Posted on 07/06/2008 9:42:37 AM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
The media: where seldom is heard, an encouraging word.
Times UK, ah, are there any AMERICAN reporters from AMERICAN media covering the final defeat of al Qaeda in Iraq? Huh?
Terrible news for those who failed to support the war on terrorism. You know, democrats and traitors.
That has a nice ring to it!
Will Obama now claim victory by revising his previous opinions on the war on terror?
See my tagline.
I like that. That brought a smile to my face.
Funny that we Americans have to go to the foreign press for good news on Iraq. You would think the “journalist elite” would be ashamed. But naahhhh! They are too busy kissing Obama’s bumm.
How are there not more Al-Qaeda still coming into Iraq from both Syria and Iran at any time? Syria and Iran are still MAJOR problems for Iraq, and this doesn’t even include all of the other terrorist organizations that still continue to exist just from within Iraq.
Imagine if Canadians started to plant bombs in American towns and cities, after, say an invasion of Brazilians, Argentines, and Mexicans had overthrown an American dictator who had suspended the Constitution and killed off 2% of the population.
The Canadians would not last very long, except maybe in NYC, San Francisco and Minneapolis. They wouldn't last even there after they had killed enough Americans.
It is a non issue now. Obama is even finding it hard to call for retreat. McCain should hammer Obama over and over. He should ask Obama if he believes he was wrong now that we have won in Iraq. I can not wait till the debates. McCain will eat the youngster alive.
The Times didn't get the memo to avoid reporting good news from Iraq.
“How are there not more Al-Qaeda still coming into Iraq from both Syria and Iran at any time?”
They’re running out of both recruits and operators who know what to do with them in Iraq.
OBAMA: Al-Qaeda’s last HOPE
Bush successfully drained the swamp. Now they have 4 years to rebuild with Barack Hussein’s help.
Indeed!
Excellent!
See also this thread by jveritas:
Largest Terrorist Forum Admits Al Qaeda Defeat in Iraq
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2041564/posts
We lost our FIRST warrior for the month of July today. It's one too many, but it points up the dramatic downward trend in US losses. Iraqi security and civilian casualties also continue steeply downward. Nothing from the CricketNewsNetwork. No known Democrats pleased by this news (of course, they would have to be AWARE in order to be pleased).
It was reported the other day that CBS has ZERO reporters in Iraq. They said they retained capability to respond quickly and send someone there IF SOMETHING HAPPENED.
Can you FedEx me the T-shirt? That's fantastic.
A huge thank you to all whom are currently serving or have served. 1/2 of us know better and will help recapture the hearts and minds of the other 1/2 which is brainwashed. I am a civilian but I am using my media assets and database knowledge to conduct my own little private war :) You guys and girls are forever loved and cherished for protecting my family and America.
Great comments after the article as well.
No... they are covering the soap opera surrounding A-Rod...
You're missing half the story. Al-Qaeda was never compatible with even a majority of Sunnis. Successful Iraqis pride themselves as a worldly people from "the cradle of civilization". Al-Qaeda were lampooned as "cavemen". To a large degree, the Iraqi middle class (or what passes for it) likes their vices - smoking, drinking, singing, dancing, western music and films. That is all forbidden by al-Qaeda's fundamentalism, the Arab equivalent of the Khmer Rouge.
But there were plenty of al-Qaeda. They brought money, were experts in insurgency, they expected to die (often wanted to die) and were relatively effective at fighting Americans. So they were accepted by disempowered Sunnis, fearful of subjugation. But al-Qaeda went too far. They ruled through brutality, cutting of body parts, killing family members and laying waste to whole villages. It helped them eliminate dissertations and crossovers, but it didn't win them votes.
As al-Qaeda was on the cusp of a popular defeat, following 3 national elections, they upped the ante again, and tried to burn down Iraq. They targeted Shiite Muslims. Worse, they targeted Shiite Muslims while posing as Iraqi Sunnis with the goal of getting Shiites to turn around and kill Sunnis! Islamists of course have a history breaking Islam's prohibition of killing other Muslims, but there has NEVER been such a radical departure from Islamic morality as al-Qaeda that was successful.
This year the Iraqi government has dramatically grown in popularity, and al-Qaeda's support is dwindling to non-existent. Absent some unpredictable catastrophe, al-Qaeda in Iraq is at least months, probably weeks from being 99% dead. They're almost as widely despised as they are here, in some places more so. Sure, there will be pockets of nuts across Iraq that will still align with them, still blow up markets, burn down DVD stores and assassinate reformists. But I don't see any way they will again dominate any region politically or will militarily threaten Iraq's sovereignty. The Iraq army is now at least half way competent, mostly loyal to Iraq, growing in strength and largely filling with pride over their recent victories across the nation. They love killing al-Qaeda. So I can't imagine a plausible scenario where al-Qaeda could rebuild there with or without Barack's help.
Is there any other reason why this story in not front-page in the WaPo or the treasonous NYSLimes?
Interestingly, if it had been any other President but George W. "selected not elected" Bush, they would be crowing over how foresightful they were for supporting the war in the first place. They would be claiming all kinds of credit. the best they can hope for now is to ignore it for six more months, and wait for their guy to get into the White House. Then, in the most dramatic military victory in history, we will have won Iraq in just a few short days. January 19, 2009: Bush got us into a hopeless, endless quagmire; January 29, 2009: Barak is not only eloquent and charismatic, but he is a military genius as well.
Can you FedEx me the T-shirt? That's fantastic.
Glad you like it but I'm not set up to do T-shirts. Any of you who want to do this, go ahead... and maybe make up some "Al-Qaeda’s last" stickers to put on Obama "HOPE" posters and lawn signs.
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