The Talk Show American

THE TALK SHOW AMERICAN: 01/21/2007 - 01/28/2007

Saturday, January 27, 2007

House Bill To repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002

A Bill has been introduced to repeal the authorization of Use of Military Force against Iraq in 2002. Ther Dems just will not stop. They are definitely the surrender party.


H.R.413
Title: To repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243) and to require the withdrawal of United States Armed Forces from Iraq.

Sponsor: Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] (introduced 1/11/2007) Cosponsors (6)

Latest Major Action: 1/11/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

COSPONSORS(6), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]:
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 1/24/2007
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 1/24/2007
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 1/24/2007
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 1/22/2007
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 1/22/2007
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 1/22/2007

COMMITTEE(S):
Committee/Subcommittee: Activity:
House Foreign Affairs Referral
House Armed Services Referral

Friday, January 26, 2007

Senate Foreign Relations Committe Issues Terms of Surrender in Iraq

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed a non-binding resolution Wednesday, which said in part:

(1) it is not in the U.S. national interest to deepen its military involvement in Iraq, particularly by escalating the U.S. military presence in Iraq;

(2) the primary objective of U.S. strategy in Iraq should be to have the Iraqi political leaders make the political compromises necessary to end the violence in Iraq;

(3) greater regional and international support would assist the Iraqis in achieving a political solution and trational reconciliation;

(4) main elements of U.S. forces in Iraq should transition to helping ensure Iraq's territorial integrity, conduct counterterrorism activities, reduce regional interference in Iraq's internal affairs, and accelerate raining of Iraqi troops;

(5) the United States should transfer, under an appropriately expedited timeline, responsibility for internal security and halting sectarian violence in Iraq to the government of Iraq and Iraqi security forces; and

(6) the United States should engage nations in the Middle East to develop a regional, internationally-sponsored peace and reconciliation process for Iraq.


Hat Tip: Bloggodocio

Show Your Non-Support for the Non-Binding Resolution

It's The Iraq War....Stupid

Blame Philly gun violence on Iraq, Mayor says

Recently Philadelphia's Mayor, John Street, said that the Iraq war is a contributing factor in the increase in gun violence and homicides on the streets of that city.

Speaking to the Philadelphia Daily News editorial board, Street said the daily dose of violence streaming back in news reports from the Iraqi battlefields has changed attitudes in the city.

"I believe the fact that we are a country at war has something to do with the attitude of people in the streets. Let me tell you, it's not just this city. I have seen it everywhere and I've talked to people a lot about it."

Mayor John Street

Read More Here

Show Your Non-Support for the Non-Binding Resolution

It is important to hold Congressmen and Senators accountable for their actions, especially during war time when our brave men and women of the US Military are fighting for our freedoms.

Please sign this pledge and pass it on to others as well:


If the United States Senate passes a resolution, non-binding or otherwise, that criticizes the commitment of additional troops to Iraq that General Petraeus has asked for and that the president has pledged, and if the Senate does so after the testimony of General Petraeus on January 23 that such a resolution will be an encouragement to the enemy, I will not contribute to any Republican senator who voted for the resolution. Further, if any Republican senator who votes for such a resolution is a candidate for re-election in 2008, I will not contribute to the National Republican Senatorial Committee unless the Chairman of that Committee, Senator Ensign, commits in writing that none of the funds of the NRSC will go to support the re-election of any senator supporting the non-binding resolution.


Take the Pledge Here: The NRSC Pledge

What Can You Do?

1. Sign the Pledge

2. Contact your Senators and the Senate Republican leadership

3. Tell at least three friends about the Pledge and refer them here to sign

"I took the Pledge folks, I hope you will too. Send a message to some of our Republican leaders that we will not support anyone who supports defeat in Iraq by voting for the non-binding resolution."
Jay Are

Iraqis, U.S. regain control of Baghdad

Three precision raids on predominantly Sunni-controlled areas of Baghdad on Wednesday have allowed Iraqi and U.S. troops to regain control of the city.

Aimed at shutting down "illegal militia activity," Wednesday's raids lasted eight hours and ended with Iraqi and U.S. forces killing at least 30 insurgents and capturing another 35, CNN reported.

"The situation is calm now on Haifa street and Iraqi and U.S. forces are in control of the situation," said Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Shaker, a spokesman for the Iraqi Defense Ministry.

Officials close to the operation, entitled "Operation Tomahawk Strike 11," said the series of raids were not oriented toward targeting Sunnis in the area, but rather to regain control of key Baghdad neighborhoods.

The operations are indicative of what U.S. President George Bush has called for, with more than 20,000 U.S. troops dividing Baghdad into nine sectors, flushing them of insurgents and taking up residence to maintain security.

CNN reported that while no U.S. casualties from the raids were reported, one U.S. soldier was killed outside of Baghdad Wednesday, but it was unclear whether his death was related to the fighting.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Iraqis Celebrate School Reopening, Forces Provide Aid to Citizens

An Iraqi neighborhood north of Ramadi celebrated the reopening of its school Jan. 23, U.S. and Iraqi forces provided aid to citizens in Adhamiyah this week, and students in Tal Afar received cold weather gear from Iraqi forces Jan. 22, military officials reported.

