Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Anyone who knows me, or anyone who reads just a bit of this blog, will not be surprised to hear that I do not think very highly of Vice President Biden.

In the above video, though, the current V.P. helps Stephen Colbert honor some returning warriors, and I sincerely tip my hat to him for that. I do not have a problem giving credit where credit is due.

USMC 9971 OUT

Trooper Stops Possible Jihadi In OK

This story isn't getting national attention, although it should be. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Sheldon Robinson subdued a man who had walked into a Burger King restaurant and stated that "he was going to kill everybody." Trooper Robinson was off-duty at the time, and had just dropped his wife and children off at the Burger King before going for an oil change. His wife called him moments later to let him know of the situation in the restaurant.

Robinson, wearing his trooper badge around his neck and carrying his weapon, parked his truck and peered in the window of the Burger King.

Inside was a man dressed in black. A Glock .40-caliber handgun and a full box of ammunition sat on the tabletop next to him. [...]

When the man briefly removed his hand from his gun, Robinson, who had approached from the man's blind side, grabbed his arm.

Now alone in the restaurant, the two men wrestled on the floor before Robinson got one of his handcuffs around the man's arm.

"The second one didn't lock in place, so we went down again," Robinson said. "He was a pretty stout guy."

Robinson had the man fully cuffed by the time Tulsa police officers arrived.

Everyone can consider themselves lucky that Trooper Robinson was in the vicinity, that his wife had the presence of mind to call him while moving her children to temporary position of safety, and that the situation was resolved without injury or loss of life.

The possible jihadi part of the title of this post comes from the fourth-to-the-last paragraph in the article (emphasis mine).

"It was one of those deals of being in the right place at the right time," Robinson said. "I believe he would have loaded up that gun and gone to town because he was praying for Allah to help him carry out his mission."

An off-duty Trooper stopping a gun-toting lunatic in a fast food restaurant would normally be the type of story that the MSM loves. Law enforcement (not John Q. Public) saves the day, and there is also the "are there too many guns out there?" angle.

But this story is different because it was a black-clad gunman, with plenty of ammunition, who was "praying to Allah to help him carry out his mission." A possible jihadi in the heartland, stopped by chance because an off-duty officer happened to be in the right place at the right time, is not the type of news that the MSM typically wants to present to the American public. That is why this story will most likely remain spiked.

America is lucky to have people like Trooper Robinson protecting their communities. Even though the MSM will probably not recognize his actions, he has my thanks and admiration.

USMC 9971 OUT

Ayers' Speech Canceled At University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Officials at UNL claim that Bill Ayers' speaking engagement has been canceled due to safety concerns.

Ayers, who founded a group in the late 1960s that claimed responsibility for bombing several government buildings, was to speak Nov. 15.

But officials said Friday the university’s threat assessment group received e-mails and phone calls over the last day or two that identified safety issues.

When asked about details of the concerns, including if they contained threats against Ayers, University spokeswoman Meg Lauerman declined to comment further.

It'll be okay, Bill; I understand that Columbia still gives a forum to terrorist sympathizers.

USMC 9971 OUT

Bin Laden's Driver/Bodyguard May Be Tried By A Military Commission

Salim Ahmed Hamdan's bid to postpone his trial by military commission was denied today. U.S. District Judge James Robertson (a Clinton appointee to the D.C. Circuit) stated, "Hamdan is to face a military commission designed by Congress based on guidelines handed down by the Supreme Court."

That statement seems to be a direct reference to the June 2006 Supreme Court ruling in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld; a ruling that laid the groundwork for the Military Commission Act of 2006, which is the legislation that authorized the commission that Hamdan has been designated for trial by.

Back in 2006, I stated on Nick's blog (my comments are the ones made by Mojo) that Hamdan v. Rumsfeld could end up being bad news for Hamdan. The decision primarily found that the military commissions couldn't take place because they weren't defined by Congress and, as they stood, would be in violation of the UCMJ and/or the Geneva Conventions. That decision left open the possibility that Congress could define the rules for military commissions, however, which they did in late 2006.

Funny, isn't it, that Hamdan's victory in 2006 has created the means for him to be tried in 2008. It has put a big smile on my face so far, and that smile will be even bigger if he is sentenced and that sentence is upheld.

