Biggest offensive since OIF 2003.

[MKSheppard]

Linka

Four days after the announcement of major offensive combat operations against al Qaeda in Iraq and its allies, the picture becomes clearer on the size and scope of the operation. In today's press briefing, Rear Admiral Mark noted that the ongoing operation is a corps directed and coordinated offensive operation. This is the largest offensive operation since the first phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom ended in the spring of 2003.

The corps level operation is being conducted in three zones in the Baghdad Belts -- Diyala/southern Salahadin, northern Babil province, and eastern Anbar province --- as well as inside Baghdad proper, where clearing operations continue in Sadr City and the Rashid district. Iraqi and Coalition forces are now moving into areas which were ignored in the past and served as safe havens for al Qaeda and Sunni insurgent groups. As the corps level operation is ongoing, Coalition and Iraqi forces are striking at the rogue Iranian backed elements of Muqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army and continuing the daily intelligence driven raids against al Qaeda's network nationwide.

Multinational Division North is leading the offensive in Diyala province and southern Salahadin. The current offensive in Diyala was telegraphed when Multinational Forces Iraq announced the creation of the Diyala Operational Command on June 14, just as the announcement of the Baghdad Operational Command in January immediately preceded the onset of the Baghdad Security Plan. The Diyala Operational Command is essentially a corps command for the Iraqi security forces in the province which allows for the Army and National Police units to coordinate efforts throughout the region.

Operation Arrowhead Ripper, the assault on Baqubah, kicked off with an air assault. Iraqi Army scouts accompanied elements of the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division. The operation in Baqubah is modeled after the successful operation to clear Tal Afar in September of 2005, which was designed and executed by Col. H.R. McMaster. The plan is to essentially "seal, kill, hold and rebuild." The city is cordoned, neighborhoods are identified as friendly or enemy territory, the neighborhoods are then segmented and forces move in with the intent to kill or capture the enemy. As both Michael Gordon and Michael Yon reported from Baqubah, the goal isn't just to clear the city of insurgents, but to trap and kill them in place. The combat operations are then immediately followed by humanitarian and reconstruction projects.

At last count, three U.S. combat brigades, two Iraqi Army Brigades and one Iraqi National Police Brigade in direct action at Baqubah. The number of Iraqi brigades inside the city may be growing, however. "Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammed al-Askari said about 5,000 Iraqi soldiers and 2,000 paramilitary police were fighting," reported the Associated Press. "Iraqi forces said they took control of neighborhoods in Baqouba and were greeted by cheering people." This would equate to two Iraqi Army brigades (2-5 and probably 3-5). The "paramilitary police" is probably 1st Iraqi National Police Mechanized Brigade from Taji.

One U.S. and two Iraqi Army brigades (possibly upwards of four) are in blocking positions in the area. Newer Iraqi Army units are being used as blocking forces. The police units were not built for major offensive operations of this scale, and the less seasoned Iraqi Army units are better suited to take blocking positions.

Iraqi Armored units are likely taking up blocking positions along the Tigris River to prevent al Qaeda fighters from crossing into neighboring Salahadin province. The long guns and heavy machine guns on the armor allow the Iraqi forces to protect the bridge crossings and take out barges and craft used to cross the river. A curfew has been imposed on the province of Diyala, which likely includes instructions to keep off the rivers. This strategy has been employed by Multinational Division Central, which destroyed a barge on the Tigris river near Salman Pak south of Baghdad. The craft was being used to smuggle "ammunition and bomb-making materials into Baghdad.'

The operation in Baqubah is a microcosm of the larger operation in Diyala, while Diyala is one but one of three of the corps level operations. The same goal is shared across the three theaters: cordon the regions, trap and kill al Qaeda and clear the areas, and then move in security forces in for stability and reconstruction operations.

In the south, Multinational Division Central is leading offensive operations, dubbed Operation Marne Torch, in northern Babil province. Two U.S. combat brigades and one Iraqi Army brigade are on the offensive south of Baghdad, while one U.S. Army brigade and two Iraqi National Police are in blocking positions. After four days, Operation Marne Torch has yielded 4 insurgents killed, 62 captured, ten caches and five improvised explosive devices seized and 17 boats destroyed.

