Mobile Helicopter Killers Found and Destroyed in Iraq March 19, 2007:
American troops in Iraq figured out how Iraqi terrorists had managed to ambush American helicopters with heavy machine-guns and get away with it. The Iraqis had used trucks with the machine-gun mounted in the back, and a tarp over metal supports (a common feature of military trucks) to conceal the weapon.
The tarp was rigged so it could be quickly pulled aside, as well as the metal supports for the tarp. This enabled the heavy machine-gun to immediately open fire. There were four of these trucks, and they roamed around areas that American helicopters were operating above. One of these trucks was spotted, with its machine-gun revealed, by a UAV, after informants indicated that this was probably the weapon responsible.
U.S. intelligence then analyzed video and other data they had, and put more UAVs over areas believed frequented by the trucks. On the ground, intelligence operatives began beating the bushes for information on these mobile flak traps. Soon the four trucks were identified and, one by one, destroyed with smart bombs. Vehicles like this are particularly popular in Africa, where they are called "technicals" (and the heavy machine-guns are used mainly against ground targets.)
The Iraqi innovation was the hide the machine-gun, until it had to be used against a passing helicopter. The Iraqis came up with this concept because, in the past, when heavy machine-guns were used against aircraft, U.S. aircraft and ground troops were usually all over the area before the 14.5mm heavy machine-gun could be moved or hidden. These machine-guns weigh several hundred pounds, and even when disassembled, the lightest component weighs 176 pounds. It took four years for an Iraqi to realize that heavy machine-gun would only work against the American helicopters if the weapons were mobile, and not easily identified.
But that will be difficult now, as the Americans know what to look for, and the word is out in Sunni Arab areas (where the Iraqi "technicals" operated, so reduce the chances of an informer turning them in), that there is a reward for anyone providing information on additional systems like this.
Eight helicopters have crashed in Iraq since January, most from heavy (14.5mm) machine-gun fire. In some of those cases, the hostile fire appeared to be carefully planned. That is, multiple machine-guns, including at least one heavy machine-gun were placed along a route used by helicopters, and fired in a coordinated matter. This tactic is called "flak trap," and dates back to World War II (or earlier). This tactic works if you can use surprise, and the concealed, truck mounted, heavy machine-guns did that.
The enemy has also been using portable surface-to-air missiles since 2003, including more modern models, like the SA-16 (which is similar to the American Stinger.) American helicopters are equipped with missile detection and defense (flare dispensers) equipment. Thus the most dangerous anti-aircraft weapon is the machine-gun. However, despite the recent losses, aircraft losses to ground fire have been declining every year, since 2003, mainly because of good defensive tactics. Moreover, the most vulnerable aircraft, helicopters, have been spending more time in the air. In 2005, U.S. Army aircraft (mainly helicopters) flew 240,000 hours over Iraq. That increased to 334,000 hours last year, and is expected to go to 400,000 hours in 2007. The more time helicopters are in the air, the more opportunities someone has to shoot at them.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
More Iranian Defections
At least" five senior Iranian officers "disappear" in Turkey
At least five senior Iranian officers disappeared over the past few days during a visit to Turkey.
The report, which is based on reports in the Turkish press, said it is believed that the five defected to the West.
According to the information, which has so far not been confirmed by any official source, among the Iranians who have disappeared are officers with the rank of brigadier general.
At least five senior Iranian officers disappeared over the past few days during a visit to Turkey.
The report, which is based on reports in the Turkish press, said it is believed that the five defected to the West.
According to the information, which has so far not been confirmed by any official source, among the Iranians who have disappeared are officers with the rank of brigadier general.
Three Major Terror Busts in Iraq
According to ABC News:
U.S. forces have arrested the two leaders of the network believed responsible for the brazen raid in Karbala by terrorists disguised as Americans, in which five U.S. soldiers were kidnapped and later killed in January, U.S. military officials said today.
In operations over the past several days in Basra and Hillah, coalition forces captured Qais Khazali, his brother Laith Khazali and several other members of the Khazali network, a splinter faction of the Mahdi army.
The coalition also found evidence linking the men to Iran and to an arms smuggling operation that included the high impact Explosively Formed Projectiles, or EFPs, according to U.S. officials.
U.S. military also disclosed today that the leaders and members of the "Rusafa" car bomb network responsible for "some of the horrific bombings in eastern Baghdad in recent weeks" had also been arrested.
And it was also revealed that a "Saddam Fedayeen leader involved in setting up training camps in Syria for Iraqi and foreign fighters" was also arrested in Mosul. Officials declined to name the individual or describe the location of the camps in Syria.
Today's arrest was the first official indication, however, that terrorist training camps were operating in Syria.
U.S. forces have arrested the two leaders of the network believed responsible for the brazen raid in Karbala by terrorists disguised as Americans, in which five U.S. soldiers were kidnapped and later killed in January, U.S. military officials said today.
In operations over the past several days in Basra and Hillah, coalition forces captured Qais Khazali, his brother Laith Khazali and several other members of the Khazali network, a splinter faction of the Mahdi army.
Senior U.S. military sources tell ABC News that hard evidence linking the Khazalis to the Karbala raid, including the ID cards of several of the dead American soldiers, was recovered at the scene.
The coalition also found evidence linking the men to Iran and to an arms smuggling operation that included the high impact Explosively Formed Projectiles, or EFPs, according to U.S. officials.
U.S. military also disclosed today that the leaders and members of the "Rusafa" car bomb network responsible for "some of the horrific bombings in eastern Baghdad in recent weeks" had also been arrested.
And it was also revealed that a "Saddam Fedayeen leader involved in setting up training camps in Syria for Iraqi and foreign fighters" was also arrested in Mosul. Officials declined to name the individual or describe the location of the camps in Syria.
Today's arrest was the first official indication, however, that terrorist training camps were operating in Syria.
More Successes in Iraq by Our Troops
Early this morning in Mosul, coalition forces captured a former paramilitary leader who allegedly is responsible for setting up al Qaeda terrorist training camps in Iraq and Syria, military officials said.
Coalition forces discovered a large car-bomb factory during operations in northern Baghdad today. The area around the factory was cordoned off to ensure the safety of nearby residents.
During the operation, troops captured a suspected terrorist with alleged ties to an al Qaeda car-bomb and assassination cell.
Elsewhere in Baghdad today, coalition forces captured three suspects believed to be key members of a car-bombing network. They also discovered a vehicle prepared as a car bomb and a cache containing weapons and explosives.
