Miqdadiyah, a city located northeast of Baghdad in Diyala province with a population of 100,000, has quietly made the news over the past month. Iraqi troops recently arrested Ayub Ali, “who is believed to be responsible for a two-year campaign of roadside bombs, political assassination and other attacks in the areas surrounding Muqdadiyah and nearby Baqouba.” Ayub Ali is described as a “gun-for-hire type of criminal” , and it is being reported that he is coopering with the Coalition. Two insurgents were killed while planting a roadside bomb on election night. The Iraqi Army also paid a price as two of its own were killed and four wounded on the day after the constitution referendum in roadside bomb attacks. Iraqi troops handled the security arrangements for the referendum. On October 19, Coalition forces destroyed a slaughterhouse being used as a base of operations for insurgent IED attacks.
The 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division is paired up with the Iraqi 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade of the 5th Division to patrol the region around Miqdadiyah. Knight Ridder‘s Tom Lasseter reports on the despair of a U.S. sniper team from the 3rd Infantry Division. According to Mr. Lasseter, the Iraqi troops are incompetent criminals incapable of providing for local security, and the country is headed for civil war.
The New York Time‘s Juliet Macur reports on the close relationship between the U.S. and Iraqi battalions stationed at Camp Normandy (on the sports page, no less ), and states the Iraqi unit is an effective fighting force; “the Iraqis at Normandy have become so efficient that they took the lead in military operations in their 1,200-square-mile area.” Mr. Lasseter and Ms. Macur’s reports are polar opposites on the state of the Iraqi forces and security in Miqdadiyah. Time will tell if the description of the state of affairs is closer to Mr. Lasseter or Ms. Macur’s perceptions, or if, as is likely, the truth lay somewhere in between.
The 3rd Infantry Division will soon be rotating out of Iraq, and the 101st Airborne will be assuming responsibility for the Miqdadiyah region. Miqdadiyah bears closing watching as the city sits close to the Iranian border and may be along an eastern ratline to Iran.
Britain has recently accused Iran of funneling bomb making and land mine expertise into Iraq via Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and that actual devices have been shipped into Iraq as well. The radical Shiite fighters of Muqtada al-Sadr’s Madhi Army are not the only recipients of this aide; Sunni terrorists are also benefiting from Iran’s largess.
40 Comments
Lasseter has been writing fiction for nearly three years.
In a follow-up to yesterday’s post on Ramadi, the blog Team Med-fah reports yesterday (10/23) that even now, a week after the constitutional referendum, ‘things are remarkably quiet’. Ramadi would seem to be another town with two competing sides.
Checking in – 23 Oct 05
Z-man continues his attention getting antics today. You would think getting targeted for death would change the journalists opinion of the insurgency, but it won’t.
Justin –
Cori over at Rantingprofs made the same observation as you today in two separate posts.
This”>http://www.rantingprofs.com/rantingprofs/2005/10/this_is_not_the.html”>This Is Not the End of the World As We Know It — or Even Katrina
Nobody Said Terrorists Were Stupid
Iraqi oil revenues reached a new record.
Good point Justin. Today they were talking about how insurgent body counts are of questionable importance because they “doubt their significance” — but of course they never question the significance of U.S. body counts.
The two reports reflect the field of vision of the units the reporters were working with. A good analogy is the limited field of vision through a sniper’s scope compared to a commander’s view of the situation as a whole. It sounds like this commander has one unhappy sniper unit, but overall thinks things are going pretty well. It is very probably that the Iraqis working with the sniper unit are not suited to that task.
Al-Jazeera airs footage of US soldier being gunned down
http://tinylink.com/?uzZdutp3z3
A journalist who posts a lot at Little Green Footballs under the nic “Zombie” says that today’s journalists are taught that there is no objective Truth; we all see things through the prisms of our own biases, experiences, gender, race, nationality, etc. Therefore, it’s unavoidable that journalists shade their reporting in one way or another. They don’t have to worry about the high-falutin’ concept of “objectivity” because there’s no such thing.
n an incredibly well written Op-Ed piece, U.S. Congressman George Miller, Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee, has put together a plan for Iraq. Miller is the first Democrat to articulate a detailed strategy. Here’s an excerpt:
“LAST WEEK’S vote on the Iraqi constitution was important, but it should not distract Americans from the real problems we face there.