Visiting Iraqi army soldiers and coalition forces attended the celebration for the school reopening north of Ramadi. Community leaders asked Maj. Derek Horst, civil affairs team leader with the 4th Civil Affairs Group, to cut the ribbon for the Al Haitham School, which provides classes for the Abu Jassim tribe.

The school was temporarily closed in November for renovations. Tribal leader Sheik Taher, who oversaw the renovations, led a group of community leaders and military personnel on a brief tour of the building after the ribbon cutting.

"We're making progress day after day," said 1st Lt. Stuart Barnes, civil affairs team leader with Company B, 486th Civil Affairs Battalion. Barnes said attendance at the school shows that stability in the area continues to increase.

The school, which began holding classes again earlier this month, hosts an estimated 200 to 300 students, Barnes said.

In other news, residents of the Adhamiyah section of eastern Baghdad picked up needed supplies this week following a visit by soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team and their Iraqi army counterparts.

In coordination with the Adhamiyah district council, U.S. and Iraqi troops delivered clothes, toys, vitamins and toiletries to more than 500 residents in a local theater. Especially popular with the youth were soccer balls and comic books. Also, a U.S. medic treated a woman with low blood sugar.

It would have been impossible to deliver the goods without U.S.-Iraqi cooperation, according to Capt. Drew Corbin, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment.

"The Iraqi police were very helpful today," he said. "They provided security and helped distribute the humanitarian assistance bags."

The humanitarian assistance drop is part of a U.S.-Iraqi effort to reduce sectarian violence and help bring security to Baghdad.

In another operation in Tal Afar, students from the Kawla and Darar Primary schools received an assortment of winter clothing, school supplies, and additional treats from Tal Afar's Mayor Najim, Iraqi police officers, and soldiers of the 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, during Operation Warm-Up Jan. 22.

Mayor Najim and the delegation traveled from classroom to classroom, providing the students with winter clothing and Iraqi flags. In addition, the school headmaster at each location was provided a first-aid kit with instructions for medication.

The total items distributed included 280 items of winter clothing, 650 pencils, 250 pens, 200 erasers, 60 spiral notebooks and 30 folders. Every child received school supplies and candy.

Operation Warm-Up was a targeted mission conducted as part of the ongoing Iraqi police and coalition humanitarian assistance program Operation Kids.

43 Insurgents Detained, Weapons Found, Captives Freed

In a string of operations across Iraq over the past four days, Iraqi and coalition forces detained 43 suspected terrorists, found several weapons caches, stopped an illegal checkpoint, and freed three captives, military officials reported.

-- In Karmah, Iraq, coalition forces detained 12 suspected terrorists today. Intelligence reports indicate the detainees have key logistical ties to the al Qaeda in Iraq network and to improvised explosive device production. Reports indicate that they are responsible for the recent increase in IED attacks in the Karmah area. During the raid, coalition forces found several AK-47s and ammunition.

-- In Mosul, coalition forces captured a foreign fighter facilitator with ties to a senior al Qaeda leader responsible for bringing large numbers of suicide bombers into Iraq.

-- Special Iraqi police forces captured five members of an illegally armed militia and detained seven others during operations with coalition advisors yesterday near Kawam, south of Baghdad. The suspects are allegedly responsible for coordinating and carrying out numerous IED and other attacks against Iraqi police, Iraqi security forces and coalition forces in the Babil province.

-- A tip from a local citizen to an Iraqi army unit enabled soldiers to stop an illegal checkpoint in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliyah yesterday. Shortly after noon, an unidentified Iraqi phoned Company C, 4th Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, stating that a number of men had set up an illegal checkpoint in a southern Ghazaliyah neighborhood. A patrol was dispatched to the area and upon arrival was engaged by AK-47 and pistol fire. The patrol returned fire but was unable to prevent the escape of the terrorists.

-- Coalition and Iraqi army soldiers detained 10 suspects and seized four caches in the Al-Doura district as part of Operation Wolverine Feast yesterday. The operation began as witnesses reported seeing several men load a mortar tube and ammunition into the trunk of a car. Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division's Company C, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, and 3rd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, were alerted and cordoned off the target area. In the first objective they captured one wanted man with an 82 mm mortar system, two AK-47 assault rifles, a 9 mm pistol and two hand grenades. A sweep of a second targeted area uncovered six men with 10 120 mm mortar rounds. The third cache contained a 60 mm mortar system and various rocket-propelled grenade launchers and RPG rounds. Three men were detained at this location. The last cache contained several RPG rockets and accelerators.

-- Coalition forces detained three suspected terrorists and found weapons during a combat operation in Mahmudiyah Jan. 23. Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, worked with troops from the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, during Operation Black Eagle II, aimed at denying insurgents sanctuary within the Mahmudiyah area. Two AK-47 bandoleers and two Katusha rocket casings were found during the operation.