USMC 9971 OUT

Success Breeding Success

According to Navy Rear Admiral Patrick Driscoll, that is the situation in Iraq. From CentCom:

"As the [Iraqi security force] enforces the rule of law and improves security in places like Basra, Mosul, Amarah and Sadr City, the people are finding new confidence in those that lead and protect them," Driscoll said. "Iraqis see security forces in their neighborhoods providing protection, and they are increasingly providing the army and police with valuable information that enhances safety." [...]

Essential services follow in the wake of these security operations. In Baghdad's Mansour district, the Iraqi government opened the capital city's largest public works substation. The facility will provide the community with its own center that supports street cleaning, sanitation and garbage removal, Driscoll said. The embedded provincial reconstruction team of the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team supported much of the work.

The Iraqis are stepping up to the challenge, and U.S. Forces are supporting them. Good things are happening in Iraq, which is probably why you aren't seeing or hearing about it much in the media.

USMC 9971 OUT

An Individual Right

The Supreme Court found in favor of Heller in District of Columbia et al. v. Heller. From the slip opinion (pdf found here):

The Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.

It was a 5-4 decision. Alito, Kennedy, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas joined the majority opinion; Breyer, Ginsburg, Souter, and Stevens dissented.

USMC 9971 OUT

The Trend Toward Better Security Is Indisputable

That is from a new AP piece on the improving security situation in Iraq.

BAGHDAD - Rocket and mortar attacks have fallen to their lowest level in nearly two years. Civilian deaths have dropped sharply since summer. Shoppers are venturing out, even in Baghdad's most dangerous neighborhoods.

Iraq's capital is by no means yet safe. But the trend toward better security is indisputable.

In short, the traumatized residents of this sprawling city are experiencing their first sense of normalcy after years of bombings, kidnappings and wholesale slaughter. Iraqi officials are speaking optimistically about reopening streets and gradually lifting the nighttime curfew to encourage public confidence. [...]

"I think it has turned a corner," Gen. Richard Cody, vice chief of staff of the Army, told the AP on Monday. "These things take time, though ... We have to have patience ... Certainly the enemy has patience. We have to have patience."

If you check out the MNF-Iraq website, you will see plenty of other successes. As the article notes, things haven't magically become all puppy-dogs and ice cream in Iraq, but the improvements are noticeable and dramatic.

When Speaker Pelosi says, "There is no light at the end of the tunnel," she must not be looking at all of the facts on the ground. Instead of threatening to offer no funding for our Troops without a cut-and-run provision, maybe the Democrats should start listening to our Troops and noticing the successes.

Gen. Cody says that we need to have patience, Speaker Pelosi, and even the AP is now saying that the trend toward better security in Iraq is indisputable. Instead of pulling the rug out from under the feet of our Troops, why not do something novel by giving them the funding and support that they need to try to continue this trend.

The Democrats say they support the Troops; let's see if they will actually do it.

USMC 9971 OUT

Infrastructure Reports From MNF-Iraq

We are slowly starting to see reports in the MSM of the successes that are being achieved in Iraq, but more information is always available from the MNF-Iraq website. Here are some of MNF-Iraq's Freedom Facts about the Iraqi infrastructure from September.

Electrical Production
In August, electrical production of megawatts exceeded 5,000 for 25 days – producing enough power for approximately 450,000 homes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division is helping the Government of Iraq jumpstart its electrical infrastructure by infusing more than $4 billion dollars into the nation's system. More than 500 electrical projects have been completed thus far in areas of generation, transmission and distribution.

Transportation
Since January 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division Logistics Center has monitored 4,191 convoys; 44,457 cargo vehicles; and 1,734 rail missions.

Oil Projects
The Gulf Region Division has met its oil projects goals by increasing crude oil infrastructure capacity to 3 million barrels per day; increasing the natural gas infrastructure capacity to 800 million standard cubic feet per day; and increasing the LPG (cooking gas) infrastructure capacity to 3,000 tons per day. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers budget invested $1.7 billion in Iraq's oil infrastructure.

Primary Healthcare Centers
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division is constructing 142 Primary Healthcare Centers - worth more than $132 million – across Iraq. Currently, 73 clinics are completed and 23 are open and seeing upwards of 350 patients a day. The program, which is 96 percent complete, is expected to close out in January 2008.

There is a lot of good happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. Keep supporting our Troops and the amazing job that they are doing.

