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Saturday, May 05, 2007

Al-Qaeda #2 gAyman al-Zawahiri Speaks

ABC News

In a new video posted today on the Internet, al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al Zawahiri, mocks the bill passed by Congress setting a timetable for the pullout of U.S. troops in Iraq.

"This bill will deprive us of the opportunity to destroy the American forces which we have caught in a historic trap," Zawahiri says in answer to a question posed to him an interviewer.

Continuing in the same tone, Zawahiri says, "We ask Allah that they only get out of it after losing 200,000 to 300,000 killed, in order that we give the spillers of blood in Washington and Europe an unforgettable lesson."

Based on the references to the bill, the tape, produced by al Qaeda's propaganda arm, as-Sahab, appears to have been made after Congress passed the legislation last week but before President Bush vetoed in on Thursday.

The gAyman must not be paying attention to what is going on in Iraq. Either that or he's watching American news. Believe it or not, we are killing or capturing 50 or so terrorists for every soldier killed or wounded in Iraq. If he thinks he can kill 300,000 solider's, he's crazy. They don't have enough lunatics. They would need 1.5 million primates to kill 300,000 American soldiers. Imagine the death toll for terrorists if they had the courage to wear uniforms.

On another note, I think it's safe to say Bin-Laden has met his 72 virgins. We haven't heard from him since mid-2006. I guess we can call gAyman al-Qaeda's #1 now.

 

Al-Qaeda In Iraq Leader, al-Masri, Officially Dead

CENTCOM

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces positively identified two more senior al-Qaeda in Iraq leaders killed in an operation May 1 west of Taji, the same operation where Muharib Abdul Latif was killed.

Coalition forces followed leads from intelligence reports on senior leaders of al-Qaeda in Iraq and conducted a raid in the Taji area Tuesday morning.  During the operation, terrorists engaged ground forces with small arms fire.  Coalition forces used appropriate self-defense measures and engaged the armed men, killing five terrorists.

One of the terrorists killed during the operations was later positively identified as Sabah Hilal al-Shihawi, also known as Sabah al-Alwani and Abu Nuri.  Sabah Hilal al-Shihawi was reportedly the religious advisor for Muharib Abdul Latif.

Another terrorist killed during the Tuesday morning raid was Abu Ammar al-Masri.  Intelligence reports indicated that he was a foreign fighter that was facilitating insurgent activity and infrastructure support for al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Both terrorists were positively identified by associates at the site, and positive photo identification was also verified on Sabah Hilal al-Shihawi.

Even though this will have no real long term effect on al-Qaeda in Iraq, it still makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Every time we kill one of these primates, the next one may be a little more reluctant to take leadership. Even if they do, lots of sleepless nights are in store for them.

 

Good News From The War On Terror 5/3-5/4

SUSPECTED IED CELL MEMBERS DETAINED IN KHOWST

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan and Coalition forces detained two adult males after a raid on a compound in the Mandozai district of the Khowst Province early this morning.

Credible evidence led the forces to the detainees, who are suspected operatives in the Haqqani network, responsible for facilitating IED attacks on peaceful Afghans and Coalition forces in the Khowst Province.

 

11 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition Forces detained 11 suspected terrorists late Wednesday and early Thursday during raids targeting a foreign fighter facilitation network and improvised explosive device networks.

Wednesday afternoon, Coalition Forces raided four buildings in Mosul as part of two related operations.  When Coalition Forces searched the buildings, they detained three suspected terrorists that intelligence sources link to arms trafficking, a vehicle-borne IED network and attacks against Iraqi and Coalition Forces.

North of Karmah, two separate raids resulted in Coalition Forces detaining eight suspected terrorists allegedly involved in facilitating foreign fighters and an IED network known to use chlorine in its attacks.

Coalition Forces found IED-making materials and a double-barreled anti-aircraft weapon and mount, which they destroyed on site.

 

TWO SUSPECTED SECRET CELL TERRORISTS DETAINED BAGHDAD

The individuals targeted during the raid are suspected members of a secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training.

During the course of the morning's operations, Coalition Forces targeted a concentration of buildings associated with the terrorist network.

Intelligence reports also indicate the secret cell has ties to a kidnapping network that conducts attacks within Iraq.

