Good Morning, Iraq.

[Proletariat]

This is my Good News from Iraq thread. I was surprised in another thread how people from both sides were shocked or skeptical about the good news coming from the place, so here I will continue to dig up dirt that explains what is really going on.

Today's interesting link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...680525,00.html

A SYRIAN policeman was killed and two militants captured during fighting on a mountain overlooking Damascus yesterday in a second day of battles between Syrian security forces and rebels connected with the war in Iraq.

The gunbattle, which allegedly involved former bodyguards of Saddam Hussein, came amid indications that the Syrian Government is increasing its efforts to capture militants who use Syria as a staging ground for attacks in Iraq.

Sana, the official Syrian news agency, reported: “The clash took place on Mount Qassioun with a group of people wanted for terrorist crimes, some of whom were former bodyguards. The gunbattle claimed the life of Ahmad Hijazi, a security forces officer, Sana said, which added that two police officers and two other security force officers were wounded.

The agency said that the two people arrested were Sharif Aied Saif Smadi, a Jordanian, and the wife of his brother, Mohammed, who is on the run.

The incident came a day after fighting between Syrian troops and suspected Islamist militants returning from Iraq who were trying to cross into northern Lebanon, near Homs. Two soldiers and a militant were killed in the fighting, the first incident of its kind along the Lebanon-Syria frontier. Syrian troops arrested at least 34 militants staying at a nearby safe house, Sana said.

[Proletariat]

From a few days ago.

Chrenkoff, with more of the latest good news.

"You can't fix in six months what it took 35 years to destroy." These words, spoken by Ibrahim al-Jaafari, Iraq's first democratically elected Prime Minister in half a century, should be inscribed in 3-foot-tall characters as a preface to all the reporting from Iraq. Sadly, the underlying reality all too often seems to escape many reporters caught in the excitement of "now."

(Sorry to upset you, Galloway fan boys. Some people think Iraq is better off without Saddam.)

[Proletariat]

From the same thread:

Again, if all you follow are mainstream media sources, you'd swear that the terrorists in Iraq were running around with no repurcussions. Yet, as usual, when you dig around a little (aren't media outlets paid to do this?) you find that, no, actually, the right side is winning:

http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/20...ll-down-to.html

It's not only us who bleed, they're bleeding too end even more profusely and obviously the media has a purpose behind focusing on our losses while mentioning the terrorists losses in the inner pages or in many cases pretending that they don’t exist.

-1st regiment/2nd commandoes brigade arrested 43 suspects in Al-Doura district while the 2nd regiment/1st brigade arrested 2 terrorists in Shu'la district.

-The interior ministry announced the beginning of operation lightning-1 in Babil province which is going to be a joint effort between the Army and the local police forces. The 1st wave of raids resulted in arresting 43 suspects and confiscating 10 vehicles used in terror attacks against Iraqi civilians and security forces.

-A force from the Iraqi army backed by Polish troops raided terrorists hides in the areas of Jibla and Rashad in the same province and arrested 8 terrorists and confiscated their Ak-47's.

-Police forces in Kerbala arrested 20 terrorists and confiscated 6 suspicious vehicles and disarmed 2 vehicle-born bombs.

-In Zangora area near Ramadi, Iraqi and American troops arrested a terror cell leader named 'Jbair Grayen Al-Jiblawi who's one of Zarqawi's aides in Anbar province.

-In Tikrit, multinational forces arrested 3 roadside bombs-makers and in Kirkuk 10 suspects were arrested. The men are supposed to be responsible for some missile attacks in the city. Explosives' ingredients and blast capsules were found during the search of the arrest scene.

-In Abu Ghraib, Al-Muthana brigade arrested 19 terrorists and found amounts of weapons and detonation devices as well as vehicles that were prepared for performing terror attacks.

-In Tal-afar near Mosul, Iraqi and American troops killed 15 terrorists in clashes that took place yesterday.

-One of the most important successes was arresting one of Izzat Al-Douri's relatives along with 3 of his bodyguards.

-Iraqi TV announced Khalid Sulaiman Darwis (aka Abu Al-Ghadia Al-Soori) was killed during a raid as part of Operation Spear in Anbar province. The Syrian terrorist is one of the leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Sources: Iraqia TV, Al-Sabah, New Sabah and Al-Mada papers.



That's ~170 captured or killed, many in operations by independent Iraqi army soldiers. The key is the bolded one, however, they're getting close to Izzat Al-Douri who was the Islamist in Saddam's regime. Be interesting to hear what he has to say once we hook him up to some fake electric chairs.

[Proletariat]

I won't go back any further for now.

Also;

Knocking on wood...

It has been a bit quieter

Knocking on wood...

A major tribe in the insurgency is about to issue a fatwa declaring the political process valid

Knocking on wood..

[Proletariat]

Also, Fighting breaks out between Iraqi rebels and Al Qaeda.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...4/ixworld.html

American troops on the Syrian border are enjoying a battle they have long waited to see - a clash between foreign al-Qa'eda fighters and Iraqi insurgents.


Tribal leaders in Husaybah are attacking followers of Abu Musab Zarqawi, the Jordanian-born terrorist who established the town as an entry point for al-Qa'eda jihadists being smuggled into the country.

[Watchman]

*s-i-i-i-gh* You know, around here we have a saying about not selling a bear's fur before the beast has been felled...

Just out of curiosity, what are the conservative estimates you know about the number of insurgents operating down there ? The ones I've seen speak of many thousands; and as odds are they get new recruits all the time...

Rather more importantly, the ones that don't die in the skirmishes learn. The place is a live-fire training ground for the next generation of Islamist militants, and you're not going to be able to convince me the US will be able to kill or capture even a majority of them.

If the country gets back on its feet sometime in the near future, fine; at least something good came out of the whole bloody mess. If it doesn't, well, none of those "good news" are worth a damn...

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

Proletariat: you are a star

[Proletariat]

...and you're not going to be able to convince me the US will be able to kill or capture even a majority of them.

The Iraqi's will and are beginning already to do it.

But go ahead, Watchman. Stick your fingers in your ears, shut your eyes and scream as loud as you can.

[Xiahou]

If the country gets back on its feet sometime in the near future, fine; at least something good came out of the whole bloody mess. If it doesn't, well, none of those "good news" are worth a damn...

I guess then, by that token, if it does work out.. well none of the "bad news" will be worth a damn?

[Xiahou]

This could be a good thread- keep it coming.

[Proletariat]

This could be a good thread- keep it coming.

I hope to maintain this myself as often as possible, but anyone should feel free to chime in!

Glad you're interested.

But wait, there's more. The concept of de-escalation sounds like a good concept. Here you go:

http://www.military.com/Opinions/0,,Lind_062905,00.html

When the patrol (in Humvees) passes a busy street, Lieutenant Waters ... tells his men to get out and start walking. As the foot patrol makes its way through the streets, an old Shiite woman in a black hejab invites Waters into her house. At the threshold, Waters politely waits.

"I don't want to track the dirt from the street into your house," he tells her ...

Waters is trying to gain the trust of this tense district, where the US has previously been regarded with hatred and suspicion ...

What has enabled Lt. Waters and his unit of California National Guardsmen to get it right? Lt. Waters is a cop. Specifically, he is a sheriff from Sacramento. He is dealing with the people of Baghdad the same way he deals with the people back home, politely and with a genuine desire to help. His unit has not killed anyone because Lt. Waters knows cops succeed by de-escalating, not by escalating violence. Cops try very hard not to kill people. In fact, cops don't want to fight at all.