In other news from Iraq today and in recent days:
Coalition forces liberated three Iraqi hostages during an operation in Karmah this morning. The hostages, who said they were handcuffed and beaten by suspected terrorists, are undergoing medical treatment and will be reunited with their families.
During operations in Baghdad yesterday, coalition forces captured the suspected leader of the Rusafa car-bomb network, an al Qaeda in Iraq organization responsible for recent bombings in eastern Baghdad.
Coalition forces operation in Basra and Hillah over the past few days captured four suspected members of the Khazali network, an organization directly connected to the January kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers in Karbala, military officials said.
A new operation aimed at cracking down on al Qaeda terrorists and illegal militias in Baghdad launched yesterday. The operation, called Arrowhead Strike Nine, is a component of the new Baghdad security plan announced Feb. 13. In the operation's early stages, 1,600 Iraqi and coalition forces detained 31 suspects. Combined forces also discovered two weapons caches containing nitric acid and chlorine.
In East Baghdad's Salman Pak neighborhood yesterday, at least four Iraqis were killed and seven were wounded when insurgents attacked with indirect fire. Iraqi security forces and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, soldiers responded to the blast and sealed off the area. The injured were treated at the scene before being transported by Iraqi national police for further medical care.
Coalition forces discovered a large car-bomb factory during operations in northern Baghdad today. The area around the factory was cordoned off to ensure the safety of nearby residents.
During the operation, troops captured a suspected terrorist with alleged ties to an al Qaeda car-bomb and assassination cell.
Elsewhere in Baghdad today, coalition forces captured three suspects believed to be key members of a car-bombing network. They also discovered a vehicle prepared as a car bomb and a cache containing weapons and explosives.
"Coalition forces will continue systematic and methodical operations in order to hunt down and capture or kill terrorists trying to prevent a peaceful and stable Iraq,"Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, said.
"This is especially true when those terrorists are employing weapons that can damage or destroy coalition aircraft or using vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices in attacks against Iraqi citizens,"he said.
In other news from Iraq today and in recent days:
Coalition forces liberated three Iraqi hostages during an operation in Karmah this morning. The hostages, who said they were handcuffed and beaten by suspected terrorists, are undergoing medical treatment and will be reunited with their families.
During operations in Baghdad yesterday, coalition forces captured the suspected leader of the Rusafa car-bomb network, an al Qaeda in Iraq organization responsible for recent bombings in eastern Baghdad.
Coalition forces operation in Basra and Hillah over the past few days captured four suspected members of the Khazali network, an organization directly connected to the January kidnapping and murder of five American soldiers in Karbala, military officials said.
A new operation aimed at cracking down on al Qaeda terrorists and illegal militias in Baghdad launched yesterday. The operation, called Arrowhead Strike Nine, is a component of the new Baghdad security plan announced Feb. 13. In the operation's early stages, 1,600 Iraqi and coalition forces detained 31 suspects. Combined forces also discovered two weapons caches containing nitric acid and chlorine.
In East Baghdad's Salman Pak neighborhood yesterday, at least four Iraqis were killed and seven were wounded when insurgents attacked with indirect fire. Iraqi security forces and 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, soldiers responded to the blast and sealed off the area. The injured were treated at the scene before being transported by Iraqi national police for further medical care.
Insurgents Used Kids in Attack
AP Reports That:
Iraqi Police said children had been used as decoys in a weekend car bombing in which the driver gained permission to park in a busy Shiite shopping area after he pointed out he was leaving his children in the back seat.
The accounts appeared to confirm one given Tuesday in Washington by Maj. Gen. Michael Barbero, deputy director for regional operations on the Joint Staff.
Barbero said a car used in a Sunday bombing had been waved through a U.S. checkpoint because soldiers saw youngsters in the back. He called it a brutal tactic by insurgents seeking to battle the security crackdown in Baghdad.
Iraqi Police said children had been used as decoys in a weekend car bombing in which the driver gained permission to park in a busy Shiite shopping area after he pointed out he was leaving his children in the back seat.
The bomb was exploded with the children still in the car, police said, perhaps signaling a new tactic by insurgents who are seeking to foment all-out civil war between Shiites and Sunnis.
A police commander in north Baghdad's Shaab neighborhood speculated the youngsters were kidnap victims. He and other police officers who reported the incident spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to release the information to reporters.
The accounts appeared to confirm one given Tuesday in Washington by Maj. Gen. Michael Barbero, deputy director for regional operations on the Joint Staff.
Barbero said a car used in a Sunday bombing had been waved through a U.S. checkpoint because soldiers saw youngsters in the back. He called it a brutal tactic by insurgents seeking to battle the security crackdown in Baghdad.
Iraqi talks with rebels nearing deal
According to Reuters in the News.Scotsman.com:
A senior Iraqi official was quoted on Thursday as saying the government was holding talks with some major insurgent groups that might be nearing a point where a number would join forces against al Qaeda.
Saad Yousif al-Muttalibi, director of international affairs in Iraq's National Dialogue and Reconciliation Ministry, said the talks were designed to help drive al Qaeda out of the country.
A senior Iraqi official was quoted on Thursday as saying the government was holding talks with some major insurgent groups that might be nearing a point where a number would join forces against al Qaeda.
Saad Yousif al-Muttalibi, director of international affairs in Iraq's National Dialogue and Reconciliation Ministry, said the talks were designed to help drive al Qaeda out of the country.
"We've already established links and contacts with major insurgent groups,"Muttalibi told the BBC, according to a report on the broadcaster's Web site.
"One of the aims is to join with them into the fight against al Qaeda. We are almost getting there and to join forces to attack al Qaeda to get them out of Iraq,"he said.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Iraqi, Coalition Forces Kill, Capture Terrorists
Coalition and Iraqi forces killed 17 terrorists, detained about 90 suspected insurgents, and found several weapons caches in operations throughout Iraq in the past three days, military officials reported.
Coalition forces killed five terrorists, destroyed a bomb-making factory and detained three suspected terrorists during an operation today near Taji. As ground forces entered the target buildings, they encountered several armed men. Coalition forces used self-defense measures, killing five terrorists and detaining three suspected terrorists.
During the raid, coalition forces discovered an adjacent building was being used as an explosives factory. Inside the building, coalition forces found large-caliber ammunition and explosive manufacturing materials including numerous 50-gallon barrels of explosive material. Coalition forces conducted an air strike to destroy the explosives factory, associated vehicles, ammunition and weapons.
Elsewhere, Amiriyah police and Marines from Regimental Combat Team 6 engaged armed groups of al Qaeda for more than five hours today, killing eight insurgents and wounding five, south of Fallujah, near the town of Amiriyah.