 

IRAQI SECURITY FORCES CAPTURE A FORMER REGIME OFFICER SUSPECTED OF CORRUPTION IN TIKRIT

TIKRIT - Iraqi Security Forces detained a former military officer under Saddam Hussein and an associate who are suspected of being involved in corrupt activities and illegal activity in Tikrit on May 3.  Two suspected insurgents were also captured with them.

The former regime officer and his associate were wanted for utilizing government facilities in Tikrit in order to store munitions, safeguard insurgents, and plan and stage attacks against Coalition Forces and Iraqi Security Forces in the Tikrit area.

This successful mission is part of the continuing campaign of Iraq Security Forces and the Government of Iraq to target criminal and violent elements causing harm to innocent Iraqis.

 

COMMANDOS DISCOVER IRANIAN WEAPONS

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq - Coalition forces discovered a weapons cache during a combat operation south of Baghdad.
Soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) discovered four improvised explosive devices, components for 25 additional IEDs, seven 107mm Iranian rockets and an 81mm Iranian mortar in the Mahmudiyah area.

 

Friday, May 04, 2007

Qube TV

Well it's finally happened.

After YouTube removed dozens of conservative video's, a new Conservative video sharing website has appeared. QubeTV was formed by political veterans Charlie Gerow and Jeff Lord. Michelle Malkin has had several of her video's removed from YouTube because liberal lunatics comb through the video's for anything they disagree with. They all scurry like little cockroaches to the "offending" video and flag it as inappropriate. The little trolls at YouTube then delete the video. She's not the only victim, there are several others, including Jawa Report.

But, that was then and QubeTV is now. I look forward to watching the video's.

Military: New Iraqi School Had Bombs Built In

CNN

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- American soldiers discovered a girls school being built north of Baghdad had become an explosives-rigged "death trap," the U.S. military said Thursday.

The plot at the Huda Girls' school in Tarmiya was a "sophisticated and premeditated attempt to inflict massive casualties on our most innocent victims," military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said.

The military suspects the plot was the work of al Qaeda, because of its nature and sophistication, Caldwell said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

The plot was uncovered Saturday, when troopers in the Salaheddin province found detonating wire across the street from the school. They picked up the wire and followed its trail, which led to the school. Once inside, they found an explosive-filled propane tank buried beneath the floor. There were artillery shells built into the ceiling and floor, and another propane tank was found, the military said.

The wire was concealed with mortar and concrete, and the propane tanks had been covered with brick and hidden underneath the floor, according to a military statement. Soldiers were able to clear the building.

"It was truly just an incredibly ugly, dirty kind of vicious killing that would have gone on here," Caldwell said.

It's amazing it took four days for the media to report on this. Just for the record, I posted it here, on May 1st. The CENTCOM press release came out April 30th. Yay for me.

 

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Democrats Back Down On Iraq Timetable

Washingtonpost.com

President Bush and congressional leaders began negotiating a second war funding bill yesterday, with Democrats offering the first major concession: an agreement to drop their demand for a timeline to bring troops home from Iraq.

Democrats backed off after the House failed, on a vote of 222 to 203, to override the president's veto of a $124 billion measure that would have required U.S. forces to begin withdrawing as early as July. But party leaders made it clear that the next bill will have to include language that influences war policy. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) outlined a second measure that would step up Iraqi accountability, "transition" the U.S. military role and show "a reasonable way to end this war."

"We made our position clear. He made his position clear. Now it is time for us to try to work together," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) said after a White House meeting. "But make no mistake: Democrats are committed to ending this war."

Bush said he is "confident that we can reach agreement," and he assigned three top aides to negotiate. White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten, national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley and budget director Rob Portman will go to Capitol Hill today to sit down with leaders of both parties.

Now that Bush has vetoed this ridiculous bill and the Dems failed to override the veto, they have no other choices other than drop the timetable or deny troops funding. I was worried that the Dems would try to keep pushing this bill, while withholding money from the troops. They must have received some poll numbers indicating that Americans did not support their method.

 

"United States of Socialist America". Dems Push To Crush Dissent On The Air.

