Free Republic

WASHINGTON — The U.S. has begun using Apache AH-64 attack helicopters to strike at ISIS targets inside Iraq, the first time the aircraft have been used for offensive strikes since arriving in Baghdad in early July. Their use opens up a new capability in the airstrike campaign against ISIS in Iraq, but one that also comes with risks, as they could be vulnerable to ground fire. A defense official confirms that Apache helicopters were used this weekend as part of four airstrikes on a large ISIS force northeast of Fallujah. The attack was conducted in coordination with Air Force fighter...

BAGHDAD, Oct. 6, 2009 – Iraqi Defense Minister Mohammed Abdul-Qader Jassim hosted a conference here yesterday to highlight Iraq’s commitment to human rights. Senior Iraqi army officials, civilians, government employees, political leaders and women from Iraq’s Ministry of Human Rights were on hand for Iraq’s second human rights conference, as well as select members of the Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq, which is responsible for training and advising the defense ministry on human rights issues. “After criminals are captured in Iraq, we must protect their dignity and provide them with clothes, food, medical care and other needs,” the defense minister...

MOSUL, Iraq, Aug. 18, 2009 – Chew toys and leashes in hand, Iraqi police dog handlers and their working dogs arrived at Forward Operating Base Marez here Aug. 16 to fine-tune their skill in basic obedience and explosive detection techniques. An Iraqi police dog handler instructs his dog to sit during a course with U.S. forces at Forward Operating Base Marez, Iraq, Aug. 15, 2009. The course is designed to fine-tune obedience and explosive detection skills of the Iraqi working dogs and their handlers. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Christopher Kozloski  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. The class is...

Surveying the Iraq debate here, it's understandable if the average voter is confused. Heck, it seems as if even the presidential candidates are confused. Just as Senator Obama appeared to be walking back his primary season embrace of retreat, he gives a speech this week affirming his old 16-month deadline for withdrawal. Just as Iraq's American trained army wins four straight battles, Prime Minister Maliki publicly calls for the Yanks to go home. And just after President Bush replaced the Centcom commander who sought to deplete forces in Iraq to send them to Afghanistan, the Pentagon appears to be doing...

IZZAT Ibrahim al-Duri, one of Saddam Hussein's top deputies and a man who eluded US capture despite a hefty bounty on his head, reportedly died quietly overnight at the age of 63. The notice of his death came not from the US military, but from a statement signed by the dissolved Baath Party command. "The leader of the resistance died on Friday November 11 at 2:20 am," according to the statement signed by the Baath command. There was no immediate confirmation of his death. Duri was one of Saddam's most feared right-hand men and was said to be suffering from...

OK .. I GET A BIT "I TOLD YOU SO TODAY" Yesterday the news broke about 380 tons of explosives that disappeared in Iraq. The International Atomic Energy Agency was raising quite a fuss over this, as was the American mainstream media. Boy oh boy, did the media love this story. After all, it really looked bad for Bush, didn't it? ABC and CBS hammered the story, as did MSNBC. But CNN? Wow! Did CNN love this story. They covered it at least 50 times yesterday. Then, of course, we had the Kerry campaign jumping on the story. The Poodle...