USMC 9971 OUT

Thank you, America!

Those were the words of Majhid Hamid Majeed, an Iraqi father of five who was being held for ransom by terrorists in Baghdad, after he was informed by an interpreter that the men who had just burst into the room in which he was being held were U.S. Forces there to rescue him. U.S. Forces were tipped-off by concerned local citizens (CLCs).

This is the type of news that isn't being broadcast, but it desperately needs to be. I know that some will say that the hostage rescue noted above is an isolated occurrence, but I would strongly disagree. The Congressional leadership and the MSM just don't seem to be interested in any of the good news found in the MNF-Iraq news releases (and, yes, the bad news is also in those MNF-Iraq news releases).

In a radio address in January of 2007, Senator Harry Reid said the following (emphasis mine):

Yesterday, in a letter to the President, the new Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and I expressed our hope the President will reject one idea he is reportedly considering - the so-called "surge option," where thousands of additional combat troops would be deployed to Baghdad.

Based on the advice of current and former military leaders, we believe this tactic would be a serious mistake. These military professionals tell us there is no purely military solution in Iraq, there is only a political solution in Iraq. They say adding more U.S. combat troops in the middle of this civil war undermines our efforts to get the Iraqis to take responsibility for their future, and asks our already overstretched military to carry a burden the Iraqis should be shouldering themselves.

But, when one looks at the news not being presented to the American people, one sees a post-surge increase in security and Iraqis stepping-up to take responsibility for their future.

Coalition and Iraqi forces in northwestern Baghdad have stopped the cycle of violence there, and Iraqi citizens are resuming their lives in safe and secure neighborhoods, a Coalition commander in the area said today. [...]

The effort got a huge shot in the arm in January when troops from the surge of additional forces began flowing into Iraq. The brigade fields five maneuver task forces, three of which came from surge forces. These units "gave us increased combat power and capabilities to do missions," Burton said. [...]

And the strategy is working. There has been an 85 percent reduction in violence in the region since May, Burton said. "Of our 95 mahalas, or neighborhoods, 58 of them are now considered under control," he said. "Thirty-three remain in a clearing status, with violence continuing to go down, and four remain in a 'disrupt' status."

Murders are down from a peak of more than 160 reported murders per week a year ago to less than five per week today. Improvised-explosive-device and small-arms attacks are down from a peak of 50 per week in June to less than five per week since the end of August, Burton said. Car-bomb attacks are down nearly 85 percent due to efforts aimed at the Karkh networks. These had a "tremendous impact on insurgents' ability to instruct and employ those types of weapons effectively," the colonel said.

Businesses are opening, people are moving back into the area, and local citizens are working to point out extremists and criminals, Burton said. [...]

Burton said he believes the Iraqi security forces will be able to capitalize on the gains made in the past few months. "The Iraqi security forces in all of our areas are working in partnership fully with us," he said. "In some areas, I've been able to reduce the number of Coalition forces and their responsibilities there so I can go out and move my forces into other areas to create increased effects, and we're developing plans to do that right now.

"The Iraqi security forces … are planning, and they are employing forces across their zone in partnership with us," he continued. "And there are some areas of our area of responsibility where I put limited Coalition forces in on a daily basis because the Iraqis have gained control of this."

Coalition, Iraqi forces work to halt cycle of violence in Baghdad - 14 October 2007

This isn't an instance of just finding one such story, though. There are many other examples of Iraqis taking responsibility for their future. You can check-out any of these from the past few weeks for yourself.

• Concerned Local Citizens turn in cache (Hawr Rajab) - 01 November 2007

• Concerned Local Citizens lead Coalition Forces to cache location (Al Buaytha) - 30 October 2007

• Iraqi citizens take stand against insurgents; aid National Police to discover cache (New Baghdad) - 30 October 2007

• Local citizens help Iraqi Security Forces seize terrorist weapons cache in Hillah - 29 October 2007

• Suicide bomber detonates upon discovery by CLCs (Muqdadiya) - 27 October 2007

• Concerned Local Citizens help round up suspected extremists (Hawr Rajab and Arab Jabour) - 27 October 2007

• Iraqis help their own with humanitarian aid - 16 October 2007

The same goes for hostage rescues. Terrorists continue to try to raise money by kidnapping Iraqis for ransom, but Iraqi and Coalition Forces are continually finding the terrorist kidnappers and freeing the Iraqi hostages.