Insightmag.com

Liberal Democrats are attempting to muzzle conservative talk radio: they are assaulting free speech. Like the communists in the former Soviet Union, America’s liberals seek to crush dissent by consolidating control over the media—especially talk radio, which has emerged as the dominant medium for conservative opinion.

Allies close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are promoting legislation, which if passed, will take off the air prominent conservative radio hosts such as Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly—along with thousands of smaller conservative broadcasters. The bill, entitled the "Media Ownership Reform Act," is sponsored by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, a leftist Democrat from New York. The legislation aims to revive the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” of the 1940’s: “all views” are to be given equal time on radio. In particular, the Federal Communications Commission would have the power to oversee and change radio and television content. The goal is to tilt the ideological balance of power away from the right on the nation’s air waves.

The real force behind the effort to censor conservative talk radio is the progressive–philanthropist, George Soros. The radical leftist billionaire has made no secret of his hatred for conservatives. He says President Bush has transformed America into a militaristic, “fascist” empire. Moreover, Soros champions many of liberalism’s chic causes: abortion on demand, legalization of drugs, homosexual marriage, euthanasia, unlimited Third World immigration, open borders, and one-world government anchored in the United Nations. He advocates all the issues that are anathema to popular radio talk-show hosts like Savage, Limbaugh and Hannity. Hence, he wants these commentators to be exiled to the political wilderness.

At a recent National Conference for Media Reform, sponsored by Free Press, a Massachusetts-based group heavily subsidized by Soros, Hinchey laid bare his plan to silence conservative voices on television and radio. The anti-war McGovernite attacked Savage, Limbaugh and other conservative radio hosts, saying they were “responsible” for leading the U.S. into the Iraq war, as well as for preparing the ground for future military invasions of Iran and Syria. According to Hinchey, these men pose a “threat” to American national security. Hence, under his bill, they would be fired.

"All of that stuff will end," Hinchey said.

Hopefully; George Soros will die before his dreams of a Socialist/Communist America come to fruition. Liberals keep fighting dirty and Republicans do nothing more than say they disagree. Republicans are not making their voices heard and are constantly being drowned out by the liberals in the MSM.

A local paper here will rarely publish any Op-Ed's right-of-center. The editor will basically harass you until you tell him to forget about printing the Op-Ed. He demands you completely explain your letter and constantly asks what each sentence means. Even after jumping through hoops to get the letter printed, there's only a 50/50 chance it will still get printed.

A lot of liberals are foaming at the mouth over Fox News Channel or "Faux News" as they call it. They call it right wing news, but that is false. Several studies have been done on Fox News' claim of being fair and balanced. I can't find the figures, but I remember it saying that the "right" had one second more airtime than the "left". That's pretty close especially for a majority of anchors that lean to the right. I automatically exclude Bill O'Reilly. He's like a cross dresser who doesn't know if he wants to be a man or a woman. He was bamboozled last night by George Tenet. Even Dennis Miller couldn't believe what he was hearing. So much for the "No Spin Zone". Tenet spun it like a top.

Most Americans have no desire to listen to liberalism on the radio. It's been tried already. Air America was huge flop from day one. I think the reason conservative radio does so well is because the much of the mainstream news is "slanted" to the left. Conservatives are not getting their satisfaction from watching the news, excluding Fox, of course. Liberals, on the other hand, get their fill from the MSM. They have no need for liberal radio. Almost every media outlet caters to their ideology.

Remember, Rome fell from the inside. We can either stand and fight, or cower in the corner and let them ruin the country.

 

Experts: Pulling U.S. Forces From Iraq Could Trigger Catastrophe

CNN.com

(CNN) -- Pulling U.S. forces from Iraq could trigger catastrophe, CNN analysts and other observers warn, affecting not just Iraq but its neighbors in the Middle East, with far-reaching global implications.

Sectarian violence could erupt on a scale never seen before in Iraq if coalition troops leave before Iraq's security forces are ready. Supporters of al Qaeda could develop an international hub of terror from which to threaten the West. And the likely civil war could draw countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran into a broader conflict.

President Bush vetoed a war spending bill Tuesday precisely because the Democrat-led Congress required the first U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn by October 1 with a goal of a complete pullout six months later.

Bush said such a deadline would be irresponsible and both sides are now working on new proposals -- which may have no pullout dates.

