http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/militias/ en-us Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:01:31 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043149/posts WASHINGTON, July 9, 2008 – Iraq experienced the lowest number of acts of violence in more than four years last week, a spokesman for Multinational Force Iraq said in Baghdad today. Video Security progress in Iraq is unmistakable, Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner said. Civilian deaths around the country were at their lowest point in three years, the general told reporters, adding that the reduction in violence is allowing the Iraqi government and the coalition to put in place projects that improve the quality of life in the country and create jobs for Iraqis. The general said the security... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043149/posts#comment Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:01:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2037018/posts WASHINGTON, June 26, 2008 – Iraqi soldiers and police, assisted by U.S. and coalition troops, are making good progress in pacifying the city of Amarah and surrounding areas in Iraq's Maysan province, a senior U.S. military officer posted in Iraq said today. The Iraqi-military planned and led operation is part of Baghdad’s efforts to help citizens “regain control of their towns, cities and villages” from illegal militias or other extremists, Army Col. Charles Flynn, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, told reporters during a satellite-carried news conference at the Pentagon. “We stand in full support... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2037018/posts#comment Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:41:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2023774/posts The U.S. is beginning its withdrawal from Iraq. U.S. troops strength is expected to decline from 170,000 to 140,000 by the end of the Summer. The reduction is made possible by the growing number of Iraqi army and police units that can do the job. U.S. military advisors have seen this coming for years, as they tracked dozens of different metrics (statistics on various aspects of Iraqi performance). The Iraqi armed forces and police had to be completely rebuilt. That's because the Saddam era army and police existed mainly to keep Saddam in power. Most of the leadership in that... Strategy Page http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2023774/posts#comment Fri, 30 May 2008 23:57:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010820/posts A member of the Iraqi national police creates an inventory of illegal weapons confiscated by Iraqi national police in the Sadr City District of Baghdad, Iraq, as he turns them over to members of the 42nd brigade, 11th Iraqi army division, at Combat Patrol Base Comanche on April 19. (US Air Force photo/Technical Sergean Adrian Cadiz) US and Iraqi forces continue to target the Mahdi Army as an Iraqi delegation visited Iran to confront the country over its support of Shia militias battling the government. The US military conducted a guided rocket attack on a Special Groups headquarters adjacent... The Long War Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2010820/posts#comment Sat, 3 May 2008 21:28:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2000296/posts WASHINGTON - Iranian support for militias in Iraq has grown, top U.S. defense leaders said Friday, asserting that recent battles in Basra gave the Iraqis an eye-opening view of Iran's increased negative role there. More broadly, the outlook for more progress toward stabilizing Iraq and reducing the U.S. troop presence is clouded by several other potential pitfalls in coming months, including the prospect of increased violence with the approach of provincial Iraqi elections this fall, Gen. David Petraeus said in an interview at the Pentagon with a group of reporters. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, also cited the... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2000296/posts#comment Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:31:07 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1999263/posts From on the ground in Najaf, Eye Raki reports Mookie has returned to home in Najaf. Also, he has lost a lot of weight. Perhaps the Britney Spears diet?: "I was introduced by a mutual friend to an officer in the Ministry of Interior who confirmed the reports. I wanted to go to look out for any unusual activity around his house but the street leading to his home was blocked off by IP's who wouldn't give us a straight answer as to why we are not allowed through...Could this be a turn around in Iranian foreign policy and possibly... Iraqi Bloggers Central http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1999263/posts#comment Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:11:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1992758/posts BAGHDAD - Warning sirens wail and within seconds rockets and mortars strike — sometimes one or two, other times 10 or more. The Green Zone is again a prime target as American and British diplomats, Iraqi politicians, contractors and others struggle to go about their business — always aware that any time they are outside the most fortified buildings there is a chance to be injured or killed. The danger has temporarily reshaped life: Green Zone traffic is minimal, few people venture out on the streets and security precautions — always high — have been boosted. Many diplomats and others... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1992758/posts#comment Thu, 27 Mar 2008 22:24:05 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991996/posts Amid heavy clashes between government forces and Shiite Muslim militants in Baghdad and the southern port city of Basra, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki issued an ultimatum Wednesday demanding that the militias surrender their weapons within 72 hours. Radical cleric Muqtada al Sadr , whose Mahdi Army militia is a prime target of the government offensive, responded by demanding that Maliki leave Basra. U.S. forces joined Iraqi troops in Baghdad to fight Mahdi Army militants, and police said that at least 20 people had been killed in the Sadr City neighborhood, a stronghold for Sadr's backers. The city's fortified... McClatchy/Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1991996/posts#comment Wed, 26 Mar 2008 18:38:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890617/posts Inhabitants awake to a new dawn, with some hailing departure of ‘occupiers’ and others fearful of rival militias