Our troops took out FAR more bad guys this week. [Press robbing troops (and us) of victory daily]

CENTCOM and various ^ | July 16, 2003

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Analysis of US casualties in Iraq: Week of July 10 - July 16

 

7/10 - A 3rd Corp Supply Command soldier died after being hit by small arms fire - convoy near the city of Al Mahmudiyah.

7/10 - Baghdad, A 4th Infantry Division soldier was killed and one wounded in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on their convoy.

7/10 - BALAD, Iraq – A 4th Infantry Division soldier died on July 9 from a non-hostile gunshot incident.

7/12 - BAGHDAD, Iraq – Two 4th Infantry Division soldiers were wounded and one subsequently died from a non-hostile gunshot incident.
7/13 - BAGHDAD, Iraq – One soldier was killed and two others injured at approximately 6:30 a.m. July 13 when a tractor trailer crashed into their military vehicle, which was parked at a check point outside of a base camp near the city of Ad Diwaniyah.

7/14 - BAGHDAD, Iraq – A soldier from 3rd Infantry Division was killed and 10 others were injured at approximately 7 a.m. July 13 when the convoy they were traveling in was attacked by multiple rocket-propelled grenades. The convoy was returning from a routine patrol mission when it began receiving fire. Ten soldiers were injured in the attack, three of them seriously. The soldiers were evacuated to the 28th Combat Support Hospital for treatment. Seven soldiers were returned to duty.
7/16 - AL HILLAH, Iraq - A 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Marine died here July 15, as a result of injuries received after falling from the top of a building where he was standing guard duty.
7/16 - BAGHDAD, Iraq – A soldier from the 3rd Corps Support Command was killed and three others wounded at approximately 9:55 a.m. today in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on their convoy as it was traveling near Abu Ghuraib prison in the western part of Baghdad.

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Hostile:  18 casualties: 4 soldiers k, 14 wounded: 3 k by RPG attacks on convoys, 1 by small arms fire. 14 wounded due to RPG fire (7 returned to duty).

 

Non-hostile:  7 casualties: 1 Marine, 3 Soldiers k, 3 w in non-hostile incidents: 2 k 1 w by gunfire, 1k falling off roof, 1 k 2 w vehicle accident.

 

Total: 8 killed, 17 wounded = 25 of our brave troops gave their lives or their blood for their country last week.

 

Their fellow Soldiers, Airmen and Marines did this to the bad guys:

 

COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE (July 11, 2003)

....In the last 24 hours, the 1st AD conducted five raids resulting in 182 detained individuals and 24 mortar rounds, 12 pistols, five assault rifles, seven rocket-propelled grenades, and four anti-tank rounds confiscated.

Elsewhere, Coalition forces continued aggressive patrols throughout the country over the last 24 hours conducting 26 raids, 1,134-day patrols and 958 night patrols. They also jointly patrolled with the Iraqi Police conducting 205 day patrols and 221 night patrols. On their own, Iraqi Police conducted 10 day and six night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 99 arrests for various criminal activities including three for murder, three for car jacking, three for aggravated assault, nine for burglary, and 18 for looting.

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OPPOSITION LEADERS APPREHENDED IN NORTHERN IRAQ (July 12)

 

...In Mosul, the 101st Airborne Division apprehended three local opposition leaders. All three men are currently detained in the division’s holding facility.

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force along with Iraqi police arrested two men in Al Kifl, one of whom is a suspected colonel in the former regime’s security force. Coalition forces searched the suspects’ houses finding approximately 100 blasting caps, time fuses and other explosives.

In a separate patrol, 1st MEF seized a cache of 1,000 122mm rockets in the town of Shayka Mazhar. They also seized numerous mortar rounds.

The 1st Armored Division conducted four raids resulting in 233 individuals detained and 20 pistols and 20 assault rifles confiscated.

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July 13, 2003

OPERATION IVY SERPENT

TIKRIT, Iraq– The 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse has launched the fourth series of operations, yesterday, focused on neutralizing paramilitary, Ba’ath Party loyalists and other subversive elements within Iraq. Operation Ivy Serpent is a preemptive strike that aggressively focuses on non-compliant forces and former regime leaders who are planning attacks against coalition forces in an attempt to hinder coalition and Iraqi efforts in building a new Iraq. Much of the effort is concentrated in a region along Highway 1 between the cities of Bayji, Huwayiah and Samarra. Coalition forces will not deter from the objective until these hostiles are located and destroyed.