Not only is the new constitution a divisive document that leaves most key political issues unsettled, but its approval will not slow the growth or influence of the deadly insurgency. It remains that the U.S. strategy in Iraq is not working now and it will not ever work. We must change course, and there is a way to do that. ”
Read more atSector 7G.
Diyala voted FOR the constitution. Says something about the province anyway:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4372094.stm
Hamilsizzle,
The Sunnis aren’t fighting us because we are ‘occupying Iraq’. The Sunnis are fighting us because they believe if they force us out they will be able to take over Iraq again in no time.
Bing West put it best. “The Sunnis have no repentance,”
Hamil,
How is that a “plan” that “changes course?” He says to stop doing things we aren’t doing, says to start doing things we’re already doing, and then at the end tosses in a demand to withdraw 46,000 troops on an arbitrary date regardless of what the military commanders on the ground say they need or is appropriate. And then after his “plan” he denounces the whole enterprise as a mistake.
He didn’t misspell anything though, so I guess I can’t fault the “well written” part.
“Mr. Lasseter and Ms. Macur’s reports are polar opposites on the state of the Iraqi forces and security in Miqdadiyah. Time will tell if the description of the state of affairs is closer to Mr. Lasseter or Ms. Macur’s perceptions, or if, as is likely, the truth lay somewhere in between. ”
From a press briefing a few months ago:
When the 3rd bde / 3rd ID leaves Diyala, the plan was not to replace it with another US unit. So, if this plan is followed, then we will know who is right.
Bill, the media aspect of the war remains a central pillar, for both sides.
At our blog, we examine the media angle and implications of today’s attack on the Palestine Hotel in Baghdad, the MSM’s main hangout there.
Hey MSM, pay attention to us
Over the weekend, we posted our thoughts about recent developments in the Lebanon-Syria situation and discuss why they will benefit the U.S. position in Iraq.
Westhawk
cjr –
The Stars and Stripes article says the 101st Airborne is going to replace the 3rd ID, so the IA must not be quite ready yet.
#8 Tom W. – you hit the nail right on its head
The prevailing theory of knowledge in fashion with these journalists, cultured in endless hours of politically correct seminars at college, is that there is no such thing as objective knowledge. All knowledge is subjective and influenced by nefarious power plays (invariable conducted by the west). All truths are relative, and my truth is as good as your truth and as good as that death squad’s truth. This is the sorry school of postmodernism invented by French leftists back in 1968. The prophet of relativism, Michel Foucault was an unabashed supporter of the Iranian theocratic dictatorship.
The irony is that if these postmoderns are right, then there can be no inter-cultural dialog, resolution, and settlement of conflicts. If there happens to be a conflict or a win-lose condition, it cannot be resolved because you can never arrive empirically or rationally at the truth. Therefore we must conclude that only through power can one side win the argument in a conflict. In other words, raw power as the arbiter, is sanctified in this school of thought.
So I am not sure why these people are complaining when US displays its full military might in Iraq and if, god forbid, a few civilians get killed in the process. Why are they complaining about Iraq when only through power can conflicts be resolved?
Finally an AP reporter has to admit to the truth at the end of his negative article:
The sky had been blue, the temperature warm and the streets filled with traffic as I returned Monday to Baghdad after a six-week absence. “How’s the situation,” I asked my colleague as we drove from the airport to the Palestine. His reply: “It seems to be calming down.”
By all appearances, Baghdad did seem calmer than I had left it in early September. The road from the airport was crowded with traffic – ordinarily a sure sign that Iraqis themselves are not fearful of attacks. I commented about the extra security – Iraqi military checkpoints, roving American patrols, some added around the referendum on the constitution Oct. 15.
As we approached the hotel, I noticed more pedestrians than I had remembered – veiled mothers with children shopping at outdoor food stalls and men whiling away the hours at sidewalk tea stands under a warm afternoon sun.
Also more reassuring were the Iraqi police, directing traffic and manning checkpoints. As we entered Firdous Square behind our hotel, I could see armed Iraqi police – uniforms crisp and clean and weapons at the ready.
