River Gate Update
The Marine PAO sends this update on Operation River Gate, which as readers will recall, was an operation designed to put a lasting Iraqi government presence in three towns along the Euprates. The operation has been successfully completed, and Haditha, Haqlaniyah and Barwana now have a substantial Iraqi government presence in them.
Operation River Gate is setting conditions for secure voting throughout Al Anbar in the upcoming referendum. Haditha residents and citizens in the surrounding area will be able to vote in the Oct. 15 Referendum free from the insurgent campaign of murder and intimidation. Since the operation began Oct. 4, 119 improvised explosive devices and mines have been identified and disarmed, two vehicle car bombs have been found and 14 weapons caches were discovered. Approximately160 men suspected of insurgent activity are being detained.
Here's a picture of a search for IEDs that goes with the story.
HADITHA, Iraq - Marines from 1st Squad, 3rd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, search for improvised explosive devices in the city of Haditha, Iraq during Operation River Gate. Marines of Regimental Combat Team 2 conduct counter-insurgency operations with Iraqi Security Forces to isolate and neutralize anti-Iraqi forces, to support the continued development of Iraqi security forces, and to support Iraqi reconstruction and democratic elections in order to create a secure environment that enables Iraqi self reliance and self governance. (Official USMC photo by Cpl Kevin N. McCall)
posted by wretchardthecat at 10/13/2005 11:20:00 PM
4 Comments:
More from Haditha:
HADITHA, Iraq -- U.S. Marines handed out thousands of fliers and copies of Iraq's new constitution Thursday, urging people to vote in this Sunni Arab town that only a week ago was the target of U.S. airstrikes.
But with the crucial referendum on the charter just two days away, many residents still did not know where to cast ballots. Across Iraq's insurgent heartland -- the overwhelmingly Sunni Arab province of Anbar -- fears of attacks have limited plans to only a handful of heavily fortified polling stations.
http://www.idsnews.com/subsite/story.php?id=31800&adid=world
And here is more: Now we have terrorists hitting Sunnis.
Never thought I would say it about a terrorist attack - but this is good news!
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Sunni insurgents launched attacks against the largest Sunni Arab political party on the eve of Iraq's crucial referendum Friday, bombing and burning offices and the home of one of its leaders in retaliation after the group dropped its opposition to the draft constitution.
The reprisals came as Sunni and Shiite clerics gave their last advice to their followers in sermons during weekly Friday prayers - a key political platform. Shiite imams transmitted the word of the majority community's most powerful cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani: Go to the polls and vote "yes."
Hold yer horses, here - I thought we were irresistibly losing against a relentless insurgency. What's this about Iraqi government forces occupying the towns at Jihadi Junction?
I read in the papers that we already lost this war, the day Bush showed up late at the Katrina disaster.
Last year at this time we were suffering the worst economy since Herbert Hoover, heading to hell in a handbasket. Remember that one?
It appears increasingly likely the current depression clouding over the slow progress we have made in the world-changing gambit will burn off over the next year.
Just as the worst economy since Hoover has emerged in robust health, it is at least possible that the neo-cons might pull it off in Iraq.
In any case, status quo ante was a certain loser for US.
Thanks as always for the refreshing analysis, W.
Ps. It seems the Marines have expanded their fabled flexibility to now be their Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit.
America's "Tough Guys" hand out literature, about the Iraqi constitution, and NOT about any discrete or perceivable FACTION in Iraq!
Mene, mene, tek'el upharsin!
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