-- Four suspected insurgents were detained after a raid on a suspected insurgent safe house south of Baghdad Jan. 23. Iraqi army troops and paratroopers from the 25th Infantry Division's 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment, conducted the raid on the suspected terrorist safe house, which was believed to be used to hide insurgents and store weapons.

-- Coalition forces and Iraq army troops detained eight suspected terrorists and seized weapons during a combat patrol northwest of Lutifiyah Jan. 23. Soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, and the 6th Iraqi Army Division's 1st Battalion, 4th Brigade, were on a combat patrol when they came under small-arms fire attack from a canal. The troops called in for aviation support, and one insurgent died in the aerial attack. The remaining four insurgents tried to escape down a canal and were killed by Iraqi troops. Following the firefight, troops searched the area for more insurgents. They found nine Iraqis hiding in a nearby house. Eight of the nine were detained, all wanted for suspected terrorist acts. The search also turned up a weapons cache consisting of three medium machine guns, two AK-47 assault rifles, a shotgun and a sniper rifle with a scope.

-- Coalition forces discovered a building with blood-stained walls southeast of Fallujah on Jan. 22 and rescued three Iraqis found shackled inside. One of the victims was badly beaten and had broken limbs. He was examined and quickly evacuated by coalition forces to receive life-saving medical care. During their patrol, soldiers of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 136th Infantry Regiment, discovered multiple weapons caches in other nearby houses. The discovery included a mortar targeting system and a sniper rifle with scope, as well as a Bongo truck with a mounted anti-aircraft gun and another vehicle rigged as a car bomb. Once the hostages were rescued from the house, the suspected "torture house" was destroyed by coalition forces.

11 Iraqis with fake ID are arrested in Monterrey

Eleven Iraqis traveling with fake passports and headed to the United States were arrested by Mexican immigration authorities upon their arrival Saturday at this city's international airport.

Mexican immigration authorities said the names of the nine men, one woman and the 2-year-old girl did not match any international alerts for terrorists.

They are not bulletined," said Jesús Gerardo López, the top immigration official in Coahuila state, who said officials determined their real names.

He said the FBI, CIA and Interpol were alerted to the arrests.

The Iraqi citizens were sent to Mexico City late Saturday, where they will be held for further investigation.

The eleven were carrying fake passports issued in Turkey and Cyprus, according to López.

They claimed to be Christians fleeing the Iraq war. They reportedly had paid up to $10,000 each to professional human-smugglers for the passports and delivery to the United States via Tijuana.

Mexican authorities were unable to arrest the smugglers at a purported rendezvous with the Iraqi travelers in downtown Monterrey.

But post-9-11 border policies have made it more difficult for Iraqis to enter the U.S., legally or not.

Any Iraqi caught by Mexican officials now is made available for American intelligence officials to interview to ensure that none is part of the Iraq insurgency.

Under Mexican law, the 11 Iraqis can be held for up to 90 days while being investigated. They could face fines on charges of illegal entry to Mexico and a possible criminal investigation in connection with the fake identification, López said.

López said that "increasing numbers are fleeing the bellicose events" of Iraq, but immigration authorities have not found any terrorists trying to sneak into the United States through Mexico.

Iran: Israel, US will soon die

Ahmadinejad: Be assured that the US and Israel will soon end lives

Israel and the United States will soon be destroyed, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday during a meeting with Syria's foreign minister, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) website said in a report. Iran's official FARS news agency also reported the comments.

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… assured that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel will soon come to the end of their lives," the Iranian president was quoted as saying.


"Sparking discord among Muslims, especially between the Shiites and Sunnis, is a plot hatched by the Zionists and the US for dominating regional nations and looting their resources," Ahmadinejad added, according to the report.

The Iranian president also directly tied events in Lebanon to a wider plan aimed at Israel's destruction. He called on "regional countries" to "support the Islamic resistance of the Lebanese people and strive to enhance solidarity and unity among the different Palestinian groups in a bid to pave the ground for the undermining of the Zionist regime whose demise is, of course, imminent."

Ahmadinejad has threatened the State of Israel with annihilation several times in recent months, and has recently added the US and Britain to the list of countries he says will be destroyed.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Poll:Positive Reaction to Bush speech

More than three-quarters of Americans who watched President Bush's State of the Union address had a positive reaction to it, although the reaction was muted from that in past years, according to a poll released Tuesday.

Forty-one percent of 370 adults who watched the speech said they had a "very positive" reaction to it. Another 37 percent said their response was "somewhat positive." In 2006, however, the "very positive" number was 48 percent; in 2005, it was 60 percent.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted by telephone just after the speech. The sampling error is plus or minus 5 percentage points. (Key poll results)

Of those responding, 32 percent identified themselves as Republican, 31 percent as Democrats and 36 percent as independent.

Sixty-seven percent of speech watchers said they believe Bush's policies will move the country in the right direction, the lowest total of his presidency. In 2006, the number was 68 percent; in 2005, it was 77 percent.