• Iraqi Security Forces rescue sheik hostages - 30 October 2007

• Coalition Forces free hostage from al Qaeda (al Hammadi) - 30 October 2007

• Five hostages released, illegal prisons discovered in Baqouba - 19 October 2007

• 4th Iraqi Army Division accomplishes independent assault - 05 October 2007

There are plenty of successes, and there is plenty of good news coming from Iraq. The same goes for Afghanistan. It isn't just a fluke that good things are happening, but those good things do seem to go against the desired narrative of the MSM and the leadership in D.C.

None of our Troops should watch the news and wonder if the American people support them and the job they are doing. None of our Troops should catch a report about Iraq or Afghanistan and wonder if they are in the only AO with successes. But when I hear from people serving in Iraq and Afghanistan that they are happy to hear that there are many of us back home who support them and their mission, it speaks to how little coverage any of the good news is receiving.

The Troops and the American people deserve better. Hey, politicians and journalists, it's time to start telling the full story.

USMC 9971 OUT

Tribal Leaders In Iraq Unite To Defeat Al-Qaeda

Did you miss this encouraging piece of good news in the MSM yesterday?

Approximately 75 tribal sheiks and local leaders gathered at the Iraqi Army Headquarters in Khalis, Iraq, to discuss grievances between tribes, determine solutions for security and services, and unite to defeat al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in the Khalis area.

I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard about this meeting, and it is another excellent example of why everyone should be checking out the MNF-Iraq Website daily for ALL of the news about Iraq.

Tribal leaders gathering to work together for solutions to local problems, and to unite against the terrorists, is good news. Iraqis peacefully solving issues for themselves is progress, yet it also appears that it is something that those so-called "professional journalists" in the MSM don't deem worthy of covering.

USMC 9971 OUT

MSM Reports On A Surge Success

Holy buckets! Are they starting to hear us, or did some editor forget to find a way to spin the story for the terrorists? Either way, I was floored upon seeing this today.

U.S. forces raided an al-Qaida hide-out northeast of Baghdad on Sunday and freed 42 Iraqis imprisoned inside, including some who had been tortured and suffered broken bones, a senior U.S. military official said Sunday.

The raid was part of a 3-month-old security crackdown that included the deployment of 3,000 more U.S. troops to Diyala, a violent province north of the capital that has seen heavy fighting in recent weeks, said Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq.

Caldwell said Iraqis told U.S. forces about the hide-out: "The people in Diyala are speaking up against al-Qaida."

He said the 42 freed Iraqis marked the largest number of captives ever found in a single al-Qaida prison. Some of those freed were held for as long as four months and some had injuries from torture and were taken to medical facilities for treatment, he said.

Granted, you hear the usual bad news if you read further on into the article, and accompanying stories talk about another "grim milestone" as Memorial Day approaches. The negative pieces still outweigh the positive. That said, the title of the above piece and its opening four paragraphs are a refreshing change of pace.

Our troop are doing good work and helping the Iraqi people every day. Keep the MSM's feet to the fire. The good news needs to keep getting out.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Yesterday's Successes Yield More Today

Based on intelligence from yesterday's raids that liberated four Iraqi men and an Iraqi boy from their terrorist captors, Coalition Forces raided two buildings northeast of Karmah this morning, and freed twelve Iraqi civilians who were being held by terrorists.

Nine terrorists were killed in the operation, three suspected terrorists were taken into custody, and Coalition Forces found two rocket-propelled grenades, a sub-machine gun, rifles, nineteen assault vests, and stolen goods during a sweep of both buildings.

In other raids, Coalition Forces captured fifteen al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists. Some of those terrorists were discovered due to information from successful raids on 21 May 2007.

Twelve Iraqis are no longer the hostages of terrorists, weapons that were once in the possession of the terrorists are no more, and fifteen terrorists associated with al-Qaeda in Iraq are being held by the Coalition. Much of that is from intelligence that our forces gathered in successful raids yesterday.

Remember that, while you may not hear about it in the mainstream media, our troops are making progress in Iraq.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Successes

There have been many successes by Iraqi and Coalition Forces recently, but I don't know that many (if any) of them are being presented to the American public. Here is a short list of some of the wins for the good-guys in Iraq over the past week-and-a-half or so.

