| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq-Jordan |
| Tal Afar cleared of foreign fighters |
| 2005-09-17 |
| The commander of coalition troops in Iraq today described "an extremely successful tactical operation" in which U.S. and Iraqi troops all but cleared Tal Afar, Iraq, of foreign fighters. Tal Afar is one of two major transit zones for foreign fighters coming into Iraq, Army Gen. George W. Casey Jr., commander of Multinational Force Iraq, said from Baghdad today. The other route is through the Euphrates River Valley, farther south. U.S. troops from the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and Iraqi forces from the 3rd Iraqi Army Division have been working for two months to plan and prepare for an operation to "restore Iraqi control to Tal Afar," Casey said. Since Sept. 10, this combined force has been engaged in an operation to clear a roughly 600-by-800-meter section in the center of Tal Afar that foreign fighters had set up as a sanctuary. The combined force killed about 150 insurgents and captured roughly 350 more. Casey said officials estimate this accounted for about 75 percent to 80 percent of the foreign fighters and other insurgents they believed were in the city. "It looked like a pretty tough fight," he said. Strong support from the Iraqi government made the soldiers' mission significantly easier, Casey said. In the days leading up to the military assault, Iraqi government representatives spent time in Tal Afar and brokered an agreement with local leaders from all local ethnic groups: Shiia, Sunni and Turkoman. "The other piece of this that sometimes gets lost is the Iraqi government was very much involved in setting the conditions for success," he said. Casey explained that local sheiks signed statements saying basically: "We've had enough. We ask for the military to come in and clean the terrorists and foreign fighters out of Tal Afar." This led to support for the mission from the city's civilian population. "That had a huge impact on what we had to deal with with respect to the population of that city," Casey said. About 20,000 civilians left Tal Afar before the fighting began. The Iraqi and coalition force was prepared with humanitarian assistance, but many of those who fled went to stay with friends or relatives elsewhere, Casey said. The Iraqi government also provided $50 million to compensate civilians whose property was damaged and to fund rebuilding damaged areas. The mission was intended to allow Iraqi civilians to participate in the upcoming constitutional referendum Oct. 15. To ensure a lasting success in Tal Afar, coalition and Iraqi forces will have to work together with the Iraqi government, Casey said. "The troops will continue to disarm the neighborhoods and clear the city," he said. "And the Iraqi government is working on the political reconciliation to keep all the sheiks together, to reconstitute the local government, to reconstitute the police force, (provide) compensation, and begin reconstruction all throughout the town." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #6 Casey explained that local sheiks signed statements saying basically: "We've had enough. We ask for the military to come in and clean the terrorists and foreign fighters out of Tal Afar." Now this is the information that needs to be broadcast front page to America. I find that many folks don't seem to keep up with what's truly going on, instead they refer to Iraq and Afghanistan as hoping it would be over. Generalized comments. Life to some have gotten so fast that they are satisfied with the MSM info not having time or giving time to learn more. Pure laziness. Thanks to the MSM crap. I hate to admit it but I was one of those folks until my son joined the military. I then wanted to learn as much as I could so I would know what was happening, possibly what he would be involved in. Looking up many sources of news and getting perspectives from several different fronts. I'm embarrassed to admit that I was part of the problem of being the sheep. Alot of us are busy with family, working, juggling etc, and folks come to depend on the MSM. Rantburg was a real find, thank you. The links provided by contributors are simply amazing. |
| Posted by: Jan 2005-09-17 14:02 |
| #5 3rd ACR. Solid unit. You know why? Solid Commander. Right guy for the job: hard charging Cav trooper, and an expert on counter-terr and counterinsurgency. Go look up his bio. We need more liek him to run for office once he's done wit the military (and he will probably end up a 2 or 3 star). I served with him in combat in the Gulf back when he was a Captain in the 2ACR over in 2nd Squadron (As I'm sure you've heard me say way to many times here). He is one of the few to have commanded a cavalry troop in a claaisc meeting engagement in armor-to-armor combat; he and his troopers kicked ass. And he was a real "no bullshit" guy back then from what I can remember of him at regiment. Glad to see he apparently hasn't changed in that regard. Seems like the Cavalry trains its officers right (pride!). My stetson and spurs mean more to me than most of the awards the Army gave me; they are about the only thing I've kept up (the shadow box is in the attic, the stetson and spurs and certificate are on my wall). |
| Posted by: Oldspook 2005-09-17 11:31 |
| #4 Using absolute terms like "cleared" actually takes away from their major victory in Tal Afar. Tal Afar is not "cleared", but the enemy has suffered a terrible defeat. That victory is of three parts: direct, indirect, and external. The direct victory is what we have seen, crushing their forces with great loss of enemy life and capture. The indirect victory is ongoing, the permanent denial of Tal Afar by turning the people against the terrorists and keeping them turned with prosperity and security. The external victory is of three types. Forcing terrorist with strong Tal Afar connections to have to reorganize their operations due to compromise, such as having to use their car bombs now instead of when they had planned, to much less effect, and cutting off their supply lines. Second is the persuasive effect it has on the next cities and towns on the list, such as Samarra, giving momentum to the good guys. Third is the effect is has on those outside of the country, to once again show what a death trap Iraq is for foreign fighters--how fruitless their efforts have been. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-17 11:22 |
| #3 #2 flood em with chlorine gas Must be a bad, er, mildew problem down there. |
| Posted by: eLarson 2005-09-17 08:22 |
| #2 flood em with chlorine gas |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-09-17 01:21 |
| #1 Did they blow all the tunnels? |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2005-09-17 00:41 |