Meanwhile, 53 percent said they believe the speech will lead to more cooperation between Bush and the Democrats who control Congress. Forty-three percent said it will lead to more disagreements.

Among the speech viewers, 51 percent said they were very or somewhat confident that the United States will achieve its goals in Iraq. After Bush's 2004 speech, the number was 71 percent.

In his speech, Bush asked for patience with his deployment of 21,000 more U.S. troops to Iraq, which has drawn opposition from Democrats and some Republican senators. (Watch Bush address the war in Iraq )

Sixty-eight percent said the president's policies on health care will be very or somewhat effective -- an increase from 2006's 64 percent. Bush proposed establishing new tax breaks he said would extend health coverage to more Americans.

And 74 percent said they believed Bush's proposals on energy -- including an effort to cut U.S. gasoline consumption by 20 percent over a decade -- would be very or somewhat effective. That was a slight decrease from 75 percent in 2006. (Watch the president outline his energy proposals )

Hat Tip To: Jules Crittenden

Excerpts: State of the Union 2007

In his annual State of the Union speech, President Bush asked the US Congress to give his policy of sending more than 20,000 extra troops to Iraq a chance to work.

He also addressed a wide range of other topics including diversifying US energy supplies and reducing petrol usage. Here are some of the key excerpts:

On his party's losing control of Congress:
Some in this Chamber are new to the House and Senate - and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed, but our responsibilities have not.

We are not the first to come here with government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people.

Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on - as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and help them to build a future of hope and opportunity - and this is the business before us tonight.



On the 'growing US economy':
A future of hope and opportunity begins with a growing economy - and that is what we have. Unemployment is low, inflation is low, and wages are rising. This economy is on the move - and our job is to keep it that way, not with more government but with more enterprise.



On his new health care initiatives:
[In] all we do, we must remember that the best health care decisions are made not by government and insurance companies, but by patients and their doctors.



On immigration reform:
Extending hope and opportunity in our country requires an immigration system worthy of America - with laws that are fair and borders that are secure.

When laws and borders are routinely violated, this harms the interests of our country. Yet, we cannot fully secure the border unless we take pressure off the border - and that requires a temporary worker program.



On 'strengthening America's energy security':
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America's economy running and America's environment clean.

For too long our nation has been dependent on foreign oil. And this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes, and to terrorists - who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments ... raise the price of oil ... and do great harm to our economy.

It is in our vital interest to diversify America's energy supply - and the way forward is through technology.



On reducing petrol usage:
Tonight, I ask Congress to join me in pursuing a great goal. Let us build on the work we have done and reduce gasoline usage in the United States by 20% in the next 10 years - when we do that we will have cut our total imports by the equivalent of three-quarters of all the oil we now import from the Middle East.




On the 'war on terror':
For all of us in this room, there is no higher responsibility than to protect the people of this country from danger.

[To] win the war on terror we must take the fight to the enemy. From the start, America and our allies have protected our people by staying on the offence.

The enemy knows that the days of comfortable sanctuary, easy movement, steady financing, and free flowing communications are long over.

For the terrorists, life since 9/11 has never been the same.

[Our] military commanders and I have carefully weighed the options. We discussed every possible approach.

In the end, I chose this course of action because it provides the best chance of success. Many in this chamber understand that America must not fail in Iraq - because you understand that the consequences of failure would be grievous and far reaching.

The war on terror we fight today is a generational struggle that will continue long after you and I have turned our duties over to others. That is why it is important to work together so our nation can see this great effort through.



On his Iraq strategy:
We went into this largely united - in our assumptions, and in our convictions. And whatever you voted for, you did not vote for failure. Our country is pursuing a new strategy in Iraq - and I ask you to give it a chance to work. And I ask you to support our troops in the field - and those on their way.




On US foreign policy:
American foreign policy is more than a matter of war and diplomacy.

Our work in the world is also based on a timeless truth: To whom much is given, much is required.

We hear the call to take on the challenges of hunger, poverty, and disease - and that is precisely what America is doing. We must continue to fight HIV/Aids, especially on the continent of Africa.

On the State of the Union:

This is a decent and honourable country - and resilient, too. We have been through a lot together. We have met challenges and faced dangers, and we know that more lie ahead. Yet we can go forward with confidence, because the State of our Union is strong, our cause in the world is right - and tonight that cause goes on. God bless.

N. Korea Helping Iran With Nukes

North Korea is helping Iran to prepare an underground nuclear test similar to the one Pyongyang carried out last year.

Under the terms of a new understanding between the two countries, the North Koreans have agreed to share all the data and information they received from their successful test last October with Teheran's nuclear scientists.

North Korea provoked an international outcry when it successfully fired a bomb at a secret underground location and Western intelligence officials are convinced that Iran is working on its own weapons programme.

A senior European defence official told The Daily Telegraph that North Korea had invited a team of Iranian nuclear scientists to study the results of last October's underground test to assist Teheran's preparations to conduct its own — possibly by the end of this year.

