Adding to post no. 1506:
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2230
Iraqis, Coalition Working to Counter Terrorists’ Strategy
By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2006 – Terrorists and extremists in Iraq are working to destabilize the country to further their own goals, a coalition spokesman in Iraq said at a news conference today.
This goal drives the horrific attacks on civilians and fuels retaliatory killings in and around Baghdad, Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said, adding that all this is counter to the will of the Iraqi people.
“Al Qaeda, foreign terrorists and extremists do not want to let the Iraqis decide their own future,” Caldwell said. “Through two elections and a constitutional referendum, the Iraqi people have demonstrated they want to be a part of this political process and they want to have a representative government.”
Saddam Hussein’s rule crippled the oil-rich nation. Making the transition from dictatorship to democracy would be tough even without terrorist efforts to derail the process, Caldwell said, but he predicted the will of the Iraqi people will prevail. “Iraqis are creating a country that will replace the rule of the gun with the rule of the law,” Caldwell said. “And they will put criminals and killers out of business.”
Mortar and car bomb attacks Nov. 23 that killed more than 180 innocent Iraqis and wounded 245 in Sadr City, a predominantly Shiite neighborhood on the east side of Baghdad, reflect the al Qaeda in Iraq strategy in the nation, the general said. “It was indisputably a terrible crime against the Iraqi people,” Caldwell said. “The retaliatory attacks we have seen the last couple of days are also.”
Terrorists seek to control the Sunni population in the country, Caldwell explained, and they are looking to dominate Baghdad, the military and political center of gravity in Iraq. Al Qaeda kills and intimidates Sunnis who want to work with the elected, representative government. The group also seeks to weaken the Iraqi government and destroy faith in the democratically elected representatives. The terrorists attack the representatives and work to make Iraqis fearful of dealing with their own government.
Al Qaeda’s strategy also calls for attacks on Shiite civilians. The attacks in Sadr City are an example of this strategy, Caldwell said. Al Qaeda launches the attacks and counts on illegal militias to launch revenge attacks on Sunnis. This creates division along sectarian lines.
The Iraqis and coalition have made progress against al Qaeda in Iraq, Caldwell said. Since November 2004, Iraqi and coalition forces have killed or captured more than 7,000 al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists, including more than 30 senior-level terrorists who have been captured or killed since July, he said.
Between Nov. 14 and 19, Iraqi and coalition forces conducted a number of targeted raids across Iraq and captured the terrorist emirs of Ramadi, Bakuba, Qaim, Tikrit, Bayji and Baghdad, Caldwell said. The forces also captured two terrorist facilitators, a courier, an explosive expert and a financier. “The detention of these terrorists represents a serious blow against the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist network,” he said.
Iraqi and coalition forces also are working diligently against death squads. Most sectarian attacks in the country are within 30 miles of Baghdad, and Iraqi and coalition forces continue to work against illegal militias. “In the past week, our combined forces conducted 18 operations against sectarian death squads resulting in the detainment of 78 suspected cell members,” Caldwell said.
Caldwell said that polls in Iraq show the people want the government to succeed. He said Iraqis are resolved on a unified, secure and prosperous Iraq. “In polling conducted last month, 89 percent of Iraqis nationwide agreed with this statement: ‘My first loyalty is to my country rather than my sect, ethnic group or tribe,’” Caldwell said. Only 25 percent of Iraqis said the country would be better off divided along sectarian lines.
Coalition forces continue to work with Iraqi security forces to build their professionalism, Caldwell said. More than 4,000 U.S. servicemembers organized in 430 teams advise the Iraqi army, police and border guards. The teams are necessary “to sustain and develop these forces so they can evolve into a professional security institution,” the general said. “They will remain in place long after we have met our goal of training and equipping 325,000 Iraqi security forces.”
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2262
Marines Rescue Hostage, Uncover Caches
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 30, 2006 – Marines assigned to 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 5, rescued one hostage and uncovered two partially buried caches yesterday while conducting search-and-knock operations here, military officials reported.
"By rescuing this gentleman and capturing the kidnappers, it shows the Iraqi people we do care for them, their safety and their future," said Marine Lt. Col. William Seely, the battalion commander. "I am extremely proud of those Marines. The Marines saved a life and reunited a family. It just doesn't get any better."
After receiving intelligence from reliable sources, the Marines raided a house and launched an extensive search of the premises. Soon after gaining entry into the facility, the Marines discovered three suspected insurgents in beds and a local national hostage, whose body bore marks of torture, huddled on the floor.
"It looked like they had beaten him pretty bad with a cane," said Cpl. Eric Maxwell, who participated in the operation. "He couldn't stand on his own; we had to pick him up. Our corpsman provided medical attention to the guy."
The three insurgents were detained. The situation continued to develop, though, and culminated in the elimination of two arms caches.
"Another platoon had a (person) get away, so my vehicle and Corporal Maxwell's vehicle moved from the house; the rest of the element moved in on the guy on foot," said Sgt. David Evans, an assistant team leader.
After pursuing the fleeing insurgent through fields, the Marines chanced upon "a dug-up cache in a reed line," he said. The find led them to another cache 50 meters to the west on the other side of a canal.
In sum, the stockpiles yielded one 155 mm artillery round and 15 130 mm artillery rounds. Both caches were destroyed by combat engineers attached to 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. The Marines also uncovered several identification badges, insurgent propaganda, one Italian 8 mm pistol with magazine, one AK 47 assault rifle with a chest rig and six magazines, and one M14 with 10 rounds.
"You might see a decrease in IED activity in that area," Evans said. "It makes them think, ‘When is the next one going to come?’"
In other news from Iraq, Iraqi army soldiers found 28 bodies in a mass grave yesterday south of Baqubah.
Elements from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division with support from coalition forces, including an air weapons team, identified the possible grave site. The Iraqi troops recovered the bodies and moved them to the Narwan area for identification by possible family members. The bodies were later transported to an Iraqi police station in Baghdad.
(Compiled from Multinational Corps Iraq news releases.)