maintenance platoon, inspects a 20-ton truck as the operator, Spc. Justin Rook, equipment platoon, stands by to provide assistance. Both soldiers are assigned to the 864th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), Task Force Pacemaker. (U.S. Army photo by 1Lt. Claudia Crossland)

By U.S. Army Capt. Sara Cullen - Task Force Pacemaker

KHANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Jan. 27, 2006 — Maintenance assets are often the silent partner working to re-build war-torn countries and keep the fight against terrorism.

One of these silent partners, Task Force Pacemaker Combat Heavy Engineer unit, has earned it's own recognition for ensuring all engineering missions are completed to standard as they operate throughout southern and eastern Afghanistan.

"Successful maintenance operations have been a critical element, allowing Task Force Pacemaker to complete all of its missions ahead of schedule," said U.S. Army Maj. Jerry Farnsworth, Task Force Pacemaker executive officer. "Leaders, maintainers, and operators work together to ensure that maintenance is incorporated in every aspect of construction and combat operations."

Building roads, constructing forward operating bases, and conducting long-ground assault convoys has quickly taken a toll on the task force's equipment. Coupled with thick dust, long and strenuous operating hours, and limited day light for preventative maintenance, the Task Force Pacemaker maintenance elements have the challenging mission of using their ingenuity to keep the essential engineer equipment running.

"Maintenance has been a huge focus throughout our deployment in Afghanistan because it is vital that the equipment be operational to keep the road construction missions moving forward," said U.S. Army 1st Lt. Brandy West, Headquarters and Support Company's Organizational Maintenance platoon leader.

When the 864th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) from Fort Lewis, Wash., deployed to Afghanistan in March 2005, they brought one battalion set of engineer equipment which had just been refitted after a year-long deployment to Iraq. As soon as the Task Force Pacemakers hit the ground in Kandahar, they picked up additional Army Pre-positioned Stock and Afghan Installation equipment, which had already experienced extreme wear and tear from previous units.

The battalion also grew from a unit of only two-line companies and a headquarters company, to an additional four-line companies, Sapper and Afghan National Army companies, a signal platoon, an infantry platoon, a civil affairs unit, and a much needed maintenance company, forming Task Force Pacemaker.

Task force mechanics have been confronted with not only two and a half times the amount of equipment to maintain, but have been faced with an assortment of previously unfamiliar vehicles for which they have had to sharpen their mechanical skills. They trained and quickly became experts on repairing and servicing everything from M1114 armored humvees and up-armored FMTV truck cabs, to the latest mine-clearing equipment such as the Buffalo and RG-31.

The Task Force Pacemaker maintenance soldiers and operators have successfully kept the equipment fully mission capable, as proven by the 155 kilometers of constructed roads to the 100,000 square meters of cleared minefields that Pacemaker soldiers have completed in Afghanistan.

U.S. Army soldiers from the 5th Maintenance Support Team, Task Force Pacemaker, repair a truck prior to its departure on a major logistical ground assault convoy. (U.S. Army photo by 1Lt. Claudia Crossland)

"It is our job to keep the company working on the jobsites no matter the time of day or where they are," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class David Kampenga, Alpha Company, 864th Engineers motor sergeant.

The Task Force Pacemaker Direct Support element of the 864th Engineers, consisting of about 28 soldiers, has been split up to as many as five locations at one time throughout Afghanistan to keep missions running smoothly. Direct Support works on higher-level operations such as replacing and rebuilding engines, transmissions, cylinders and doing complicated welding jobs. Direct Support has proven to be an integral part of keeping equipment operational and missions moving forward for Task Force Pacemaker.

Despite the talents of the 864th maintenance soldiers, there was not enough of them to support the growing demands of the Task Force, so the 5th Maintenance Support Team from Kaiserslaurtern, Germany, came to the rescue. Playing a vital role in ensuring Task Force Pacemaker missions continue successfully throughout the deployment to Afghanistan, 5th Maintenance soldiers are experts in armament, allied trades, communications and electronics, automotive maintenance, engineer maintenance, quartermaster and power generation, and fuel and electric.