In the east, Multinational Forces West is engaged "north of Fallujah" - likely in Karma and the Thar Thar region, where al Qaeda and Sunni insurgents maintain support nodes in the desert expanse of the Jazeera desert nearly equidistant to Baghdad, Fallujah and Samarra. A Marine Regimental Combat Team, a Marine Expeditionary Unit and an Iraqi Army Brigade appear to be the teeth of the offensive operations while elements of the 1st Iraqi Army Division are in blocking positions.

While the major offensive operation is occurring in the Baghdad Belts against al Qaeda and Sunni insurgent holdouts, major raids continue against Sadr's forces and the Iranian cells in Baghdad and the south. Two major engagements occurred against Sadr's forces since Monday -- one in Amara and one in Nasariyah. Scores of Mahdi Army fighters were killed during both engagements after Iraqi Special Operations Forces, backed by Coalition support, took on Sadr's forces.

The Iraqi government and Multinational Forces Iraq are sending a clear message to Sadr: when the fighting against al Qaeda is finished, the Iranian backed elements of the Mahdi Army are next on the list if they are not disbanded. Also, the Iraqi military and Multinational Forces Iraq possesses enough forces to take on Sadr's militia if they attempt to interfere with current operations.

Finally, as the major operation is ongoing and Sadr's forces are challenged, Task Force 145 (or Task Force 88, it appears) continues its war in the shadows against al Qaeda's network nationwide. Raids against al Qaeda's networked on June 16 and 17 resulted in 10 terrorists killed and 20 captured, while raids on June 18 and 19 resulted in one al Qaeda killed and 15 captured.

Multinational Forces Iraq and the Iraqi Security Forces have now launched operations on all fronts simultaneously against al Qaeda. The three major theaters of the belts, plus Baghdad, are seeing massive operations, and Special Forces continues to hunt al Qaeda's operatives nationwide. Sadr and his Iranian backed Mahdi Army have been put on notice, with force to back it up. The enemy will have little space to operate, and al Qaeda's attempts to move operations to Salahadin or the north toward Mosul will expose the network. The pressure must be maintained over a significant period of time in order to sufficiently degrade al Qaeda's operational abilities nationwide, and provide the Iraqi government with the time and space needed to resolve the political issues.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Whatever. This war was lost before it was begun. I could salvage national honour with a few dramatic razzia at this point, but that's about the only thing to be done, considering that the original war aims were in retrospect utterly impossible to meet, and were from the very start.

[Darth Wong]

Yes! Another bold new strategem for wringing glorious victory from ignominious failure! This time, it will work! USA! USA! USA!

[SirNitram]

Stay The Course 12: This Time, It's Personal.

[Admiral Valdemar]

Fer real this time, papa?

[Einhander Sn0m4n]

I was wondering when the Tet Offensive would happen, but got the 'by whom' wrong.

[MKSheppard]

Yes! Another bold new strategem for wringing glorious victory from ignominious failure! This time, it will work! USA! USA! USA!

This by the way is the beginning of the Surge (TM). The last troops for it just arrived on June 15th. We should know by the end of August whether things are working.

[Surlethe]

Sure. Anyone want to bet that this doesn't work?

[Patrick Degan]

Sure. Anyone want to bet that this doesn't work?

Five thousand quatloos. Sorry, but this is going to come to the same end as every other strategem launched in this misbegotten ego-driven war. If the Coalition forces appear too strong, the insurgency will simply go underground and sit out the siege, then strike where their enemies are at their weakest. They don't need to make big operations of their own. They don't need to take on America or her puppets in pitched battle. They just need to make it impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions for victory. If we manage to pot Al Qaeda, we're doing the Sunnis and Shiites a favour and they'll still keep fighting to get us the fuck off their land.

[SirNitram]

Yes! Another bold new strategem for wringing glorious victory from ignominious failure! This time, it will work! USA! USA! USA!

This by the way is the beginning of the Surge (TM). The last troops for it just arrived on June 15th. We should know by the end of August whether things are working.