A rapid withdrawal of all U.S. troops would hurt America's image and hand al Qaeda and other terror groups a propaganda victory that the United States is only a "paper tiger," CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen said.

"It would also play into their strategy, which is to create a mini-state somewhere in the Middle East where they can reorganize along the lines of what they did in Afghanistan in the late '90s," Bergen told CNN.com.

Ya Think? Everyone except the Democrats knows this.

 

Good News From The War On Terror 5/1-5/2

5 TERRORISTS KILLED, 20 SUSPECTED TERRORISTS DETAINED

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Coalition forces killed five terrorists and detained 20 suspected terrorists Tuesday during overnight raids targeting senior leaders within the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.

Intelligence reports led Coalition forces to targets associated with senior al-Qaeda leaders west of Taji Tuesday morning.  During an operation there, terrorists engaged ground forces with small arms fire.

Coalition forces used appropriate self-defense measures and engaged the armed men, killing five.  Six suspected terrorists were detained. 

Coalition forces found weapons and grenades, which they destroyed on site.

North of Samarra, Coalition forces detained seven individuals with alleged ties to senior leaders in Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Five suspected terrorists were detained in a separate Coalition forces raid west of Taji, and two suspected terrorists were detained in an operation in Mosul.

 

SUSPECTED SUICIDE BOMB FACILITATOR DETAINED IN KHOWST

BAGRAM AIR BASE, AFGHANISTAN – Afghan and Coalition forces detained one adult male after a raid on a house in the Tani district of the Khowst Province early this morning.

A search of the building turned up AK-47s and military-style load-bearing vests. 

Credible evidence led the forces to the detainee, a suspected operative in the Haqqani network, who is also suspected of facilitating suicide bombers in the Khowst Province.

“Facilitators like this are simply cowards, exploiting impressionable people for their own purposes,” said Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesman. 

No shots were fired, and no one was injured during the operation.

 

AFGHAN NATIONAL POLICE, COALITION FORCES NAB IED CELL LEADERS

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan National Police and Coalition forces detained three well-known improvised explosive device (IED) facilitators while conducting a combat operation to interdict a Taliban IED cell located 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) northwest of the city of Khowst, in Saberi district, Khowst province April 30.

The Combined ANP and Coalition force air-assaulted into the village of Zambar and quickly detained Haji Nazir, Nazir Khan and another individual, known only as Latif, at three separate compounds.  The detained individuals are believed to be mid-level Taliban leaders who were involved in Taliban fighter recruiting, financing, and the masterminds behind the IED cell in the Sabari district. 

No shots were fired during the successful mission and there were no injuries to any Afghan civilians reported.

“The information gained from these three individuals will assist us in detaining other key Taliban leaders,” said Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force-82 spokesperson.  “We will continue to pursue and interdict Taliban leaders who threaten the people of Afghanistan.” 

“Taliban leaders have two choices,” Belcher said. “Stop fighting and reconcile with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, or face elimination by Afghan National Security and Coalition forces.” 

 

AFGHAN BORDER POLICE AND COALITION FORCES STOP ENEMY INSURGENTS

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Afghan Boarder Police and Coalition forces, manning a checkpoint 80 kilometers (49.6 miles) northeast of Qalat, engaged three vehicles that were traveling at a high rate of speed when the approaching vehicles failed to slow down after appropriate warnings were given near the village of Zara Kalay, Maruf District, Kandahar Province, a few hours before midnight on May 1.

Once stopped, eight male insurgents exited the vehicles and began firing upon the checkpoint.  ABP and Coalition forces returned fire killing five of the eight insurgents.  Three insurgents managed to escape during the firefight.

There were no Afghan civilians in the vehicles and there were no injuries to ABP or Coalition forces.

“Enemy insurgents are attempting to slip through established security checkpoints to conduct illegal and terrorist activities,” said Maj. Christopher Belcher, a Combined Joint Task Force- 82 spokesperson.  “With the assistance of the Afghan people, Afghan Boarder Police and Coalition forces will be able to put a stop to all insurgent activity in the area.”

 

BAGHDAD EAGLE BATTALION TAKES LEAD IN COUNTERINSURGENCY FIGHT

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq - Iraqi soldiers have been slowly taking the lead in the fight against terror throughout Iraq, and Tuesday another battalion officially took control.

