FOUR-DAY OPERATION RESULTS IN EIGHT TERRORISTS KILLED; SEVERAL WEAPONS, EXPLOSIVES CACHES DESTROYED.
BAGHDAD, Iraq
Tuesday, 03 April 2007
BAGHDAD, Iraq – During a recent four-day operation beginning March 30 in Arab Jabour targeting al-Qaida in Iraq terrorists, Coalition Forces killed eight terrorists, detained 13 suspects, destroyed two explosives production facilities and several weapons caches.
Coalition Forces were engaged by the enemy multiple times during the operation. Coalition Forces used appropriate defense measures to eliminate the threat resulting in eight terrorists killed.
Among the weapons caches discovered, Coalition Forces found six DShK anti-aircraft heavy machineguns, 150 rocket propelled grenades, more than 30 rockets, plastic explosives, and several hundred mortar rounds. The weapons caches were destroyed to prevent future use by terrorists.
On Monday, a Coalition Forces air strike destroyed two buildings housing large caches of explosives materials and chemicals used in the production of improvised explosive devices.
A total of 13 suspected terrorists were detained during the four-day operation.
No civilians were injured during the four-day operation.
“Coalition Forces continue to tear apart the al-Qaida network inside Iraq. This operation contributes to the reduction of this VBIED terrorist network’s ability to operate,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, MNF-I spokesperson.
Iraqi leadership improves fuel distribution.
Wednesday, 04 April 2007
TIKRIT — Iraqi provincial, security and oil officials organized an unprecedented one-day delivery of nearly 5 million liters of petroleum products to Ninewa Province Monday.
After months of unsuccessful or inadequate fuel deliveries from the Bayji Oil Refinery, 135 fuel tankers carrying approximately 36,000 liters of benzene, diesel or kerosene products each were convoyed, under Iraqi Army escort, from the refinery to multiple fuel distribution centers in Mosul, Iraq.
“Planned, organized, coordinated, secured and led by Iraqis from start to finish, this fuel delivery operation demonstrates how positive Iraqi leadership can overcome the influences of corruption and crime, which has plagued the oil distribution systems of northern Iraq [in the past],” said U.S. Army Col. Gary Patton, Chief of Staff for Multi-National Division-North. “This is a significant milestone for the Iraqi people.”
Read the rest....
I guess the only "milestones" our lovely media care about is death because I cannot find either of these two press releases in the mainstream media.
Iraqi, U.S. Soldiers give humanitarian aid to Tal’Afar
Sunday, 01 April 2007
TAL’AFAR – Iraqi security forces and Tal’Afar civic leaders provided aid and humanitarian assistance to Tal’Afar citizens displaced by the terrorist bombing Wednesday.
The Iraqi military coordinated and flew a critical airlift resupply mission to Iraqi ground forces who distributed supplies to the population.
Coalition civil affairs teams provided assessments, making sure the aid was funneled through Iraqi leaders to areas who needed it most.
On Saturday, Tal’Afar mayor and Coalition Force spokesmen, Najim Abdallah, Col. Stephen Twitty, commander of 4th Brigade Combat Team and Lt. Col. Malcom Frost, commander of 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment held a news conference to answer questions.
The conference was specifically designed to address the Iraqi populace and featured two Iraqi news stations, Al- Araqnia, and Al-Diyar.
When asked why terrorists attacked Tal’Afar, and whether Tal’Afar will become a “time bomb” of sectarian strife, Abdallah reaffirmed unity.
“We are the biggest city close to the Syrian border. Enemy eyes are open to this city because of its diverse population, all living and working together in peace. They will take any chance to target it. We’ve killed many terrorists; and the enemy will find any hole to use to their advantage,” Abdallah said.
Further solidifying the unity of the city’s inhabitants, Abdallah added, “Sunni and Shiite came together to hold one mass funeral for the victims of the terrorist violence.”
Again, read the rest....
This is just a small fraction of what isn't being shown to us in our news, which is what John McCain pointed out the other day.