Iraqi police posts observed sporadic enemy mortar fire for about one hour this morning. Marine artillery units assigned to RCT6 identified the location of the mortar team and counter-fired, forcing the al Qaeda in Iraq attackers to flee the scene. Amiriyah police then received sporadic enemy fire from an unknown number of insurgents. The police positively identified the enemy gunfire and returned fire, killing two insurgents and wounding five. Five policemen were wounded during the engagement.
Enemy fire continued sporadically throughout midday, when supporting fixed-wing aircraft engaged about 20 insurgents with guided munitions and strafing fire. Six insurgents were killed and their vehicles were destroyed as a result. The five wounded policemen were transported to a local hospital and treated.
In other operations, coalition forces destroyed a weapons cache and detained 23 suspected terrorists today during raids targeting foreign fighter facilitators and al Qaeda in Iraq networks.
During a raid near Balad, coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists and found a large amount of weapons in two targeted buildings. The weapons found included numerous machine guns, assault rifles, AK-47s, grenades, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and a DShK anti-aircraft heavy machine gun. Due to the large amount of weapons found, coalition forces destroyed the two buildings and the weapons inside to prevent further use by terrorists.
West of Taji, coalition forces captured three suspects with alleged ties to car bomb operations and foreign fighter facilitation.
Six suspected terrorists believed to be involved in foreign fighter facilitation were detained in Mosul.
Coalition forces also conducted a raid west of Abu Ghraib targeting foreign fighter facilitators. During the raid, ground forces detained four suspected terrorists at the targeted building.
In other developments, the western Ramadi district police conducted a massive police operation targeting insurgents yesterday in Ramadi. Coordinating between several stations within his district, Brig. Gen. Khalil Ibrahim Hamadi, chief of the Ramadi district police, personally led more than 500 policemen as they conducted house-to-house searches in the capital city of Anbar province.
"The sons of Ramadi work tirelessly to eradicate criminals and bring them to justice," Khalil said. "Today we achieved a noble goal in providing security and stability to our families and the people of Ramadi."
During the 10-hour operation, named "Operation Lions of Ramadi," police detained more than 45 suspected insurgents, confiscated propaganda material and discovered several caches containing assault rifles, machine guns, and mortar and artillery shells used to produce improvised explosive devices. Insurgents using an IED during the operation killed one civilian and injured five. The wounded were transported by local citizens to a nearby joint security station, then evacuated to a coalition medical facility for further treatment.
Elsewhere, at least four Iraqis were killed and 14 wounded when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb yesterday in an eastern segment of the Iraqi capital. The attack occurred around 11:20 a.m. when a taxi packed with mortar rounds plowed into a crowd in the al-Sheik Omar area.
An Iraqi army element from 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, and soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, responded to the blast and sealed off the area to prevent residents from approaching any unexploded ordnance. The injured were treated on the spot before being transported for further medical care.
In another operation, coalition forces detained nine suspected terrorists yesterday during raids targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network.
In Mosul, seven suspected terrorists were detained with alleged ties to al Qaeda in Iraq and attacks against coalition forces and the Iraqi police. One of the detainees reportedly procures chemicals for the production of IEDs.
In another raid southwest of Abu Ghraib, coalition forces netted two suspected terrorists allegedly involved in moving foreign terrorists into Iraq.
A contraband-search-turned-firefight yielded two caches for Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers March 19 in Falahat, Iraq. Soldiers from Troop C, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, raided three buildings in Falahat, where they detained three suspected insurgents and confiscated two AK-47s, one shotgun and five magazines.
Troop C was preparing to enter a fourth building when a vehicle with four men drove by and fired weapons at the soldiers, who reciprocated with shots of their own. Three of the men fled the scene on foot but were captured by the soldiers. Follow-on searches yielded the day's second cache: one 122 mm artillery shell, four fuses, one grenade, four rocket sleds, four ammunition vests, one AK-47 and more than seven magazines.
In Ramadi, Iraqi police captured a suspected insurgent, reportedly linked to an IED cell, during operations with coalition advisors March 19. The suspect is allegedly involved in multiple bombing attacks targeting coalition forces and Iraqi security forces in the area. Iraqi forces detained three additional individuals for questioning.
Separately, Iraqi army soldiers took three terrorists into custody during an operation March 19 near Taqa. Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, detained the three men, who were found on a road that skirts the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, with materials for making IEDs.
In another operation, Iraqi and coalition forces conducted a raid in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Kadamiyah on March 19. The raid was targeting suspected insurgents implicated in the placement of roadside bombs in the area. During the raid, elements of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, entered the Abass Mosque. No contraband was found in the mosque and about 50 people were held in the area until the search was complete. All 50 from within the mosque were released.
After the search, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers came under rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms attack at about 9 p.m. from a separate group of 20 armed men in the same area. Coalition forces returned fire, killing three insurgents. Three men from the armed group were detained. U.S. military aircraft participated in the operation but did not expend any ordnance.
Coalition forces killed five terrorists, destroyed a bomb-making factory and detained three suspected terrorists during an operation today near Taji. As ground forces entered the target buildings, they encountered several armed men. Coalition forces used self-defense measures, killing five terrorists and detaining three suspected terrorists.
During the raid, coalition forces discovered an adjacent building was being used as an explosives factory. Inside the building, coalition forces found large-caliber ammunition and explosive manufacturing materials including numerous 50-gallon barrels of explosive material. Coalition forces conducted an air strike to destroy the explosives factory, associated vehicles, ammunition and weapons.
Elsewhere, Amiriyah police and Marines from Regimental Combat Team 6 engaged armed groups of al Qaeda for more than five hours today, killing eight insurgents and wounding five, south of Fallujah, near the town of Amiriyah.
Iraqi police posts observed sporadic enemy mortar fire for about one hour this morning. Marine artillery units assigned to RCT6 identified the location of the mortar team and counter-fired, forcing the al Qaeda in Iraq attackers to flee the scene. Amiriyah police then received sporadic enemy fire from an unknown number of insurgents. The police positively identified the enemy gunfire and returned fire, killing two insurgents and wounding five. Five policemen were wounded during the engagement.
Enemy fire continued sporadically throughout midday, when supporting fixed-wing aircraft engaged about 20 insurgents with guided munitions and strafing fire. Six insurgents were killed and their vehicles were destroyed as a result. The five wounded policemen were transported to a local hospital and treated.
In other operations, coalition forces destroyed a weapons cache and detained 23 suspected terrorists today during raids targeting foreign fighter facilitators and al Qaeda in Iraq networks.