The only sign of a capital in crisis were the long lines at gasoline stations – ironic in one of the world’s great oil-producing countries.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Iraq_Inside_the_Palestine_IQ1.html
#5 Tall Dave
I wish that oil production were at an all time high. As it is record revenue is due to record prices. The Iraqi production peak was many years ago.
In theory Iraq ought to be pumping as much as KSA. Their reserves are almost as big and they really need the money.
Such revenue would allow the new government to rebuild all the faster.
I will consider the OIF effectively won when the new government can really stand on its own. Oil exports are essential.
The Iraqi Army needs to continue to expand. It would be most helpfull if Iraq established its own Army Corps of Engineers. Since national oil wealth drives their society, Iraq will remain highly socialistic.
With a Corps of Engineers they could get some major civil engineering from their army and provide the troops with useful trade skills.
I expect the insurgency to fall apart this campaign season. ( November through March )
#5 Tall Dave
I wish that oil production were at an all time high. As it is record revenue is due to record prices. The Iraqi production peak was many years ago.
In theory Iraq ought to be pumping as much as KSA. Their reserves are almost as big and they really need the money.
Such revenue would allow the new government to rebuild all the faster.
I will consider the OIF effectively won when the new government can really stand on its own. Oil exports are essential.
The Iraqi Army needs to continue to expand. It would be most helpfull if Iraq established its own Army Corps of Engineers. Since national oil wealth drives their society, Iraq will remain highly socialistic.
With a Corps of Engineers they could get some major civil engineering from their army and provide the troops with useful trade skills.
I expect the insurgency to fall apart this campaign season. ( November through March )
Marlin,CJR,
There are 2 Bridaes in Diyala, the 278th BCT(Tennesee Guard) and one Brigade of 3rd ID, and 2 Bridades in Salahadin(42nd ID and 3rd ID).
The immediate units being replaced in North Central are the 278th BCT, the 116BCT and 42nd ID(Division HQ) which are all rotating out soon and being replaced by the 101st.
al-Qaeda in Iraq took responsibility for todays attacks (shocker), but the interesting thing is they took responsibility by posting notes on the mosques in Ramadi instead of doing it online.
I do think al-Qaeda in Iraq is centering its network on Ramadi right now.
Hamilsizzle,
I read Rep Miller’s plan, and I have to give him credit for thinking about a plan instead of simply shooting down other people’s plans.
I can’t agree with all of it (like arbitrarily reducing 45K men in Jan), and I note that much of the plan is already part of the Pentagon’s plan.
Justin,
How are these attacks orchastrated? Can someone simply drive a cement truck full of explosives around Baghdad?
We lose a Marine yestoday in Ramadi , Seems like terrorists come to there from other cities . I think we can attack there in next year .
Zarqawi have a large and very well connected network with help from alot of Baathists. The Sunnis provide al-Qaeda the logistics necessary to help Zarqawi get the explosives and suicide bombers into place.
If I were in charge, I would ban all non-governmental cars and trucks on the roads of Anbar. It wouldn’t stop suicide bombs in Baghdad, but it would help, and it would put pressure on the Sunnis in Anbar. Also, cut off their cellphone service.
Jamison,Hamisizzle,
Zell Miller’s Plan.
Let us examine, troop levels increased in October from 135,000 to 154,000. (Mostly do to overlap, the Marines are rotating as well as the 101st which adds an extra 15 thousand doing left seat ride seat rides) + two battlions were put on for the referendum + elections.
So reducing 20K troops pretty much gets us back to the Sept 15th troops levels. So 50% of his troop reductions plan is already plan certain.
Not replacing the 3rd ID Brigrade in Diyala is has a reasonble likelyhood given that it is relatively calm. Now we are up to 25K troop reductions.
The 101st is replacing a total of 4 reserve brigades. So pulling out 66% of the reserves is also a plan certain. OIF 4 called for 2 reserve brigades(early deployments), they will be rotating out by summer. That makes 100% of the reserve combat units out by June 2006.
You guys are forgetting about the 4ID. They are coming in.