VBIEDs
At least four VBIEDs (vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices) have been contained by Iraqi or Coalition Forces since 09 May 2007, all with no civilian or military casualties. My last post covered another VBIED that was caught on 04 May 2007 before it could be used by the terrorists to murder more people.

On 09 May 2007, Coalition Forces discovered two vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) based upon tips from Iraqi civilians. In the first incident, the vehicle exploded while U.S. members of Multi-National Detachment - Baghdad (MND-B) were enroute to investigate. In the second incident, MND-B and Iraqi forces secured the area around the VBIED, and then an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team destroyed the vehicle. No civilians or military personnel were injured in either incident.

On 12 May 2007, Coalition Forces discovered and destroyed a VBIED in the Sadr City neighborhood of Baghdad. In addition, three suspected terrorists were detained, and IED-making materials were seized. At least two of the three individuals who were detained are suspected of having ties to a secret cell network in the area known for facilitating the transport of weapons and EFPs from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.

On 16 May 2007, Iraqi Army forces discovered a VBIED based upon tips from Iraqi civilians. The area was secured, and Iraqi EOD diffused the explosives in the vehicle.

Hostages And Torture Houses
I've covered this before (here, here, and here), but it is always worth covering new successes in this category. Iraqi and Coalition Forces have shut down several hide-outs that have been used by the terrorists to hold, and often times torture, hostages. For some reason, the MSM doesn't see fit to show the grateful hostages who have been freed by Coalition Forces, or to document the horrific treatment that those hostages were subjected to while being held by the terrorists.

One such torture house was discovered on 16 May 2007. Why this hasn't been headline news, I will never know.

The troops revisited the site in hopes of another discovery and found some human skeletal remains in the yard outside of the house. Inside the house, the Soldiers found other disturbing signs as they continued their search.

An upstairs room had the tools and layout of an interrogation room. Two metal mattress springs were laid against the wall near bare electrical wires, a table with odd markings from fire and chemical burns and triangle racks were hung from the ceiling. This evidence, and knowledge of the area's history of extrajudicial killings, led the patrol leader, 1st Lt. Patrick Henson, of Orlando, Florida, and his Soldiers to conclude that the house had been used for illegal detentions, and possibly for the abuse or interrogation of kidnapped victims.

Today, Coalition Forces freed four Iraqi men and one Iraqi boy who were kidnapped and tortured by terrorists. These terrorists weren't some "Iraqi freedom-fighters" who were involved in any civil war, either. MNF-I spokesperson Lt. Col. Christopher Garver described the find by saying, "The brutality and viciousness of these acts demonstrate the complete disregard terrorists have for human life. We will continue to hunt foreign fighters who bring this violence into Iraq." Again, not front-page news for the MSM.

Other Successes
There are plenty of other successes detailed at the MNF-Iraq Website. I would highly suggest checking out the press releases there to get a better idea of everything that is happening in Iraq. Here are ten more examples from yesterday and today.

3 SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA CELL LEADERS, 9 OTHERS DETAINED
Iraqi Army Forces detain 16 suspected Al Qaeda terrorists near Samarra
MND-B Soldiers find sizeable cache, detain one suspect near Al Hamdanyia
Soldiers kill insurgent and seize deadly weapon
Paratroopers find seven IEDs
8 TERRORISTS KILLED, 34 DETAINED IN OVERNIGHT RAIDS
Coalition and Iraqi Forces knock enemy off balance during Operation Harris Ba'sil
Terrorist safe house destroyed in southern Baghdad
MND-B Soldiers discover insurgent mortar team, killing one
Iraqi Forces detain alleged leader of terrorist group in Salah Din Province

Remember, our troops are doing great work for both America and the people of Iraq. Let's not pull the rug out from under them before the mission is accomplished.

USMC 9971 OUT

These Heroes Saved A Lot Of Lives

Did you hear the one about the truck bomb in Iraq that was found and disabled before the terrorists could maim and murder innocent Iraqis? You probably didn't if you follow the MSM. However, that is what happened in southern Baghdad on 04 May 2007.

U.S. Soldiers noticed a tanker truck that matched the description of a suspected VBIED. The truck was searched, and fourteen 155mm artillery shells that had been wired for detonation were found inside. EOD disposed of the vehicle and explosives without any casualties or loss of life.