During a raid near Balad, coalition forces detained 10 suspected terrorists and found a large amount of weapons in two targeted buildings. The weapons found included numerous machine guns, assault rifles, AK-47s, grenades, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and a DShK anti-aircraft heavy machine gun. Due to the large amount of weapons found, coalition forces destroyed the two buildings and the weapons inside to prevent further use by terrorists.
West of Taji, coalition forces captured three suspects with alleged ties to car bomb operations and foreign fighter facilitation.
Six suspected terrorists believed to be involved in foreign fighter facilitation were detained in Mosul.
Coalition forces also conducted a raid west of Abu Ghraib targeting foreign fighter facilitators. During the raid, ground forces detained four suspected terrorists at the targeted building.
In other developments, the western Ramadi district police conducted a massive police operation targeting insurgents yesterday in Ramadi. Coordinating between several stations within his district, Brig. Gen. Khalil Ibrahim Hamadi, chief of the Ramadi district police, personally led more than 500 policemen as they conducted house-to-house searches in the capital city of Anbar province.
"The sons of Ramadi work tirelessly to eradicate criminals and bring them to justice," Khalil said. "Today we achieved a noble goal in providing security and stability to our families and the people of Ramadi."
During the 10-hour operation, named "Operation Lions of Ramadi," police detained more than 45 suspected insurgents, confiscated propaganda material and discovered several caches containing assault rifles, machine guns, and mortar and artillery shells used to produce improvised explosive devices. Insurgents using an IED during the operation killed one civilian and injured five. The wounded were transported by local citizens to a nearby joint security station, then evacuated to a coalition medical facility for further treatment.
Elsewhere, at least four Iraqis were killed and 14 wounded when a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb yesterday in an eastern segment of the Iraqi capital. The attack occurred around 11:20 a.m. when a taxi packed with mortar rounds plowed into a crowd in the al-Sheik Omar area.
An Iraqi army element from 4th Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, and soldiers with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, responded to the blast and sealed off the area to prevent residents from approaching any unexploded ordnance. The injured were treated on the spot before being transported for further medical care.
In another operation, coalition forces detained nine suspected terrorists yesterday during raids targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network.
In Mosul, seven suspected terrorists were detained with alleged ties to al Qaeda in Iraq and attacks against coalition forces and the Iraqi police. One of the detainees reportedly procures chemicals for the production of IEDs.
In another raid southwest of Abu Ghraib, coalition forces netted two suspected terrorists allegedly involved in moving foreign terrorists into Iraq.
A contraband-search-turned-firefight yielded two caches for Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers March 19 in Falahat, Iraq. Soldiers from Troop C, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, raided three buildings in Falahat, where they detained three suspected insurgents and confiscated two AK-47s, one shotgun and five magazines.
Troop C was preparing to enter a fourth building when a vehicle with four men drove by and fired weapons at the soldiers, who reciprocated with shots of their own. Three of the men fled the scene on foot but were captured by the soldiers. Follow-on searches yielded the day's second cache: one 122 mm artillery shell, four fuses, one grenade, four rocket sleds, four ammunition vests, one AK-47 and more than seven magazines.
In Ramadi, Iraqi police captured a suspected insurgent, reportedly linked to an IED cell, during operations with coalition advisors March 19. The suspect is allegedly involved in multiple bombing attacks targeting coalition forces and Iraqi security forces in the area. Iraqi forces detained three additional individuals for questioning.
Separately, Iraqi army soldiers took three terrorists into custody during an operation March 19 near Taqa. Soldiers of the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division, detained the three men, who were found on a road that skirts the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, with materials for making IEDs.
In another operation, Iraqi and coalition forces conducted a raid in the western Baghdad neighborhood of Kadamiyah on March 19. The raid was targeting suspected insurgents implicated in the placement of roadside bombs in the area. During the raid, elements of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division, entered the Abass Mosque. No contraband was found in the mosque and about 50 people were held in the area until the search was complete. All 50 from within the mosque were released.
After the search, Iraqi and U.S. soldiers came under rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms attack at about 9 p.m. from a separate group of 20 armed men in the same area. Coalition forces returned fire, killing three insurgents. Three men from the armed group were detained. U.S. military aircraft participated in the operation but did not expend any ordnance.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Appeal for Courage Surpasses Appeal for Redress
LT Jason Nichols in Baghdad reports that the www.appealforcourage.org has passed the appealforredress site in signatures in 1/6th the time with a fraction of the same exposure.
Remember, appealforredress has full MSM support with prominent time on CNN, CBS and NBC.
Below is the joint message from Sergeant Thul and Lieutenant Nichols regarding the Appeal for Courage:
Do calls for retreat back home harm the troops here in Iraq?
Of course they do. The enemy, particularly Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), see these calls as proof their strategy is working and increase their attacks. Iraqis who would otherwise help us hear these calls and choose to stay in the background, fearing that they will be targets if we withdraw prematurely. And yes, we believe it affects our morale. The perception of a lack of support for our mission by members of our own government has created a sense of frustration for many soldiers.
AppealForCourage.org is a means for those soldiers to send a message to Congress that they want to stay in Iraq until the mission is complete. With no formal advertising it has already garnered over 1,500 signatures [over 1730 today!] in less than a month, over half from troops who have served in theater. These currently serving military members want victory in Iraq and are respectfully asking Congress to halt calls for retreat that hurt their mission and increase the risk they face. This large response in such a short time indicates that opponents of the war do not represent the majority of the military actually fighting it.
Opponents of the war are being intellectually dishonest because they say they want to withdraw our troops but refuse to acknowledge the consequences. It is widely acknowledged that a premature withdrawal will mean an Iraq returned to dictatorial rule-after much more horrific violence than what we've seen- as a puppet state of either Al-Qaeda or Shiite extremists. Extremists will have access to wealth and a stable base to expand their power. It is highly naive to assume they wouldn't use this power to attack the democracies which threaten their way of life, particularly America. No one is pro-war, but we should be pro-victory. There is a difference between ending the war now by abandoning our Iraqi allies, suffering a humiliating defeat that will encourage future attacks on the American people we've sworn to protect, and ending it gradually with a stable democracy capable of defending itself.
What will victory be like? Iraq will not be a serene la-la land with children skipping down the street. It may be just as violent as today, though that's unlikely. Victory is when the fight is led by the Iraqi military and police, not by the Coalition. Once the Iraqis are able to do the job we are currently doing, we can leave with honor, knowing we've helped bring freedom not just to one country, but an entire region.