The 4th Battalion of the 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division's "Baghdad Eagles" assumed control of the battle space around Yusufiyah. 

The battalion has worked side-by-side with the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) out of Fort Drum, N.Y., since the 2nd BCT's arrival at the beginning of September.

The 4-31 Infantry "Polar Bears" have lived and worked with the Iraqi soldiers for the past eight months, training them in every aspect of counterinsurgency fighting; including finding caches, conducting air- and river-borne assaults into hostile areas, and providing medical and financial assistance to local civilian populations.

The 4-31 Soldiers helped the Iraqi soldiers train on weapons systems, communications equipment and jointly conducted countless operations, initially showing the way - then falling back to allow the Iraqis to lead, while remaining available to assist and answer questions.

 "The 4/4/6 has made tremendous improvements in personnel, training and equipment readiness over the last eight months," said Maj. William Warner, a native of Union City, Tenn., and the 2nd BCT's Iraqi Security Forces coordinator. "Their assumption of responsibility and the designation that they are 'in the lead' in the Yusufiyah area are indicative of the exceptional hard work by the officers and soldiers of the 4/4/6 IA."

The battalion has taken control of about 75 square kilometers in the rural area south of Baghdad. The men of the 4/4/6 IA, which is based on Forward Operating Base Yusufiyah, have met all performance objectives, Warner said. They have proven themselves to be an effective force capable of defeating the enemy and providing security to the citizens of Yusufiyah. 
An Iraqi Army In the Lead ceremony is slated for a future date.

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division discover a cache recently near Yusufiyah, Iraq.  The 4/4/6 is preparing to officially take over 75 square kilometers around Yusufiyah at an Iraqi Army In the Lead ceremony slated for a future date.

 

4TH BRIGADE, 2ND INFANTRY DIVISION ARRIVES IN IRAQ

BAGHDAD - Multi-National Corps-Iraq added a U.S. brigade this week to assist the Iraqi Security Forces in and around Baghdad. 

The 4th Brigade, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team from Fort Lewis, WA will be deployed in various locations around the country.  Their mission will be to assist Iraqi Security Forces to clear, control and retain key areas of the capital city in order to reduce violence.

The brigade includes approximately 3,700 Soldiers.

Has Anyone Seen Our Nukes?

BBC NEWS VIA Jihad Watch 

Pakistan's nuclear authority has said there is no cause for concern after it published press adverts for information on "lost" radioactive material.

The adverts urged members of the public to inform officials if they found any "lost or stolen" radioactive material.

They were published in major Urdu-language newspapers in Pakistan.

A spokesman for the nuclear authority said that there was a "very remote chance" that nuclear materials imported 40-50 years ago were unaccounted for.

International concern over the safety of Pakistan's nuclear programme was expressed in 2004, when the country's top nuclear scientist, AQ Khan, confessed to leaking secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

This doesn't sound good. There is radical factions in all areas of the Pakistani government, many aiding and abetting the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Those people will also switch allegiance depending on who's winning and who pays the most. Here's a country, that is only a bullet away from becoming a country based on Shari'a law. Once Musharraf is gone, that country is going to be out of control and a nuclear arsenal is going to be in the hands of terrorists.

 

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Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Five Missing WWII Airmen Are Identified

DefenseLink News Release

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five U.S. servicemen, missing from World War II, have been identified and are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. 

They are 1st Lt. Cecil W. Biggs, of Teague, Texas; 1stLt.William L. Pearce, of San Antonio, Texas; 2nd Lt. Thomas R. Yenner, of Kingston, Pa.; Tech. Sgt. Russell W. Abendschoen of York, Pa.; and Staff Sgt. George G. Herbst of Brooklyn, N.Y.; all U.S. Army Air Forces. Pearce was buried April 27 in Louisville, Ky.; Herbst will be buried June 8 at Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C.; Biggs will be buried June 9 in Teague, Texas; Abendschoen’s funeral is June 13 at Arlington; and Yenner will be buried July 30 at Arlington.

Representatives from the Army met with the next-of-kin of these men in their hometowns to explain the recovery and identification process and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army.