If the terrorists had managed to successfully implement that truck bomb, the MSM would have covered this as one of their top stories. This is why I continue to suggest that everyone should follow the press releases at the MNF-Iraq Website. MNF-I will give you all the news, good and bad, whereas the MSM seems to only provide the negative news from Iraq and other fronts in the war on Islamic terror.

Here is the full story from the MNF-I Website, presented here in its entirety. Note that all content on MNF-Iraq.com is public domain and may be used freely.

MND-B troops thwart insurgent plans; discover truck bomb
Saturday, 05 May 2007
By Maj. Kirk Luedeke
4th IBCT, 1st Inf. Div. PAO
Multi-National Division – Baghdad PAO

BAGHDAD – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers stopped what might have been a costly attack May 4 in the Rashid District of the Iraqi capital’s south side when they discovered and disposed of a large truck bomb.

The members of the Fort Riley, Kan.-based Company C, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment "Black Lions," currently assigned to Company A, 1st Bn. 77th Armored Regt. and operating with 1st Bn., 18th Inf. Regt., were conducting a routine patrol when they spotted a large blue tanker truck matching the description of a vehicle suspected of having been converted into a vehicular bomb.

A search of the truck resulted in the discovery of 14 155mm artillery shells wired for detonation.

After securing the area and cordoning off adjacent streets and neighborhoods to prevent any collateral damage, an explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the vehicle and munitions.

"When proactive Soldiers are alert and understand their mission, everyone benefits," said Col. Ricky D. Gibbs, commander of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.

A second weapons cache was also discovered by the Black Lions troops. The Soldiers from Company C uncovered 27 120mm rounds and six 82mm mortar rounds. The additional munitions were placed at the controlled detonation site of the blue tanker truck by an EOD team and a second controlled detonation destroyed them.

"These heroes saved a lot of lives today," Gibbs said. "They had the situational awareness and wherewithal to immediately take action and prevent a potential large-scale tragedy from occurring."

This should have been a top story in the MSM, but it was just passed over like so many stories of the many heroes in our military who, on a daily basis, are out there saving countless lives.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: USAID

The Multi-National Force - Iraq website has an article about how USAID is making life better in Iraq.

The United States Agency for International Development, better known around the world as USAID, is making drastic improvements to the Iraqi infrastructure and improving the quality of life for millions.

The agency maintains a myriad of projects at any given time, and spends millions of dollars to see them through from start to finish. Whether it’s improving Iraqi canals, ensuring local populations have clean drinking water or restoring city markets, the USAID footprint is prominent and welcome here.

While the article goes into much greater detail than I will here (so you should read the actual article), these are the highlights of some of the recent successes for USAID:

• The Sweet Water Canal upgrade has provided fresh drinking water to 1.75 million residents of Basrah.



• The al Korea market in Kirkuk has been revitalized, creating a safe area to gather and shop. As an added bonus, the local community contributed over 1/6 (16.7%) of the cost of the entire project.



• Nearly 4,000 projects have been implemented that were initiated by USAID working with the local community to determine the community's need.



• By supporting community education efforts on water management, disease, personal hygiene, water contamination, and simple water treatment practices, USAID and its partners are improving the quality of life for displaced families in Iraq.

The U.S. is doing good work in Iraq and helping the Iraqi people. You probably won't hear about it in the MSM, but you will hear about it here.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Chief Master Sergeant John Gebhardt

"Air Force Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt, of the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group at Balad, Iraq, cradles a young girl as they both sleep in the hospital. The girl's entire family was executed by insurgents; the killers shot her in the head as well. The girl received treatment at the U.S. military hospital in Balad, but cries and moans often. According to nurses at the facility, Gebhardt is the only one who can calm the girl, so he has spent the last several nights holding her while they both sleep in a chair."

The caption above is from the newspaper/magazine clipping on El Capitan's blog post

It's amazing to me that something like this hasn't been covered more extensively by the mainstream media. Amazing, mind you, but not surprising.

This is one example of the fantastic job that our troops are doing. If this moves you, you may want to let them know by sending them a message at America Supports You, or you may want to adopt a member of the armed forces at Soldiers' Angels.

Thanks go out to Chief Master Sergeant Gebhardt and all of our men and women in uniform who are doing a terrific job without any real acclaim or fanfare. You are all heroes to many of us back here at home, and our hearts and thoughts are with you.

