Iraq: The Security Track

What do you get when Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces capture terrorists and discover AK-47 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade boosters, sniper scopes, plastic explosives, and blocks of TNT?

A. Better trained Iraqi Security Forces
B. Safer Iraqi communities
C. Progress in the Global War on Terror
D. All of the above

Yesterday, the American Forces Press Service reported, “Iraqi and coalition forces have scored several successes against insurgent fighters, seizing weapons caches and capturing suspected enemies, during missions over the past several days.”

Today, Congressman Joe Wilson, Co-Chair of the Victory in Iraq Caucus, praised their progress on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives:


Security Success in Iraq
(Source: American Forces Press Service)

Monday, April 3, 2006:

• Iraqi soldiers from 2nd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, and coalition troops detained five suspects and discovered a weapons cache while patrolling near Khalidiyah. The five military-aged males were arrested for suspected insurgent activities. The cache contained three AK-47 rifles with 16 full magazines, a bag of detonation cord, blasting caps, and two rocket-propelled-grenade boosters. More than 300 rounds of loose 7.62 mm ammunition also were recovered.
  
  
• Iraqi soldiers from 1st Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, discovered and cleared a cache found during a raid in southeastern Ramadi. The cache contained seven assorted mortar rounds, several hand-held radios, some artillery detonators, and one sniper scope.
  

Sunday, April 2, 2006:

• Two suspected insurgents were captured during a synchronized joint raid led by Iraqi army troops. U.S. soldiers with the 1-8th Combined Arms Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, from Task Force Band of Brothers, assisted the Iraqi troops. The raid's objective was to capture insurgents known to be living in the area, prevent them from conducting further attacks on Iraqi and coalition Forces, and to gather intelligence. One Iraqi soldier suffered a minor injury during the mission.
  
  
• Iraqi soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Iraqi Army Division, and coalition troops detained four suspects in Khalidiyah. Troops detained the military-aged males for suspected insurgent activities during the course of conducting security patrols in the area.
  
  
• Iraqi soldiers from 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 7th Iraqi Army Division, and coalition troops detained three suspects and found a weapons cache near Karabilah. Troops caught and arrested two individuals suspected of insurgent activities and detained one person who was on a suspect list. The cache was found during a cordon operation northeast of Karabilah and contained materials to make suicide vests.
  
  
• Iraqi soldiers from the 7th Iraqi Army Division and coalition troops detained eight people near Ramadi. Troops were conducting presence patrols in the area and detained the eight military-aged males for suspected insurgent activity.
  
  
• Soldiers from the 4th and 6th Iraqi Army Divisions caught and detained a suspected triggerman after a roadside bomb attack in Fallujah.
  
  
• In Saqlawiyah Iraqi troops detained a man listed on a suspect roster for questioning.
  
  
• Iraqi soldiers from the 7th Iraqi Army Division and coalition troops found and seized a weapons cache near Hit. The cache contained 20 pounds of crushed illumination candle mixture, 11 hand grenades, 28 rocket-propelled-grenade launch motors, eight RPGs, 2 RPG launchers, five sticks of plastic explosive, 31 quarter blocks of TNT, 48 68 mm mortar rounds, and six AK-47 rifles among a wide variety of ordnance components and bomb-making materials.