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Day-By-Day
Happy New Year from the Roggio family! Chris Muir of Day By Day pens a cartoon on the Washington Post article on my embed:
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The Future Fight in Iraq
With the wrap up of “The Anbar Campaign” , the fight against the Iraqi insurgency is changing its nature. Large scale clear & hold operations such as Sword, Iron Fist, Rivergate, and Steel Curtain are less likely to be executed, as the efforts are moving more and more towards reconstruction/civil military affairs operations and a policing solution. There are internal political considerations, and the formation of the new government and the desire to include mainstream Sunni political parties play a large role in how operations are conducted. The Iraqi government plays a greater role in the nature of operations. This…
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Counterterrorism Efforts in Arabia
An often overlooked theater in the war against al Qaeda’s global network is right in the heart of the Middle East on the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is a troubled ally in the War on Terror, as their internal politics and government support of the radical Wahabi strain of Islam often conflicts with fighting al Qaeda’s support mechanisms within the country. However their efforts killing or capturing al Qaeda members in the kingdom cannot be questioned. This week, Saudi security forces killed two senior members of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, Abdel-Rahman al-Mutab and Mohammed al-Suwailmi. They were the number…
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Post Election Developments
The results of Iraq’s first fully independent parliamentary election are still in question. Robert Mayer is concerned about the discord over the election results. But Omar at Iraq the Model sees hope, as there are negotiations among the leaders of the major parties. The summit between “the leaders of the four major lists (Allawi, Adnan al-Dulaimi, al-Hakeem and Barzani as well as president Talabani)” is directed at creating an inclusive government that represents the makeup of the Iraqi populace. Negotiations and compromise are cornerstones to a successful democracy, and we saw this process successfully play out in the past with…
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Disinformation Operations
Monday’s Washington Post featured an article written by Jonathan Finer and Doug Struck titled Bloggers, Money Now Weapons in Information War – U.S. Recruits Advocates to the Front, Pays Iraqi TV Stations for Coverage, of which my embed in Iraq was the subject of scrutiny as a military information operation. There are three problems with this article which require a response: the use iof incorrect facts which could have been easily checked; the portrayal of my embed as an information operation; and equating U.S. military information operations with al Qaeda propaganda efforts. The “Facts” There are several factual errors in…
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Progress in Iraq
Operation Moonlight, the first brigade sized operation in Western Anbar province ends. While the tangible results are minimal, a single weapons cache was uncovered, the fact the operation was entirely driven by the Iraqi brigade, from intelligence, planning, manpower, to execution, is significant. America’s Son, a blogger and Marine Military Policeman who worked with the Iraqi soldiers, offers a first hand account of the operation and high praise of to the Iraqi troops, using his own training experiences: On the eve of my indoc (try-out) for the Military Police Special Reaction Team, the team’s chief, a Gunnery Sergeant whom I…
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Operation Moonlight, with a Twist
KUWAIT CITY: On the evening of my departure from Iraq, I had the pleasure to have dinner and a long conversation with Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Starling, the operations officer of Regimental Combat Team – 2. As the operations officer, Lt. Col. Starling is the architect of the slew of operations which culminated with Steel Curtain, the big push to establish a permanent joint Coalition and Iraqi presence in the Western Euphrates River Valley. Lt. Col. Starling explained the importance of the shift from large scale combat operations to reconstruction efforts, and the push for Iraqi Army to take greater responsibility…
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al Qaeda’s Democracy Problem
