Iraqis lead final purge of Al-Qaeda Options

[mhaverty]

Marie Colvin in Mosul
American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror.

After being forced from its strongholds in the west and centre of Iraq in the past two years, Al-Qaeda’s dwindling band of fighters has made a defiant “last stand” in the northern city of Mosul.

A huge operation to crush the 1,200 fighters who remained from a terrorist force once estimated at more than 12,000 began on May 10.

Operation Lion’s Roar, in which the Iraqi army combined forces with the Americans’ 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, has already resulted in the death of Abu Khalaf, the Al-Qaeda leader, and the capture of more than 1,000 suspects.

The group has been reduced to hit-and-run attacks, including one that killed two off-duty policemen yesterday, and sporadic bombings aimed at killing large numbers of officials and civilians.

Last Friday I joined the 2nd Iraqi Division as it supported local police in a house-to-house search for one such bomb after intelligence pointed to a large explosion today.

Even in the district of Zanjali, previously a hotbed of the insurgency, it was possible to accompany an Iraqi colonel on foot through streets of breeze-block houses studded with bullet holes. Hundreds of houses were searched without resistance but no bomb was found, only 60kg of explosives.

American and Iraqi leaders believe that while it would be premature to write off Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni group has lost control of its last urban base in Mosul and its remnants have been largely driven into the countryside to the south.

Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister, who has also led a crackdown on the Shi’ite Mahdi Army in Basra and Baghdad in recent months, claimed yesterday that his government had “defeated” terrorism.

“They were intending to besiege Baghdad and control it,” Maliki said. “But thanks to the will of the tribes, security forces, army and all Iraqis, we defeated them.”

The number of foreign fighters coming over the border from Syria to bolster Al-Qaeda’s numbers is thought to have declined to as few as 20 a month, compared with 120 a month at its peak.

Brigadier General Abdullah Abdul, a senior Iraqi commander, said: “We’ve limited their movements with check-points. They are doing small attacks and trying big ones, but they’re mostly not succeeding.”

Major-General Mark Hertling, American commander in the north, said: “I think we’re at the irreversible point.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle4276486.ece

[guest of a friend]

[mhaverty]

Your dream of seeing Bush completely fail in Iraq might be evaporating before your eyes so now you have to revert back to the old shit. Good for you. Not to tough to see how shallow and pathetic you are.

[Klogger]

Marie Colvin in Mosul
American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror.

After being forced from its strongholds in the west and centre of Iraq in the past two years, Al-Qaeda’s dwindling band of fighters has made a defiant “last stand” in the northern city of Mosul.

A huge operation to crush the 1,200 fighters who remained from a terrorist force once estimated at more than 12,000 began on May 10.

Operation Lion’s Roar, in which the Iraqi army combined forces with the Americans’ 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, has already resulted in the death of Abu Khalaf, the Al-Qaeda leader, and the capture of more than 1,000 suspects.

The group has been reduced to hit-and-run attacks, including one that killed two off-duty policemen yesterday, and sporadic bombings aimed at killing large numbers of officials and civilians.

Last Friday I joined the 2nd Iraqi Division as it supported local police in a house-to-house search for one such bomb after intelligence pointed to a large explosion today.

Even in the district of Zanjali, previously a hotbed of the insurgency, it was possible to accompany an Iraqi colonel on foot through streets of breeze-block houses studded with bullet holes. Hundreds of houses were searched without resistance but no bomb was found, only 60kg of explosives.

American and Iraqi leaders believe that while it would be premature to write off Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni group has lost control of its last urban base in Mosul and its remnants have been largely driven into the countryside to the south.

Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister, who has also led a crackdown on the Shi’ite Mahdi Army in Basra and Baghdad in recent months, claimed yesterday that his government had “defeated” terrorism.

“They were intending to besiege Baghdad and control it,” Maliki said. “But thanks to the will of the tribes, security forces, army and all Iraqis, we defeated them.”

The number of foreign fighters coming over the border from Syria to bolster Al-Qaeda’s numbers is thought to have declined to as few as 20 a month, compared with 120 a month at its peak.

