Military says 75% of Baghdad neighborhoods are now secure
posted at 10:21 am on January 18, 2008 by Bryan
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About 75% of Baghdad’s neighborhoods are now secure, a dramatic increase from 8% a year ago when President Bush ordered more troops to the capital, U.S. military figures show.
The military classifies 356 of Baghdad’s 474 neighborhoods in the “control” or “retain” category of its four-tier security rating system, meaning enemy activity in those areas has been mostly eliminated and normal economic activity is resuming.
Stats are one thing; hearing about the transformation first-hand is another.
Bill Roggio has posted a map showing the trend of constraining al Qaeda that’s happened outside Baghdad. It’s incredible, and illuminating: Note the pink section connected to Syria. Roggio also reports on an ongoing offensive aimed at pounding what’s left of al Qaeda in Iraq.
Operation Phantom Phoenix, the current nationwide operation targeting al Qaeda’s remaining safe havens, was launched on Jan. 8. Iraqi and US forces have captured or killed 121 al Qaeda fighters, wounded 14, and detained an additional 1023 suspects. Al Qaeda’s leadership has been hit hard during the operation, with 92 high values targets either killed or captured.
Iraqi and US forces have also discovered 351 weapons caches and four tunnel complexes, Odierno said. Iraqi and US forces have also discovered three car bomb and improvised explosive device [IED] factories and 410 IEDs, including 18 car bombs and 25 homes rigged with explosives. Also found were “numerous torture chambers, an underground medical clinic, several closed schools, and a large foreign fighter camp with intricate tunnel complexes,” said Odierno.
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2009: Massive protests in Baghdad because of too much fluoride in the water. US is to blame.
I foresee the day.
CABE on January 18, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Harry Reid would just like to say that this still doesn’t prove the surge was a success, since a Starbucks has still not been opened in Baghdad.
Ted Kennedy will make a statement as soon as he’s sober again.
amerpundit on January 18, 2008 at 10:25 AM
When will Pelosi/Reid announce they are disappointed that after nearly one year into the surge ONLY 75% of Baghdad has been secured?
fogw on January 18, 2008 at 10:26 AM
But… but… the war was lost… They told me!
Troika37 on January 18, 2008 at 10:33 AM
Petreaus is doing an excellent job.
I hope the Iraqis appreciate the safety that U.S. forces have afforded them.
natesnake on January 18, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Wow. Those statistics are eye-opening. I knew the surge was working, but I didn’t know they had seen that much progress. No wonder it’s almost been completely dropped from the news and political campaign. How dumb do those naysayers of the surge look now?
Luckedout on January 18, 2008 at 10:35 AM
None of this matters. We have lost because there was never an enemy in Iraq to begin with. Just a few unhappy patriots with legitimate grievences against the U.S. who have been forced to defend themselves.
ptolemy on January 18, 2008 at 10:36 AM
I guess Micheal Moore’s “freedom fighters” aren’t doing so hot these days…..
Techie on January 18, 2008 at 10:36 AM
The Dems will ignore it all completely until/if one becomes president, at which point they will trumpet up all the success in Iraq as if it was their doing.
Just watch.
amkun on January 18, 2008 at 10:36 AM
Rumsfeld = Fail
Petreaus = Win + 1
PolitiNOOB on January 18, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I’m sort of optimistic about that. Before Teddy becomes sober again, the rest of Baghdad might also be freed.
Bigfoot on January 18, 2008 at 10:39 AM
God bless our troops!
Weight of Glory on January 18, 2008 at 10:39 AM
I know some American cities that would like to be ‘75% secured’. And the Iraqis have better control over their borders than we do.
michaelo on January 18, 2008 at 10:40 AM
Good work ladies and gentlemen of the Armed Services. Your country loves you! Freedom loving peole around the world thank you.
Tony737 on January 18, 2008 at 10:40 AM
This is very true.
amerpundit on January 18, 2008 at 10:41 AM
As someone who flies over Iraq everyday I can say that AQI is done for… I think that the numbers (75%) are even a little under what is actually the case.
Justin
Tikrit, Iraq
ColHogan on January 18, 2008 at 10:41 AM
To all you left wing doubters and Bush haters – pucker up and get ready to smooch some lower cheeks.
Dr. Gecko on January 18, 2008 at 10:43 AM
Astonishing, yes, the surge has worked…. but also, from that same USA Today source…
*Most Iraqis say they have altered their daily routines to accommodate the realities of violence:
•More than two-thirds are careful about what they say about themselves to other people.