AL ASAD AIR BASE, IRAQ: The day before the parliamentary election, al Qaeda issued an “urgent statement announcing new attacks launched today against the American and Iraqi forces’ ‘strongholds,’ and to spoil ‘their celebrations of ‘democratic’ disbelief and adultery.’” Other Islamists and Salafist terrorist groups offered less than forceful protestations of the election and vowed not to commit acts of violence against voters or polling places. After the latest and not-so-greatest al Qaeda offensive fizzled out, the terrorist group issued another statement vowing to continue their campaign of terror in Iraq. The question is, to what end? Does al Qaeda…
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Election Reflections
AL ASAD AIR BASE, IRAQ: My impressions from Election Day in Barwana are available at The Weekly Standard – Election Day on the Eurphrates – Democracy vs. Zarqawi. Many of the photos I took are available in a flash presentation of the voting from Husaybah, Sadah and Barwana. There is one story from Election Day I failed to share in The Weekly Standard. My Election Day experience began on the night of the 14th, when I hopped a flight from Al Asad Air Base. I accompanied a portion of the ballots that were designated for Barwana on a Marine CH-46…
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Voting in Barwana
BARWANA, IRAQ: The polls have been open for six hours in the town of Barwana, one of the three Triad cities which include Haqlaniyah and Haditha. The poll site sits right beneath the now-destroyed Barwana bridge, where Zarqawi terrorists routinely executed residents for not conforming to their perverse interpretation of Islam. Purple Fingers for All!. It is estimated Barwana has upward of 40,000 residents. Turnout has been heavy; over 2,000 Iraqis have entered the polls by noon Iraqi time. During the referendum on the Constitution in October, about 2,300 total votes were cast in the city. Barwana’s Voters Waiting in…
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Jihadis, Elections and Ramadi
RAMADI, IRAQ: As Election Day quickly approaches in Iraq, the various jihadi factions and the non-jihadist insurgents are taking their varied positions on how to deal with the voting process. The domestic insurgents, foreign fighters and jihadist do not have a unified position on how to deal with the electoral process, and their official statements reflects this. al Qaeda and allied Salafist jihadi groups, according to the SITE Institute, “vow to continue jihad, separate themselves from any group or person who enters into negotiations with the Iraqi government and its supporters, and states that involvement in the “political operation” is…
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An Interview with Major General Huck
iraq military insurgency
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On Route Michigan
RAMADI, IRAQ: In war, the ability to adapt to the enemy’s tactics is crucial to maintaining the initiative. The insurgency in Iraq does not have the ability to defeat the Coalition using conventional means; in every engagement at the platoon size or greater, the insurgency has been thoroughly defeated. Because of this, the insurgency adapted its tactics and is relying on a political defeat of the largest Coalition partner, the United States, to achieve victory. The two main tactics the insurgency has used are suicide bombs, which almost exclusively are executed by al Qaeda in Iraq, and Improvised Explosive Devices.…
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A Shift in Operations
RAMADI, IRAQ: If you have a discussion with military officers in Western Anbar Province about the current and future status of military operations in the region, invariably the conversation will lead you to the reconstruction efforts of the Coalition. The phrases “switching from kinetic to non-kinetic operations” or “moving from kinetic operations to reconstruction” are often voiced. Just the other day while at Al Asad Air base, I joined a group of senior staff officers of Regimental Combat Team – 2 in mid conversation at dinner, and the topic of the discussion was reconstruction efforts in a small strategic city…
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Afternoon with the Azerbaijani
HADITHA DAM, IRAQ: When I first arrived at the Haditha Dam, troops in U.S. Army patterned desert camouflage were marching in formation to dinner. It was odd, as it was the first time I witnessed troops marching in Iraq. Upon closer inspection, the soldiers were carrying folding stock AK-47, and it dawned upon me that these are the Azerbaijani soldiers assigned to guard the dam. Azerbaijan is a country of about eight million located on the Caspian Sea. Its population is predominantly Muslim, and its primary industries are oil and tourism. There are about 80,000 soldiers in the Army, and…
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On the Offensive in Ramadi