Brigadier General Abdullah Abdul, a senior Iraqi commander, said: “We’ve limited their movements with check-points. They are doing small attacks and trying big ones, but they’re mostly not succeeding.”

Major-General Mark Hertling, American commander in the north, said: “I think we’re at the irreversible point.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle4276486.ece

[Klogger]

Excellent! Well it looks like Iraq is no longer an issue so we should all be much more focused on the economy this election.

[mhaverty]

More good news:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080706/D91O8E100.html

Spin this guest or just bring something else up completely unrelated.

[guest of a friend]

More good news:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080706/D91O8E100.html

Spin this guest or just bring something else up completely unrelated.

hahaha... so we've almost solved on of the thousands of problems we created.. at least temporarily.

Like the hundreds of times we've erroneously declared a huge victory in Iraq I'll wait and see if the results match the hype...unlike you who just repeatedly believes the hype and defends it with bullshit.

[mhaverty]

hahaha... so we've almost solved on of the thousands of problems we created.. at least temporarily.

Like the hundreds of times we've erroneously declared a huge victory in Iraq I'll wait and see if the results match the hype...unlike you who just repeatedly believes the hype and defends it with bullshit.

I guess you didn't get the memo that the Baath Regime was completely overthrown and is out of power. That by any definition other than among aggenda driven lefty kooks is called a "Victory".

[MARSMAN]

It's not true cuz Bush sux

[woof.]

I won't believe it until Cheney tells us we're in the last throes of the insurgency.

[mhaverty]

I won't believe it until Cheney tells us we're in the last throes of the insurgency.

^^^ Proof that Sparky-The-Dunce is upset that the Iraqi Gov. and Army is coming around and the US has found a winning strategy.

[allie]

Awesome. Now the troops can come home.

[mhaverty]

Awesome. Now the troops can come home.

Some will come home. Some will go to Afganistan. Some will stay there.

[allie]

Some will come home. Some will go to Afganistan. Some will stay there.

Is a timetable still traitorous to suggest?

[woof.]

^^^ Proof that Sparky-The-Dunce is upset that the Iraqi Gov. and Army is coming around and the US has found a winning strategy.

please haverty, we've heard it all before, go polish your george bush boner and put it away.

give me a shout when the US is out of Iraq. Then tally up all the tax dollars we flushed down the shitter to do the job, plus interest, plus all the lives lost, and then tell me how great it is to "win".

[allie]

please haverty, we've heard it all before, go polish your george bush boner and put it away.

give me a shout when the US is out of Iraq. Then tally up all the tax dollars we flushed down the shitter to do the job, plus interest, plus all the lives lost, and then tell me how great it is to "win".

I'm still trying to figure out what the average American has gained or will gain when/if it's over. Probably just higher taxes for infinity when China wants to get paid back.

[woof.]

I'm still trying to figure out what the average American has gained or will gain when/if it's over. Probably just higher taxes for infinity when China wants to get paid back.

...and about 30 pounds.

[mhaverty]

Is a timetable still traitorous to suggest?

It wasn't traiorous it was just a horrible tactical idea.

[allie]

It wasn't traiorous it was just a horrible tactical idea.

How about now?

[smcd]

Is a timetable still traitorous to suggest?

Don't expect a timetable from Obama.

[mhaverty]

please haverty, we've heard it all before, go polish your george bush boner and put it away.

give me a shout when the US is out of Iraq. Then tally up all the tax dollars we flushed down the shitter to do the job, plus interest, plus all the lives lost, and then tell me how great it is to "win".

The net result of this is there are US bases protecting one of the most important tactical areas in the world and just a stones throw from the last two major Terrorist nations in Syria and Iran. Lives will be saved because of this and the advantages gained are huge. Money well spent and lives will be saved in the long run.

[allie]

Don't expect a timetable from Obama.

Why?

[mhaverty]

Why?

Because he already has told us he is keeping the troops there. "He is going to consult his generals." He also isn't that dumb to box himself in on something like that as the situation is fluid.

[MARSMAN]

when is the US getting the fuck out of Korea ?

[smcd]

Why?

The question of immediate and complete withdrawal was put to him recently, and he backtracked on past comments regarding troop withdrawal.


Barack Obama hints at backtrack on Iraq troop withdrawal