101st Drops Iron Hammer On Al Qaeda
101st and IA in action in new operation
Driven from Al Anbar, driven from Baghdad, driven from Diyala, Al Qaeda has attempted to reestablish operational centers in not-so hospitable places like Kirkuk, Ninevah, and Slah Ad-Din. The military has responded with Operation Iron Hammer, designed to deny them safe haven. As reported here, 3,500 troops swarmed Kirkuk yesterday, and I have confirmation from Baghdad that 59 terrorists have been rounded up. Here is the Army’s report on another front of the operation:
MNF-I:
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SUMMERALL — 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division troops recently completed their first major offensive operation in the Salah Ad-Din province, since their arrival in theater in early October. Operation Bulldog Hammer, part of the larger Operation Iron Hammer, was designed to stifle al Qaida insurgents in cities like Bayji and Suniyah and to promote the continuing reconciliation effort here.
Various elements of the storied “Bastogne” Brigade along with their counterparts from the 4th Iraqi Army Division and Iraqi Police, conducted a series of simultaneous, combined operations, to disrupt terrorist activities in the largely Sunni area just north of Tikrit. Operations included raids on suspected insurgent safe-houses, as well as exhaustive searches for weapons caches and bomb-making materials.
“The operation went well,” said Cpt. Michael Sykes, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, who attributed the success to the effectiveness of Iraqi Security Forces working along side Coalition forces. “We worked well together and they took the ball and ran with it,” he said.
“Every time we go out and we work together, it boosts their confidence, they learn from us and gain experience,” said Infantryman Spc. Wesley Dobbs, an Infantryman with Abu Company, 1/327th. “It’s a lot of help to have them out here, because they can interact with the locals better than we can,” he said.
“We appreciate your help,” said Iraqi Army Col. Hamid, 4th Iraqi Army Division. “This is our country and we will rebuild it again.”
An array of weapons were confiscated during the offensive phase of Iron Bulldog which was kicked off with a Screaming Eagle style air-assault that saw Iraqi Security Forces actually outnumber their U.S. partners.
The Iraqi Security Forces now have the capability to reach out and touch the bad-guys in remote locations, said Maj. Brad Mock, operations officer, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment.
“During the length of the operation ISF along side our Bulldog Soldiers have conducted multiple operations targeting specific threats to the security of this area,” said Mock. “With the ISF in the lead and our Soldiers there supporting them, we have made an impact on securing Bayji and its surrounding communities.”
Three caches were discovered, which included (21) mortar rounds, three landmines, eight hand-grenades and materials used to make improvised explosive devices.
Bulldog Soldiers along with their Iraqi counterparts also snatched nearly (50) AK-47 assault rifles off the streets during raids conducted on individual homes.
“Anytime we find that stuff, we save lives,” said Sykes, “American and Iraqi.”
ISF and 1st BCT troops also detained (43) suspected insurgents and discovered (23) IEDs during the (10)-day operation.
“The real long term success of the operation comes from the Iraqi people stepping up to the plate,” said Sykes. “Currently there are more than (600) ‘Concerned Local Citizens’ (CLC) in 1st Brigade’s area of operations who serve in a sort of neighborhood watch capacity, keeping cities like Bayji and Suniyah safe for the local citizenry.”
During the operation, more than (230) local Iraqi citizens volunteered for the CLC program which has been an effective deterrent against terrorist violence in the area.
“Strengthening local ties is important to fighting the terrorists here,” said Sykes. “They (Iraqi citizens) are finally starting to realize that they outnumber the handful of bad guys in their town, and they’re starting to do something about it,” he said.
Col. Hamid agrees. “The citizens of Bayji are honorable people. There are two ways that men can go here. They can either be good guys, or they can be killed. We must wait and see.”
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“finally starting to realize that they outnumber the handful of bad guys”, the sooner all of Islam realizes that on a global scale, that they outnumber them (the bad guys)nine to one, the better off they’ll be.
