Multi-National Force - Iraq - Al Qaeda Fighters Flee Cities, Head for Desert or Out of Iraq

WASHINGTON — A surge in military operations and a shift in local support in northern Iraq has driven many al Qaeda fighters out of cities that once provided them safe haven and into the desert, or even out of the country, a commander in the region said Monday.
Citizens in the four-province region of Multi-National Division - North have begun shifting their support to Coalition and Iraqi forces in “droves,” and security gains are increasingly putting extremists on the run with no clear place to go to be safe, said Army Maj. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, commander of Multi-National Division - North and the U.S. Army’s 1st Armored Division. The northern division is about the size of Pennsylvania and includes Diyala, Salahuddin, Ninevah and Tamim provinces.

Some foreign fighters are returning to their home countries of Syria and Saudi Arabia, he said, taking with them funds earmarked for fighters in Iraq. Some are trying to reorganize outside the country’s borders, but Hertling’s troops are watching the border and have arrested some as they try to return, he said. Others, who no longer feel safe in the cities because they are afraid that local citizens will turn them in, are hiding out in abandoned mud huts, canals or caves in the desert.

“That's their biggest fear. So many of them are going to the desert regions to just get away from being ratted out by the citizens by being pointed out and captured,” Hertling said.

But, even their desert hideaways are targets under six-week-long Operation Iron Harvest, part of the countrywide Operation Phantom Phoenix.

“Some of them are saying it's not even safe in the desert because the night raids are coming to get them,” Hertling said. “And that's a good thing. We want them to keep thinking that they can't sleep well at night because we're coming after them, because, quite frankly, we are.”

Hertling could not give specific numbers on how many fighters have left or an estimate of the size of the enemy force remains in the region, but he said fewer al Qaeda fighters are in the province now than six weeks ago.

“We’re doing exactly what we’re trying to do, and that is make the cities safer for the Iraqi citizens while continuing to target al Qaeda and the other extremist groups,” the commander said.

Diyala province, specifically, is much safer today than it was a month ago, Hertling said. Citizens are less afraid to go out on the streets, and markets are opening, he said.

Hurtling attributed the gains in the province to the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces, the installation of local bases in the province, and improving local and national governments.

In Iron Harvest operations over the past 45 days, Coalition and Iraqi security forces there have conducted 74 missions. They have captured or killed more than 70 high-value individuals, and “hundreds” of enemy fighters, the general said. They found more than 430 caches with tons of explosives and weapons, he added, and they have cleared 653 homemade bombs, 42 house bombs, 35 car bombs and three bomb factories.

Attacks have leveled off in the region since December, following a drastic drop. Attacks range from about 20 to 50 daily, Hertling said.

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The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.

Norman Thomas

Great news! We're on our way to establishing a free, democratic, Arab ally in the heart of the Middle East. Iraq will be a very valuable ally in the larger war on terror. History will prove Bush right.

p.s. (This is the news the anti-war kooks don't want you to hear/read.)

Things have improved....but no, only REVISIONIST history would prove the chimp was right to invade Iraq

Something you pro-death guys will never get.

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"If you're going to tell people the truth, be funny or they'll kill you." -- Billy Wilder

"Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied." -- Otto Von Bismark

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SURE, SURE, SURE, Right On, wave that flag & be one of GWB's "super patriots" !!!! Carefull who you call an "idiot" it sounds like that could sure come home and bite you!!

Iraq will be a valuable ally just like Vietnam has become, or just like Panama has become! Not to mention how our involvement in over throwing the Shah and bringing democracy" to Iran has made us their best of friends! We did a good job bringing democratic values to Batista's Cuba too, and lets not forget much of the rest of Central & South America! Not too mention how many "democratic" governments we have helped set up in Africa that fall to chaos or worse? Oh yes, all of these governments that we showered with democracy and paid for in our blood and treasure are now our great friends! SURE

Would it be too much to ask if we were to tend to our own affairs more, and allow other peoples that want democracy to get it the same way we did! That is by fighting for it themselves! [I know the French helped, but actually they were really sticking it to the Brits: so don't bother going there.] Just one "idiots' opinion!! ..pjwky

Good God, its like pulling fuckin teeth with you people.

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The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.

Norman Thomas

just saying as I see it.

"stabilized at what 20 -50 attacks a day" some fucking victory. And at way too big a cost.

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"If you're going to tell people the truth, be funny or they'll kill you." -- Billy Wilder

"Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied." -- Otto Von Bismark

Positive news of course, but, and there's always a but. If the brains behind the invasion had used some fore-sight and secured the borders, Saddam's arsenals and captured his army instead of letting them fade into the population, we could have celebrated these minor successes 5 years and 3500 lives ago. Coulda, woulda, shoulda...coulda been out 4 years ago if GWB woulda fired Rumsfeld in 2003 and he shoulda listen to his Generals when they said they need more troops.
A waste of lives and money.