•Fifty-five percent try to avoid passing by public buildings, often the target of suicide bombers.
•Fifty-four percent stay away from markets and crowded areas.
Four years of upheaval have taken a toll on Iraqis’ mental health. Most report symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Three in four say they have feelings of anger and depression, trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating on work.
Nadeem Nustafa Ahmed, 31, a Sunni, hides the fact he has a job to avoid being robbed — or worse. “I haven’t changed my car despite wanting to badly, but people were killed when they started to have new cars and showed they were well paid,” he said.
“I can say that my house is like a police station now,” said Samer Jaleel, 22, a Sunni student. “The outer wall is 2.5 meters (just over 8 feet) high. We changed the doors into higher and stronger ones. Not only us, but all the houses in the street did the same. Before, we had a very nice street where you could walk and see the gardens. Now it looks like many small jails in one street.”
By far, Iraqis rate security concerns as the biggest problem facing their nation and themselves. Four in five say they have encountered violence near their homes:
•Close to half, 44%, say U.S. or coalition forces have been involved in unnecessary violence nearby.
•Four in 10 report kidnappings for ransom in their neighborhoods.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2007-03-18-poll-cover_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
larkydozer on January 18, 2008 at 10:44 AM
I just thought that poll was a good addition to the interview with the army captain.
larkydozer on January 18, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Thanks for your service, Colonel.
amkun on January 18, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Little attention is paid by the MSM regarding the numbers of foreign fighters in Iraq. A few members of my local SF guard unit stay at my place on weekends they drill. They told me that these cats typically stick out like a sore thumb in public. On more than a few occasions, they would see them around town, and then a couple days later end up as part of a body count.
I paid close attention to this because detractors say, “There are no terrorists in Iraq.” Well guess what skippy; if we didn’t have a substantial military pressence there, they wouldn’t be interested in traveling a few thousand miles to take a crack at killing a some Americans.
Iraq is the war front. It’s 100x’s better they come to us on Iraqi soil, than we have to search for them. I don’t think Americans want the war front on U.S. soil.
natesnake on January 18, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Here in New Orleans, 75% of the neighborhoods aren’t secure.
highhopes on January 18, 2008 at 10:48 AM
They’ll just Move.On to something else they want to bitch about without ever acknowledging reality. You know, typical MO.
amkun on January 18, 2008 at 10:48 AM
This is great news. Now lets see what can hopefully happen with Afghanistan.
upinak on January 18, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Sounds just like Philly or New Orleans, doesn’t it?
a capella on January 18, 2008 at 10:49 AM
They’ll just Move.On to something else they want to whine about without ever acknowledging reality. You know, typical MO.
amkun on January 18, 2008 at 10:51 AM
But, but, but just last night Keith Olberman said the surge was a failure both militarily and politically.
KelliD on January 18, 2008 at 10:51 AM
Thank you for your service Colonel. Come home safe. And maybe have some good PGR people welcoming you home!
Hugs from this PGR member/Soldiers Angel!
upinak on January 18, 2008 at 10:52 AM
So is NBC still sticking by its proclamation of “civil war”?
Blacklake on January 18, 2008 at 11:00 AM
This is great news, but they need some major work in the Mosul area. My brother gets hit by an IED on an almost daily basis.
kongzilla on January 18, 2008 at 11:01 AM
What are you saying? Just because you’re there and can physically see the transition taking place, that makes your observations more credible then Nancy, Harry and their friends sitting behind desks at the New York Times.
You have some nerve fella.
/sarcoff
Thanks for your service Colonel, and to your fellow flyboys. Many of us do know what’s happening over there, even though it is seldom reported in the MSM.
fogw on January 18, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Iraq forces could control all provinces this year: U.S.
bnelson44 on January 18, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Yes, it’s obvious that these cities are lost and we must pull out of them immediately.
CurtZHP on January 18, 2008 at 11:29 AM
a cappela-
You’re right on with the New Orleans/Philly comment.
I live in Dorchester, Massachusetts and I often see parallels between the local examples of tribalism and violence and that within Iraq. Granted, the scale is different but some of the fundamentals are the same.
We something of a military “surge” this past summer, when the Guardian Angels came into Boston from New York to provide some security for us.
larkydozer on January 18, 2008 at 11:34 AM
They give the military success about 2 -3 seconds of lip service then go on continuously about how things are still grim on the political front in Iraq. Which is true but not long ago they were going off about how grim things were militarily as well but now that’s not mentioned. Odds of this hitting the front page of the NY Times anyone?