Don't be stupid. For things to be determined to be 'working', there have to be objective, obtainable goals, the very anathema to the current GOP's warmaking plans. This is war for public consumption, nothing more.

[Drewcifer]

"Clear, hold and build" is a great strategy but it's several years and several thousand troops too late.

[Patrick Degan]

"Clear, hold and build" is a great strategy but it's several years and several thousand troops too late.

No, that's a vague formulation at best. But yes it is several years and thousands of troops too late for even anything detailed.

[Medic]

Yes! Another bold new strategem for wringing glorious victory from ignominious failure! This time, it will work! USA! USA! USA!

This by the way is the beginning of the Surge (TM). The last troops for it just arrived on June 15th. We should know by the end of August whether things are working.

Don't be stupid. For things to be determined to be 'working', there have to be objective, obtainable goals, the very anathema to the current GOP's warmaking plans. This is war for public consumption, nothing more.

On the fat chance in hell that, circa August, attacks on Americans and civilians and Iraqi police and military units go down, that oil's flowing not just out of Iraq, but money intothe nation as well and power's back and ... et cetera

If all that (and more) shows improvement or stops sliding, then we'll be able to say it had some sort of real impact. Or if the military starts counting bodies and it's literally millions of nothing but fighters and, oh by the way, the country just happens to be peaceful again. (or at least not LA inner city violence on steroids, crack and aimbot)

Sure, maybe it doesn't have to be all of that in reality, but then after this many years, yes the bar is that high and yes, patience is that thin. Even if there seems to be some actual, real, verifiable, progress towards... more like away what the current situation is like, and we stand back and count our cards, were we really any better off? My gut says we'd be lucky to break even.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

What is the FUNCTION of the American Army in Iraq? What are our WAR AIMS?

Do we have ANY of them except for "building democracy", which is a pointless unnecessary failure?

[Crown]

Whatever. This war was lost before it was begun. I could salvage national honour with a few dramatic razzia at this point, but that's about the only thing to be done, considering that the original war aims were in retrospect utterly impossible to meet, and were from the very start.

'In retrospect' ... ?

[Surlethe]

Sure. Anyone want to bet that this doesn't work?

Five thousand quatloos. Sorry, but this is going to come to the same end as every other strategem launched in this misbegotten ego-driven war. If the Coalition forces appear too strong, the insurgency will simply go underground and sit out the siege, then strike where their enemies are at their weakest. They don't need to make big operations of their own. They don't need to take on America or her puppets in pitched battle. They just need to make it impossible to fulfill the necessary conditions for victory. If we manage to pot Al Qaeda, we're doing the Sunnis and Shiites a favour and they'll still keep fighting to get us the fuck off their land.

Hah. That's what I get for not being a gambling man. You're absolutely right in your analysis of the situation, Mr Degan, as far as I can see.

building democracy

Even if that were a military goal, what does it even mean? "Building democracy" is a pointlessly vague catchphrase coined by the Bush Maladministration; it lacks even a definition. There is no analysis of necessary conditions that must be in place for a democracy to work in Iraq; there is no analysis of sufficient conditions the United States can work toward attaining; there is simply the phrase.

Sure, the goal of "building a democracy" is to "establish a working government." The administration might as well say the goal of going to war is to "defeat the enemy."

[Tribun]

We already know how much effect this will have: Zero. The isurgants may be brutal and fanatic, but they are also quite clever. Thy won't fall for this.

I find it curious that the U.S. coined the term "asymetrical conflict" but don't act according to the reason behind this term.

[Elfdart]

Yes! Another bold new strategem for wringing glorious victory from ignominious failure! This time, it will work! USA! USA! USA!

This by the way is the beginning of the Surge (TM). The last troops for it just arrived on June 15th. We should know by the end of August whether things are working.

Those who aren't uh, slow knew years ago. This is just pissing up a rope.

[Elfdart]

What is the FUNCTION of the American Army in Iraq? What are our WAR AIMS?

Do we have ANY of them except for "building democracy", which is a pointless unnecessary failure?

Yes. According to Mickey Herskowitz (a brilliant sportswriter in Houston, by the way), who had two lengthy interviews with the Crawford Caligula, Bush wanted the war long before he even ran for President. His main goal was to milk the war for all it was worth and get himself re-elected and pass a lot of his programs.

