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Shirking Jihad
In a recent interview, CENTCOM Commanding General John Abizaid calls for action against the dangerous Wahhabi and Salafi ideologies espoused by Osama bin Laden and other Islamist terrorists. General John Abizaid notes that al Qaeda has suffered a string of military failures on the battlefield against American forces but still remains a threat as a political and ideological movement. “Militarily, Al Qaeda is under pressure but it is still dangerous, he said, likening it to the Bolshevism of the 1890s or fascism in the 1920s. “They don’t seek to win any military battles. As a matter of fact, in three…
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Stretching the Chain
As Coalition forces scour Fallujah for weapons caches and terrorist hideouts, the extent of the Islamofascists’ logistical chain becomes apparent. Contrary to the laws of war, the terrorists have no compunction about using mosques as fighting positions, arsenals and bomb factories of jihad. Military planners at U.S. Central Command said that every one of the 77 mosques encountered by Iraqi and coalition forces in Fallujah was used as a weapons storage facility or a fortress from which to launch attacks. On Wednesday, U.S. troops announced that they had recovered the largest weapons cache to date at a Fallujah mosque. American…
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Hunting Zarqawi
Coalition efforts to cleave the foreign element of the insurgency from the indigenous Iraqi elements are accelerating. The successful operations in Fallujah and elsewhere in the Sunni Triangle is fracturing the command, control and communications of the Islamofascists, and forcing them to fight in smaller groups that are more susceptible to infiltration and the application of military force. The hunt for Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq and mastermind of the most heinous attacks against Coalition forces and Iraqi civilians, has intensified after he lost his base of operations in Fallujah. The latest search is taking place in…
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Cracks in Jihad?
Two separate reports, one from the Associated press, and another from ABC News (via Belmont Club), indicated that al Qaeda may be encountering difficulties due to recent operations in the Sunni Triangle. Abu Musab al-Zarqari, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, is angry at Muslim leaders for not doing enough to incite the faithful to take up the cause of Jihad. An audiotape purportedly made by Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi lashed out Wednesday at Muslim scholars for not speaking out against U.S. actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying they have “let us down in the darkest circumstances.” It…
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Stirring the Hornet’s Nest
The push to secure the Sunni Triangle continues. As discussed in Into the Sunni Triangle, Fallujah was but one step in the ongoing offensive to restore order prior to elections and strike a blow to the insurgency. American, British and Iraq forces (estimated at around 5,000 troops) are now conducting operations to rout the Islamofascists in the “Triangle of Death” , a region within the Sunni Triangle directly south of Baghdad marked by the towns of Yusufiyah, Latifiyah and Mahmudiyah (see map below). This area has been an ambush zone for Coalition convoys as well as Shi’ite pilgrims traveling to…
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Into Mosul
The much anticipated quagmire in Fallujah, like the other quagmires predicted by the media and intellectuals, did not materialize. Instead of detailing the unprecedented successes of the Coalition and the heroism of our soldiers, the media’s focus on the insurgency in Iraq has moved from Fallujah to outlying areas of the Sunni Triangle. The recent unrest in Mosul is offered as proof that the insurgency is growing, despite the reduction of Fallujah as a base of operations, the seizure of torture chambers and bomb factories, and the capture or deaths of thousands of insurgents or terrorists in their vain attempts…
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The Challenge
Hit and run tactics continue throughout the Sunni Triangle. Baghdad, Mosul, Ramadi and other cities and towns continue to encounter attacks on police stations, coalition forces, and civilians in the form of ambushes and suicide bombings. The removal of Fallujah as a base of operations to the insurgents and terrorists is a blow to the command and control of these organizations, but the violence is by no means over, nor is it likely to end anytime soon. The International Committee of the Red Cross claims all sides are committing egregious violations of humanitarian laws, but does not name specifics. No…
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Continuing Operations
Sporadic fighting continues as Coalition forces continue to root out remnants of the Islamofascists in Fallujah. The Coalition nets intelligence on terrorist organizations during houes to house searches. Zarqawi’s main headquarters is believed to have been discovered, and information discovered in the city has lead to the capture of insurgents outside of Fallujah. Defying the laws of war, terrorists were using an Islamic medical charity as a front organization for training, weapons storage and bomb making factories. “On the surface, it looks real, with the Red Cross,” says an Arabic speaker who went through the documentation. “But their real job…
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Sympathy for the Devil
Pleased to meet you Hope you guessed my name But what’s confusing you Is just the nature of my game Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails Just call me lucifer ’cause I’m in need of some restraint So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste Use all your well-learned politesse Or I’ll lay your soul to waste The Rolling Stones, Sympathy for the Devil With the conquest of Fallujah almost complete, the United Nations has suddenly become concerned about the conditions in the city.…
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Into the Sunni Triangle