Stars & Stripes reports that Miqdadiyah was pretty quiet on election day. The Christian Science Monitor reported at the end of August that “In the fertile ‘bread basket’ of central Iraq’s Diyala valley, roadside-bomb attacks have nearly stopped… The local Iraqi Army unit, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Brigade, officially took the lead in a roughly 1,158 square-mile battle space, containing nearly 300,000 residents, on July 31… ‘In the Sunni triangle, Diyala is well ahead of the others,’ according to Col. Steven Salazar, US brigade commander for northeastern Iraq.”
When the NYT and CSM are reporting good news, it’s just further evidence that Tom Lasseter is… Tom Lasseter. Knight-Ridder’s bureau chiefs are on record as stating that there is no good news coming out of Iraq.
I think we need some hard numbers on total attacks in the province before making a judgement one way or another.
Migawd a friggin cement mixer! Can you be more obvious ? The terrorists are desperate and need a big score soon to recapture the initiative. They targeted the journalists’ hotel to get maximum coverage but this smacks of desperation. These guys are swinging for the fences and as a result they’re striking out more. You gotta believe they wanted 200+ dead like at the Marine barracks in Beirut but they only got 20 victims-mainly Iraqi. They’re losing when the populace feel more contempt than fear for these losers.
Yahoo considers this to be worthy of being a top headline news link :
The ACLU reports that US troops committed 21 homicides against Iraqi detainees.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051025/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/detainee_abuse
I must say, Yahoo is by far the most blatantly anti-US of any mainstream news source.
#20 Soldiers Dad:
I could be wrong, but this was my understanding:
-116th: Tamim province (Kirkuk): Replaced by ??
-278th: South Saladdin province(Balad): replaced by 1 bde of 101st
-1 bde of 3rd: North Saladdin province (Tirkit): replaced by 1 bde of 101st
-1 bde of 3rd: Diyala(Ba’qubah): not replaced?
-2 bdes of 3rd: Bagdad: replaced by 2 bde of 101st.
101st
cjr,
Looks like a lot more troops are being replaced by the 101st than are coming in, if I read your list correctly. However, I think you are probably missing some incoming units.
Just watched the 11 o clock news about the hotel bombing, appears that other bombings preceeded the truck and looks like that cement truck was trying to “sneak” around concrete barriers but was fired upon by coalition forces and then detonated. So not exactly where al queda wanted the truck to be.
Looks to me like they were planning a real blockbuster end of Ramadan fireworks display for the media and were hung up by technicalities. According to MSNBC the second and third vehicles blew up prematurely after being engaged by security forces, the cement truck hung itself up on the remains of the wall, otherwise it probably would have been another al-qaeda mass casualty special ala the UN building in Baghdad a few years ago.
Yes, seems like the wanted to total the building with the press inside.
The dogs are biting the hand that….
Sniper duty (8541 or the B4 ASI, etc.) isn’t the easiest duty to pull, and part of what Lasseter is recording is just venting, IMO. Because they operate in very small teams in territory where any shepherd or child on the street could be a jihadi sentinel there’s a bunch of stress — they are much more likely to be cut off and destroyed in detail than regular infantry.
With the holiday season upcoming now is a good time to think about donating to American Snipers or Soldiers’ Angels.
That “plan” care of Miller is unintentionally hilarious. He wants to “Stop financing Iraqi political parties and candidates” but “Increase aid for democracy assistance that allows independent political growth.” Oh, and to secure the country against terrorists, he suggests we pull fifty thousand troops out of theater and appease Iran.
For those who are confused between the meaning of financing political parties and democracy assistance, here it goes:
1) financing political parties and candidates: covert and (sometimes overt as in the case of Chalabi and his security deail in the early days) overt aid.
2) democracy assistance: things like grassroots political training provided by orgs like the International Republican Institute.
So bigg difference there fellas.
Also, to reply to “Cover Me, Porkins” #39, appeazing Iran is what we’re doing right now by propping up a Shiite government whose leaders we’re trained and financed by the Iranian’s for years.
The last thing Iran wants is for us to change anything.
One more thing:
Read about General Brent Scrowcroft’s (National Security Advisor for G.H.W.B.) dressing down of the admins policy in Iraq