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"If you don't know where you are going, you will probably wind up somewhere else."
- Laurence J. Peter

Gray; excellent post, I agree.

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GWB: "I didn't compromise my soul to be a popular guy."

honor the fallen;
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Iraq body count
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By Norman Schwarzkopf
"The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do; the hard part is doing it."

I am entirely opposed to this war at all levels. I'm assuming this is to be construed as closing in on the latest definition of "mission accomplished?" So let's see, once a certain percentage of militants have either fled or are considered manageable by Iraq's own forces then we can bring the troops home? Ok. I'll bite. Let's see if it actually stops there.



"We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators. . . . I think it will go relatively quickly... (in) weeks rather than months.” – Vice President Cheney [3/16/03]

“The notion that it would take several hundred thousand American troops just seems outlandish.” -Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, [3/4/03]

“It is not knowable how long that conflict would last, it could last, you know, six days, six weeks. I doubt six months.” Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, [2/7/03]

“There can be no doubt that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons and the capability to rapidly produce more, many more…Our conservative estimate is that Iraq today has a stockpile of between 100 and 500 tons of chemical weapons agent. That is enough agent to fill 16,000 battlefield rockets.” – Colin Powell, 2/5/03

“Saddam has amassed large, clandestine stockpiles of biological weapons, including Anthrax, botulism, toxins and possibly smallpox. He's amassed large, clandestine stockpiles of chemical weapons, including VX, Sarin and mustard gas.” - Don Rumsfeld, 9/19/02

“Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction. There is no doubt that he is amassing them to use against our friends, against our allies, and against us.” - Vice President Cheney, 8/26/02

“The Iraqi regime possesses biological and chemical weapons…And according to the British government, the Iraqi regime could launch a biological or chemical attack in as little as 45 minutes.” – President Bush, 9/26/02

“Our intelligence officials estimate that Saddam Hussein had the materials to produce as much as 500 tons of sarin, mustard and VX nerve agent.” – President Bush, 1/28/03

“We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories.” -President Bush, on locating the mobile biological weapons labs, 5/29/03

“We know where the [WMD] are.” - Don Rumsfeld, 3/30/03

“I'm absolutely sure that there are weapons of mass destruction there and the evidence will be forthcoming. We're just getting it now.” - Colin Powell, 5/4/03

“Evidence indicates that Iraq is reconstituting its nuclear weapons program…Iraq could have a nuclear weapon in less than a year.” - President Bush, 10/7/02

“Saddam is actively pursuing nuclear weapons at this time.” - V.P. Cheney, 3/24/02

“We do know that Saddam is actively pursuing a nuclear weapon.” - National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, 9/10/02

“The British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa.” – President Bush, 1/28/03

“We found the weapons of mass destruction.” – President Bush, 5/29/03

"We know where the WMDs are.” – Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, 3/30/03

“The people of the United States and our friends and allies will not live at the mercy of an outlaw regime that threatens the peace with weapons of mass murder.” – President Bush, 3/19/03

There's overwhelming evidence there was a connection between al Qaeda and the Iraqi government. I am very confident that there was an established relationship there." - Vice President Cheney, 1/22/04

“The regime of Saddam Hussein cultivated ties to terror while it built weapons of mass destruction.” - President Bush's UN speech, 9/23/03

“Iraq [is] the central front in the war on terror.” -President Bush's UN speech, 9/23/03

“You can't distinguish between al-Qaida and Saddam.” President Bush, 9/25/02

“There's no question that Saddam Hussein had al Qaeda ties.” – President Bush, 9/17/03

“We’re dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon.”
Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz, 3/27/03

“Iraq will not require sustained aid.” O.M.B. Director Mitch Daniels, 3/28/03

Mission Accomplished - Last Throes - Plan for Victory...blah, blah, blah

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To the anti-war crowd: It is nothing short of pitiful that so many people who dare call themselves Americans refuse to support their own nation in a war that could determine its very existence. That is NOT an act of patriotism, by the way, so spare me your phony indignation over someone actually questioning your patriotism. Just deal with it and examine the treasonous views you hold.

I hear a lot of blame America first, but how long has it been since you last wrote or said something POSITIVE about YOUR OWN COUNTRY?? The obvious FACT is: what we are doing in Iraq is RIGHT and JUSTIFIED. The Iraqi people have been liberated and it will benefit America to have their gratitude once democracy has been secured there. Try thinking beyond the next 15 minutes and look ahead about 15 years, K? Your position on this war is intellectually lazy because you've lapped up the propaganda from the Defeatocrats and the Clinton News Network. WAKE UP AND SUPPORT YOUR NATION!!