We don't all have the "big-picture" of what victory will be like, but we see the progress all around us. We hear that we're losing the war, or the somewhat bizarre claims we've already lost it, and we look around us and say "What are you talking about?" We're working to build up the Iraqi army, convincing opposition tribes to join us, building up the Iraqi police, clearing caches. Creating a professional army and a police force takes time, but the Iraqis continue to make steady progress. They have created the foundation of manpower and are now developing logistics and learning command and control. It seems like claims we've already lost get more frantically insistent the more progress we make. To say we are losing and should leave is as wrong as saying we've finished our mission and should leave.
The service members who have signed AppealForCourage.org are saying we want victory in Iraq. Yes, there is violence happening every day, and there will be many bad days ahead, but we will win this, given time. We will win because we have a plan for victory, and the enemy does not, short of hoping that we leave. We are saying we would rather go home later with victory than today in defeat. We are saying we want the war to be run by the military commanders on the ground.
Finally, we are respectfully asking Congress to support our mission. For the sake of all who have worked and sacrificed to get us this far, we hope they will listen.
LT Jason Nichols, Baghdad, Iraq
SGT Dave Thul, Al Asad, Iraq
http://AppealForCourage.org
Lt. Nichols on Neil Cavuto's Show on Fox News: See the Video
Remember, appealforredress has full MSM support with prominent time on CNN, CBS and NBC.
Below is the joint message from Sergeant Thul and Lieutenant Nichols regarding the Appeal for Courage:
Do calls for retreat back home harm the troops here in Iraq?
Of course they do. The enemy, particularly Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), see these calls as proof their strategy is working and increase their attacks. Iraqis who would otherwise help us hear these calls and choose to stay in the background, fearing that they will be targets if we withdraw prematurely. And yes, we believe it affects our morale. The perception of a lack of support for our mission by members of our own government has created a sense of frustration for many soldiers.
AppealForCourage.org is a means for those soldiers to send a message to Congress that they want to stay in Iraq until the mission is complete. With no formal advertising it has already garnered over 1,500 signatures [over 1730 today!] in less than a month, over half from troops who have served in theater. These currently serving military members want victory in Iraq and are respectfully asking Congress to halt calls for retreat that hurt their mission and increase the risk they face. This large response in such a short time indicates that opponents of the war do not represent the majority of the military actually fighting it.
Opponents of the war are being intellectually dishonest because they say they want to withdraw our troops but refuse to acknowledge the consequences. It is widely acknowledged that a premature withdrawal will mean an Iraq returned to dictatorial rule-after much more horrific violence than what we've seen- as a puppet state of either Al-Qaeda or Shiite extremists. Extremists will have access to wealth and a stable base to expand their power. It is highly naive to assume they wouldn't use this power to attack the democracies which threaten their way of life, particularly America. No one is pro-war, but we should be pro-victory. There is a difference between ending the war now by abandoning our Iraqi allies, suffering a humiliating defeat that will encourage future attacks on the American people we've sworn to protect, and ending it gradually with a stable democracy capable of defending itself.
What will victory be like? Iraq will not be a serene la-la land with children skipping down the street. It may be just as violent as today, though that's unlikely. Victory is when the fight is led by the Iraqi military and police, not by the Coalition. Once the Iraqis are able to do the job we are currently doing, we can leave with honor, knowing we've helped bring freedom not just to one country, but an entire region.
We don't all have the "big-picture" of what victory will be like, but we see the progress all around us. We hear that we're losing the war, or the somewhat bizarre claims we've already lost it, and we look around us and say "What are you talking about?" We're working to build up the Iraqi army, convincing opposition tribes to join us, building up the Iraqi police, clearing caches. Creating a professional army and a police force takes time, but the Iraqis continue to make steady progress. They have created the foundation of manpower and are now developing logistics and learning command and control. It seems like claims we've already lost get more frantically insistent the more progress we make. To say we are losing and should leave is as wrong as saying we've finished our mission and should leave.
The service members who have signed AppealForCourage.org are saying we want victory in Iraq. Yes, there is violence happening every day, and there will be many bad days ahead, but we will win this, given time. We will win because we have a plan for victory, and the enemy does not, short of hoping that we leave. We are saying we would rather go home later with victory than today in defeat. We are saying we want the war to be run by the military commanders on the ground.
Finally, we are respectfully asking Congress to support our mission. For the sake of all who have worked and sacrificed to get us this far, we hope they will listen.
LT Jason Nichols, Baghdad, Iraq
SGT Dave Thul, Al Asad, Iraq
http://AppealForCourage.org
Lt. Nichols on Neil Cavuto's Show on Fox News: See the Video
Monday, March 19, 2007
U.S. Refutes Taliban Claim of Downing Helicopter in Afghanistan
U.S. military officials refuted a Taliban claim that they shot down a U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan's Nuristan province on March 16.
The claim is being made on an extremist Web site. U.S. forces have no reports of a downed aircraft and all coalition forces aircraft are accounted for, officials said.
Also in Afghanistan, a United Nations mine-clearing worker was wounded by extremist small-arms fire during an ambush in Afghanistan's Kapisa province yesterday, U.S. military officials reported.
In the same incident, Afghan and coalition forces were also ambushed with rocket-propelled grenade, machine gun and small-arms fire as they were traveling in the opposite direction as the UN vehicle.
After Afghan and coalition forces repelled the attack, they provided aid to the injured worker. No Afghan or coalition forces were injured or killed in the attack, officials said.
The claim is being made on an extremist Web site. U.S. forces have no reports of a downed aircraft and all coalition forces aircraft are accounted for, officials said.
Also in Afghanistan, a United Nations mine-clearing worker was wounded by extremist small-arms fire during an ambush in Afghanistan's Kapisa province yesterday, U.S. military officials reported.
In the same incident, Afghan and coalition forces were also ambushed with rocket-propelled grenade, machine gun and small-arms fire as they were traveling in the opposite direction as the UN vehicle.
After Afghan and coalition forces repelled the attack, they provided aid to the injured worker. No Afghan or coalition forces were injured or killed in the attack, officials said.
Suspected Terrorists Captured, Killed in Iraq; Weapons Caches Found
Coalition forces nabbed numerous suspected terrorists and uncovered several weapons caches in operations in Iraq over the past few days, military officials reported.
Coalition forces captured 12 suspected terrorists during separate raids today targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network and associated makeshift bomb cells.
During an operation in Ramadi, five suspected terrorists were captured, all with alleged ties to car bomb and rocket attacks against coalition forces. Coalition forces also captured two suspects in Baghdad for their reported involvement in procuring bomb-making material.