HADITHA DAM, IRAQ: Coalition forces continue to chip away at the insurgency in Ramadi. The latest operation, Rams consists of “approximately 100 Iraqi Army Soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Division and 400 Soldiers from the 2/28 Brigade Combat Team” . Five al Qaeda in Iraq suspects have been captured. Four IEDs and four caches have been found during the operation. According to the CENTCOM press release, “One of the caches was significant in size and contained the following items: dozens of mortar rounds, approximately 100 rocket propelled grenades and RPG launchers, approximately 150 hand grenades, anti-armor missiles…
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Patrolling Haqlaniyah
HAQLANIYAH, IRAQ: The drive from Haditha Dam to Haglaniyah was fast and furious. The night starts with a ride in the back of an open 7 ton transport with a crew from Sky News and a team of Marines. The convoy roared down the roads at high speed during the night in blackout conditions, making turns a truck that large had no right making. The trip from the dam to Raider Nation, the foward position of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion,1st Marines, was low key save some interesting driving. Raider Nation is one of four outposts in Haqlaniyah. The bulk of…
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On the Euphrates
HADITHA DAM, IRAQ: The company of Marines known as the Dam Security Unit are a unique bunch. The DSU is a one of a kind unit in the Marine Corps. They are primarily made of of reservists, almost 90% of them. And they come from units across the county; Texas, Florida, Virginia, Indiana and Mississippi. Naturally there were some snags in the beginning while integrating the disparate units, but you wouldn’t know it by watching them operate. Their primary mission is to provide for security on the Haditha Dam. To acheive this, they conduct patrols and provide a quick reaction…
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After Rivergate
HADITHA DAM, IRAQ: The morning convoy from al-Asad Air Base to Haditha Dam was quick, considering the large number of vehicles. There were numerous contractors, mainly from Kellogg, Brown & Root, intermixed with the military train to the dam. The trip was uneventful and the desert scenery was beautiful. The Haditha Dam and the lake it formed is a welcome sight in a region that wholly consists of desert expanses, minus a narrow band of green along the Euphrates River Valley. The dam was created for two purposes: to provide electricity and to control of flow of water downriver for…
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The Teufelhunden of the 3/6
CAMP AL QAIM, IRAQ: Walk into the battalion headquarters of the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment at Camp Al Qaim, and three things will immediately catch your eye. The first is the tribute to the Marines of the 3/6 killed in Iraq. The memorial consists of rifle bayonet-point into the ground, a Marines’ helmet resting on the butt stock, a pair of boots, and the dog tags of five of the members of 3/6 killed in Iraq. The second is unit crest of the 3/6, with the cryptic word “Teufelhunden” inscribed. This is the name the Germans gave the battalion…
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The Ramadi Debacle
AL QAIM, IRAQ: The reported “mini-Tet offensive” in Ramadi has turned out to be less than accurate. In fact, it has been anything but. The __Associated Press__ reported a massive citywide insurgent attack, and Reuters and other news outlets quickly picked up on the story. Captain Jeffery Pool, Public Affairs Officer for the 2nd Marine Division, disputed the claims in the harshest of terms, and rebuked the media for its mis characterization of events. “Today I witnessed inaccurate reporting, use of unreliable sources, media using other media as sources, an active insurgent propaganda machine, and the pack journalism at its…
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The Sulemani
HUSAYBAH, IRAQ: Thursday morning started off with strikes at undisclosed locations near the Syrian border against unknown targets. Bombs and gunfire rained from the sky in the early hours during darkness. No information is available about the results of the attack. I took a trip to Battle Position Hue City for a meeting between the tribal sheikhs of the al-Qaim region, which stretches from Ubaydi to Husaybah. Hue City hosts a Civil Military Operations Center, or CMOC in military parlance, whose purpose is to provide assistance to the residents of Husaybah. The CMOC also serves as a meeting place between…
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Transferring Control
HUSAYBAH, IRAQ: The morning began with a patrol in the darkness to a home on the far side of Husaybah. 1st Platoon of Lima Company, 3rd Marines, 6th Battalion, received a tip that am Improvised Explosive Device was located outside the home. After a scan of the property, the joint Marine & Iraqi Army squad entered the home for a search. Nothing was found but a startled family of three. They cooperated with the search, and we left waving goodbye to the smiling father and child. Mom didn’t appear too happy. __The Jackals of 1st Platoon move out to patrol…
