Thread: More Proof the Surge is Working...

BAGHDAD BABYLON
Hope and Despair in Divided Iraq

By Ullrich Fichtner in Iraq
When describing Iraq, the word "peace" is seldom used. Truth be told, the Americans have restored order to many parts of the county. But Iraq remains fractured, and where new schools are built today, bombs could explode tomorrow.

he Iraq war came within a hair of returning to Ramadi in early July. The attackers had already gathered four kilometers (about 2.5 miles) south of the city, on the banks of the Nasr canal. Between 40 and 50 men dressed in light uniforms were armed like soldiers and prepared to commit a series of suicide bombings. They had already strapped explosive vests to their bodies and loaded thousands of kilograms of explosives, missiles and grenades onto two old Mercedes trucks. But their plan was foiled when Iraqis intent on preserving peace in Ramadi betrayed them to the Americans.

Army Units of the 1st Battalion of the 77th United States Armor Regiment -- nicknamed the "Steel Tigers" and sent from an American base in Schweinfurt, Germany -- approached from the north and south. But the enemy was strong and they quickly realized that in order to defeat it, they needed air support. Before long, Apache combat helicopters, F-18 Hornet and AV-8 Harrier jets approached, the explosions from their guns lighting up the night sky on June 30.

The "Battle of Donkey Island," named after the wild donkeys native to the region, lasted 23 hours. The Americans forced the enemy to engage in trench warfare in the rough brush, eventually trapping them in the vast riverside landscape. It wasn't until later, after the soldiers lost two of their own and killed 35 terrorists, that they realized the scope of the disaster they had foiled......

The Turning Point

In October, 90 "incidents" were reported in Tameem, an area no larger than a few city blocks in Berlin. Twenty of those incidents involved attacks on US troops by gangs of insurgents. Wherever the Americans went they were shot at from apartment buildings, three times with rockets and four times with rocket-propelled grenades. Sixteen remote-controlled bombs exploded along the neighborhood's streets, 14 homemade explosive devices were found and defused, snipers attacked the occupying troops twice and one hidden car bomb was found, ready for use. And so the story continued: throughout November, December, January and February.

By March, however, the number of incidents reported in Tameem had dropped to 43, including only four direct attacks with rifles and pistols and one rocket attack. There were no bombings, snipers, rocket-propelled grenades or car bombs. And the leaders of the region's 23 powerful clans were finally meeting with US commanders for "security conferences," while the imams from the city's mosques met with the military's chaplains.
The Iraqis in Ramadi, almost all Sunnis, had been worn down by chronic violence. Many had been victims of kidnappings or blackmail at the hands of mafia-like terrorist groups. They had finally come to the realization that, in the long run, the Americans were less of a threat and offered more hope than the fanatical holy warriors from Iraq and abroad.

Families began sending their sons to join the new Iraqi police force and military and fathers ran for municipal offices. They began cooperating with US military officials, turning in bombers and revealing their weapons caches, all while going about their daily lives, running their businesses, working as contractors, shipping agents and garbage collectors. Teachers returned to their classrooms, doctors began treating patients again and store owners restocked their shelves. Iraqis were now building the barbed wire barriers around the city, constructed to force travelers through checkpoints. Iraqis even manned the checkpoints as the Americans -- the Iraqis' former enemies -- retreated to the background, watching over as the city made a fresh start.

Since June, Ramadi residents have only known the war from televison. Indeed, US military officials at the Baghdad headquarters of Operation Iraqi Freedom often have trouble believing their eyes when they read the reports coming in from their units in Ramadi these days. Exploded car bombs: zero. Detonated roadside bombs: zero. Rocket fire: zero. Grenade fire: zero. Shots from rifles and pistols: zero. Weapons caches discovered: dozens. Terrorists arrested: many.

fuckfrance.com - A wildly optimistic article about Iraq from Der Spiegel, now the end of the world is truly coming (2712901) - Read article:

Con:

Der Speigal isn't exactly a right-wing think tank...

Wow. I'm impressed. Ramadi is safer. Let's look at the rest of the country.

10 killed in a suicide attack in Baghdad.
10 killed as suicide bomber strikes major bridge in Iraq - International Herald Tribune

5 American soldiers dead.
IC Publications

Iraqs Deputy Oli Minister kidnapped.

Iraq's deputy oil minister, four others kidnapped from government compound - International Herald Tribune

Soldiers now get 15 month rotations in Iraq.
U.S. general says 15-month Army rotations in Iraq, Afghanistan, to continue into next summer - International Herald Tribune

The Kurds want to break off from the rest of the country.
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

30 Iraqi judges ahve been killed.
Officials: some 30 Iraqi judges have been killed in Iraq, underscoring need for tight security - International Herald Tribune

A suicide bomber killed 9 people.
Suicide truck bombers strike members of ancient religious sect in northwestern Iraq; dozens killed - International Herald Tribune

A suicide bomber killed 20 people.
Suicide bombers kill 20 in Iraq sect attack - police | World | Reuters

Yeah, it's going great. But hey, an op ed from fuckfrance.com says it's going well, so it must be.

Iraq's deputy oil minister, four others kidnapped from government compound
The Associated Press
Published: August 14, 2007

BAGHDAD: More than 50 gunmen dressed in Iraqi security forces uniforms and using 17 official vehicles broke into an Oil Ministry compound in eastern Baghdad Tuesday and abducted a senior deputy of the oil minister, and four other officials, a ministry spokesman and police said.

-snip-

Give it up, Conservative. You're changing precisely ZERO opinions about this mess.

Actually, the facts are quite supportive of Conservative's opinion here. That doesn't mean we are going to succeed in Iraq. Everything could still fall apart, but it is evident that the surge is having tremendous success.

Working towards what?

This black op isn't about the Iraqi people, its about creating the conditions for the New World Order.

And all of the troops that went to Iraq have been lied to and are spending their lives and killing people for the same powers that empowered HITELR and the United Nations...cuz they have the same parents.

as well as being the ones to ramp up Islam for war, via the dialectic for the world.

You must think the elites are idiots. They are wicked but crafty...like slick willie but on a much harsher tone.

the Americans have restored order to many parts of the county

That was mighty kind of them. If I piss on your sister do I get credit for handing her a towel?

Suicide Bombings Kill 175 In Iraq
Updated: 22:56, Tuesday August 14, 2007
More than 175 people have been killed and 200 injured in suicide tanker bombings in northern Iraq.
The massacre was caused by three suicide bombers driving fuel tankers in one of the worst single incidents in the four year war.
~snip~
Suicide Bombings Kill 175 In Iraq |Sky News|World News

lol yeah fuckfrance.com ahahaha./......
lol @ robodoon.

Originally Posted by Vortex

Suicide Bombings Kill 175 In Iraq
Updated: 22:56, Tuesday August 14, 2007
More than 175 people have been killed and 200 injured in suicide tanker bombings in northern Iraq.
The massacre was caused by three suicide bombers driving fuel tankers in one of the worst single incidents in the four year war.
~snip~
Suicide Bombings Kill 175 In Iraq |Sky News|World News

But Vor, it's working because some yahoo on fuckfrance.com says so. The solution to every problem is to not find a solution, just throw more money and American lives at it, and leave the mess for the next guy who comes along.

With the increase in deployment lengths, we are now quickly reaching a point where soldiers will not have to come back home until after the election is over next year. What a fucking joke.