Two other suspects were detained in Mosul with alleged ties to foreign fighter facilitation and makeshift bomb operations. In Habbaniyah, coalition forces captured three suspects with alleged ties with the al Qaeda in Iraq network.
"Coalition forces will continue systematic operations to kill or capture al Qaeda and associated terrorists," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Forces Iraq spokesman. "Terrorists captured will be prosecuted for their crimes under the Iraqi justice system."
Coalition forces also detained 18 suspected terrorists yesterday during raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and foreign fighter facilitators. During a raid southeast of Balad, coalition forces detained suspects and found makeshift bomb-making components, machine guns, sniper rifles, grenades and rocket propelled grenade launchers. In Fallujah, coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists during an operation targeting a foreign fighter facilitation cell.
Elsewhere yesterday, 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division discovered a large weapons cache hidden in Mosul containing nearly a ton of explosives, projectile rounds, rocket-propelled grenades, other grenades and rockets, and makeshift bomb materials. This was the seventh cache uncovered over the past several weeks in Ninewa province, military officials reported.
Additionally, 2nd Iraqi Army units captured 25 insurgents and killed more than 16, all tied to makeshift bomb emplacement or attacks against Iraqi security forces or coalition troops.
Also, Iraqi police from the 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division and paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team conducted a humanitarian medical assistance operation in Sadr City yesterday as part of operations to bring security and stability to the former Mahdi Army stronghold.
Iraqi and coalition medical providers treated 453 people, including 153 women and 122 children, during the first large-scale humanitarian aid operation conducted in Sadr City since Iraqi and coalition forces moved into the area in early March.
"Medical operations are just one way that we can make an immediate positive impact in areas in which we operate. This is just the beginning of a long-term program to improve the quality of life for residents of Sadr City," said Maj. Kyle Simpson, Brigade Civil Affairs Officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Also, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed two insurgents who were preparing to plant a makeshift bomb on a road east of Mirad as Suki on March 16.
Soldiers from Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment observed two men loosening the road's surface with gasoline. When they dispatched two M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to investigate the activity, the insurgents fled the scene in a vehicle.
The insurgents later returned to the site to finish digging the hole. The 2nd Battalion troopers then engaged and killed with machine guns on the Bradleys.
No U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded during the engagement.
In Al Hillah, insurgents attacked coalition forces, and Iraqi civilians with mortars, killing one Iraqi and wounding 13 others on March 15. Iraqi police and a military transition team from 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division reacted quickly to the attack and conducted a cordon and search that detained five insurgents connected to the mortar attack, officials said.
The incident is being further investigated and the detainees are being held for questioning.
Also on March 15, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers medically evacuated two Iraqi women from a mortar impact site north of Dayrat ar Rih. After responding to reports of mortar fire, soldiers from Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment discovered two women who were severely wounded in the attack. The women were taken to 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where they were treated for their wounds.
Coalition forces captured 12 suspected terrorists during separate raids today targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network and associated makeshift bomb cells.
During an operation in Ramadi, five suspected terrorists were captured, all with alleged ties to car bomb and rocket attacks against coalition forces. Coalition forces also captured two suspects in Baghdad for their reported involvement in procuring bomb-making material.
Two other suspects were detained in Mosul with alleged ties to foreign fighter facilitation and makeshift bomb operations. In Habbaniyah, coalition forces captured three suspects with alleged ties with the al Qaeda in Iraq network.
"Coalition forces will continue systematic operations to kill or capture al Qaeda and associated terrorists," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Forces Iraq spokesman. "Terrorists captured will be prosecuted for their crimes under the Iraqi justice system."
Coalition forces also detained 18 suspected terrorists yesterday during raids targeting al Qaeda in Iraq and foreign fighter facilitators. During a raid southeast of Balad, coalition forces detained suspects and found makeshift bomb-making components, machine guns, sniper rifles, grenades and rocket propelled grenade launchers. In Fallujah, coalition forces detained six suspected terrorists during an operation targeting a foreign fighter facilitation cell.
Elsewhere yesterday, 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Iraqi Army Division discovered a large weapons cache hidden in Mosul containing nearly a ton of explosives, projectile rounds, rocket-propelled grenades, other grenades and rockets, and makeshift bomb materials. This was the seventh cache uncovered over the past several weeks in Ninewa province, military officials reported.
Additionally, 2nd Iraqi Army units captured 25 insurgents and killed more than 16, all tied to makeshift bomb emplacement or attacks against Iraqi security forces or coalition troops.
Also, Iraqi police from the 8th Brigade, 2nd National Police Division and paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team conducted a humanitarian medical assistance operation in Sadr City yesterday as part of operations to bring security and stability to the former Mahdi Army stronghold.
Iraqi and coalition medical providers treated 453 people, including 153 women and 122 children, during the first large-scale humanitarian aid operation conducted in Sadr City since Iraqi and coalition forces moved into the area in early March.
"Medical operations are just one way that we can make an immediate positive impact in areas in which we operate. This is just the beginning of a long-term program to improve the quality of life for residents of Sadr City," said Maj. Kyle Simpson, Brigade Civil Affairs Officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division.
Since Iraqi and coalition forces entered Sadr City as part of the Baghdad security plan, violence has dropped off 75 percent and the overall security situation has dramatically improved since December, when surge troops began arriving, military officials said.
Also, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers killed two insurgents who were preparing to plant a makeshift bomb on a road east of Mirad as Suki on March 16.
Soldiers from Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment observed two men loosening the road's surface with gasoline. When they dispatched two M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to investigate the activity, the insurgents fled the scene in a vehicle.
The insurgents later returned to the site to finish digging the hole. The 2nd Battalion troopers then engaged and killed with machine guns on the Bradleys.
No U.S. soldiers were killed or wounded during the engagement.
In Al Hillah, insurgents attacked coalition forces, and Iraqi civilians with mortars, killing one Iraqi and wounding 13 others on March 15. Iraqi police and a military transition team from 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division reacted quickly to the attack and conducted a cordon and search that detained five insurgents connected to the mortar attack, officials said.
The incident is being further investigated and the detainees are being held for questioning.
Also on March 15, Multinational Division Baghdad soldiers medically evacuated two Iraqi women from a mortar impact site north of Dayrat ar Rih. After responding to reports of mortar fire, soldiers from Troop B, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment discovered two women who were severely wounded in the attack. The women were taken to 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, where they were treated for their wounds.
Officials 'Seeing Hopeful Signs' in Iraq
The United States' most pressing concern in Iraq is helping the Iraqis secure their capital, President Bush said here today on the fourth anniversary of the beginning of U.S. operations there.