November 25th, 2007 at 9:48 amCurrahee!
November 25th, 2007 at 10:46 amOpps! Another Al Qaeda defeat and American victory NOT reported by CNN, MSNBC, and the rest of the defeatest elite
November 25th, 2007 at 11:01 ammedia. Democrat and Presidential candidate Richardson of New Mexico still insists we’re losing!
Mike, did you hear him on ABC this morning? I think it was almost a year ago they came up with that 65% Iraqis want us dead. Same tired, old, dead talking points, defeatocrats are stuck in a rut. I wonder what the results would be if they asked Iraqis that same question today? I understand they’d like it when we leave, but, they feel we’re not all about that cut and run. We don’t want you dead, it’ll be nice when you’re gone, but, don’t go too far. Can we interest you in some nice over the horizon desert property?
November 25th, 2007 at 11:13 amWhat’s sad is the victories aren’t getting reported, it’s pure propaganda spin by the MSM to get whatever political agenda they back in place. I do fear it’s going to work–the majority of voters don’t take the time to get info to refute the spin they are being fed. The bad guys have control of the airwaves.
November 25th, 2007 at 12:03 pmSo when are they going to get to Ninevah Province and Mosul?
A 15-year-old high school girl in Mosul writes:
“The situation in Mosul is HORRIBLE, now it is the most dangerous city in Iraq (4 explosions happened while I am writing this post)!”
“As they say, the darkest part of the night comes just before sunrise, and now we reached the darkest point I believe”
November 25th, 2007 at 12:50 pmIf there was honest reporting on our military in the mainstream ~ the American people would be dancing,smiling, and shouting cheers in the streets daily. The scale of the operations, the successes, the impact of which will have huge historical impact for the better of the world, not to mention the courage and commitment are immense. Those that do know keep it to themselves as a result of the daily beat down in the mainstream and by those around them who deep down hate their own country and President. {They suffer from chronic cases of Bush Derangement Syndrome.} I see and hear it everyday at work. I end up walking out so I do not go off the hinge and lose my job ~ so I walk it off. They are sick and mentally off little children who do not comprehend global concepts of survival and freedom.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/homeland.php?id=697390
Individuals like that where I live - not only do they not know about the good our military is doing - they make no attempt to seek out and understand what is happening. When I even try to talk to them about it they shut down and will not respond or I get a litany of the usual left rant which you are all well familiar with
~ even still going as far back as Bush stole the election . . . On one hand it is discouraging, however, I also hope they will wake up to reality eventually. When and, God willing, if they do they will be overcome by what they learn and see. I just hope their awakening does not require another massive tragedy here at home to do so.
God bless our Armed Forces everywhere.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:27 pmMore than one poll has been conducted inside Iraq. Ask just one question and the answer is the same:
Question: Do you want the Americans to leave Iraq?
Answer is always the same: “Yes but not yet.”
Security is the #1 concern of Iraqis. Nothing else matters until this is achieved first.
Kids in Iraq don’t need chocolate and soccer balls. They need their parents to stay alive.
Iraqis want jobs and a future. But none of these things are remotely possible without security.
We are winning this battle one city, one province at a time.
Currahee indeed. Find em; fix em and kill em. AQ is good at killing women and children, but they’ll eat dirt when they come up against the 101st.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:30 pm>> Security is the #1 concern of Iraqis. Nothing else matters until this is achieved first.
I agree. But right in behind that is that Iraqis want to be on the winning side for a change. It’s a big pyschological element where they want to be on the winning side and not be humiliated by backing a loser. Before Gen. Petraeus opened up a can of whoop-ass on the bad guys, the peaceful Iraqis couldn’t see who was going to win and they backed only those who threatened their lives. They can see they now can’t get security from AQ and they can see now that the U.S. and coalition forces truly want to win since the effort to win has picked up dramarucally. The tide has turned.
November 25th, 2007 at 2:22 pm