Good News From Iraq -

U.S. medic saves Iraqi policeman’s life under fire

By Spc. Carlos Caro
1st Battalion, 87th Infantry

BAGHDAD — At least one Iraqi police officer owes his life to a U.S. Army medic who treated his wounds even as terrorists were firing on their position during an Oct. 10 incident.

“I didn’t have time to think about it. I just knew I didn’t want that guy to get hurt even worse. I just reacted,” said Spc. Andrew “Doc” Suchanek, 1st Battalion, 87th Infantry, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry).

While on a routine patrol in west Baghdad, Suchanek and other Soldiers of Company C, 1st Bn., 87th Inf. responded to assist Iraqi police who had come under fire from automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

Encountering a critically-wounded IP, Suchanek began immediate life-saving treatment.

Suddenly, a terrorist fired an RPG at the two of them.

Without hesitation, Suchanek threw himself on the police officer, shielding him from danger.

The grenade exploded harmlessly and Suchanek continued treatment to save the life of the IP officer.

As his fellow Soldiers secured the area, Suchanek coordinated evacuation for his patient to a local hospital.

Killed terrorist leaders identified

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces identified two al Qaeda leaders killed by an air strike in Husaybah Nov. 2.

Coalition Forces conducted a series of raids on suspected terrorist and foreign fighter safe houses to capture or kill terrorists operating in the town of Husaybah. During the raids, Coalition Forces destroyed two safe houses with air strikes using precision guided munitions.

Coalition Forces can now confirm the death of two key al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist leaders who were killed during those air strikes. These terrorist leaders operated in the Husaybah and Al Qaim region. They are:

* Asadallah, a senior al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist leader and foreign fighter facilitator in the Husaybah area. Asadallah commanded several terrorist and foreign fighter cells in the Husaybah, and al Qaim region. Asadallah also coordinated the funneling and distribution of foreign fighters from Syria into the Husaybah area as well as their employment as suicide bombers. His foreign fighters were responsible for numerous suicide bombings in the region. He also directed, planned and executed many of the terrorist attacks on Iraqi security and coalition forces.
* Abu Zahra, a close associate of the current al Qaeda in Iraq Emir of Husaybah. As a close personal friend and confidant to the Emir of Husaybah he acted as an assistant, helping run the day to day activities of the terrorist organization. Zahra took an active role in planning and coordinating attacks against Iraqi security and Coalition forces. He additionally was reported to provide logistical support for various terrorist cells in the area. This support included providing weapons and ammunition, arranging housing, and money for foreign fighters and terrorists operating in the area.

Improvised explosive devices destroyed

BAGHDAD, Iraq –Coalition air forces conducted air strikes against two large improvised explosive devices near Ramadi early Nov. 10.

At one location, Coalition forces while conducting routine operations in the area, noticed two large suspicious boxes thought to be improvised explosive devices on the side of the road. Coalition forces decided to destroy it in place.

At a nearby location, a large dead animal was seen on the side of the road. The animal had obvious bulges in the stomach area, and looked like it had been killed and disemboweled recently. Assuming this to be an IED, Coalition forces again decided to destroy it in place.

The use of precision targeted munitions to destroy the IED’s and the timing of the strike mitigated the risk to civilians in the local area.

Al Qaeda in Iraq forger captured in Baghdad

BAGHDAD, Iraq – Coalition Forces captured a senior member of a terrorist media cell in Baghdad Oct. 23.

Coalition Forces, acting on multiple intelligence sources and tips from concerned citizens, raided a suspected al Qaeda in Iraq safe house in Baghdad. Captured in the raid was Amjed Ammin Mahmud (aka. Abu Hassan), a senior terrorist media cell member and document forger for senior terrorist leaders in Baghdad.

Abu Hassan was a senior leader in an al Qaeda in Iraq media cell operating in Baghdad. Initially, his duties were to take videos and digitize them to CD’s for distribution to various terrorist groups. These videos would be used to recruit terrorists and foreign fighters, as well as to provide information on potential targets to other terrorists. They also would be downloaded to various Jihadist Web sites as a means of wider dissemination.

Eventually, with the use of his computer, his duties evolved to making false identifications. Hassen admits to making weapon permits, identification cards and press credentials for various al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists as well as the senior al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist leadership in Baghdad.

