California Conservative

Another sign of ongoing progress in Iraq is the recent success of “Operation Steel Curtain.” Iraq borders Syria. The Syrian border area has been a problem. First of all, when our troops went in during “Operation Iraqi Freedom” those who were actually there have shared with me that they watched, “truckloads of something cross over into Syria.” But the flow has not been one way. Foreign fighters have come across the porous border, perhaps armed with whatever it was the trucks took there in 2003. Since then, some of the border towns have been a literal war zone. You would think that it would be big news if we were conducting successful operations there. You would think with all the millions of dollars the MSM has to put together a decent story they would. Nope. Others have written on this, but is has been mostly milbloggers. Well, now it’s my turn.
First of all, let’s see what the average reader would get from CNN

U.S. military says 45 insurgents killed in Iraq
Operation Steel Curtain enters western town of Ubeydi

Monday, November 14, 2005; Posted: 10:08 a.m. EST (15:08 GMT)

UBEYDI, Iraq (CNN) — American and Iraqi troops killed 45 suspected insurgents Monday as Operation Steel Curtain entered a third town near the Syrian border, the U.S. military said.

First of all, look at the title. U.S. military “says.” Cannot it be reported as fact? Are anonymous sources to be trusted implicitly but when the military reports it is not “this happened” but “they say it happened?” If the reader thinks that I am grasping for straws, look at the two words that I put in bold, “suspected insurgents . Suspected insurgents? First they were terrorists, then insurgents, now “suspected insurgents?” What is next? Probable civilians? Believe me, the 45 killed were insurgents, killed in an area that had been abandoned as hopeless a year ago. The headlines should have read, “U.S. Military conquers area that was previously thought to be hopeless- 45 insurgents killed in the battle.” Here’s why I think so.

The town that we are examining in this article is Husaybah, Iraq. It was just one of the towns taken during Operation Steel Curtain, this November. By reading the American press, it might not seem like a difficult victory. However, this was not the first time that we had been there. We were there last year, and abandoned it as unable to be taken or secured at that time.

Look at this article from USA Today called, “Violence is ‘off the chart’ in area on Iraq border”

Violence is ‘off the chart’ in area on Iraq border
By Elliot Blair Smith, USA TODAY
HUSAYBAH, Iraq — Uprooting the criminal gangs that control this violent border town and defeating a small but well-trained insurgent force here may be left to new Iraqi security forces when they begin moving into the western desert this year, Marine Maj. John Reed says.

Until Iraqi forces can be deployed to this remote outpost, a small contingent of Marines is focused on stopping foreign religious warriors, or jihadis, from entering Iraq, and rounding up insurgents that launch attacks here.

Untamed even by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, the area has been a haven for insurgents, smugglers and thieves who wage daily battles among themselves in the city, Reed says.

Almost as frequently, he says, the combatants turn their automatic weapons, grenades and mortar blasts on Marines camped at the town’s edge.

“We’re facing a well-developed, mature insurgency with the support of the local population” of about 100,000 townspeople, Reed says. “There is no Iraqi security force here. They are not effective. There are no police. They are dead or doing something else.”

Look at some of these points. Last year we were saying…
1) We may not be able to secure this town.
2) The Iraqi’s may have to do it after we leave.
3) Foreign terrorists are coming across the border here.
4) Not even Saddam was able to control this area.
5) There were insurgents here during Saddam’s rule.
6) These insurgents have the support of 1,000 towns people
7) There were no police.

Couple of points about that article. First, there was no insurgency under Saddam. The people in this town were obviously Al Qaeda. This will be proven a little later in the article. Second, within this town, the people are “in surging” and those that are in surging are sympathetic to the terrorists. I would say that if you are for a movement, and you travel with the movement, you ARE one of them. It would be very difficult to argue that there were any “innocent civilians” in this town, because “the population of 1,000” were all supporting the terrorists and insurgents.

Now let’s look at how our military working with Iraqi forces moved into Husaybah, and took the city. Read from this article.

