Iraq: “We Own The Initiative”
“Al Qaeda is off-balance”
BAGHDAD — Attacks and violent incidents in Iraq are down, but Iraqi and Coalition forces still have a lot of work ahead, a top Coalition spokesman in Iraq said today.
“In a whole sense there is no question about the fact that, in our minds, the trend is going in the right direction,” said Navy Rear Adm. Mark I. Fox, communications division chief for Multi National Force-Iraq. “Our efforts to continue the reduction in violence will allow Iraqi society to begin to mend. There is a lot of hard work to do.”
Hard work means stopping extremists before they strike, Fox said in a news briefing. To that end, he said, Iraqis are reporting insurgent activity in their neighborhoods.
Maintaining security in Iraq means keeping al Qaeda off balance and eliminating safe havens terrorists once enjoyed, Fox said. “Al Qaeda is off balance; they’re on their back foot. They’re responding and we own the initiative,” Fox said.
The surge force initiative that’s been in place since mid-June has meant Coalition forces have been able to conduct simultaneous operations more than ever before. The surge has made a difference, Fox said. “We’ve seen demonstrable results in terms of the reduction in violence and the reduction of violent incidents in Iraq,” he said.
A boost to local neighborhoods this week is the addition of some 744 new Iraqi Policemen who graduated Sept. 20 from the Baghdad Police Academy. Thousands more new Iraqi Security Force members are expected in the coming months.
“Another class of 800 will graduate Tuesday,” Fox added. “Over the next six months, some 12,000 new Iraqi Security Force members will be trained — a clear indication of local Iraqis taking ownership of their own security.”
The admiral said he is confident the trend toward reducing violence in Iraq will continue as Coalition forces continue to pressure extremists.
“While Iraq remains a violent place beset by many problems and challenges, we continue to keep pressure on the extremist networks and to build on the tactical momentum that our Soldiers, the Iraqi people and their security forces have fought so hard to achieve.”
(Story by Melinda L. Larson American Forces Press Service)
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Looks like a 60mm in the pic. Love that pocket artillery
September 25th, 2007 at 11:31 amstuff. Get some 11C…. Reach out and touch someone….It’s the next best thing to being there….
But wait, John Kerry sez it’s going well “despite” our efforts not “because” of them. Oh how fortunate we are to bask in the glow of such omniscience, such intellectual discernment…. Hey, didn’t he serve in Vietnam?…..
September 25th, 2007 at 11:42 amThe surge is working? According to the Hildabeast that falls under the heading of: “The willing suspension of disbelief.” Sounds a lot like her husband’s famous line: “I did not have sex with that woman…Ms. Lewinski”. Equal parts bullshit…equal parts jive….
September 25th, 2007 at 11:53 amDan (The Infidel), yeah it must be a 60mm, nowhere close to the 81mm. could be wrong, but it doesn’t look like the same toys we played with 20 years ago, but then again, designs change, just like they got rid of the old duece and a halfs.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:34 pm[…] Iraq: “We Own The Initiative” — Pat Dollard […]
September 25th, 2007 at 2:51 pmHey, didn’t he serve in Vietnam?…..
No Sir, he attended for less than 4 months.
A Swift Boat Commander in his unit once told him “Stay a thousand yards away from my boat or I’ll show you what a REAL Purple heart is for.”
September 25th, 2007 at 3:08 pmBradW(The Infidel):
Yeah I noticed the baseplate. There is two of them with the 60. I got to play with the 60, 81 and the old 4.2. But I only FDC’d the 60 and 81.
Not to get too far off the subject. Of course we own the initiative. Who doesn’t know that? AQ knows it. The Iraqis know it. Oh, shit, I forgot…the Hildabeast and her irhabi allies in Congress still aren’t up to speed on that. It’s that willing suspension of disbelief Sharon Stone crap.
Guess the komrade moonbats on the left will just have to get some new tinfoil hats. Maybe then they will be able to get better commo with the mothership?
September 25th, 2007 at 5:17 pmThis Reuters of all places? Damn is everybody but Dhimorats jumping on the bandwagon (sarcasm people…sarcasm):
September 25th, 2007 at 6:24 pmhttp://www.reuters.com/article/inDepthNews/idUSKHA03970720070924?feedType=RSS&feedName=inDepthNews&rpc=22&sp=true