On Sept. 21, 1944, a C-47A Skytrain crewed by these airmen was delivering Polish paratroopers to a drop zone south of Arnhem, Holland, in support of “Operation Market Garden.” Soon after departing the drop zone, the plane crashed and there were no survivors. The Germans opened the dikes in the region where the plane crashed and flooded the area before any remains could be recovered.

When Dutch citizens returned to their homes in Arnhem the next year, they recovered remains from the Skytrain’s wreckage and buried them in a nearby cemetery. A U.S. Army graves registration team later disinterred the remains which were reburied as group remains in 1950 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Kentucky.

In 1994, a Dutch citizen located more human remains and other crew-related materials at a site associated with this C-47 crash. They were eventually turned over to U.S. officials.

Among dental records, other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA in the identification of the remains of these five men. The remains that could not be attributed to a specific individual have been buried with the first set of group remains at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

The Religion Of Global Warming

Bloomberg.com

April 27 (Bloomberg) -- Visitors to the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa won't find the Gideon Bible in the nightstand drawer. Instead, on the bureau will be a copy of ``An Inconvenient Truth,'' former Vice President Al Gore's book about global warming.

I wasn't planning on going to California any time soon, if I were, I would scratch this hotel off the list.

 

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Good News From The War On Terror 4/29-4/30

Iraqi soldiers find VBIED in Mahmudiyah area

MAHMUDIYAH, Iraq — Iraqi soldiers discovered a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device in Mahmudiyah April 30.

Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division noticed the VBIED along a highway in north Mahmudiyah.

Upon discovery of the VBIED, 2-4-6 IA soldiers contacted the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from Fort Drum, N.Y., who then cordoned off the area and escorted the explosive ordnance disposal team to the site.

The EOD team executed a controlled detonation of the VBIED.

 

Iraqi Security Forces raid lands suspected death squad leader

Baghdad – Iraqi Special Operations Forces detained Sayyid Sallih Al-Jezzaani, an individual believed to the leader of a rogue element of the Jaysh Al-Madhi (JAM) militia in the Basrah area, as a result of a raid launched on 30 Apr.

The Iraqi SOF initiated the raid with coalition forces present as advisors. Al-Jezzaani offered no resistance while being captured.  He was found equipped with body armor and a weapon.  Seven other suspicious individuals were also detained during the operation.

As Iraqi and coalition forces arrived in the district of Al-Abilla in Basra, enemy forces fired rocket propelled grenades and detonated improvised explosive devices on the assault force. No fire was returned as the assault force proceeded to their objective.  

Al-Jezzaani is alleged to be linked with death squad activities and attacks against coalition forces in Basrah.  Additionally, he is responsible for providing insurgents with funding and weapons and assisting in the recruitment of new militia members.  He is also linked to the Feb. 2007 murder of two Iraqi interpreters working with coalition forces.

 

Seven suspected terrorists detained in central Baghdad operation

BAGHDAD – Iraqi Special Operations Forces conducted a morning operation on April 27 in Baghdad, capturing three suspects believed to be involved in insurgent activities.

With coalition advisers present for support, Iraqi forces raided several residences in the Yarmouk neighborhood of central Baghdad and detained their targets without incident.

Iraqi forces also detained four other suspicious individuals who were present during the operation. Two vehicles containing explosives were destroyed. All civilians and detainees were cleared from the area before detonation.

The primary targets of this operation are alleged to be responsible for conducting insurgent activities in the Yarmouk area, for civilian kidnappings and murders as well as attacks on coalition and Iraqi forces.

 

Cavalry foils insurgent attack at Tarmiyah Huda Girls’ School

CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Multi-National Division – Baghdad Soldiers foiled an insurgent attack comprised of numerous improvised explosive devices targeting an all-girls’ school north of Baghdad April 28.

Soldiers with 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, discovered a command wire leading from the school’s outer perimeter to one of the rooms at the Huda Girls’ School, in Tarmiyah, Iraqi. Inside the room, the cavalry troops discovered five artillery shell explosives.

The insurgent’s planned attack, in opposition of the construction of the school, also included two large explosive-filled propane tanks buried underneath the school’s floor and numerous projectiles emplaced underneath electrical conduits in front of each classroom.