Intelligence reports gathered from a variety of sources indicate former regime leaders plan attacks against coalition targets during this time frame. Coalition members encourage the local Iraqi leadership to take the initiative and aid in the capture of subversive elements that attempt to hinder the rebuilding of Iraq.

Ivy Serpent, like previous operations Peninsula Strike, Desert Scorpion and Sidewinder, will sweep the task force’s area of operations to root out elements attempting to undermine coalition efforts to restore basic infrastructure and stability in the region.

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COALITION SECURITY EFFORTS CONTINUE (July 13)

 

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The 101st Airborne Division started border guard training for more than 100 border guards in the Chwarta and Halaba districts.

The 1st Armored Division conducted three raids resulting in 85 individuals being detained and 15 pistols, 15 assault rifles and one rocket-propelled grenade confiscated.

Elsewhere, Coalition forces continued aggressive patrols throughout the country over the last 24 hours conducting 22 raids, 1,166-day patrols and 894 night patrols. They also jointly patrolled with the Iraqi Police conducting 215 day patrols and 170 night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 330 arrests for various criminal activities including six for murder, one for kidnapping, two for car jacking, three for aggravated assault, 10 for burglary, and 42 looting.

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July 13, 2003

OPERATION IVY SERPENT CONTINUES 

 

TIKRIT, Iraq – The 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse launched Operation Ivy Serpent, a preemptive strike July 12, resulting in the capture of several members of the former regime and the confiscation of numerous weapons and ammunition caches.

In an early morning raid near Ba’qubah soldiers captured three former regime loyalist leaders.

Operation Ivy Serpent has resulted in the detainment of more than 80 people who are members of the Ba’ath Party, Fedayeen, Regime Death Squad or other subversive elements. During the course of the raids confiscated weapons include AK-47s, pistols, mortars and items used to make improvised explosive devices.

The 4th ID and Task Force Ironhorse will continue to pursue and capture non-compliant forces and former regime leaders who have attacked Coalition forces.

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July 14, 2003

OPERATION IVY SERPENT YIELDS RESULTS

 

TIKRIT, Iraq – Operation Ivy Serpent, in its second day, resulted in the capture of 226 detainees and the confiscation of 800 82-mm mortar rounds, 50 AK-47s, 26 rocket-propelled grenades and three hand grenades. Six of the detainees are former regime loyalist leaders.

Operation Ivy Serpent, which started July 12, is the initiative of the 4th Infantry Division and Task Force Ironhorse to search for and apprehend high value targets and confiscate weapons and ammunition caches. Operation Ivy Serpent, like previous operations Peninsula Strike, Desert Scorpion and Sidewinder, will sweep the task force’s area and root out elements that have attacked Coalition forces.

So far in Operation Ivy Serpent the 4th ID and Taskforce Ironhorse have conducted 27 raids. To date, no Iraqi civilians have been killed or wounded in the operation. Additionally, no Coalition forces have been killed or wounded.

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SODA MOUNTAIN CONTINUES TO SECURE IRAQ (July 16)

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The 4th Infantry Division continued to lead the way in Operation Soda Mountain with supporting operation, Operation Ivy Serpent, in order to create a secure environment in Iraq.

Since the beginning of the operation on July 12, the 4th ID has conducted 71 raids and detained 448 individuals, including 38 individuals identified as key former regime loyalists leaders. Confiscated weapons include 102 AK-47s, 387 125mm mortar rounds, and four 60 mm mortar tubes.

The 1st Marine Expeditionary Force discovered and destroyed eight SA-7 missiles located in the Muhawil ammunition supply point.

The 1st MEF came to the aid of an U. S. Army convoy that was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Babil. They later captured two of the attackers and confiscated a Dragonov rifle, AK-47s and ammunition. The attackers were taken for questioning.

