Dear Interested Readers,
For those of us that missed Gen. Petraeus' testimony before the House Armed Forces Com., you can read about it here. There is also a most interesting story about how our military lawyers are helping Iraqi judges, and how a batallion is helping Iraqis achieve freedom, security and stability.
Joanna
___________________________
Multi-National Corps - Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory
APO AE 09342
April 10, 2008
MND-B Soldiers seize weapons cache
BAGHDAD - Soldiers from the 1st BCT, 4th ID, discovered a munitions cache on a daily combat patrol in the Hadar beladiya of Baghdad, April 9. CF seized multiple mortar rounds and materials used to make IEDs as well as more than 2,000 7.62mm rounds of ammo, a RPG with launcher, a sniper rifle, blasting caps and detonation cord.
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MND-B Soldiers detain suspected EFP cell leader, seize cache
BAGHDAD - In the Aamel Beladiya neighborhood, located in the Rashid district of southern Baghdad, April 9, Soldiers from 1st Bn, 22nd Inf Regt, 1st BCT, 4th ID, currently attached to the 4th BCT, 1st ID, acted on a tip from a SoI and detained the individual who is believed to be the leader of an IED production cell, responsible for making EFPs.
The soldiers also discovered an IED made of 5 60mm mortar rounds and a flash-bang grenade.
"The tip that led to the detention of this individual is further evidence that the people of Iraq will not tolerate criminals and criminal behavior," said Col. Bill Buckner, MNC-I spokesman.
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Iraqi Police, Iraqi Army discover large cache in Husayniyah
KARBALA - Iraqi SF discovered a large weapons cache and detained 6 criminal suspects during an op in Husayniyah, south of Baghdad, April 8.
The cache discovery and detainments were made as a result of an intel-driven op, targeting a house in the area, with the assistance of Karbala Police. The ISF discovered a cache hole that led under the house to the hidden explosives, containing nearly 100 blocks of C4, weighing approx. 600 grams each, an IED, a 60 mm mortar tube, an assortment of rifles and hand grenades, and numerous RPGs, mortars and small-arms rounds.
"This is a significant cache find, because this is a larger and more modern selection of munitions than has typically been found in this area," said Maj. Kevin Rice, intel officer for MiTT 33. Rice added that initial analysis from the ISF said the C4 blocks were dated from 2007 and appeared to be Iranian-produced. Additionally, the area where the op took place was a "rally area" for criminals, according to the analysis.
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MND-B Soldiers kill 13 criminals
BAGHDAD - In separate engagements in Baghdad, April 9, Soldiers from 3rd BCT, 4th ID, manning a combined checkpoint with Iraqi NP, were attacked by criminals with small-arms fire from a rooftop nearby in northeastern Baghdad. Soldiers returned fire and killed one criminal.
Soldiers from 2nd BCT, 101st Abn Div (Air Assault), killed 4 criminals in northwestern Baghdad, after they were attacked with RPGs at a checkpoint.
An AWT provided security for Soldiers emplacing concrete barriers at a JSS in northeastern Baghdad who were attacked with small-arms fire. The AWT engaged the criminals with 2 hellfire missiles and killed 4.
Soldiers from 2-101 Abn. Div. killed 4 criminals after being attacked with small-arms fire from 2 different locations in northwestern Baghdad.
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ISF, SOI discover 11 weapons caches in northern Iraq
TIKRIT - Iraqi SF and Abna al-Iraq, or SoI, have discovered 11 weapons caches in northern Iraq, April 7 and 8.
Over the 2 days, 5 caches were discovered in Diyala Province along with 2 caches each in Ta'Mim, Ninewah and Salah ad Din Provinces, consisting of rockets, mortars, projectiles of different sizes and hundreds of pounds of IED making materials.
"As security continues to improve, so will the number of caches discovered. Both ISF and the SoI are leading the way for the safety and security for the people of Iraq," said Maj. Peggy Kageleiry, spokesman for MND-North.
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Battalion Helps Iraqis Reclaim Freedom, Security, Stability
By Army Staff Sgt. Brent Williams
Special to American Forces Press Service
Army Sgt. Keith Fosmire, takes point, April 5, 2008, during a combined patrol with IA Soldiers. The Iraqis and CF patrolled Doura's industrial commercial 5th Street and surrounding areas as part of efforts to provide stability and security for the 1.2 million people in southern Baghdad’s Rashid district.
BAGHDAD — The Raider BCT has a new ally in its mission to help the GoI and MND-Baghdad soldiers build upon the predominately Sunni community of Doura in Baghdad’s Rashid district.
The 2nd Bn, 4th Inf Regt, “Warriors” will be attached to the 4th ID’s 1st BCT next week as part of its mission to help the govt and the Iraqi people.
“It is our intent to create a safe and stable living environment for the people of the Doura district,” said Army Lt. Col. Timothy Watson, cmdr of 2-4th Inf Regt, part of the 10th Mtn Div’s 4th BCT, based at Fort Polk, La. The battalion’s current mission is to work with Iraqi SF and the local district councils responsible for the community, which is home to the Doura Market, a social, cultural and economic center in southern Baghdad, Watson explained. “This area has all the potential to flourish economically and contribute to the proud cultural heritage of the Iraqi nation,” Watson said.