Operation Steel Curtain Moves Into Husaybah
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5, 2005 – About 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and 2,500 U.S. Marines, sailors and soldiers report encountering sporadic resistance today - mostly small-arms fire and homemade bombs - as they have moved through the city of Husaybah, Iraq, near the Syrian border, officials said.
The action is part of Operation Steel Curtain, which began today to restore security and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist network operating in the region. Officials report that Husaybah is a main center for transiting foreign fighters, equipment and money into Iraq.

Al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists have used the region’s porous borders to smuggle foreign fighters, money and equipment into the country to be used in their ongoing attacks against the Iraqi people and coalition forces. Terrorists continue to influence the local population of Husaybah through murder and intimidation and have vowed to prevent the citizens of western Anbar province from participating in the democratic process.

Authorities said Iraqi and U.S. forces from al Qaeda in Iraq-led terrorists throughout the city. Iraqi scout platoons members, specially recruited soldiers from the al Qaim region of western Iraq near the Syrian border, embedded with U.S. and Iraqi infantry companies. Officials said they are helping identify terrorist strong points and areas known to contain homemade bombs.

Six bombs and mines have been discovered so far in the operation. Also, a suspected suicide car bomb was destroyed this morning by a coalition air strike.

Nine coalition air strikes have been conducted on enemy strong points throughout the day. Only buildings occupied by terrorists firing on Marines and Iraqi soldiers have been targeted.

Officials reported taking strict measures to prevent civilian casualties and property damage. The number of terrorists killed in the strikes is unconfirmed at this time.

Iraqi soldiers established temporary lodging area in a vacant housing district in Husaybah to be used by residents temporarily displaced by the operation. Iraqi and coalition forces have accepted about 400 residents and are providing them with billeting, food and security.

There are no reports of Iraqi soldier or civilian, or U.S. military fatalities.

Wouldn’t you think that that last line would be news? Read it again, “There are no reports of Iraqi soldier or civilian, or U.S. military fatalities.” Coupled with this one, “Officials reported taking strict measures to prevent civilian casualties” and the fact that any reporter who did his research would have known that this city was an Al Qaeda safe haven, and that the population of 1,000 were insurgent sympathizers. If our military killed 45, they were enemy combatants. The above article also states several times that we knew Al Qaeda was using this city to train fighters, and to smuggle in equipment and money from the Syrian border.

We can pick up a few more details in THIS article.

Marines say Iraqi town of Husaybah secure
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. and Iraqi forces secured the town of Husaybah after four days of fighting along the Syrian border and neutralized al-Qaida-led insurgents there, the Marine commander said Tuesday.
“The city of Husaybah has been cleared and is secure at this time,” Col. Stephen W. Davis told The Associated Press by telephone. “Right now we are not getting any reports of resistance within the city” although pockets of fighters may reappear, he said.
About 2,500 U.S. troops and 1,000 Iraqi soldiers on Saturday began the assault on Husaybah, described as a major entry point for foreign fighters coming from Syria bound for Baghdad and other Iraqi cities.
One of the goals of the operation, known as “Steel Curtain,” was to break the hold of al-Qaida and its Iraqi allies in the area before next month’s elections, in which Iraqis will choose a new parliament.

First of all? Big news that the ratio of U.S. troops to Iraqi is just a little over 2:1. When these numbers are flipped- our troops will be coming home. Second, we see that they were fighting, “al-Qaida-led insurgents.” No “suspected insurgents” about it.

Let’s get a first hand account from a Marine milblogging from Iraq. The following taken from, “One Marine’s View.”

We continue the assault though Husaybah and into to the town of Ubaydi along the Iraqi and Syrian border. Numerous air strikes have been conducted throughout the operation to squelch the insurgent held up in the cities. Tanks and additional armor accompany the Marines through the streets with continuous overhead protection from fast movers and helo platforms. Meanwhile, small arms battles continue with the ever present threat of 107 IEDs, SBVIEDs and 36 weapon cahes in the city as Marines on the ground level continue to clear the objective.