Managed by three warrant officers, 5th Maintenance has brought welding and machining assets, communications, electronics, weapon, fuel and electric repair and rebuild capabilities that Task Force Pacemaker would not normally have as a support resource.

"Prior to joining Task Force Pacemaker, Chief Warrant Officer Jeffrey Meier and I used our extensive experience from working with engineer units to determine the needs of Pacemaker," said U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Bryan Hanks. "Knowing our extensive maintenance capabilities, we were able to form a more robust team that has been able to successfully fill the needs of the many difficult construction missions, allowing for a much quicker turn around time on repairs."

The maintainers of Task Force Pacemaker have allowed its large fleet of equipment to complete a variety of missions. Sustaining an organizational readiness rate of approximately 87 percent, loss of production due to disabled equipment has been limited.

As a result of these engineering achievements, the people of Afghanistan now enjoy a new freedom of movement, allowing them access to schools, healthcare, market towns, and even polling stations.

Iraqi Villagers Dedicate New Irrigation Pump

Following the dedication, U.S. soldiers and the villagers enjoyed a banquet and discussed issues.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Cross, battalion commander of 1st Special Troops Battalion, meets with local leaders from the village of Muzerfa, Iraq, Jan. 26, 2006, to dedicate a new water pump that provides water from the Tigris River for the village and irrigates the nearby farm fields. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Real)

By 1st Brigade Combat Team - 4th Infantry Division

TAJI, Iraq, Jan. 27, 2006 —The village of Muzerfa dedicated a new irrigation pump Jan. 19, symbolizing the cooperation between the citizens of Iraq and coalition forces.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Cross, the commander of 1st Special Troops Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, met with local leaders to dedicate the irrigation pump that will service the village and nearby farm fields.

"It went real well. I met Sheik Maghood and 30 men from the village related to him," said Cross. "We turned it (the pump) on and we got water."

After the dedication, the U.S. soldiers from 1st Special Troops Battalion and the local citizens enjoyed a banquet featuring local cuisine and discussed issues of mutual interest for two hours.

"They gave us a promise of lots of cooperation," Cross said.

This is an example of what lies ahead for the new Iraq -- Iraqi citizens cooperating with each other and enjoying a safe and secure environment, he added.

Water from the Tigris River is pumped into this pool for the citizens of Muzerfa, Iraq, Jan. 26, 2006, using the new irrigation pump. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Real)

‘Americans exposed to US propaganda aimed at foreigners’

Saturday, January 28, 2006

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon acknowledged in a newly declassified document released on Thursday that the US public is increasingly exposed to propaganda disseminated overseas in psychological operations.

But the document suggests that the Pentagon believes that US law that prohibits exposing the US public to propaganda does not apply to the unintended blowback from such operations.

“The increasing ability of people in most parts of the globe to access international information sources makes targeting particular audiences more difficult,” said the document. “Today the distinction between foreign and domestic audiences become more a question of USG (US government) intent rather than information dissemination practices,” it said. Called the “Information Operations Roadmap”, the document was approved by US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in October 2003.

It was made public by the National Security Archives, a private non-profit research group which obtained it through a Freedom of Information Act request. The document said that psychological operations, or “psyops,” are restricted by Pentagon policy and executive order from targeting US audiences, US military personnel and news agencies and outlets. “However, information intended for foreign audiences, including public diplomacy and PSYOP, increasingly is consumed by our domestic audience and vice-versa.” afp

Chaplain’s assistant reenlists to serve

Staff Sgt. Nicholas Lanier, chaplain's assistant, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, reenlisted in July 2005 to continue serving with his fellow Soldiers in Iraq.(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Jorge Gomez, 2nd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.)

