Early Battles of "the Surge"

Care to guess what this small knot of reporters has gathered for?

Did you guess "school board meeting?" How about "Garden club announces 2007 planting schedule?" If so, you're wrong. This is the "crowd" gathered in Washington for Major General (Commander, Multi-National Division - Baghdad) Joseph Fil's Feb. 16 via-satellite press conference explaining the security strategy for Baghdad. (Full transcript here.)

To be fair, it should be noted that significant media resources are still being devoted to the Anna Nicole Smith story, and most outlets have limits to the overtime they can afford to pay.

Still, some of the General's comments did make it into yesterday's news.

Today? Today is another day in the life for our boys in Baghdad.

FOUR FOREIGN TERRORIST FACILITATORS KILLED IN RAIDS

BAGHDAD, Iraq –Coalition Forces killed four foreign terrorist facilitators and detained four other suspected terrorists while conducting operations Sunday southeast of Rutbah.

During the operation, Coalition Forces entered the targeted building and encountered four armed men. Coalition Forces used proper self-defense measures and killed the armed terrorists. Four suspected terrorists surrendered and were detained for questioning. Coalition Forces found three pistols and two AK-47s on the terrorists.

In addition, Coalition Forces found eight women and 23 children inside the building. Ground forces confirmed that none of the civilians were injured during the operation.

Another suspect with ties to al-Qaeda in Iraq was detained in Baquba.

This is another example of foreign terrorist facilitators putting women and children in harms way by hiding and operating among them.

Coalition Forces are making great strides to successfully disrupt foreign fighter activities around Iraq

BAGHDAD – Coalition Forces captured a suspected insurgent leader during early-morning operations Feb. 17 in the Adhamiyah district of Baghdad. The suspect is reported to be a leader within an improvised explosive device and car-bomb network believed responsible for planning and conducting car-bomb attacks against Iraqi civilians and Iraqi Security Forces in the Baghdad area. He is implicated in several bomb attacks that are responsible for inciting sectarian violence in northern Baghdad.

Credible intelligence indicated the suspect was using an area hospital as a safe haven to avoid capture during ongoing security operations. Coalition Forces established security around the Al Numan Hospital and entered the hospital. Coalition Forces immediately met and coordinated with hospital staff to facilitate the search and quickly detained the suspect. Hospital staff provided information on two other persons staying overnight, but who were not listed as patients. Coalition Forces detained these individuals, believed to be associates of the insurgent leader, in a room next to where the insurgent leader was staying.

Coalition Forces worked closely with hospital staff to minimize time spent in the facility and their aid was crucial in the quick identification and detainment of the suspected insurgents.

Coalition Forces operations caused no damage and minimal disturbance to patients.

The operation occurred without incident.

BAGHDAD – Members of the Ninewa Iraqi Special Weapons and Tactics team captured a suspected insurgent leader Feb. 17 during operations with Coalition advisers in eastern Mosul. The suspect is reportedly linked to Al Qaeda in Iraq and is tied to several recent attacks targeting Iraqi Security Forces and Coalition Forces in the area.

Iraqi forces carried out operations with minimal damage and there were no Iraqi civilian, Iraqi forces or Coalition Forces casualties.

AR RAMADI – Ten city directors and representatives met with the mayor here Monday to discuss city problems and solutions.

The meeting was the second of its kind to be held since the appointment of Mayor Latif Obaid Ayadah in early January, and served as a forum for the leaders.

Representatives from Ramadi’s water department, sewage and sanitation department, electricity department, municipality department, and a few supervisors of other areas attended the morning meeting.

The collection of professional leaders addressed a variety of topics during the meeting, all focused on increasing the quality of life for Ramadi citizens.

Mayor Latif Obaid Ayadah, newly appointed mayor of Ar Ramadi, Iraq, listens to government representatives’ issues during a city directors’ meeting in central Ramadi on Feb. 12. Representatives from Ramadi’s water department, sewage and sanitation department, electricity department, municipality department, and a few supervisors of other areas attended the morning meeting. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul Robbins Jr.

A decisive moment approaches. Shoulder-to-shoulder with our Iraqi comrades, we will conduct a pivotal campaign to improve security for the Iraqi people. The stakes could not be higher.

Our task is crucial. Security is essential for Iraq to build its future. Only with security can the Iraqi government come to grips with the tough issues it confronts and develop the capacity to serve its citizens. The hopes of the Iraqi people and the coalition countries are with us.

The enemies of Iraq will shrink at no act, however barbaric. They will do all that they can to shake the confidence of the people and to convince the world that this effort is doomed. We must not underestimate them.

Though perhaps not "barbaric", having sent him to Iraq with unanimous approval, some Senators are now promising to be "relentless" in opposing Petraeus' strategy:

WASHINGTON - After Republicans blocked a Senate debate for a second time, Democrats said Saturday they'll drop efforts to pass a non-binding resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq and instead will offer a flurry of anti-war legislation "just like in the days of Vietnam."

The tough talk came a day after the House of Representatives passed its own anti-Iraq resolution and as the GOP used a procedural vote to stop the Senate from taking a position on the 21,500 troop increase.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Democrats would be "relentless."

"There will be resolution after resolution, amendment after amendment . . . just like in the days of Vietnam," Schumer said. "The pressure will mount, the president will find he has no strategy, he will have to change his strategy and the vast majority of our troops will be taken out of harm's way and come home."