There were unconfirmed reports at the time of the Korean firing that an Iranian team was present. Iranian military advisers regularly visit North Korea to participate in missile tests.

Now the long-standing military co-operation between the countries has been extended to nuclear issues.

As a result, senior western military officials are deeply concerned that the North Koreans' technical superiority will allow the Iranians to accelerate development of their own nuclear weapon.

"The Iranians are working closely with the North Koreans to study the results of last year's North Korean nuclear bomb test," said the European defence official.

"We have identified increased activity at all of Iran's nuclear facilities since the turn of the year," he said.

"All the indications are that the Iranians are working hard to prepare for their own underground nuclear test."

The disclosure of the nuclear co-operation between North Korea and Iran comes as Teheran seems set on a collision course with the West over its nuclear programme, although it insists it is entirely peaceful.

Both countries were named in President George W Bush's famous "axis of evil" State of the Union speech in 2002.

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously authorised the imposition of "smart" sanctions against Iran.

This is because of its refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment programme, which most Western intelligence agencies believe is part of a clandestine nuclear weapons programme.

France expressed concern yesterday over an Iranian decision to bar 38 UN nuclear inspectors from Iran, claiming that Teheran appeared to be singling out westerners from the inspection team.

Intelligence estimates vary about how long it could take Teheran to produce a nuclear warhead. But defence officials monitoring the growing co-operation between North Korea and Iran believe the Iranians could be in a position to test fire a low-grade device — less than half a kiloton — within 12 months.

The precise location of the Iranian test site is unknown, but is likely to be located in a mountainous region where it is difficult for spy satellites to pick up any unusual activity.

Teheran successfully concealed the existence of several key nuclear sites — including the controversial Natanz uranium enrichment complex — until their locations were disclosed by Iranian dissidents three years ago.

Western intelligence agencies have reported an increase in the number of North Korean and Iranian scientists travelling between the two countries.

The increased co-operation on nuclear issues began last November when a team of Iranian nuclear scientists met their North Korean counterparts to study the technical and political implications of Pyongyang's nuclear test.

The Iranians are reported to have been encouraged by the fact that no punitive action was taken against North Korea, despite the international outcry that greeted the underground firing.

This has persuaded the Iranian regime to press ahead with its own nuclear programme with the aim of testing a low-grade device, which would be difficult for international inspectors to detect.

Audio: Analysis of the developing crisis

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

100 Terrorists Killed, 50 Detained in Operation Turki Bowl

U.S. and Iraqi forces killed 100 terrorists, detained 50, and dismantled a large terrorist group in January during Operation Turki Bowl, the senior U.S. Army officer in Iraq's Diyala province said yesterday.

The operation, conducted from Jan. 4 to 13, occurred south of Balad Ruz in the Turki Village, Tuwilla and 30 Tamuz areas of the province. During the operation, U.S. Army and Iraqi soldiers isolated and defeated a terrorist group known as "The Council," Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, told reporters via satellite connection from a news conference in Iraq.

"The group, made up of former Baath Regime members, al Qaeda and Sunni extremists, refused to participate in any political dialogue and preferred attacking innocent civilians in the Diyala province," Sutherland said.

The council killed as many as 39 civilians in one kidnapping and mass murder in November, he added.

"The fear of the people and the weapons used by these individuals are used to attack the core of Iraqi values and beliefs," Sutherland said. "They are interested in preventing individual human rights and freedoms that the people of this region want so much."

Leading up to the large-scale operation, coalition forces discovered a large weapons cache in November in the area, resulting in "major combat operations with several large organizations" of terrorists, Sutherland said.

"Upon defeating them, we intentionally moved back to our base of operations so that we could exploit the intelligence that we would ... gather over the next several months," he said.

While developing plans for Operation Turki Bowl, U.S. military leaders, with the 5th Iraqi Army Division, studied the enemy's early warning systems, their actions, and "how they reacted to our initial contact with them," Sutherland said.

Coalition forces conducted smaller-scale raids in the area prior to Operation Turki Bowl, to give civilians a perceived safe-haven and encourage their cooperation with troops, he said. Through tips and phone calls to coalition forces, civilians provided invaluable information about the enemy, Sutherland added.

"What we wanted to do was isolate (terrorists) from the population so they could not blend in," Sutherland said. "It (was) a counterinsurgency operation, but the difference is we were able separate the terrorists from the people they were living off of.

"Since I've been here, we have not conducted an operation where we have been able to bring to bear against a group of this size that was willing to fight us out in the open," Sutherland said.

In addition to defeating the council, troops found 25 weapons caches containing more than 1,150 Katusha rockets and 1,000 rocket-propelled grenades, 170 anti-tank missiles, anti-tank mines, small- and heavy-arms ammunition and sensitive terrorist documents.

Soldiers are now focused on interacting with the local populous and reinforcing the security and stability of the region, according to a Multinational Force Iraq news release. The Iraqi army will maintain a permanent presence, while coalition forces are focusing on reconstructing roads, essential services and other basic services to help the people of Turki, the release stated.

