Iraqi Army takes on Diyala
posted at 9:03 am on July 29, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
The Iraqi Army, with a record of 4-0 in 2008, has started its latest match against al-Qaeda in the restive Diyala province. At dawn today, the IA imposed a curfew across the entire province as its troops deployed across the capital of Baqubah. American forces joined them in raids against specific targets in the outlying areas of the province:
U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a new operation Tuesday aimed at clearing al-Qaida in Iraq from the volatile Diyala province, considered the last major insurgent safe haven near the capital.
New checkpoints went up across the province — one of the hardest areas to control since the U.S.-led war began in March 2003 — and authorities banned unofficial traffic as troops searched for insurgents around the provincial capital of Baqouba, according to witnesses. Many residents said they were afraid to leave their houses. …
There have been similar major operations in Diyala province in the past but they have all been so loudly heralded that insurgents had plenty of time to escape, regroup and stage a return later, BBC Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir says.
This latest operation was generally expected but its timing was kept secret, and army and police units were brought up from Baghdad unannounced.
Diyala has provided haven for insurgents of many stripes over the past few years, especially for those fleeing nearby Baghdad. The province has a mix of Sunni and Shi’ite populations similar to Baghdad, which makes Diyala both convenient and dangerous. The US attempted to pacify Diyala during the early part of the surge, with less success than Anbar and the capital.
Part of the problem may be the Iranians. Diyala borders on Iran, and it may be one area in which the Revolutionary Guards continue to provide support and provocation. Until now, the Iraqi Army has not been strong enough to hold ground in Diyala, but that has changed significantly in 2008. Not only has the IA grown in strength and experience, it has routed its enemies in Basra, Amarah, Sadr City, and Mosul. It has confidence, a quality missing until this year, and it has momentum.
American units will remain critical to success in Diyala. The Iraqis need our logistics and leadership, but mostly they need our air power, which the Iraqis lack completely. As the BBC reports, they also still rely on American combat troops to conduct ground operations, even under direction of the IA. Until Iraq’s provinces all achieve stability and the terrorists have been chased out of the country, the Iraqis will continue to need this kind of support — and the alternative of chaos and collapse cannot be an option.
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Harry Reid has announced that this battle is already lost.
jgapinoy on July 29, 2008 at 9:07 AM
Didn’t Saddam have an air force?
jgapinoy on July 29, 2008 at 9:08 AM
I believe the Iraqi Air Force flew to Iran during the first Gulf War, seeking safe haven.
Saddam’s still waiting for the mullahs to return the planes.
Those Husseins are easily hoodwinked, aren’t they?
NoDonkey on July 29, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Ask and AQ shall receive….tons of lead and steel for the asking.
I know that we are supposed to be cheering on the Iraqi forces, and I do, but the MSM completely ignores the American side of these stories. The articles today don’t mention the U.S. units, other then in generic terms. The press has no interest in the hard work our men and women put into these operations.
While I’m not positive, from other stories and contacts, I believe that area is 4th IDs (I think). If so then….kick some AQ fanny 4th Infantry!!!!!!!
Limerick on July 29, 2008 at 9:12 AM
The Iraqi Army, with a record of 4-0 …
Outstanding! God, I LOVE this! Just think, we’re rooting FOR the Iraqi Army. We’re ROOTING for the the Iraqi Army. WE’RE rooting for the Iraqi Army. We’re rooting for the IRAQI Army. We’re rooting for the Iraqi ARMY. Every word you put the emphasis on has it’s own meaning. Think about it. This is Victory. For us, for Iraq, and for the civilized world.
Tony737 on July 29, 2008 at 9:23 AM
Buried in the sand.
Lock down the border….IMMEDIATELY. That way they can prevent any materials flowing in from the IRG, and they can wax any jihadi trying to flee to the jihadi safe haven aka Iran.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on July 29, 2008 at 9:29 AM
get em boys!!
trailortrash on July 29, 2008 at 9:33 AM
US forces there are the 2nd Striker Cavelry Regiment under 1st (Iron) Armor Division (MND-N).
4th Div has Baghdad (MND-B). 10th Mountain has most of the south (MND-C), UK 7th (Deasert Rats) Bde has Basrah, and II MEF has Anbar.
Iraqi forces identified there so far are the 5th (Iron) Infantry Division plus 35/9 Armor Brigade, 37/9 ArmCav Brigade and U/I elements of INP (5/2 INP and/or 1st INP Mech Brigades). Suspect the IA has more but, no hard IDs.
Saddam’s Air Force did not all fly to Iran. Only 187 aircraft. The rest were destroyed in the war from 1991-2003 or buried by Saddam. He thought that would preserve them…
DJ Elliott on July 29, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Here’s a Devastating “take” on Barack HUSSEIN Obama’s (PBUH)(SAW)(SWT) tour de farce in Iraq, and the Iraq leadership’s view of this ass-clown.
Dale in Atlanta on July 29, 2008 at 9:35 AM
Don’t mention this to B. H. Obama.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on July 29, 2008 at 9:36 AM
I think we whacked that in the 1st 5 minutes of the war.
TheSitRep on July 29, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Seems to me,that Nancy said on the view,that
Iraqs want the US to leave,according to the
Gospel of Pelosi!
I can’t wait for Lefty’s,and the MSM,to tell
us what this all means!
canopfor on July 29, 2008 at 9:39 AM
There have been similar major operations in Diyala province in the past but they have all been so loudly heralded that insurgents had plenty of time to escape, regroup and stage a return later, BBC Baghdad correspondent Jim Muir says.