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Operation Iron Hammer in Hit
HUSAYBAH, IRAQ: Coalition forces have launched Operation Iron Hammer in the city of Hit. This is a multi-battalion operation consisting of one Iraqi and two to three U.S. battalions; approximately 500 Iraqi Army soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division and 1,500 Marines and Sailors from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit along with 500 Soldiers from 2nd Battalion-114th Field Artillery Regiment.” The Coalition forces currently occupy Hit, but Iron Hammer is directed at a portion of the city called the Hai Al Becker region which lies on the Eastern bank of the Euphrates River. Intelligence indicates the area is…
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Combined Forces
HUSAYBAH, IRAQ: A new batch of Iraqi troops rotated into service at Battle Position Beirut as the last group was heading out on leave. The Iraqi soldiers are an extremely friendly bunch and very interested in getting to know you. Several of the soldiers spoke English, and served as translators for the groups who came by to say hello. All were extremely interested in the satellite connection and accessing the Internet from such a remote location. Looks of wonder appeared on their faces as they repeated “Internet? Internet!” To be fair, many of the Marines expressed amazement as well. We…
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Walking Husaybah
The nighttime mounted patrol in Husaybah was followed by a pair of foot patrols. I linked up with the 1st Platoon of Lima Company of the 3rd Marines, 6th Battalion, call sign Jackal 1. 1st Lieutenant William Oren took me on a patrol through the southern neighborhoods outside of Battle Position Beirut. We snaked through the streets, and my impression of Husaybah changed little from the night’s view. Interspersed with the trash, rubble, pieced-together walled homes and the ever present dogs was a mix of interesting architecture and a multitude of smiling Iraqi children and their parents. Corporal Austin Hall…
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The Hounds of Husaybah
HUSAYBAH, IRAQ: The evening kicked off with a ride in the darkness from Camp Qaim, which is situated at the railroad station South of Al Qaim, to Camp Gannon, the outpost that sits directly between the city of Husaybah and the Syrian border. The ride was uneventful, and the convoy of up-armored Hummers passed through the desert and into Karabilah, then Husaybah. It was difficult to see in the dark, making the most notable feature the alternating pockets of light and darkness along the road. Upon arrival at Camp Gannon, I met with Captain Richard Pitchford, the commander of Lima…
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Steel Curtain Unmasked
AL QAIM: The western branch of the Euphrates River, what is know as the Al Qa’im region, which spans from Husaybah on the Syrian border to the town of Ubaydi, at a heart-shaped bend in the river, has long been a haven for al Qaeda and the insurgency. While the problem was well known, for some time the right mix of forces was not available to address the problem. Until these forces were on hand, the Coalition conducted a series of raids to keep the insurgents off balance and from gaining too strong a foothold in the region. Operations Matador,…
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Terrorists’ Toys For Tots
AL ASAD AIR BASE, IRAQ: The Thanksgiving Day car bombing in the town of Mahmudiyah encapsulates the nature of terror attacks directed at the Iraq people. Thursday’s attack killed thirty and wounded forty. The location was a hospital, and the target was American troops handing out toys and food to children. ABC News voices the reaction of a stricken mother; “There was an explosion at the gate of the hospital… My children are gone. My brother is gone.” Another car bombing in Hillah was directed at an soda stand, and killed eleven and wounded 17. Outside of Abu Ghraib, Iraqi…
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Operational Issues
BAGHDAD, IRAQ: As Operation Steel Curtain on the Syrian border comes to a close, the Coalition continues to press operations in hot areas. Ramadi, which has been the focus of numerous small scale operations over the past months, most recently Panthers and Bruins, is the focus of Operation Lions. The operation is aimed at southern Ramadi and is made up of approximately 200 Iraqi Army Soldiers and 250 Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team (2-BCT). A “terrorist hideout” on Bayji Island, which lies on the Tigris river north of Saddam’s hometown of Tikrit, a “previously untouched area” , is…