"This operation clearly was a significant tactical success for (coalition forces), (Iraq army), and most importantly, the citizens of Turki and surrounding areas," Sutherland said. "The long-term affects we hope to achieve are stability for economic growth, increased political action for all parties and self-reliance for the Iraqi government and security forces."

Petraeus Supports Troop Increase in Confirmation Hearing

President Bush's pick for command of Multinational Force Iraq today supported the new strategy for Iraq, emphasizing that additional U.S. forces are essential in accomplishing the mission there.

"If we are to carry out the Multinational Force Iraq mission in accordance with the new strategy, the additional forces that have been directed to move to Iraq will be essential, as will greatly increased support by our government's other agencies, additional resources for reconstruction and economic initiatives, and a number of other actions critical to what must be a broad, comprehensive, multifaceted approach to the challenges in Iraq," Army Lt. Gen. David Petraeus said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Petraeus was nominated Jan. 17 to be promoted to general and take over command of MNFI from Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., who has been nominated to become the Army's chief of staff.

The new strategy for Iraq shifts the U.S. focus in Iraq to securing the population and creating secure conditions to enable the Iraqi government, Petraeus said. Solving security problems will not be the ultimate solution for Iraq, he acknowledged, but the Iraqi government cannot deal with the political issues it must resolve while violence in Baghdad creates life-or-death situations for citizens every day.

"The objective will be to achieve sufficient security to provide the space and time for the Iraqi government to come to grips with the tough decisions its members must make to enable Iraq to move forward," Petraeus said. "In short, it is not just that there will be additional forces in Baghdad; it is what they will do and how they will do it that is important."

When questioned directly, Petraeus said he would not be able to do his job as commander of MNFI without the additional 21,000 troops President Bush has pledged to Iraq. Deploying these additional forces will make it difficult to increase time between deployments for troops who have already been burdened by the war on terror, he said, but plans are under way to sustain increased force levels.

The increase of 92,000 in the overall strength of the Army and Marine Corps, which Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates announced Jan. 11, will also help alleviate this strain, he said. "Our ongoing endeavors in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere are people-intensive, and it is heartening to know that there will be more soldiers and Marines to shoulder the load," he said.

The coalition will continue to transition control of Iraqi forces and provinces to Iraqis, and the U.S. advisor effort will be reinforced, Petraeus said. The focus on security in Baghdad will require that U.S. and Iraqi commanders become familiar with the areas they are operating in and work together to establish a permanent presence in areas where violence has been eliminated, he said.

In addition to overcoming security challenges, success in Iraq depends on actions in political and economic areas like governance, the distribution of oil revenues, national reconciliation, improvement in the capacity of Iraq's ministries, the establishment of the rule of law, and economic development, Petraeus said. To bolster progress in these areas, all agencies of the U.S. government need to step in and provide assistance, he emphasized.

"Our military is making an enormous commitment in Iraq; we need the rest of the departments to do likewise, to help the Iraqi government get the country and its citizens working, and to use Iraq's substantial oil revenues for the benefit of all the Iraqi people," he said.

The situation in Iraq is serious, and it will take time for the new strategy to be effective, Petraeus noted. The additional U.S. forces will need time to deploy to the region, become familiar with the situation, and set the conditions for successful security operations, he said.

"The only assurance I can give you is that, if confirmed, I will provide Multinational Force Iraq the best leadership and direction I can muster; I will work to ensure unity of effort with the ambassador and our Iraqi and coalition partners; and I will provide my bosses and you with forthright, professional military advice with respect to the missions given to Multinational Force Iraq and the situation on the ground in Iraq," Petraeus said to the committee.

If confirmed, this assignment will be Petraeus' fourth deployment of one year or longer since the summer of 2001; three of those deployments were to Iraq. Petraeus led the 101st Airborne Division in Mosul during the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom, served as the first commander of Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq from June 2004 to September 2005, and commanded the NATO Training Mission Iraq from October 2004 through September 2005. He is currently serving as commander of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., where he oversees the organizations that educate Army leaders, draft doctrine, craft lessons learned, and help units prepare for deployment.

Petraeus acknowledged that the command of MNFI will be a heavy burden, but he said he is ready to take on the position. Not only is he eager to serve again with America's deployed troops, he said, but he feels an obligation to help the Iraqis, who are struggling to lead normal lives while their government forges a way ahead that will be anything but easy.

"Hard is not hopeless, and if confirmed, I pledge to do my utmost to lead our wonderful men and women in uniform and those of our coalition partners in Iraq as we endeavor to help the Iraqis make the most of the opportunity our soldiers, sailor, airmen and Marines have given to them," he said.

16 Insurgents Killed in Iraq, 18 Detained; Weapons Caches Found

Coalition forces killed 16 terrorists and detained 18 others in Iraq this week, military officials said, and troops discovered multiple weapons caches.