Mop up operations continue in Fallujah, and the extent of the foreign jihadis’ involvement in the city comes to light. Iraq has attracted martyrs to al Qaeda’s cause, and American and Iraqi forces are helping them on their way to martyrdom. Allawi said up to 400 insurgents have been captured, including fighters from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Morocco, but he gave no figures. The First Infantry Division’s Task Force 2-2 has captured five foreign fighters and killed five, officers said, adding that many foreign fighters appeared to be fleeing. A group of men in Afghan dress were seen running…
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Zarqawi’s Fallujah
(Note: I am assisting with Winds of Change Fallujah briefing. Joe Katzman has assembled an incredible briefing on the battle. Some of the information in this post is derived from entries I submitted for Sunday’s posting. As the battle of Fallujah is winding down, I expect the news from the city to dry up soon.) The Adventures of Chester reports that Phase II of Operation Al-Fajr is complete and outlines the actions of Coalition forces in the city. Sporadic fighting, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance, intelligence gathering, and a redeployment of forces are on the agenda for the next several weeks.…
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Mopping Up
“Our goal right now, we feel we’ve broken their back and their spirit, is to keep the heat on them.” Lieutenant General John F. Sattler, Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force Coalition forces are in the mop-up phase in Fallujah. Pockets of resistance are still being encountered, mainly in Jolan in the northeast and in Shuhada in the southeast (map). The insurgents’ attempts to break out of the cordon around the city have failed, and the enemy is beginning to surrender. Coalition forces are pressing the attack in the south to finish them off. In an effort to assist the…
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The Cattle Drive
(Note: the map used in this post has been copied from Global Security; the main roads are highlighted in green. I have modified this map to highlight Route 10, the Railroad, suspected Coalition positions and advances, and other terrain features. American/British forces are the blue boxes, friendly Iraqi forces are the green boxes. I think I have pinpointed the positions of 2 of the 5 Iraqi battalions based on news sources, if anyone has further information I would greatly appreciate it.) Click on the map for a larger image. The Islamofascists in Fallujah have approached the end. Early reports indicate…
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Retooling
Information on the Iraqi forces fighting in Fallujah is difficult to come by as the media is focusing on the front line battles, which are mainly conducted by American soldiers and Marines. The Iraqi Army and National Guard have been widely criticized by the American media for problems with training and morale. Most recently, before the operation to take Samarra in October, almost half of one of the Iraqi battalions (about 300 of 750 men) deserted the unit after a suicide bombing that killed an officer of the battalion. The remaining Iraqi battalions, almost 2,000 soldiers, did fight well. The…
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Wolves to the Slaughterhouse
The offensive in Fallujah has uncovered torture chambers run by the various terrorist groups that operated unfettered for the past year. Fallujah will no longer serve as a safe production studio for Zarqawi’s string of barbaric snuff films. “We have found hostage slaughterhouses in Fallujah that were used by these people and the black clothing that they used to wear to identify themselves, hundreds of CDs and whole records with names of hostages,” the general said at a military camp near Fallujah. Mohan was unsure if the hostage records included the names of any of the at least nine foreigners…
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So Long Mogadishu, Hello Fallujah
Two days into the Second Battle of Fallujah, Coalition forces appear to be making stunning progress. Toby Harnden continues his ride with the Phantoms of Task Force 2-2, composed of elements of the 1st Infantry Division. This unit entered the fray in the Askari district, in the upper Northeast corner of Fallujah (see map below for details). The Phantoms have swept through Askari and overtaken the industrial district with little resistance. The Washington Post reports that a psyops exercise is being conducted on the streets of Fallujah. The Americans are taunting the terrorists in their own language, appealing to their…
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Thru Fallujah
The Seattle Times and the Telegraph gives excellent narratives on the tactics used by the Marines and Army forces tasked to retake Fallujah. These articles also provide insight on the overall strategy to destroy the insurgents in Fallujah. Matthew McAllester of Newsday is embedded with the 2nd Battalion of the Army’s 7th Cavalry Regiment, and describes the sophistication and lethality of the Coalition forces arrayed against Fallujah. The American way of war is deadly as the battlefield is integrated. UAVs pinpoint targets, transmit coordinates and images to field commanders, and the orders are quickly given to destroy the enemy position.…
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The Box
News reports indicate the assault on Fallujah is moving forward. Marines supported by the elements of the 1st Infantry Division, the 1st Calvary Division, and Iraqi Army units have attacked from the Northwest and Northeast, into the respective neighborhoods of Jolan and Askari. At the start of the offensive, Coalition forces attacked from the West, taking the two bridges that span the Eastern segment of the Euphrates River. While the media is not reporting this, it is likely Fallujah’s industrial park district is either under Coalition control or will be assaulted shortly; the same goes with the region West of…
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The Weak Horse
The Second Battle of Fallujah has begun. After weeks of failed attempts to negotiate with the various indigenous local factions, Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi has declared a state of emergency and has given the vast forces arrayed against Fallujah the permission to attack. The Adventures of Chester provides the order of battle, which is a mix of American Marines, The British Black Watch Regiment and 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, Iraqi forces and possibly the U.S. Army’s 10th Special forces. According to CENTCOM, the “Iraqi forces will comprise a major element of the assault including five Iraqi army battalions,…