"The American people are not getting the full picture of what's happening here. They're not getting the full picture of the drop in murders, the establishment of security outposts throughout the city, the situation in Anbar province, the deployment of additional Iraqi brigades which are performing well, and other signs of progress having been made," said McCain, of Arizona.
Now according to the "left" side of the aisle, improvement cannot be seen by that little stroll through the Iraq market because the American political delegation has armed guards and wore body armor.
In sometimes testy comments to reporters in the heavily fortified Green Zone, Mr. McCain said the American public was not receiving “the full picture about what’s happening,” and he described the delegation’s visit to a downtown market where scores of people have died this year in multiple car bombings and other attacks. There, the members of Congress said, they strolled around, haggled with merchants and drank tea.
But the outing was far from carefree. The delegation traveled in a convoy of armored military vehicles and was accompanied by a large contingent of heavily armed soldiers. The politicians wore body armor while they shopped.
This article here answers that better than I can, so here are some excerpts:
They wore body armor! They went out with "heavily armed soldiers!" They had protection! Iraq must be a disaster. Washington Monthly's Kevin Drum had this to say:Note to conservatives: if you decide to just ignore John McCain's laughable trip to Baghdad, I understand. There's really not much you can do except hope for a new presidential scandal to take it mercifully off the front page.
But if you do decide to post about it, do you really think you can get away with pretending that the whole trip went smoothly and the press is merely being unfair in its reporting? And if you do think that, what does it say about your opinion of your readership?
Drum's snide tone is fairly representative of the left's reaction to McCain's trip. But really, how was McCain supposed to go out in Baghdad. Isn't the press being a bit unfair when it "presses" McCain on the subject of personal security? The man may well be the Republican nominee for the presidency. Any high-ranking official that goes out in Baghdad would have similar protection. When President Bush makes public appearances in this country--say to throw out the first pitch at a ball game--he, too, wears body armor. When President Clinton came to speak at Princeton while I was a student there, there were sharpshooters on the roof of my dorm. There were dozens of security personnel--for an event at Princeton.
Exactly.
Now, had McCain claimed that all was roses, candy and sunshine in Iraq, I would have joined in with blasting him to hell and back for overdoing the good news and ignoring the bad. By the same token, some of the media refuses to report any of the good, the successes like the ones shown above or the progress that is being seen in Iraq.
Thats bad reporting pure and simple.
The Washington Times has an article out that does mix the good and the bad, which is how all the news should be reported, show it all or show nothing, but do not select and pick only one side to report and ignore all else that is happening.
BAGHDAD -- American and Iraqi soldiers yesterday killed six terrorists and captured another 41 insurgents and death-squad suspects in operations in Baghdad and outside Fallujah, military officials said.
The raids were part of the ongoing enormous effort by U.S. and Iraqi security forces to break the backs of the various armed groups warring in Iraq. The Iraqi government cited the success of that operation yesterday in announcing that the nightly curfew will be pushed back by two hours.
Once again, I encourage you to read the rest, the good and the bad.
Progress and successes.
We here at Wake up America understand that things can turn on a dime one way or another, that we can see two steps forward and one step back and that can be very frustrating, but as long as there are steps forward, there is hope that Iraq can eventually stand, defend and sustain itself.
Other news I find troubling is that it seems, from reports that al-Qaeda is now targeting the Dalai Lama.....come on now, what on EARTH could this guy have done to be targeted?
SECURITY surrounding the Dalai Lama has been tightened after reports of an attempt by the al-Qa'ida-linked terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba to assassinate the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.
Thats just sick.
Other news unrelated:
Also, the White House has a link to the Pork database that is now functioning, ummmmmm, I mean the earmark database...oooops!!! (heh)
Best for last here.... Elizabeth Edwards got some good news today:
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa Apr 3, 2007 (AP)— Elizabeth Edwards said Tuesday that she got some good news: She has a type of cancer that is more likely to be controlled by anti-estrogen drugs.
I am glad. I may not agree with her husbands politics but no one, NO ONE deserves to suffer Cancer and Wake up America will keep her in our prayers as well as Tony Snow, who also has had a recurrence of his cancer.
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