In Iraq yesterday, soldiers from the 3rd Iraqi Army Division, with coalition advisors, detained three suspected members of an insurgent cell during operations in the village of Ibrat As Saghirah in northern Iraq. The insurgent cell with links to al Qaeda in Iraq is responsible for coordinating and carrying out mortar and small arms attacks against Iraqi civilians, military officials said.

In eastern Baghdad yesterday, U.S. Army soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, with elements from the Iraqi army, launched "Operation Wolf."

The mission, aimed at bringing more security to the area by reducing sectarian violence and clearing the area of insurgents, is part of an on-going U.S.-Iraqi effort to transition security to Iraqi security forces.

Also in Iraq yesterday:

-- Coalition forces working on intelligence reports engaged and killed nine armed terrorists, detained six others and discovered grenades, machine guns and pistols in Haditha.

-- Coalition forces killed six terrorists and detained two others during an operation in Baghdad.

-- Coalition forces shot and killed one terrorist, detained another and discovered bomb-making materials during a raid in Yusufiyah.

-- Paratroopers with the 25th Infantry Division and Iraqi security forces detained four suspects in Karbala with alleged ties to the Jan. 20 attack at the Karbala Provincial Joint Coordination Center.

Earlier this week east in eastern Baghdad, soldiers with 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, detained two suspected insurgents and seized roughly 7,000 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition Jan. 21 during a neighborhood search.

Elsewhere in Iraq this week, Marines from 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 5 discovered 14 large weapons caches Jan. 21 during Operation Northern Venture in Anbar province.

"The discovery of such caches is extremely important as it provides the Iraqi civilians a better sense of security," Lt. Col. Kenneth M. DeTreux, battalion commanding officer, said. "When we take these weapons away, we lessen the ability of the enemy to terrorize and intimidate civilians."

The caches contained seven heavy machine guns, one small machine gun, six AK-47 assault rifles, one bolt-action rifle and two Iranian assault rifles. Marines also discovered 23 82 mm high explosive mortars, five 60 mm high explosive mortar rounds, one 120 mm high explosive mortar round, small- and heavy-arms ammunition and a large assortment of weapons related equipment.

"The caches that we found were a mix of all sorts of ordnance from mortars to heavy machine guns," Maj. Sean M. Riordan, battalion executive officer, said. "There's no doubt that the rural areas in Iraq contain numerous weapons caches, and the things we took away from the insurgency help to chip away at their tactical capabilities."

Al Qaeda terrorists are fleeing Baghdad

Al Qaeda terrorists are fleeing Baghdad in advance of President Bush’s 21,500-man troop surge, a senior military intelligence officer told Pajamas Media today. Under orders from the al Qaeda commander in Iraq, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, fighters are streaming toward the Diyala region of Iraq.

This confirms reports posted on Iraq the Model, which cited al-Sabah, an Iraqi government-owned newspaper.

In speaking with Pajamas Media the military intelligence officer supplied several new details of the al Qaeda retreat.

The apparent evacuation of Baghdad by al Qaeda forces comes from direct orders issued by al-Masri, the former soldier who took control of the Iraqi wing of al Qaeda following the June 2006 bombing death of Zarqawi.

Initially, the intelligence officer informed Pajamas, the Baghdad-based AQ fighters did not want to leave. Al-Masri had to send unequivocal orders for their retreat, adding that one of the lessons from the Fallujah campaign was that Americans have learned how to prevail in house-to-house fighting. Masri said that remaining in Baghdad was a ‘no-win situation’ for the terrorists.

“In more than ten years of reading al Qaeda intercepts, I’ve never seen language like this,” the intelligence officer said. Usually, al Qaeda communications are full of bravado and false confidence, he added.

Al-Masri’s evacuation order – assuming that it is authentic – reveals that al Qaeda in Iraq leader has a good grasp of a tactical situation. “He is far more formidable than Zarqawi was,” the intelligence officer said, because of his training at Soviet special warfare schools.

Al-Masri has ordered al Qaeda forces to regroup in the Diyala province. This might be an attempt to lure American troops away from the Iraqi capital, forcing America to hunt al Qaeda in the province while the terrorists slowly slip behind them and return to Baghdad, he said.

Baqubah in the Diyala province was the city near which Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was tracked down and killed last year.

This last situation is perhaps the reason behind several intense US/Iraqi combined military operations in Diyala over the past week. Reuters reported this morning that

Hundreds of people have been trying to flee the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala, close to the Iraqi-Iranian border, following a recent offensive by US and Iraqi troops in the area.

The operations combine ground forces and airstrikes.

U.S. commanders are well-aware that a trap may be set for them. Even with the raids in Diyala in progress, there are no plans to deploy large numbers of the “surge” forces outside Baghdad. Instead it will be the job of the Iraqi army to chase down militants, assisted by U.S. aerial reconnaissance and predator spy planes

Bush Will Attack Iran If Necessary

One of America's most influential neocons says President Bush is prepared to use military force against Iran if he believes it will acquire nuclear weapons.

This past Sunday, Richard Perle, speaking in Israel at the Herzliya Conference, said he had no doubt of President Bush's intentions.