The unit believes Al Qaeda extremists, operating in the area, are responsible for the emplacement of the explosives in an effort to thwart the progress the local government has made to improve the lives of the people of Tarmiyah.

The reconstructed school, a project led by the local Tarmiyah government, was scheduled to open in the coming weeks. This is the second time this month explosives have been found in the facility.

 

Polar Bears, Golden Dragon discover IEDs, weapons cache

BAGHDAD— Coalition forces discovered two improvised explosive devices and a weapons cache southwest of Baghdad today.

Soldiers from B Company, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division from Fort Benning, Ga., currently attached to the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment “Polar Bears,” and the 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment “Golden Dragons,” both units of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from Fort Drum, N.Y., discovered the weapons.

The first IED was discovered by 2-69 Armor Soldiers southwest of Yusufiyah at 9:35 a.m. local time.

Soldiers of D Co., 4-31 Inf. discovered another IED in the vicinity of Rushdi Mullah at 10:05 a.m. local time, while conducting a dismounted patrol. The IED was found near a wood line in a white plastic bag.

In another incident, the Golden Dragons found a weapons cache near Rushdi Mullah.

The cache consisted of three rocket-propelled grenade rounds, a bag filled with unknown types of explosives, three bags of crystalline powder and three large blasting caps.

The cache and IEDs were destroyed by the explosive ordnance team during a controlled detonation.

 

11 Suspected Terrorists Detained

BAGHDAD, Iraq Coalition Forces detained 11 suspected terrorists Monday during raids targeting the al-Qaeda in Iraq network.

Coalition Forces continued to crack down on the al-Qaeda in Iraq network, detaining 10 suspected terrorists near Samarra.

In Baghdad, Coalition Forces captured one suspected terrorist.  Intelligence reports indicate he was allegedly a part of a local operation to acquire bomb-making materials.

Al-Masri Dead?

Probably Not.

We've been on this roller coaster for a while. First, there are reports he's dead, then it turns about to be a different guy. All Arabs look alike, I can understand how they can make that assumption.

Now for the story:

BAGHDAD - Iraqi officials have received reports that the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was killed by Sunni tribesmen, but the chief government spokesman said Tuesday the information has not been confirmed.

Iraqi officials have released similar reports in the past, only to acknowledge later they were inaccurate. U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker told reporters that American authorities in Baghdad were seeking more information.

An umbrella group of Iraqi insurgent denied that the al-Qaida leader was killed, saying he was alive and safe, according to an Internet statement.

"The Islamic State of Iraq reassures the Ummah (nation) that Sheik Abu Hamza al-Muhajer, God protect him, is alive and he is still fighting the enemy of God," the Islamic State said in a written statement posted on a Web site commonly used by insurgents.

A series reports on Tuesday said Abu Hamza al-Muhajer — whom U.S. and Iraqi forces have identified by another pseudonym, Abu Ayyub al-Masri — had been killed — either by rivals in al-Qaida or Sunni tribesmen who had turned against the extremists.

What I do find interesting is the reports that the Sunni's are turning against al-Qaeda. They feel that AQ has killed too many Sunni's as Fox News reports.

Sheikh Abdul Sattar Abu Risha, head of the Anbar Salvation Conference, claims fighters from his group engaged in a two-hour battle with Al Qaeda members and that al-Masri was among them.

Risha said that seven terrorists, including al-Masri and three other foreigners, were killed in the battle that took place between Tarmiyah and Samarra north of Baghdad. He said al-Masri's body was turned over to American forces who had arrived on the scene following the fighting.

"Preliminary reports said he was killed yesterday in Taji area in a battle involving a couple of insurgent groups, possibly some tribal people who have problems with Al Qaeda. These reports have to be confirmed."

Sunni tribesmen in the western Anbar province have been fighting Al Qaeda for weeks and claim to have killed dozens of them. Among them are groups such as the Iraqi Salvation Conference and the Anbar Salvation Army.

If we can get the Iraqi's to help remove the outside influences, things would probably be a whole lot better. If this happens to be al-Masri, President Bush just gained a whole lot of leverage for the Iraq war appropriations bill.

 

The Illegal Immigration Debate

Once again, on May 1st, the criminals will be protesting. They call it May-day and they refuse to work in order to show America what it would be like without illegal's.