Note: Welcome to The Lair of the Catholic Cavemen readers! Thanks for the hat-tip, Master Sergeant.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Medical Operations To Help Iraqis

This is a link to an article on the MNF-Iraq website regarding a recent medical operation by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. While it's a good news story overall, what really caught my eye were the statements of a couple of PFCs from Company D that were at the very end of the article.

"We went out to distract the enemy so the medics could act," said Pfc. James Cook, Company D, 4-31 Inf. Regt. "We set up three traffic control points to search vehicles and patrolled the areas ... It was all quiet."

"We kept an eye on things to make sure Soldiers didn’t get hurt. We all came back in one piece. It was a good patrol," said Pfc. Samuel Rhodes, also of Co. D.

These young men went out to make sure that the bad guys would engage them instead of the medics and populace so that the Iraqi civilians in Rushdi Mulla could receive medical aid unaccosted. Damned good work, Soldiers.

More people need to hear about the selfless actions of our military men and women.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Iraqis Stepping Up

You probably haven't heard this from the MSM, but six of 10 Iraqi Army divisions, 30 of 36 Iraqi Army brigades, and 90 of 112 Iraqi Army battalions are in the lead in their areas of operations. From MNF-Iraq:

The level of violence in Baghdad has decreased sharply since the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Caldwell said. The violence is lowest in areas that Iraqi and Coalition Forces cleared, he noted.

There were recent violent incidents around Iraq, Caldwell acknowledged, but in every instance, Iraqi Security Forces responded quickly, calmed the situation and prevented the violence from spinning out of control.

"What we see in actions taking place all over Iraq is that Iraqis are taking charge of their country, and they're doing it valiantly," he said. "Violence will flare up again in areas that are under Iraqi control. The question will be, 'Can they handle these situations themselves?' In all of these incidents, they did. They responded, and they returned calm to the areas. The Iraqis brought an Iraqi solution to an Iraqi problem, which is precisely the strategy for Iraq."

Funny, but I don't remember seeing anything about that in the headlines or top stories. You should read the whole article, because it is the only way to find out what the MSM isn't telling you about our troops making progress in Iraq.

UMSC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Violence Not The Whole Story

The U.S. Central Command has this article on the subtle transformations occurring in Iraq. The first two paragraphs acknowledge the violence, but also call for a look at the broader picture.

Let’s put the bad news up front: Extremist elements in Iraq are vying for political and economic power and are seeking to take advantage of this delicate stage of transition in Iraq’s history. Sunni and Shia extremists are using brutal and provocative tactics against one another. Baghdad is the center of gravity for this increasingly sectarian conflict. The conflict is complex: There are also foreign terrorists infiltrating the borders, renegade death squads, an insurgency, and foreign governments who seek to exert influence on Iraqi politics.

This, however, is only part of Iraq’s present story. The violence belies the gradual but remarkable transformation this nation is experiencing. Focusing on just violence would miss telling the bigger story of how — despite it —Iraqis have made enormous steps toward self-sufficiency in both the security and political realm.

The rest of the article tells the bigger story. Read the whole thing, because you are not going to hear it from the mainstream media.

USMC 9971 OUT

Good News From Iraq: Ameriyah

U.S. Central Command has an article about how life is improving in the Ameriyah neighborhood of Baghdad thanks to efforts to find and remove the terrorist presence in Baghdad. The economy is up and civil service projects are improving the quality of life.

"Many of the shops that were once closed have reopened, such as a butcher shop and a bakery," said Staff Sgt. John Davis, of Company A, 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. "Main roads in the neighborhood are starting to look and feel like a neighborhood again, and economic activity and employment have increased since the beginning of the operation." [...]

As of Sept. 14, Iraqi Security Forces and MND-B have cleared more than 55,500 buildings, 60 mosques and 50 muhallas, detained more than 90 terrorist suspects, seized more than 1,200 weapons, registered more than 780 weapons and found 33 weapons caches. The combined forces have also replaced more than 1,100 doors, 35 windows and 1,350 locks damaged during clearing operations and have removed more than 110,000 cubic meters of trash from the streets of Baghdad.

Since the mainstream media won't give you this information, I will try to start providing it on a more regular basis. We are doing plenty of good in Iraq, and the word needs to get out.

USMC 9971 OUT