Army 2nd Lt. Jay Parsons, a platoon leader assigned to Co B, 2-4th, said, “I try to ensure that we conduct some type of combat op every day,” said Parsons. “Be it cordon and search or dismounted and mounted patrols, it’s a constant thing. There is still a small group of criminal elements within the district that we are weeding out, but I do not see a major threat.”
Security is not the platoon’s only function, said Parsons, a graduate of Wichita State University with a bachelor’s degree in history and criminal justice. “There is still a lot of potential for growth in there,” Parsons said. “There is a need for community services, and there are definitely capable people within the district to run all that.” The regiment’s co. cmdrs. also are working to stimulate the local economy and assist local business owners with small-business loans to help revitalize areas such as the Doura Market, he added.
Army Sgt. Keith Fosmire, a team leader in Parsons’ platoon, said that in the short time since his unit began working with the Doura residents, he's seen the quality of life improve and an increase in the people’s respect for their community. Fosmire, who is on the fifth deployment of his 11-year career, said he credits the unit’s success to the “squared-away and dedicated” soldiers of 2-4th, as well to as the extensive training the battalion conducted last year, prior to its deployment.
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New Rule of Law Expert Meets Mada’in Judges
By Spc. Ben Hutto
3rd HBCT, 3rd Inf. Div.
Col. Doug House, reviews documents with Judge Rushdi, at the courthouse in Jisr Diyala, April 8.
FOB HAMMER — Col. Doug House, a military lawyer assigned to the Baghdad-8 embedded PRT, attached to the 3rd HBCT, met with 3 judges at the courthouse in Jisr Diyala to gauge their needs, April 8.
Judge Alwan, chief investigative judge of the qada, welcomed House. “I am glad that you are here and we have the opportunity to meet you,” Alwan said. “It is because of people like you that we are all sitting here in my office today. Your country has helped my country a great deal.”
The current judicial expert for the 3rd HBCT believes House will be able to work with the judges to facilitate their permanent return to the courthouse in Salman Pak. “I thought Col. House made a good impression on the judges,” said Spc. Ryan Burkholder. “After an hour of discussion, he was able to work through some issues.”
Over the past year, Burkholder has worked with judges in the Mada’in Qada and Baghdad to help return rule of law to the area. “He has done his job quietly and well,” said Maj. James Carlisle, Burkholder’s supervisor. “He represents the stellar caliber of young men and women in the Army that makes it the best army in the world.”
Burkholder was proud of the role he played in bringing the judicial branch back to the qada and said House would be the perfect person to replace him. “We have seen a significant decrease in violent crimes since the judges have come back,” Burkholder said. “People now know that when they do things wrong here, they will have to sit before the judge,” he said. “I believe that is deterring a lot of crimes from happening.”
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Petraeus: Iraqis Want to Establish National Sovereignty
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
U.S. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, comm. gen. of MNF-Iraq, discusses issues with the Rusafa Security District Cmdr Brig. Gen. Abdullah.
WASHINGTON — The Iraqi Government wants to establish itself as an independent entity that one day can stand on its own feet without U.S. assistance, the top U.S. military officer in Iraq testified before the House Armed Services Committee here Wednesday. “They want to do that as much as we do,” Army Gen. Petraeus, told House panel members.
Senior Iraqi governmental leaders are placing themselves “under enormous personal pressure and collective pressure of the various political elements in Iraq to increasingly exercise their sovereignty,” Petraeus said. In fact, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s recent decision to send Iraqi troops into Basra and other parts of southern Iraq to put down violence perpetrated by illegal militias, represents the Iraqis’ desire to attend to their internal affairs, Petraeus pointed out. “That was not something that we pushed him to do,” Petraeus said. “That was something that they wanted to do.”
Assisting the new Iraqi government is like teaching a young child how to ride a bicycle, Petraeus observed, noting the United States is “trying to support it as much as we can, while keeping as light a hand on the bicycle seat as possible.” Several Iraqi provinces, like Basra province in the south, where some outbreaks of violence occurred recently, contain few U.S. military forces or even none at all, Petraeus pointed out. “In the bulk of those southern provinces, Iraqi forces proved up to the task,” the four-star general said.
The US is reducing its troop presence in Iraq, Petraeus said, noting 15 brigades will remain in Iraq after the surge forces are redeployed at the end of July. Asked if U.S. troop strength in Iraq could be further reduced after July, Petraeus responded that he and other senior U.S. cmdrs plan to review security and local governance conditions.
“We are thinning out very substantially right now,” Petraeus remarked, noting the impending departure of the surge forces will reduce the U.S. military footprint in Iraq by one-quarter. Petraeus said he can foresee possible additional U.S. force reductions in Iraq beyond the remaining 15 brigades.
“We have a number of months and a number of substantial actions to take before then, but we already are identifying areas that we think are likely candidates for [additional troop reductions],” Petraeus said.
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