I couldn't care less about them or their protest. They are criminals who broke the law. Last year, we deported over 221,000 illegal's. With over 13 million in this country, they better pick up the pace. They contribute very little to this country and cause more problems than they solve. Not only are they a drain on our hospitals and social services, but too many of them are violent criminals.

Emergency rooms are required to treat these illegal's and never receive payment for the services. Hospitals in inner-city areas in the southern United States are closing because they cannot afford to keep treating these illegal's and not get paid. This can be life threatening for U.S. citizens in need of emergency care and having to go further just to receive treatment. For those useless politicians that supported welfare for illegal's, tax dollars are being thrown away instead of using it for American citizens.

The Washington Post reports the illegal immigration costs to the federal government:

Households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the federal government in 2002

[...]

The costs outlined in the report include government services such as Medicaid, medical treatment for the uninsured, food assistance programs, the federal prison and court systems, and federal aid to schools.

This total has increased significantly since 2002. In California alone, illegal immigration costs over ten billion annually. FAIR has the breakdown by state of the illegal immigration effect. I should note that some of the stats are dated, but daunting nonetheless.

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) released some interesting statistics:

What would that May 1st look like without illegal immigration? There would be no one to smuggle across our southern border the heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines that plague the United States, reducing the U.S. supply of meth that day by 80%. The lives of 12 U.S. citizens would be saved who otherwise die a violent death at the hands of murderous illegal aliens each day. Another 13 Americans would survive who are otherwise killed each day by uninsured drunk driving illegal's. Our hospital emergency rooms would not be flooded with everything from gunshot wounds, to anchor babies, to imported diseases to hangnails, giving American citizens the day off from standing in line behind illegal's. Eight American children would not suffer the horror as a victim of a sex crime.

On the negative side, the price of a pound of tomatoes might go up from $0.79 to $0.80. That is unless you have a garden. But I’m guessing that the Mexican drug lords are not taking May 1st off. Neither will the 11,000 illegal invaders that pour over our border every other day of the year. It is a safe bet that the U.S. Border Patrol will have a very busy “Nothing Gringo Day.”

This is ONE DAY!

Crime statistics from the GAO:

The briefing slides in enclosure I address each of our three questions. In summary, for our study population of 55,322 illegal aliens, we found that:

They were arrested at least a total of 459,614 times, averaging about 8 arrests per illegal alien. Nearly all had more than 1 arrest. Thirty-eight percent (about 21,000) had between 2 and 5 arrests, 32 percent
(about 18,000) had between 6 and 10 arrests, and 26 percent (about 15,000) had 11 or more arrests. Most of the arrests occurred after 1990.

They were arrested for a total of about 700,000 criminal offenses, averaging about 13 offenses per illegal alien. One arrest incident may include multiple offenses, a fact that explains why there are nearly
one and half times more offenses than arrests. Almost all of these illegal aliens were arrested for more than 1 offense. Slightly more than half of the 55,322 illegal aliens had between 2 and 10 offenses. About 45 percent of all offenses were drug or immigration offenses. About 15 percent were property-related offenses such as burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and property damage. About 12 percent were for violent offenses such as murder, robbery, assault, and sex-related crimes. The balance was for such other offenses as traffic violations, including driving under the influence; fraud--including forgery and counterfeiting; weapons violations; and obstruction of justice. Eighty percent of all arrests occurred in three states--California, Texas, and Arizona. Specifically, about 58 percent of all arrests occurred in California, 14 percent in Texas, and 8 percent in Arizona.

Annually, 9,125 Americans are killed by illegal aliens and 2,920 American children are victims of sex crimes.

Since September 11, 2001, 3000 people died during or immediately following the terrorist attacks. Another 3000 of our military has been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq during the War on Terror. However; since Sept. 11, 2001, 45,625 Americans have been killed by illegal aliens and 14,600 American children have been victims of sex crimes. On top of that, imagine the tax dollars that are spent prosecuting and defending these illegal's.

Is this worth the price to pay for saving a few cents on lawn care, produce, and other goods? I hardly think so!

Additional statistics can be found here. Real time data of the cost of illegal's on our economy can be found here.