39,996

An interesting quote in the Washington Post's page one coverage of the murder of the Governor of Baghdad Province in Iraq:

"The war's worse, the insurgency's worse," said a senior U.S. Embassy official in Baghdad, who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to talk candidly. "This is not going to be a short fight. Nobody should think it is."

The assessment reflected a new willingness among senior Iraqi and American officials to acknowledge that large tracts of the country remain beyond the control of their combined forces.

A new willingness among anonymous officials - obviously it's all going straight to hell.

With that, here's a small sample of the 16 CENTCOM news releases since our last recap:

IRAQI NATIONAL GUARD REPELS INSURGENTS

CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq ? An insurgent attempting to place an improvised explosive device near a school in Ar Rutbah wound up being the victim Monday.

Members of the Iraqi National Guard witnessed an insurgent placing an improvised explosive device and engaged with small arms fire causing the insurgent to prematurely detonate the improvised explosive device, which instantly killed him.

Insurgents in a white Toyota pickup truck approached and engaged the ING personnel with small arms fire after the improvised explosive device detonated. The ING personnel repelled their attack.

The capabilities of the Iraqi National Guard are growing steadily as they continue to independently operate to provide peace and stability to the citizens of Iraq.

ATTACK ON POLICE STATION RESULTS IN SIXTH DEFEAT FOR INSURGENTS

MOSUL, IRAQ (January 4, 2005) ? Iraqi Security Forces decisively defeated another attack by anti-Iraqi insurgents as they attempted to seize a police station in southeast Mosul yesterday.

An Iraqi Police station in southeast Mosul came under attack by small arms fire during a coordinated effort by insurgent fighters to overrun the station. The Iraqi Police successfully repelled the attack on the station forcing the insurgents to flee and denying them access to the station.

This is the sixth attack on the southeast station this week. Each attack has resulted in a defeat for the insurgents and a victory for the Iraqi Security forces. This is the thirteenth time since November 10 where insurgents have tried but failed to overrun police stations in Mosul.

Since November 10, no police stations have fallen into the hands of insurgent fighters.

Multi-National Forces from Task Force Olympia continue to work together with members of the Iraqi Security Forces, leaders and citizens of Iraq to make it a safe, prosperous, and democratic nation.

CHILD'S TIP LEADS MULTI-NATIONAL SOLDIERS TO A LARGE WEAPONS CACHE

MOSUL, Iraq -- Multi-National Forces from 1st Brigade (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), 25th Infantry Division (Light), discovered a large cache of weapons and munitions based on a child?s tip during operations on Jan. 3 in northern Iraq.

An Iraqi child led Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, to a large cache of weapons in an abandoned building during a patrol in western Mosul that consisted of 30 60 mm mortars, 21 rocket propelled grenade rounds, dynamite, various roadside bombs and components, five RPG launchers, more than 100 mortar fuses, grenades, ammunition and intelligence documents.

Soldiers also discovered a stolen fuel truck in the configuration stages of a truck bomb. The discovery of the truck bomb possibly saved the lives of hundreds of people.

An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed both the truck and munitions with no injuries reported during the operation.

INSURGENTS' VEHICLE DESTRUCTS

Baghdad, Iraq ? Two insurgents determined on committing a terrorist act in Baghdad Monday, Jan 3 wound up as the only victims as their vehicle exploded before they reached their target. An additional insurgent was wounded in the blast.

Multi-National Forces observed a vehicle broken down and on fire on a city street during a routine patrol. As the patrol attempted to investigate the fire, the vehicle erupted in a violent explosion killing two occupants in the vehicle. A third occupant, standing away from the vehicle, was wounded by the blast. No one else was harmed by the blast.

Multi-National Forces interviewed the survivor and determined that the vehicle was prepared as a vehicle borne improvised explosive devise, a weapon of choice for insurgents against civilians and coalition forces.

Multi-National Forces Iraq and the Iraqi Government are committed to routing out and brining terrorists to justice.

To keep it balanced, we note this Times of London report:

IRAQ?S rapidly swelling insurgency numbers 200,000 fighters and active supporters and outnumbers the United States-led coalition forces, the head of the country?s intelligence service said yesterday.

The number is far higher than the US military has so far admitted and paints a much grimmer picture of the challenge facing the Iraqi authorities and their British and American backers as elections loom in four weeks.

?I think the resistance is bigger than the US military in Iraq. I think the resistance is more than 200,000 people,? General Muhammad Abdullah Shahwani, director of Iraq?s new intelligence services, said.

Bomb attacks killed another 18 people yesterday, almost all of them members of the security services, and the head of the Baghdad division of the Iraqi National Guard admitted that his paramilitary police force had been infiltrated by people who are leaking information to the guerrillas.

General Shahwani said that there were at least 40,000 hardcore fighters attacking US and Iraqi troops, with the bulk made up of part-time guerrillas and volunteers providing logistical support, information, shelter and money.

But don't fret, based on the news releases above the number is already down to 39,996.