The 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment seized a weapons cache in a town north of Habinyah. The weapons seized consisted of 400 rocket-propelled grenade rounds, 15 mortars with fuses and one anti-tank mine. A bunker complex was identified as well. An engineer unit demolished the bunker site

In other activity, a unit of the 101st Airborne Division secured the former Iraqi Military stipend payments paying 1,065 former Iraqi soldiers on the first day.

Elsewhere, Coalition forces continued aggressive patrols throughout the country over the last 24 hours conducting 65 raids, 1,347-day patrols and 1,690-night patrols. They also jointly patrolled with the Iraqi Police conducting 172-day patrols and 216-night patrols. Independently, the Iraqi Police conducted eight day patrols and two night patrols.

The total raids and patrols resulted in 360 arrests for various criminal activities including four for murder, five for car jacking, 11 for aggravated assault, 11 for burglary, and 13 for looting.

For further information contact the CJTF-7 Coalition Press Information Center at 914 360-5082/5089 or cpic.pressdesk.iraq@us.army.mil.

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There are roughly 148,000 US troops now on the ground in Iraq - a nation ~ the size of California with a population of over 24 million Iraqis...most of whom are very glad we're there and are dying along side us while helping us locate and take out Saddam loyalists and other assorted troublemakers. 
 

During the past week - while stabilizing a whole nation - 8 of our awesome troops were killed (4 by hostile fire), 17 wounded (14 by hostile fire) - 25 total casualties across the nation of Iraq.

 

Seven wounded troops are now back on duty.

 

Our troops took out far more bad guys.

---

LT SMASH - LIVE FROM THE SANDBOX:

If we gave in to the snivelers and peaceniks who cry, “Bring our troops home now!” Iraq would undoubtedly descend into a bloody civil war, and God only knows who would come out on top. Saddam might even emerge from hiding, claiming to have driven the “infidels” out of his country. The United States would have suffered another black eye, and our enemies would be further emboldened to attack us again. We would have lost the war, and all of the brave Americans and British who gave their lives in this operation would have died in vain.

I am not willing to accept that scenario. You shouldn’t be, either.

We are the mightiest military to ever walk the face of the Earth. We have the capability and the will to finish this job.

Let's see it through to the end.

TRANSMISSION FROM LT Smash 1303Z |

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The US military has been in Iraq 3 days shy of  4 months.

 

***

 

[FairOpinion]

Here is an excellent article as "Answer to those who would quit Iraq":

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/947934/posts

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for your service. Maybe we can avenge those ghosts this time - along with the fallen troops and the 9-11 victims. I'll think of you next time I respond to a 'Cronkite-wannabe'.

[Blzbba]

"Our boys are being shot at, because they are defending our country, which is what the military is for. "


No argument there. The soldiers who make the "I'm tired of this and wanna go home" statements are as guilty as any newsmedia for recording them. But hell, it's easy for you & I to sit here in our AC'd rooms and type crap back and forth, rather than get shot at.


"I suppose you would prefer thousands more US civilian casualties in 9-11 style attacks or worse instead? "

Nope. Typical overreaction from the far-right/far-left. My first post in this thread called for 'revenge on the 9-11 attackers', none of which were Iraqi. I feel we should be invading Saudi Arabia (my exact words were "Raze Riyadh!"), which still poses a threat to us and who bred 15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers. Noone in the CIA or FBI or NSA thinks or has been able to tie an Iraqi to 9-11. So, Mr. Defense of America, please tell me why the hell we aren't attacking the Saudis? Or better yet, Pakistan - which is giving haven to Osama Bin Dipshit and the rest of Al Quada AND has 'nukular' WMDs! If you can explain this to me, I'd be appreciative.


"Do you think we shouldn't fight the enemy, because it might result in the deaths of US soldiers? And your alternative is...? Obviously the alternative is to just let the enemy take us over and kill all of us. "

Yeah, but again, Iraq hasn't been proven to be the immediate threat to us that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea is so why aren't we attacking them?


"While death of US soldiers is sad, more people are being killed in the US as a results of various accidents. "

Very true. So what - should we wage war on all elderly drivers, since one of 'em took out 8 people in Calipornia yesterday? God knows that guy had the same impact on those people as a terrorist would've.