Though fewer than half the 21,500 additional combat troops requested have arrived in Baghdad, operations are yielding some successes, Bush said. U.S. and Iraqi troops have carried out "aggressive operations" against Shiite and Sunni extremists and against al Qaeda terrorists, and they've uncovered large caches of weapons and destroyed two major car-bomb factories on the outskirts of Baghdad.
Bush praised recent actions by Iraqi leaders.
The president urged members of Congress to pass the emergency war-funding bill they are considering.
Bush warned that violence in Iraq could engulf the region.
Bush quoted Petraeus in praising U.S. servicemembers serving in Iraq.
Bush thanked military members and their families for their sacrifices and said Americans
"Prime Minister Maliki and General Petraeus emphasized that the Baghdad security plan is still in its early stages and success will take months, not days or weeks," the president said.
"Yet those on the ground are seeing hopeful signs," he added. "The Iraqi government has completed the deployment of three Iraqi army brigades to the capital, where they've joined the seven Iraqi army brigades and nine national police brigades that were already in the area. The Iraqi government has also lifted restrictions that once prevented Iraqi and coalition forces from going into areas like Sadr City. American and Iraqi forces have established joint security stations. Those stations are scattered throughout Baghdad, and they're helping Iraqis reclaim their neighborhoods from the terrorists and extremists."
Though fewer than half the 21,500 additional combat troops requested have arrived in Baghdad, operations are yielding some successes, Bush said. U.S. and Iraqi troops have carried out "aggressive operations" against Shiite and Sunni extremists and against al Qaeda terrorists, and they've uncovered large caches of weapons and destroyed two major car-bomb factories on the outskirts of Baghdad.
Bush praised recent actions by Iraqi leaders.
"Last month, Iraq's Council of Ministers approved a law that would share oil revenues among Iraqi people. The Iraqi legislature passed a $41 billion budget that includes $10 billion for reconstruction and capital improvements. And last week Prime Minister Maliki visited Ramadi, a city in the Sunni heartland, to reach out to local Sunni tribal leaders,"Bush said.
"There's been good progress," he added. "There's a lot more work to be done, and Iraq's leaders must continue to work to meet the benchmarks they have set forward."
The president urged members of Congress to pass the emergency war-funding bill they are considering.
"They have a responsibility to ensure that this bill provides the funds and the flexibility that our troops need to accomplish their mission,"Bush said.
"It can be tempting to look at the challenges in Iraq and conclude our best option is to pack up and go home. That may be satisfying in the short run, but I believe the consequences for American security would be devastating," he said. "If American forces were to step back from Baghdad before it is more secure, a contagion of violence could spill out across the entire country."
Bush warned that violence in Iraq could engulf the region.
"The terrorists could emerge from the chaos with a safe haven in Iraq to replace the one they had in Afghanistan, which they used to plan the attacks of September the 11th, 2001," he said. "For the safety of the American people, we cannot allow this to happen."
Bush quoted Petraeus in praising U.S. servicemembers serving in Iraq.
"He sees in our troops, quote, 'a true will to win and a sincere desire to help our Iraqi partners achieve success,'"the president said.
"Four years after this war began, the fight is difficult, but it can be won," he continued. "It will be won if we have the courage and resolve to see it through."
Bush thanked military members and their families for their sacrifices and said Americans
"hold in our hearts the good men and women who have given their lives in this struggle(and) pray for the loved ones they have left behind."
"The United States military is the most capable and courageous fighting force in the world," Bush said. "And whatever our differences in Washington, our troops and their families deserve the appreciation and the support of our entire nation."
18 Captured, Weapons Cache Discovered; Suicide Bomber Killed
Coalition forces nabbed 18 suspected terrorists, discovered a weapons cache and killed a potential suicide bomber in Iraq over the past few days.
During operations targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network and foreign fighter facilitators in Baghdad this morning, coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists. One detainee is an alleged improvised-explosive-device maker, military officials said.
Elsewhere in Iraq today, coalition forces captured three suspected terrorists in Ramadi, including another alleged IED maker responsible for attacks against coalition forces.
In Fallujah today, troops captured four suspects with alleged ties to an al Qaeda foreign fighter facilitation network.
South of Baghdad yesterday, paratroopers from Company D, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, discovered a weapons cache. While patrolling the area, paratroopers discovered the cache, which contained 400 tank rounds, 50 130 mm mortars and three 60 mm mortars. An explosive ordnance disposal team detonated the weapons.
Iraqi soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, shot and killed a suicide bomber March 17 south of Shakarat. Coalition forces nearby reported seeing the suicide bomber running toward an Iraqi tactical checkpoint. When the bomber failed to obey several verbal warnings to stop, the Iraqi soldiers shot him, causing the vest to detonate. This was the second suicide bomber incident in two days in the Diyala province, military officials said.
During operations targeting the al Qaeda in Iraq network and foreign fighter facilitators in Baghdad this morning, coalition forces detained 11 suspected terrorists. One detainee is an alleged improvised-explosive-device maker, military officials said.
Elsewhere in Iraq today, coalition forces captured three suspected terrorists in Ramadi, including another alleged IED maker responsible for attacks against coalition forces.
In Fallujah today, troops captured four suspects with alleged ties to an al Qaeda foreign fighter facilitation network.
South of Baghdad yesterday, paratroopers from Company D, 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, discovered a weapons cache. While patrolling the area, paratroopers discovered the cache, which contained 400 tank rounds, 50 130 mm mortars and three 60 mm mortars. An explosive ordnance disposal team detonated the weapons.
Iraqi soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 5th Iraqi Army Division, shot and killed a suicide bomber March 17 south of Shakarat. Coalition forces nearby reported seeing the suicide bomber running toward an Iraqi tactical checkpoint. When the bomber failed to obey several verbal warnings to stop, the Iraqi soldiers shot him, causing the vest to detonate. This was the second suicide bomber incident in two days in the Diyala province, military officials said.
"The terrorists are now seeing and experiencing the effectiveness of the Iraqi security forces,"said Army Col. David W. Sutherland, commander of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, and the senior coalition officer in Diyala province.
"This is why we are seeing an increase on audible attacks, attacks that are attempting to create fear within the local population," he said. "I applaud the (Iraqi troops) whose vigilance and attention prevented those suicide bombers from achieving their targets. Those are the actions of a professional force, which is helping gain the support of their people."
Gathering of Eagles: 30,000 Strong - Way To Go !
What an outstanding day! The Eagles soared!
You should be very proud of your fellow veterans, families, and supporters.