The 2,500 Marines and 1,000 Iraqi Soldiers are moving from house to house as Operation Steel Curtain expands its plan into the next city where insurgents are holding up along the Euphrates River. Many weapon caches and wanted personnel are being obtained as the assault continues. A minimum of 37 insurgents were eliminated in the first portion of the battle and dozens have been killed in the past two days. Pockets of scumbags still remain and are being trapped like rats with a ever tightening neuse around their neck. They can run but will only die tired. Insurgents have began to dress as women, crawl on the ground amongst sheep to escape and resort to, booby trapping bodies, using SBVIEDs are being identified by Iraqi forces which can identify them quickly and apprehend them. Both Iraq and Marine forces face booby trapped houses throughout the city that are rigged to collapse on them when they enter them. They can be baited to go into the houses by being fired upon or by insurgents wounding personnel in them only to have the American forces enter to aid the wounded and have the houses blown up to fall on them.

The Marines moral is good. Tuff and determined they continue their operation for the extended week. When you kick a rock over and find scumbags you keep turning rocks over until you get all of them. There are plenty of scumbags out here to take care of and we are on a roll as young Marines and Iraqi Soldiers build their coordination against the enemy. It’s the young Marines out there kicking in doors and freeing Iraq one terrorist at a time. They are where the rubber meets the road and regardless of age their professionalism and determination is ever present. These are the 17-22 year olds you know back home who might have loaded your grocery’s, cut your grass or been the “kid” next door. Tough, smart and battlefield tested they take on the foreign fighter head on and respond with outstanding results freeing a nation of scum. Its my pleasure to serve with them. They are heroes! May God continue to Bless America!

Semper Fi,
Time for a cigar!

Our troops are doing an awesome job! The are the modern day sheriffs, cleaning up an unruly Dodge city! They are working together with Iraqi forces routing out Al Qaeda terrorists and those that follow them. And they are stopping the flow of additional manpower and weapons across the Syrian border. There is no “suspected insurgents” about it. The only ones who are suspect in my book are the journalists in this country who refuse to tell the whole story.

O yes, and back to my offhanded remark about the trucks rolling across the Syrian border in 2003? Take a look at THIS

Saddam agents on Syria border helped move banned materials

By Rowan Scarborough
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Saddam Hussein periodically removed guards on the Syrian border and replaced them with his own intelligence agents who supervised the movement of banned materials between the two countries, U.S. investigators have discovered.
The recent discovery by the Bush administration’s Iraq Survey Group (ISG) is fueling speculation, but is not proof, that the Iraqi dictator moved prohibited weapons of mass destruction (WMD) into Syria before the March 2003 invasion by a U.S.-led coalition. …..
The ISG is a 1,400-member team organized by the Pentagon and CIA to hunt for Saddam’s suspected stockpiles of WMD, such as chemical and biological agents. So far, the search has failed to find such stockpiles, which were the main reason for President Bush ordering the invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam.
But there is evidence of unusually heavy truck traffic into Syria in the days before the attack, and with it, speculation that some of the trucks contained the banned weapons.

This may not be convincing to you in itself, but I have talked with dozens of Marines and National Guardsmen who confirm the story.
FACTS.
1) In 2003 when we attacked, trucks rolled across the Syrian border
2) The Syrian border towns have been safe havens for terrorists.
3) The terrorists have been using the towns to train insurgents.
4) One of these towns, Husaybah, was a literal war zone in 2004.
5) In fact, we abandoned it.
6) In 2005, we came back with U.S. troops and Iraqi forces working together.
7) We took the town, with no civilian or U.S. casualties.
8) We broke the power of Al Qaeda, restored order to the region, stopped the flow of weapons, cash, and terrorists and
9) Prepared the area for the Dec. 15 elections.

Now that’s good news!

All photos taken from

Defend America

Cross-posted at Rightfielder

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 6th, 2005 at 10:09 am and is filed under Author: RightFielder, Middle East, Military, Patriotism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.