Money quote:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1028-01.htm

"He was thinking about invading Iraq in 1999," said author and journalist Mickey Herskowitz. "It was on his mind. He said to me: 'One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as a commander-in-chief.' And he said, 'My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it.' He said, 'If I have a chance to invade·.if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency." Herskowitz said that Bush expressed frustration at a lifetime as an underachiever in the shadow of an accomplished father. In aggressive military action, he saw the opportunity to emerge from his father's shadow. The moment, Herskowitz said, came in the wake of the September 11 attacks. "Suddenly, he's at 91 percent in the polls, and he'd barely crawled out of the bunker."

There's much more. All those people died so a retarded fratboy could one-up his daddy.

[SirNitram]

In case anyone is dimwitted enough to beleive the 'This is the beginning of the Surge'...

Petraeus: ...We're only about two months into the surge...

April 25, 2007

Once again, lies all around.

[Stravo]

In case anyone is dimwitted enough to beleive the 'This is the beginning of the Surge'...

Petraeus: ...We're only about two months into the surge...

April 25, 2007

Once again, lies all around.

It's been clearly evident that Bush has been pushing back the goal posts on just what constitutes success time for the surge for awhile now and is there any surprise that the current "We'll know in September" just happens to coincide with the time frame the Republicans in Congress gave him for when they will withdraw support for the war?

Funny that. The congress can set goals and benchmarks for measuring success but we could never do that to the Iraqi government.

[Vympel]

*snorts*

Nothing's going to happen in September. Petraeus is going to come to Washington, tell everyone the surge is working, then Bush and all his Republican hack fucks trying to do their damndest that this thing isn't over before Bush leaves office (so they can say that we would've won the war if only for Clinton/Obama/Edwards traitorous surrender when they come in) by saying stupid shit like "how dare you question the word of our glorious General Petraeus! You hate the troops! You want the terrorists to win! We have a strategy for victory! We've turned the corner!"

And all that Bullshit.

Meanwhile, more and more US troops die so Bush doesn't leave office with everyone knowing that he LOST. THE. WAR.

[K. A. Pital]

And - also meanwhile - the Afghan "market economy" is booming. At least one operation was a success... sort of.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

Whatever. This war was lost before it was begun. I could salvage national honour with a few dramatic razzia at this point, but that's about the only thing to be done, considering that the original war aims were in retrospect utterly impossible to meet, and were from the very start.

:lol:

'In retrospect' ... ?

:lol:

*shrugs* I was ideologically blinded when the war started. I have no reason not to admit it; intelligence is in acknowledging the reality of prior failures.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

What is the FUNCTION of the American Army in Iraq? What are our WAR AIMS?

Do we have ANY of them except for "building democracy", which is a pointless unnecessary failure?

Yes. According to Mickey Herskowitz (a brilliant sportswriter in Houston, by the way), who had two lengthy interviews with the Crawford Caligula, Bush wanted the war long before he even ran for President. His main goal was to milk the war for all it was worth and get himself re-elected and pass a lot of his programs.

Money quote:

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1028-01.htm

"He was thinking about invading Iraq in 1999," said author and journalist Mickey Herskowitz. "It was on his mind. He said to me: 'One of the keys to being seen as a great leader is to be seen as a commander-in-chief.' And he said, 'My father had all this political capital built up when he drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait and he wasted it.' He said, 'If I have a chance to invade·.if I had that much capital, I'm not going to waste it. I'm going to get everything passed that I want to get passed and I'm going to have a successful presidency." Herskowitz said that Bush expressed frustration at a lifetime as an underachiever in the shadow of an accomplished father. In aggressive military action, he saw the opportunity to emerge from his father's shadow. The moment, Herskowitz said, came in the wake of the September 11 attacks. "Suddenly, he's at 91 percent in the polls, and he'd barely crawled out of the bunker."

There's much more. All those people died so a retarded fratboy could one-up his daddy.

You've just defined the very epitome of what is not a war aim. Which I suppose is the point, eh?