This latest operation was generally expected but its timing was kept secret, and army and police units were brought up from Baghdad unannounced.
It’s amazing what can happen when the enemedia is kept outta the loop.
Tony737 on July 29, 2008 at 9:42 AM
Didn’t Saddam have an airforce?
jgapinoy on July,29 2008 at 9:08AM.
jgapinoy: I think in the first gulf war,Saddam
sent some of his fighters to Iran!
canopfor on July 29, 2008 at 9:44 AM
Speaking of the Iraqi Air Force, read this about it’s retired general officer George Sada. It’s a modern day version of the prophet Daniel in the lion’s den. He wrote an excellent book, Saddam’s Secrets.
shick on July 29, 2008 at 10:01 AM
He wrote an excellent book, Saddam’s Secrets. – Shick
Yes, great book! A Must Read for all HotHeads!
Tony737 on July 29, 2008 at 10:05 AM
It’s a darned good thing harry Reid told us we’re losing; otherwise, I might take this as a sign we’re winning!
Whew, that was close.
irishspy on July 29, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Without the support of the U.S. military, of course this would not have been possible.
Johan Klaus on July 29, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Dr. Cwac Cwac is right. The American troops need to lock down the border. Prevent anyone from entering from Iran, and let the Iraqis chase Al Qaeda toward the border, to be rounded up by the Americans as they try to flee.
Dear Barry O with Judgment to Lead, would this be possible if we had done what you suggested? Think January 2007, only worse!
Steve Z on July 29, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Good work. Keep splashing those heads over there…
saiga on July 29, 2008 at 10:47 AM
What they find will be interesting. I expect several more Qods will captured or killed.
dogsoldier on July 29, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Iraqi and American soldiers continued to encounter few insurgents Saturday and Sunday as they worked their way through the remaining portions of Diyala province’s Balad Ruz district and prepared to settle down in the area. Stars and Stripes
BDU-33 on July 29, 2008 at 11:27 AM
You should have issued at Tissue Alert!
Watching a nation being born is truly awesome, but knowing that you played some small part in it is an indescribable feeling.
Texas Gal on July 29, 2008 at 12:08 PM
Good work on the infantry side, but we have got to get them a real Air Force, or we’ll be patrolling their skies forever.
pookysgirl on July 29, 2008 at 1:52 PM
I thought Diyala was pacified months ago? Wasn’t that Operation Arrowhead Ripper?
Dudley Smith on July 29, 2008 at 2:42 PM
I had dinner with Sada when we brought him in to speak at
UNCG in 2006.
Very straight forward,common sense way of speaking about the importance of winning in Iraq and how dangerous Saddam really was.
When he spoke in the auditorium after dinner,it was amazing
how he left the liberal students speechless when their,”war for oil,America tortures” rhetoric was shot down with the reality of what it takes to bring down a genocidal,terrorist
dictator and establish a democracy.
This is why I believe he did not get much TV time,because
liberals could not dent the reality and truth of what was happening in Iraq with someone who was so close and high up in Saddam’s regime.
As far as the mission in Diyala,I hear the Iraqi army has offered to train the British military on counter insurgency tactics when they are done.
They would love to help train the rest of the Europeans (France,Germany)that Obama was apologizing to for America but they can’t find any of them in the fight.
Baxter Greene on July 29, 2008 at 3:02 PM
And if B Obe gets his way, the IA will be left without that support. Easy pickins for Imadinnerjacket and betrayed by the Americans again. This can not be allowed to happen. Iraqis have literally begun fighting for their lives and doing very well. 4 and 0 so far.
oakpack on July 29, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Baxter, you’ve MET Georges Sada? Wow! That must’ve been fascinating!
Tony737 on July 29, 2008 at 5:26 PM
and Obama shoots a 3 pointer!!! Does he get a Purple Heart for that??
gary on July 29, 2008 at 6:28 PM
It was great to talk to somebody with this much intimate knowledge of Saddam’s regime and the Jihad.
One thing he told me that really pissed me off was that the
people that were yelling the loudest on capital hill about surrender in Iraq would tell him behind closed doors how important winning there is.
He worked early on with the administration providing information and ideas on how to handle Iraq post-war.
He said disbanding the army was one of the worst decisions
made because it sent thousands into al-qaeda’s and other militia’s hands,mainly because of money.
He liked and respected Bush but could not stand Brenner.
He laughed at the supposed “torture” debate going on and said our enemies were laughing at us too talking about how
“dangerous” pouring water over somebody’s head was.
He was straight up about the fact that Iraqi’s were brutal
and would not be bothered with all this PC crap.The problem was that the boot that was slammed against the terrorist head had to be Iraqi, not American.Anti-coalition propaganda
was a strong tool in the Arab world.
The 3 hours I spent with him were some of the most informative I have spent since the war began.He went into many other issues like his role in the Iraq/Iran war,Saddam’s obsession with bringing down the US,his many ties to terrorism,WMD,and the genocide of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s.
I left the dinner with him and the speaking engagement feeling incredibly proud to be an American and supporting the down fall of such a brutal dictator.
Only a hard core communist leftist could spend the evening with this man and not know that the Liberation of Iraq has made the world better off and advanced Freedom and Hope where there never ever has been any.
Baxter Greene on July 29, 2008 at 9:23 PM