"President George Bush will order an attack on Iran if it becomes clear to him that Iran is set to acquire nuclear weapons capabilities while he is still in office," Haaretz reported of Perle's remarks.

Perle, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, served as chairman of the Bush administration's Defense Policy Board. Perle had been a strong advocate for the liberation of Iraq in the early days of the Bush administration.

Recently, Perle has been critical of the administration's handling of the war after the successful removal of Saddam Hussein.

Perle argued that sanctions against Iran, pushed by European nations, will do little to stop Iran's ambition to become a nuclear power.

Perle was joined at the conference by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu called for a phased program to address the Iran menace, beginning with economic sanctions and divestment from companies doing business with Iran.

"I call on the world that did not stop the Holocaust to stop investing in Iran to prevent genocide," Netanyahu said, referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's comments that the Jewish state should be wiped from the map.

Al-Qaida Leader: 'Send the Entire Army'

Al-Qaida's deputy leader mocked President Bush's plan to send 21,000 more troops to Iraq, challenging him to send "the entire army" and vowing insurgents will defeat them, according to a new videotape released Monday by a U.S. group that tracks al-Qaida messages.

The Washington-based SITE Institute said it had intercepted the video from Ayman al-Zawahri, which had not yet been posted on Islamic militant Web sites, where his messages are usually posted. SITE did not elaborate on how it received the message.

Al-Zawahri said the U.S. strategy for Iraq, outlined by Bush in a Jan. 9 speech, was doomed to fail.

"I ask him, why send 20,000 (troops) only - why not send 50 or 100 thousand? Aren't you aware that the dogs of Iraq are pining for your troops' dead bodies?" said al-Zawahri in the footage released by SITE, which assesses and analyzes intelligence related to terrorism.

"So send your entire army to be annihilated at the hands of the mujahideen (holy warriors) to free the world from your evil," he said, "because Iraq, land of the Caliphate and Jihad, is able to bury ten armies like yours, with Allah's help and power."

Monday, January 22, 2007

Breaking News: DOCUMENTS SEIZED IN IRAQ REVEAL INSURGENT PLAN FOR ATTACK IN U.S.

Details Emerge About Possible Terror Threat
Suspects, Reportedly Tied to Al Qaeda in Iraq, Sought Student Visas

Mimicking the hijackers who executed the Sept. 11 attacks, insurgents reportedly tied to al Qaeda in Iraq considered using student visas to slip terrorists into the United States to orchestrate a new attack on American soil.

Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, recently testified that documents captured by coalition forces during a raid of a safe house believed to house Iraqi members of al Qaeda six months ago "revealed [AQI] was planning terrorist operations in the U.S."

At the time, Maples offered little additional insight into the possible terror plot. ABC News, however, has learned new details of what remains a classified incident that has been dealt with at the highest levels of government.

Sources tell ABC News that the plot may have involved moving between 10 and 20 suspects believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq into the United States with student visas — the same method used by the 19 al Qaeda terrorists who struck American targets on Sept. 11.

U.S. officials now require universities to closely track foreign nationals who use student visas to study in the United States. University officials must report international students who fail to arrive on campus or miss class regularly.

In August, the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement alerted intelligence agencies and state and local law enforcement about 11 Egyptian students who had failed to report to their classes at Montana State University. The students were ultimately apprehended.

Still, despite the heightened precautions, some security analysts fear that skilled terrorists — handpicked because of their clean records and because they are carefully trained — could still slip through an academic setting.

The plot was discovered six months ago, roughly the same time that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, was killed by coalition forces. Sources tell ABC News that the suspects involved in the effort to launch the U.S. attack were closely associated with Zarqawi.

The plan also came only months after Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2, had requested that Zarqawi attempt an attack inside the United States.

"This appears to be the first hard evidence al Qaeda in Iraq was trying to attack us here at home," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, former chief counterterrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council.

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Dems: Block U.S. Military Action in Iran

Democratic leaders in Congress lobbed a warning shot Friday at the White House not to launch an attack against Iran without first seeking approval from lawmakers.

"The president does not have the authority to launch military action in Iran without first seeking congressional authorization," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told the National Press Club.

The administration has accused Iran of meddling in Iraqi affairs and contributing technology and bomb-making materials for insurgents to use against U.S. and Iraqi security forces.

President Bush said last week the U.S. will "seek out and destroy" networks providing that support. While top administration officials have said they have no plans to attack Iran itself, they have declined to rule it out.

Iran Prepared for Nuke Standoff With West

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that Iran was prepared for any possibility in the standoff with the West over its controversial nuclear activities.

"Today, with the grace of God, we have gone through the arduous passes and we are ready for anything in this path," state-run television quoted Ahmadinejad as saying Thursday.

Ahmadinejad also denounced critics of his nuclear diplomacy at home, saying that they will not affect his government's handling of the nuclear issue with the West.

Conservatives and reformists have in recent weeks openly challenged Ahmadinejad's hard-line nuclear diplomacy tactics, with many saying his provocative remarks are doing more harm than good.