http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4276486.ece
July 6, 2008
Iraqis lead final purge of Al-Qaeda
Marie Colvin in Mosul
The Sunday Times
American and Iraqi forces are driving Al-Qaeda in Iraq out of its last redoubt in the north of the country in the culmination of one of the most spectacular victories of the war on terror.
After being forced from its strongholds in the west and centre of Iraq in the past two years, Al-Qaeda’s dwindling band of fighters has made a defiant “last stand” in the northern city of Mosul.
A huge operation to crush the 1,200 fighters who remained from a terrorist force once estimated at more than 12,000 began on May 10.
Operation Lion’s Roar, in which the Iraqi army combined forces with the Americans’ 3rd Armoured Cavalry Regiment, has already resulted in the death of Abu Khalaf, the Al-Qaeda leader, and the capture of more than 1,000 suspects.
The group has been reduced to hit-and-run attacks, including one that killed two off-duty policemen yesterday, and sporadic bombings aimed at killing large numbers of officials and civilians.
Last Friday I joined the 2nd Iraqi Division as it supported local police in a house-to-house search for one such bomb after intelligence pointed to a large explosion today.
Even in the district of Zanjali, previously a hotbed of the insurgency, it was possible to accompany an Iraqi colonel on foot through streets of breeze-block houses studded with bullet holes. Hundreds of houses were searched without resistance but no bomb was found, only 60kg of explosives.
American and Iraqi leaders believe that while it would be premature to write off Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the Sunni group has lost control of its last urban base in Mosul and its remnants have been largely driven into the countryside to the south.
Nouri al-Maliki, Iraq’s prime minister, who has also led a crackdown on the Shi’ite Mahdi Army in Basra and Baghdad in recent months, claimed yesterday that his government had “defeated” terrorism.
“They were intending to besiege Baghdad and control it,” Maliki said. “But thanks to the will of the tribes, security forces, army and all Iraqis, we defeated them.”
The number of foreign fighters coming over the border from Syria to bolster Al-Qaeda’s numbers is thought to have declined to as few as 20 a month, compared with 120 a month at its peak.
Brigadier General Abdullah Abdul, a senior Iraqi commander, said: “We’ve limited their movements with check-points. They are doing small attacks and trying big ones, but they’re mostly not succeeding.”
Major-General Mark Hertling, American commander in the north, said: “I think we’re at the irreversible point.”
dubya's bogus invasion-for-Iraqi-oil created AQI, so "winning" over AQI, 5 years later, is a bull win, like all of dubya's "victories". Meaningless.
What isn't mentioned that Petraeus has been subsidizing Iraqi Sunnis at $24M/month, as part of his "surge" (aka escalation), giving them arms and training, pissing of the ruling Shiites, to encourage them to turn on Sunni AQI. The same Iraqi Sunnis that caused 90% of US dead and injured.
Genius, Saddam was already in contact with Al Qaeda before, as thousands of do ents already translated have proven. Where do you think Al Qaeda would be if Iraq hadnt been liberated?
What is so stupid is that people like you love to say that Al Qaeda wasnt in Iraq before the invasion but Al Qaeda was everywhere else including Canada, the US, UK, Spain, but Iraq, oh no, not in Iraq. I'm glad that they poured into Iraq, there's now tens of thousands of them rotting in graves and not plotting to kill you or god forbid your family. Sometimes though I wonder.
Well, then . . . we can finally move on to Iran.
I wonder if dubya will do another aircraft carrier speech with a brand new Mission Really Accomplished banner behind him.
Predictable.
The ruling Shi'ia aren't pissed at the Sunnis for getting rid of AQ. Everyone in that country, regardless of sect, is looking forward to the day they don't have to worry about the AQ assholes blowing them up with a car bomb.
If Obama was president you'd be screaming from the top of your momma's basement stairs what great news this is, but seeings W. is in charge it's just another lie/failure/whatever.
Go get laid or something.
i believe obamessiah will be talking to them.
"The ruling Shi'ia aren't pissed at the Sunnis for getting rid of AQ."
there he goes again. putting words in my mouth.
Shiites and Sunnis hate each other totally separately from the AQI question.
Even the ing Maliki Shiites went to war against the Sadr City Shiites who are the biggest democratic power block in Iraq.
"If Obama yada yada" You only deal with straw men and hypotheticals. Grow a pair, and go Clanny.
We've got them out of Iraq....Yeah...and into a safe-haven in Pakistan...now that's progress!
I didn't put any words in your mouth, they were right there in your first post in this thread. I have a pair thank you. The only pussy in this thread is you.
Straw man? LOL. I've taken dumps with more substance than you've ever brought to this board.
The name of the organization is Al Qaeda in Iraq.
Not the same.
It's nice that someone is using the "They're still translating the do ents!" battle cry in Yoni's absence.
My God!
Get the over that propaganda.
It was the Aircraft Carriers mission that was accomlished. I thought you were smarter than that.
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