Yakko77 on January 18, 2008 at 11:52 AM
“willing suspension of disbelief”, right Hillary?
WisCon on January 18, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Slim and none, and slim just left town.
BKennedy on January 18, 2008 at 12:11 PM
Nancy Pelosi changes the basic staples of life in Iraq and takes credit for the recent successes.
csdeven on January 18, 2008 at 12:13 PM
It’s just like the media; they ignore all vestiges of good news until it’s so screamingly obvious that it bites them in the butt.
Bout freakin’ time this made “mainstream” news.
Traitors.
MrJustice on January 18, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Thank you for your service Col Hogan. You and your compatriots who represent America’s finest make this American extremely proud. Allow me to echo:
Here’s a ((((((((Justin)))))))) from another Soldiers Angel!!
Texas Gal on January 18, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Relax everybody. The left will never admit they were dead wrong. The would mean giving credit to the military (who the hate and don’t suppoet), Patreaus (who they trashed), and Bush (who many want executed) which will never never happen.
They will make a big stink complaining about the money that could have been spent on the children in the United States (the ones not aborted of course), healthcare, or other liberal government programs. If that doesn’t work they will absolutely claim credit for the success. That is too absurd and so far fetched to even contemplate but the media will back them totally to make it credible.
Notice how little is mentioned about Iraq these days in the media? Can’t make the Democraps look foolish heading into the election. It’s all recession talk to give the left an issue to save America because Iraq is old news now.
libhater on January 18, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Democrats official comment….damn!
right2bright on January 18, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I guess the cartoon showing Reid, Pelosi, & Murtha trying to plant the white flag before we win is taking on a much bigger level of relevance these days.
libhater on January 18, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Amen to that!
Zorro on January 18, 2008 at 12:48 PM
larkydozer,
One of my translators in Iraq related how he had to keep his eyes down while walking past Saddam’s palaces because looking at them was a crime. Iraq’s mental health came pre-traumatized. That Iraqi’s can look at and talk to the police now is a great boon for the cause of civilization.
Patrick_Lasswell on January 18, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Great job by our military! I would like to thank all of the soldiers who read this blog. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten. God bless all of you, as well as your families.
chief on January 18, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Hey I think that is the same percentage for Dallas, Texas
Drtuddle on January 18, 2008 at 2:37 PM
There is apparently a link on IraqSlogger that the Iraqis found an AQI camp in Basra for the first time but it costs eleventy zillion dollars to read anything on IraqSlogger (Apparently the US government is his main customer so he is collecting your tax dollars).
crosspatch on January 18, 2008 at 2:50 PM
“Zing!” for you. :-)
Hawkins1701 on January 18, 2008 at 2:52 PM
WoosterOh on January 18, 2008 at 2:56 PM
God bless our troops, the General leading them and our President. Let`s hope the progress holds and advances.
ThePrez on January 18, 2008 at 3:06 PM
Rock On!
dingbat on January 18, 2008 at 3:20 PM
This is the reason that 75% of Baghdad neighborhoods are now secure!
Browncoatone on January 18, 2008 at 3:42 PM
Ditto!!! The Ayatollahs have really got sweating now.
labrat on January 18, 2008 at 4:11 PM
larkydozer on January 18, 2008 at 10:44 AM
The survey you’re referring to was done by four different agencies(One a german tv station). They used about twenty one hundred Iraqis(from where?). They also show the stats of being from 2005 and now. What YOU don’t state is that ‘now’ was from Feb.-March of 2007.
Seems to me, violence was up at that time because the surge was in it’s first stages. Your ‘now’ is not Jan. 2008.
Oh, and WoosterOh on January 18, 2008 at 2:56 PM…..Cry me a river.
oakpack on January 18, 2008 at 5:37 PM
LOL!!!! Damn, you gotta love Marines!!!!
Yakko77 on January 18, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Yakko – we in the Army have Baghdad as our AOR. Heh.
I hope my time in a MiTT in southern Iraq is spent on working up the Iraqis to finish the job!
major john on January 18, 2008 at 10:19 PM
WOT trivia: When the first American Special Forces landed by helicopter in Afghanistan in 2001, they were greeted by a CIA advance team led by Gary Schroen. Gary’s group treated the SF personnel to fresh brewed Starbucks coffee at their camp.
Source: “First In”, by Gary Schroen. Excellent account by the almost-retired CIA agent of his group – the first Americans into Afghanistan, 4 weeks after 9/11.
fred5678 on January 19, 2008 at 2:42 AM
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