[Blzbba]

Your article makes an even better point than my post that, to address the root of this terrorism problem, our troops should be in Islamabad right now, seizing Al Quada assets and terrorists and hunting down Osama Bin Stupid.

We should've conquered the Saudis at least a year ago, rather than giving them more time to spread American hatred to their youth and giving our gas money to Arab shieks.

Attack Pakistan and Saudi Arabia immediately. Anything less than this won't stop more terrorist groups from forming in these already-unstable regimes.

Please tell me how I'm wrong here..

[Blzbba]

Hey FairOpinion...it looks like someone agrees with me!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/947984/posts

One down...an entire nation of Islamic hatred to go...

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

We sure don't get this news from the American media!

PKM, when you find the American media please ping me.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

You're very welcome. Amen.

Remember when Lt. Gen. Abizaid read the riot act to the Al Jazeera reporter at the CENTCOM briefing after Al Jazeera aired the video of our POWs? This man cares about the troops.

Armed Forces Know Mission Comes First in War on Terror

 

By Linda D. Kozaryn / American Forces Press Service

 

     WASHINGTON, July 16, 2003 — "We can either fight this battle against terrorism at home, or we can fight it abroad," U.S. Army Gen. John Abizaid said today. "Our soldiers have to know in their heart of hearts that they've got to fight it abroad."
      The new commander of Operation Iraqi Freedom met with Pentagon reporters on the eve of his departure for the Persian Gulf. Abizaid, who assumed command of U.S. Central Command July 7, gave an update on the security situation in Iraq. He also discussed how long troops would remain in Iraq, a question being posed by the public, military family members and the troops themselves.
     "It's very important to all of us to make sure that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines know when they're coming home. I know this personally," Abizaid stressed. More  Transcript

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Good post, I agree on all points. The media is key, though. They won't change, but we can bypass them and get the info out to the people. We did in Florida in 2000 and 2002. Bloggers, radio and FR make a difference...still, if we had an Ernie Pyle w/ his own radio show - the press couldn't create the perception that we're suffering major losses, and anyone hyping Saddam propaganda would have one voice shaming 'em into playing, say, pictures of the mass-graves, or an interview with a General everytime Saddam's loyalists "find" a new tape, play the same old damnable games inciting fear in the Iraqi population.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Gee, sounds like body count comparisons.

Any information can be twisted - goodness - if we didn't learn from Cronkite during Vietnam, we certainly learned from Saddam Hussein and over 24 years of propaganda.

Facts are weapons. A weapon in the hands of an ally is a good thing. I know most Freepers care very deeply about the troops, which is why we should absolutely use every tool we have to show what a great job our troops are doing. The numbers prove this. They also prove that the Iraqi people want us there. Two big lies debunked with a 'body count' in the hands of an ally.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

It is shameful and treasonous how they put petty and vicious politics above our national security.

Yes it is...a major scandal, even.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for the kind comments.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

OUR press, including FoxNews and Drudge are choosing to follow the opinion of the NY Times rather than the DoD on war news. Bad choice. Dang, America's press is letting us down - letting down the troops.

DoD News Briefing - Mr. Di Rita and Gen. Abizaid [3RD ID out by September (press lied - again)]
DoD - Pentagon ^ | July 16, 2003 | Gen. John Abizaid, commander, U.S. Central Command

[Salvation]

You have a valid point here. I think I will send this URL to FoxNews.

They do have more info than any other channel even wwithout this additional information.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks, Salvation. Part of the problem is education, of course. Their definition of 'unbiased' = 'emptyheaded' - open to all possibilities. It's a recipe for mischief - a reporter with no real core beliefs falling for suckers and used by our enemies daily.

It's partly the press distrust of the military. They came to believe some big liars during Vietnam as well.

CENTCOM is the primary news source from Iraq. They run the war and the 178,000 troops and leaders under Gen. Abizaid. I ask reporters often whether they checked the CENTCOM briefings and daily logs. They prefer their sources - placed outside the Baathist Party strongholds and in the press hotel, where America's enemies can use find them...and they troll for victims with help from the socialist NGOs who want the UN to win.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks, seamole. (^:

This is my favorite article this week:

Nobody wants Saddam back [Excellent]
Townhall.com ^ | July 18, 2003 | Amir Taheri