battling for control Basra was a city divided yesterday after the withdrawal of British troops left some residents hailing the departure of “the occupiers” and others fearing for their safety if Iraqi security forces were unable to control rival militias. The withdrawal was the top story on all the Iraqi television stations until it was superseded by President Bush’s arrival in Anbar province in the afternoon. Pictures showed Iraqi soldiers hoisting the black, white and red national flag above the palace complex,... The Times (London) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890617/posts#comment Mon, 3 Sep 2007 20:45:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890475/posts My cousin Kamran is a successful software engineer in Tehran with a house, a thriving business of his own, and a brand new Peugeot, which he likes to show off by careening through the city's clogged streets at maniacal speeds. Like most of Iran's young and highly educated population, he must rely on other means to make ends meet. So, in addition to running his software business, Kamran tutors neighborhood children, raises chickens on his aunt's farm, hires himself out as a guide and translator for tourists, dabbles in real estate, and occasionally sells imitation designer handbags out of the... Slate http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1890475/posts#comment Mon, 3 Sep 2007 12:41:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783051/posts BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. military officials on Sunday accused the highest levels of the Iranian leadership of arming Shiite militants in Iraq with sophisticated armor-piercing roadside bombs that have killed more than 170 American forces. The military command in Baghdad denied, however, that any newly smuggled Iranian weapons were behind the five U.S. military helicopter crashes since Jan. 20 — four that were shot out of the sky by insurgent gunfire. A fifth crash has tentatively been blamed on mechanical failure. In the same period, two private security company helicopters also have crashed but the cause was unclear. The deadly... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1783051/posts#comment Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:56:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1770397/posts BOGOTA (Reuters) - More than a dozen Colombian politicians agreed in 2001 to cooperate with right-wing paramilitary criminals, says a document revealed on Friday, fueling the country's worst political scandal in years. Three members President Alvaro Uribe's congressional coalition have been sent to prison for their links with the drug-running militias, and more lawmakers were under investigation before paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso turned the document over as part of his court case. Signed by militia bosses including Mancuso, who this week admitted he ordered massacres and 336 assassinations in the name of fighting left-wing rebels, the document also carries the... Reuters on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1770397/posts#comment Fri, 19 Jan 2007 21:44:26 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1765600/posts BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's prime minister has told Shiite militiamen to surrender their arms or face an all-out assault by U.S.-backed Iraqi forces, senior Iraqi officials said Wednesday, as President Bush said he will commit an additional 21,500 American combat troops to the war. Under pressure from the U.S., Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has agreed to crack down on fighters controlled by his most powerful political ally, Muqtada al-Sadr, a radical Shiite cleric, according to officials. Previously, al-Maliki had resisted the move. "Prime Minister al-Maliki has told everyone that there will be no escape from attack," a senior Shiite legislator... AP and Examiner.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1765600/posts#comment Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:00:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1749813/posts Reyes appearance on C-Span is very revealing about where he stands and what we can expect as he heads the intel committe in the House. C-Span http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1749813/posts#comment Thu, 7 Dec 2006 13:31:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1744380/posts Iraqi Government taking on militias Tuesday, 21 November 2006 Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman, Multi-National Force - Iraq. BAGHDAD — Politics is the best means available to the Iraqi Government and Coalition to deal with armed militias in the country, the spokesman for Multi-National Force – Iraq said during a press conference here Monday. Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, spokesman, MNF-I, said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is dealing with political leaders in the country to disarm the militias, and Coalition officials are supporting that effort. The goal, he said, is that the militias would disband and rely on... Multi-National Force Iraq http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1744380/posts#comment Mon, 27 Nov 2006 03:41:43 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1741794/posts WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2006 -- Politics is the best means available to the Iraqi government and the coalition to deal with armed militias in the country, a coalition spokesman said in Baghdad today. Army Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is dealing with political leaders in the country to disarm the militias, and coalition officials are supporting that effort. The goal, he said, is that the militias would disband and rely on local Iraqi security forces for protection and maintaining order. Militias that won’t engage in a political solution will be met with force, the... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1741794/posts#comment Mon, 20 Nov 2006 23:54:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1739966/posts WASHINGTON, Nov. 16, 2006 -- Illegal armed militias are one of the biggest challenges facing stability efforts in Iraq, but they cannot be defeated by military efforts alone, two of the top U.S. officials who deal with Iraq said here yesterday. The only way to effectively deal with militias is to combine military efforts with serious political reconciliation, Army Gen. John P. Abizaid, commander of U.S. Central Command, and David M. Satterfield, senior advisor to the secretary of state and coordinator for Iraq, said while testifying before the House Armed Services Committee. “I think that militia units and militia... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1739966/posts#comment Fri, 17 Nov 2006 00:12:40 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1725292/posts WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2006 – The Iraqi government has plans to demobilize all illegal militias, including radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s so-called “Mahdi Army,” the senior U.S. diplomat in Iraq said today. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki “has agreed to getting rid of the militias,” U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad told reporters at a Baghdad news conference. Illegal militias that commit violence and murder need to be dealt with, Khalilzad said, noting the Iraqi government recognizes that fact. Maliki wants to demobilize all the militias, including al-Sadr’s, Khalilzad said. Yet, he noted, U.S. officials don’t have direct contact with Sadr,... American Forces Press Service http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1725292/posts#comment Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:40:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1720049/posts "IRAQ'S fragile democracy, weakened by mounting chaos and a rapidly rising death toll, is being challenged by calls for the formation of a hardline "government of national salvation". The proposal, which is being widely discussed in political and intelligence circles in Baghdad, is to replace the Shia-led Government of Nouri al-Maliki, the Prime Minister, with a regime that is capable of imposing order and confronting the sectarian militias leading the country to the brink of civil war. Saleh al-Mutlak, a prominent Sunni politician, travelled to Arab capitals last week seeking support for the replacement of the present Government with a... The Australian http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1720049/posts#comment Mon, 16 Oct 2006 04:27:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1714353/posts BAGHDAD, Iraq - A political solution must be found to the problem of Iraq's sectarian violence that will lead to militias to "dissolve themselves," Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Thursday ahead of talks with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Al-Maliki is under intensified pressure to find an end to the Shiite-Sunni killings that have torn Iraq apart for months despite the government's calls for militias — many of which have ties to parties in the government — to put down their arms. On route to Baghdad on Thursday, Rice underlined that Iraq's leaders "don't have time for endless debate... AP on Yahoo http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1714353/posts#comment Thu, 5 Oct 2006 17:50:15 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1701007/posts The "Brady Campaign" is trying hard to derail or ruin H.R. 5005, the “FIREARMS CORRECTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS ACT” ! It would be interesting to know who the 35 Police Chiefs are who aren't willing to admit to the public that they're against the bill. I was initially skeptical that the the Nevada Sheriff's and Chief's Association was supporting the "Brady" bunch on this, so I PERSONALLY confirmed it. Here is the contact information for the association lobbyist and president. Nevada Sheriffs & Chiefs Association Lobbyist, Frank Adams 866-266-9870 Cell, 702/379-6591 President, No. LV Sheriff, Mark Paresi (702) 633-1837 This association... HCI, Brady Campaign. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1701007/posts#comment Wed, 13 Sep 2006 23:21:46 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1679693/posts More proof that Jim Gibbons does not just talk about reforming out of control Gov. Org. agencies, he actually takes steps to expose their abuses. In this archived thread we see that he has even taken BATFE to task, they really hated having to admit to their data-base errors! Link to thread, http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1549185/posts FR thread archive. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1679693/posts#comment Tue, 8 Aug 2006 05:14:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1678056/posts Iraqi Police in Mosul began specialized training with the Coalition's Police Transition Team in July. Department of Defense photo by Cpl. Richard Vogt. WASHINGTON – The U.S. commander who oversees military operations in the Middle East says extremism “remains a serious danger to global peace and stability” and that the influence of private militias in the Middle East must be curbed. Army Gen. John Abizaid , who leads the U.S. Central Command, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday that the forces of extremism are strong, ruthless and well-connected and that private militias as “the curse of the... Multi-National Forces-Iraq http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1678056/posts#comment Sat, 5 Aug 2006 00:56:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1669472/posts Thursday, July 20, 2006 · Last updated 12:59 p.m. PT Islamic Court Militias on their trucks with anti aircraft guns in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, Thursday, July 20, 2006. Islamic militia that had moved near the base of Somalia's weak interim government will pull back, a senior official said Thursday. Senior officials of the Supreme Islamic Courts Council have decided to withdraw, a day after their deputy defense chief said they planned to take the only town held by Somalia's internationally recognized interim government The advance on Baidoa, seat of the transitional government, had prompted the transitional government to go on... AP via Seattle Post-Intelligencer http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1669472/posts#comment Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:06:13 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1586813/posts BAGHDAD, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Look in the pockets of Iraqis whose jobs take them around Baghdad every day and you are likely to find a clutch of passes and identity cards, one for every police, military or militia checkpoint they may run into. "This one is says I'm Badr, this one I show to police, and I have the American press pass and my ordinary ID. I applied for a Mehdi Army pass on Friday but it hasn't arrived yet," said one Iraqi driver working for a foreign media organisation. "I am Sunni so these passes mean I don't... alertnet http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1586813/posts#comment Tue, 28 Feb 2006 05:04:37 GMT