30,000 of them !
That figure may be adjusted upward as more figure are tallied during the week. Fox News reported today that the anti-war protesters had significantly less than they expected. The truth is that the GoE outnumbered them by at least three to one!
Consider that ANSWER had a year to plan their well-publicized event and were hoping for around 100,000. They actually drew about 5,000-10,000, according to various news reports today. The Gathering of Eagles, on the other hand, had about six weeks to plan an unprecedented response and with no advertising, no publicity, no celebrity or political endorsement, no news coverage, and no big money, GoE had about 30,000 boots on the ground!
Read More Here: Gathering of Eagles
Michelle MalkinHas More.
Watch the video below:
And yes, that is our own Lloyd Marcus singing his song United We Stand, the Talk Show America Theme song at the gathering,...Thanks Much Lloyd.
Anbar Tribesmen Defeat Al-Qaeda Cell
Armed tribesmen in the Eastern Husayba village (5 km east of Ramadi) in the Anbar Governorate managed to drive out a local insurgent group associated with the Al Qaeda in Iraq organization from their village, while residents discovered a mass grave of 16 citizens killed by militants in the area, Sot Al-Iraq reported.
Read More Here: IraqSlogger
The campaign started Friday after gunmen abducted a local boy named Yassir, prompting his mother to go out on the street screaming and urging the villagers to carry arms and find her only son. Dozens of men from the area armed with pistols, rifles and machine guns grouped and started searching the palm orchards surrounding their village while shouting tribal battle cries.
They located and captured the insurgent cell of 11 men before sunset and released the kidnapped boy. The tribesmen reportedly handed over their prisoners to the Ramadi Police Directorate. Also, a mass grave with the corpses of 16 missing residents of the village was discovered at the nearby Al-Shadda area.
Read More Here: IraqSlogger
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Iraqis: Civil War ? What Civil War?
According to the Times Online:
Officials in Washington and London are likely to be buoyed by the poll conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB), a respected British market research company that funded its own survey of 5,019 Iraqis over the age of 18.
The survey is a rare snapshot of Iraqi opinion because of the difficulty of working in the country, with the exception of Kurdish areas which are run as an essentially autonomous province.
Most international organisations have pulled out of Iraq and diplomats are mostly holed-up in the Green Zone. The unexpected degree of optimism may signal a groundswell of hope at signs the American "surge" is starting to take effect.
This weekend comments from Baghdad residents reflected the poll's findings. Many said they were starting to feel more secure on the streets, although horrific bombings have continued. "The Americans have checkpoints and the most important thing is they don't ask for ID, whether you are Sunni or Shi'ite," said one resident. "There are no more fake checkpoints so you don't need to be scared."
The inhabitants of a northern Baghdad district were heartened to see on the concrete blocks protecting an Iraqi army checkpoint the lettering: "Down, down with the militias, we are fighting for the sake of Iraq."
It would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago. Residents said they noted that armed militias were off the streets.
Despite sectarian slaughter, ethnic cleansing and suicide bombs, an opinion poll conducted on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the US-led invasion of Iraq has found a striking resilience and optimism among the inhabitants.
The poll, the biggest since coalition troops entered Iraq on March 20, 2003, shows that by a majority of two to one, Iraqis prefer the current leadership to Saddam Hussein’s regime, regardless of the security crisis and a lack of public services.
The survey, published today, also reveals that contrary to the views of many western analysts, most Iraqis do not believe they are embroiled in a civil war.
Officials in Washington and London are likely to be buoyed by the poll conducted by Opinion Research Business (ORB), a respected British market research company that funded its own survey of 5,019 Iraqis over the age of 18.
The 400 interviewers who fanned out across Iraq last month found that the sense of security felt by Baghdad residents had significantly improved since polling carried out before the US announced in January that it was sending in a "surge" of more than 20,000 extra troops.
The poll highlights the impact the sectarian violence has had. Some 26% of Iraqis - 15% of Sunnis and 34% of Shi'ites - have suffered the murder of a family member. Kidnapping has also played a terrifying role: 14% have had a relative, friend or colleague abducted, rising to 33% in Baghdad.
Yet 49% of those questioned preferred life under Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister, to living under Saddam. Only 26% said things had been better in Saddam's era, while 16% said the two leaders were as bad as each other and the rest did not know or refused to answer.
Not surprisingly, the divisions in Iraqi society were reflected in statistics, Sunnis were more likely to back the previous Ba'athist regime (51%) while the Shi'ites (66%) preferred the Maliki government.
Maliki, who derives a significant element of his support from Moqtada al-Sadr, the hardline Shi'ite militant, and his Mahdi army, has begun trying to overcome criticism that his government favours the Shi'ites, going out of his way to be seen with Sunni tribal leaders. He is also under pressure from the US to include more Sunnis in an expected government reshuffle.
The poll suggests a significant increase in support for Maliki. A survey conducted by ORB in September last year found that only 29% of Iraqis had a favourable opinion of the prime minister.
Another surprise was that only 27% believed they were caught up in a civil war. Again, that number divided along religious lines, with 41% of Sunnis believing Iraq was in a civil war, compared with only 15% of Shi'ites.
The survey is a rare snapshot of Iraqi opinion because of the difficulty of working in the country, with the exception of Kurdish areas which are run as an essentially autonomous province.
Most international organisations have pulled out of Iraq and diplomats are mostly holed-up in the Green Zone. The unexpected degree of optimism may signal a groundswell of hope at signs the American "surge" is starting to take effect.
This weekend comments from Baghdad residents reflected the poll's findings. Many said they were starting to feel more secure on the streets, although horrific bombings have continued. "The Americans have checkpoints and the most important thing is they don't ask for ID, whether you are Sunni or Shi'ite," said one resident. "There are no more fake checkpoints so you don't need to be scared."
The inhabitants of a northern Baghdad district were heartened to see on the concrete blocks protecting an Iraqi army checkpoint the lettering: "Down, down with the militias, we are fighting for the sake of Iraq."
It would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago. Residents said they noted that armed militias were off the streets.
One question showed the sharp divide in attitudes towards the continued presence of foreign troops in Iraq. Some 53% of Iraqis nationwide agree that the security situation will improve in the weeks after a withdrawal by international forces, while only 26% think it will get worse.
"We've been polling in Iraq since 2005 and the finding that most surprised us was how many Iraqis expressed support for the present government," said Johnny Heald, managing director of ORB. "Given the level of violence in Iraq, it shows an unexpected level of optimism."
Despite the sectarian divide, 64% of Iraqis still want to see a united Iraq under a central national government.
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