January 27, 2006

FOB KALSU, Iraq -- He didn’t get a reenlistment bonus when he raised his right hand in July. In fact, he knew he was getting assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and would soon deploy to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He chose to continue his career as a chaplain’s assistant in the Army because he enjoys what he does.

"I simply like to serve Soldiers," said Staff Sgt. Nicholas Lanier, a 31-year-old Buffalo, N.Y., native. "I like to get them in the right frame of mind so they can go out to do their mission."

He could have waited until he was in theater to take advantage of the current $22,500 bonus, but Lanier said he is not bitter.

"I joined the Army when I was 25, so I know what the outside world is about. The Army gives me a sense that I’m part of something greater than myself. My wife and kids are all proud of me for being a Soldier," he said.

When his Korean War-veteran grandfather learned that Lanier was deploying to Iraq, "he reacted with a somber pride. He knew what a deployment does to the family, but he felt proud of what I was doing."

For Lanier, reenlisting was the natural thing to do.

"People shouldn’t join the Army for the sake of the money. There has to be a drive to serve," he said.

As a civilian, Lanier held managerial jobs at a grocery store and a furniture company. The jobs were long hours and well paid, "but I wasn’t accomplishing anything meaningful," he said.

As the 2nd BCT chaplain’s assistant, Lanier said he gets the satisfaction of influencing Soldiers. He is responsible for the personal security of the chaplain and for implementing religious programs, but Soldiers will often come to him for counseling.

"I do what I can for the Soldiers when they come to me, and then I encourage them to seek further guidance from the chaplain," he said.

Lanier is also responsible for carrying out memorial ceremonies. He said he doesn’t enjoy them because they’re emotionally taxing, but it’s the part of his job that he takes very seriously.

"Memorial ceremonies give me the opportunity to honor a Soldier. Those who die in uniform need to be remembered for the warriors they are," Lanier said.

Lanier said he is looking forward to serving his fellow Soldiers throughout this mission.

"I want to see myself doing my job in a deployed environment - to serve my country outside of the country," he said.

When he returns home from OIF, he said he plans to expand his service by becoming a drill sergeant or an advanced individual training instructor.

"I want to pass down lessons learned to young Soldiers," he said.

When he does retire or leave the Army, Lanier will be satisfied with the decisions he’s made.

"I want to know that I did something important - that I made a difference," he said.

By Sgt. Jorge Gomez - 2nd BCT PAO, 4ID

British Muslim Jailed for Plotting to Kill Iraq Hero

GMT 1-27-2006 - 7:42:0

By Joanna Bale

A MUSLIM who plotted to hunt down and kill a soldier who was awarded the Military Cross for bravery under fire in Iraq was jailed for six years yesterday.

Abu Mansha, 21, drew up his plan after reading a newspaper report that Corporal Mark Byles, of The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, had been awarded one of the Army's highest honours after leading a bayonet charge in which three Iraqi rebels died. In the article, Corporal Byles stated that he had killed as many as twenty insurgents during his six-month tour of duty.

When police searched Abu Mansha's flat in Thamesmead, southeast London, they found a blank-firing gun in the process of being converted to shoot live rounds, a balaclava with eye-holes cut out and a newspaper cutting detailing the soldier's exploits.

DVDs featuring "virulent anti-Western propaganda" were also recovered, Southwark Crown Court was told. Some featured Osama bin Laden and another depicted the beheading of the British hostage Kenneth Bigley. A poem that the defendant had written describing George Bush and Tony Blair as "dirty pigs" was also found.

Abu Mansha, the British-born son of a Pakistani-born travel agent, had also researched the personal details of two businessmen, one a Hindu and the other a Jew.

The market stallholder was convicted last month under the Terrorism Act of possessing information "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".

He remained impassive as Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said: "The information found in his possession included Corporal Byles's past address. That information was in your handwriting, as was a request by you -- and I underline that -- for information about prominent members of the Jewish and Hindu communities. The jury rejected your claims that these were just journalistic inquiries.

