Al Qaeda Fighters Flee Cities, Head For Desert or Out of Iraq Completely
Nancy Pelosi yesterday: “Iraq is a failure, the surge is a bust. There is no poltical reconciliation.”
MNF-I:
WASHINGTON — A surge in military operations and a shift in local support in northern Iraq has driven many al Qaeda fighters out of cities that once provided them safe haven and into the desert, or even out of the country, a commander in the region said Monday.
Citizens in the four-province region of Multi-National Division - North have begun shifting their support to Coalition and Iraqi forces in “droves,” and security gains are increasingly putting extremists on the run with no clear place to go to be safe, said Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, commander of Multi-National Division - North and the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division. The northern division is about the size of Pennsylvania and includes Diyala, Salahuddin, Ninevah and Tamim provinces.
Some foreign fighters are returning to their home countries of Syria and Saudi Arabia, he said, taking with them funds earmarked for fighters in Iraq. Some are trying to reorganize outside the country’s borders, but Hertling’s troops are watching the border and have arrested some as they try to return, he said. Others, who no longer feel safe in the cities because they are afraid that local citizens will turn them in, are hiding out in abandoned mud huts, canals or caves in the desert.
“That’s their biggest fear. So many of them are going to the desert regions to just get away from being ratted out by the citizens by being pointed out and captured,” Hertling said.
But, even their desert hideaways are targets under six-week-long Operation Iron Harvest, part of the countrywide Operation Phantom Phoenix.
“Some of them are saying it’s not even safe in the desert because the night raids are coming to get them,” Hertling said. “And that’s a good thing. We want them to keep thinking that they can’t sleep well at night because we’re coming after them, because, quite frankly, we are.”
Hertling could not give specific numbers on how many fighters have left or an estimate of the size of the enemy force remains in the region, but he said fewer al Qaeda fighters are in the province now than six weeks ago.
“We’re doing exactly what we’re trying to do, and that is make the cities safer for the Iraqi citizens while continuing to target al Qaeda and the other extremist groups,” the commander said.
Diyala province, specifically, is much safer today than it was a month ago, Hertling said. Citizens are less afraid to go out on the streets, and markets are opening, he said.
Hurtling attributed the gains in the province to the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces, the installation of local bases in the province, and improving local and national governments.
In Iron Harvest operations over the past 45 days, Coalition and Iraqi security forces there have conducted 74 missions. They have captured or killed more than 70 high-value individuals, and “hundreds” of enemy fighters, the general said. They found more than 430 caches with tons of explosives and weapons, he added, and they have cleared 653 homemade bombs, 42 house bombs, 35 car bombs and three bomb factories.
Attacks have leveled off in the region since December, following a drastic drop. Attacks range from about 20 to 50 daily, Hertling said.
(Story by Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service)
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Good job. I spect the Iraqis in those provinces have quickly figured out that the only good muj is one who is in jail…or dead.
Kudos to all the forces involved in this operation. Your doing the Lord’s work. Keep it up.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:04 pmIf anybody has seriously reviewed War reports since the Surge began.
We cleared out Central Iraq. They were on the run.
We cleared out the South. They became desperate.
Now the North. They are now almost non-existant.
Let’s not forget the Iraqi Parliament’s recent success’s (despite what our traitorous Senators say).
As of 13FEB2008, The Coalition Forces of (mainly) the United States and Iraq have won the War for Iraq overall. There will still be some bloody days ahead, but this is won.
February 13th, 2008 at 8:09 pm@bd
Let’s pray!
February 13th, 2008 at 8:15 pm[[Let’s not forget the Iraqi Parliament’s recent success’s (despite what our traitorous Senators say).]]
Yesterday that stupid bitch Pelosi said that the surge has failed because the Iraqis had only taken “baby steps” on meeting the benchmarks. She really has shit timing because today Iraqi politicians passed legislation for the 2008 Budget, a law on Provincial Powers, and an Amnesty law.
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17050&Itemid=128
February 13th, 2008 at 8:29 pmP.S. NUKE the desert!!
February 13th, 2008 at 9:01 pmIm getting the serious impression that we have won too.
February 13th, 2008 at 9:03 pmAQ is just hitting here and there with uneventful attacks of opportunity. They are running scared, have no command structure left. All i can is im glad im not a flip flopper. Supported our troops (and their mission) from the start and always will.
One Word!
OOHRAH!
February 13th, 2008 at 10:04 pmAs great and brave as our armed forces are, I knew it wouldn’t be a walk in the park. Anyone with an ounce of educated common sense should have known that. ALL our troops requested was for us to have patience, understanding, and to believe in them. Our troops have had to fight many obstacles in defeating this enemy … many of those obstacles here at home from people who should have been backing them through the tough/bad, and recognizing the good/accomplishments … Their own Congress and MSM press.
Oh, we have the idiots and dolts the likes of which we’ve seen the last few days in Berkeley … But the MOST inexcusable ones are the elected officials and the MSM. Their sins of ignorance, lies, slander, and treason will not be forgotten by honest historians.
Our troops never failed in this war.
However, many on the homefront failed them miserably … and unforgivably.
The phrase, “Snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory” has become a bit of a cliche in this war … but it cannot be said any better about those [sinners] I mentioned above. And I hope the Almighty will remind them either in this life or the next of their deception(s) … and make them pay dearly for it.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:11 pmMay the real God bless Iraq
February 13th, 2008 at 10:13 pmnicely put. absolutely the truth
February 13th, 2008 at 10:15 pmI don’t think the people of Iraq got the memo. At least not in Fallujah, the city was quite last night as it has been for some time. The citizens of Fallujah have/are stepping up to keep their city safe.
Pelosi is correct about there being no political reconciliation, AQI and the other violent militant groups only want one thing. An Iraq under strict Islamic Sharia
February 14th, 2008 at 3:36 amPelosi’s still running her neck? What did she say? I can’t hear her anymore, I’ve completely tuned her out!
But hey, I’m glad to hear the Surge is continuing to work!
“Some of them are saying it’s not even safe in the desert because the night raids are coming to get them,” Hertling said. “And that’s a good thing. We want them to keep thinking that they can’t sleep well at night because we’re coming after them, because, quite frankly, we are.”
I heard that though!
February 14th, 2008 at 4:04 amThanks to the troops for their courage and sacrifice and thanks to President George W. Bush for his courage to stay the course.
Through the bludgeonings by the traitors in congress and the MSM, his head was bloodied but unbowed.
(apologies to William Ernest Henley)
February 14th, 2008 at 8:04 amHow can this be?
Comrades Pelosivich, Reidovich, Murthavich, and the rest of the viches just proclamimed from the Politburo that the surge had failed and the Proletariat must rally and surrender.
Suck on it and take it in Nancy you ignorant git!
February 14th, 2008 at 10:59 amhadji:
If you run, you’ll only die tired.
February 14th, 2008 at 11:19 am