"The maximum sentence for this offence is ten years' imprisonment. You have never faced a charge for conspiracy to kill or cause harm and I do not sentence you for that, but when that information came into your possession and was recorded by you, you crossed the boundary into terrorism."

Abu Mansha has a previous conviction for affray as the result of a racial confrontation with another market stallholder three years ago.

Corporal Byles, 35, was disciplined by the Army for giving a detailed account of his Iraq exploits in interviews with newspapers. He spoke from behind screens as he gave the two-week trial a graphic account of the bloody confrontation in the volatile area of al-Amarah on May 14, 2004.

The soldier of 13 years recalled: "I had two choices: stay there and be cut to pieces . . . or put down concentrated fire and attack the positions, which is what I did."

He was awarded the Military Cross for "immense professionalism under fire" and bravery in leading an assault on an enemy position.

A statement on the effect that the case had had on the soldier was submitted to the court. It was not read out, but the judge accepted that it made "unhappy reading".

Abu Mansha was arrested last March after an operation by anti-terrorist and firearms officers. He told the court that he was neither a strict Muslim nor had any strong political views, and denied having anything to do with terrorism. He said that most of the items found in his flat were connected with research that he was helping a journalist friend to carry out, while the pistol had been bought from a market stall as a souvenir.

Jeremy Carter-Manning, QC, for the defence, said that Abu Mansha was "at the very highest an utter incompetent". He said: "You are not sentencing a man of academic high-flying ability." The likelihood of reoffending was described in the pre-sentence report as low.

Peter Clarke, head of the Anti-Terrorist Branch, said: "Abu Mansha researched the personal details of several people. Put this together with the other material that was found when he was arrested and it is obvious that he was involved in terrorist targeting."

US Commander: Insurgents Driven from Tal Afar in Northern Iraq

US Marine, left, patrols with soldiers of Iraqi Army in streets in Iraq.

By Meredith Buel - Washington

27 January 2006

A senior U.S. military commander in Iraq says coalition and Iraqi forces have driven insurgents from the northern Iraqi city of Tal Afar, and that reconstruction of the area is well under way. Army Colonel H.R. McMaster made the remarks during a teleconference from Iraq.

Colonel McMaster says when his forces first arrived in northern Iraq last May, insurgents, including foreign fighters and Saddam loyalists, had choked the life out of the region by conducting systematic attacks throughout the area.

McMaster says many of the insurgents infiltrated the city of Tal Afar, which lies about 60 kilometers from porous Syrian border.

"What the enemy really needed to do is intimidate the population in the area, to give them safe-haven so people would be afraid to cooperate with our forces or Iraqi security forces trying to bring security to the area," he said. "They also hoped to incite sectarian violence, which they did by collapsing the police force, turning the police force, in effect, into a sectarian militia that further fed the cycle of sectarian violence."

A turning point came last September when, for the first time, U.S.-trained Iraqi security forces took the lead in a major military operation against insurgents in Tal Afar.

Colonel McMaster says the Iraqi army and police forces backed by U.S. troops successfully drove most of the foreign fighters out of the area.

"As a result of our combined efforts with Iraqi security forces, some brave Iraqi leaders, soldiers and police I am happy to report to you that the situation in Tal Afar, and in western Niniweh, has fundamentally changed," he added. "What we have been able to achieve there together alongside our Iraqi brothers is to bring life back to this area, to rekindle hope."

Colonel McMaster says the success at Tal Afar means that a major staging area has now been taken from those dedicated to the defeat of coalition forces and the new Iraqi government.

"This was an important physical defeat for the enemy because they lost this safe haven and support base in an area they hoped to use to destabilize the northern region of Iraq," he explained. "It was also a very important psychological defeat to the enemy, because people now understand that these anti-Iraqi forces want Iraq to fail."

Colonel McMaster says basic services, such as water and electricity, have now been restored in Tal Afar, and people in the city feel safe to move around the region.

He says in the recent Iraqi elections some 90 percent of eligible voters went to the polls.

Listen to audio report

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