These identification cards would be used by terrorists to conceal their true identities if stopped by Iraqi security and Coalition forces. They also provided a way to openly carry weapons while conducting terrorist activities. These activities could include attacks, kidnappings, and murders.

Additionally, the false press badges would allow terrorists access to situations where they could reconnoiter targets while posing as news media representatives. That access also allowed them to pose as reporters while filming the aftermath of terrorist attacks, which they then would use as terrorist propaganda.

Hassen has also been linked to Dr. Mushin, a kidnapping cell leader and weapons dealer who was captured in June. Abu Hassen admits to coordinating with Dr. Mushin the procurement of weapons for use by various terrorist cells operating in Baghdad.

Five terrorists detained

BAYJI, Iraq – A Task Force Band of Brothers patrol detained five terrorists after witnessing two of them attempting to detonate an improvised explosive device near Bayji early on the night of Nov. 9.

Soldiers from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division were patrolling west of Bayji when they identified two enemy personnel engaged in suspicious activity and pursued them to a local residence. Once inside, the Soldiers discovered weapons and over $6,000 in U.S. currency.

Earlier in the day a coalition patrol in the same area was attacked by an IED. No Soldiers were injured in that attack.

Iraqi, U.S. forces capture dozens of terror suspects

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi security forces and Task Force Baghdad Soldiers conducted cordon-and-search operations in eastern Baghdad, detaining terror suspects and seizing contraband Nov. 9-10.

Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment and Iraqi forces from 1st Battalion, 2nd Commando Brigade conducted a cordon and search in Horajeb Nov. 9. The Iraqi-U.S. team detained 30 suspects for further questioning.

One day later, taking the enemy by surprise, Soldiers from 1st Bn., 184th Inf. swooped in on the target area west of the Tigris River using four UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.

Once on the ground, Soldiers began their search of 18 houses and caught two terror suspects with contraband which included five AK-47 assault rifles with three magazines, one pistol, and one shotgun. There were also bomb-making materials, including four doorbells with wire and one washing machine timer.

Weapons cache destroyed

BAGHDAD, Iraq – At approximately 2:42 a.m. Nov. 9, coalition air forces conducted an air strike against an al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist weapons cache in the village of al Bu Hardan near al Qaim.

Multiple intelligence sources and tips from local citizens indicated a terrorist mortar cell was operating in the area and firing on Coalition Forces. Coalition Forces tracked the terrorist members to a storage building in the village. The terrorists were seen moving mortars and other small weapons into the targeted building. This weapons cache was directly linked to mortar attacks on Coalition and Iraqi security forces in the Ubaydi, Husaybah, and al Qaim region.

After watching the site for a period of time and ensuring no civilians were in the area, Coalition Forces conducted an air strike on the storage building, destroying it and all contents of the weapons cache.

The use of precision guided munitions to destroy the weapon cache and the timing of the strike mitigated the risk to civilians in the local area.

Soldiers find large weapons cache during patrol

TAJI, Iraq -- Task Force Baghdad Soldiers found a large weapons cache during a patrol northwest of Baghdad Nov. 5.

Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment, 101st Airborne Division found the stockpile of various munitions buried near a house they searched during the patrol.

The Soldiers uncovered more than 300 152-millimeter and 155-millimeter artillery shells, more than 100 120-millimeter rounds, dozens of rifles, hundreds of rounds of small-arms and large-caliber ammunition, and various fuses and weapons sights.

Clearing in Husaybah ends

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Col. Stephen W. Davis, commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team – 2, announced the end of clearing operations in Husaybah Nov. 8.

Operation Al Hajip Elfulathi (Steel Curtain) continues as Iraqi Army soldiers and U.S. Forces set conditions for a permanent security presence within the city. Patrols and targeted raids are also being conducted to root out any remaining al-Qaeda in Iraq-led insurgents.

Husaybah residents evacuated to a vacant housing development, believed to be a former Iraqi Army housing area, are remaining in place until Husaybah is safe for them to return to their homes. Iraqi soldiers, U.S. Marines and Soldiers continue to find roadside bombs, car bombs and weapons caches throughout the city. Iraqi Army Soldiers continue to provide security, food, water and medical care to the approximate 900 Husaybah residents temporarily displaced by the fighting. Dated census information stated the city’s population to be approximately 30,000, though the city was largely deserted due to the tribal fighting that took place over the past several months against the al Qaeda in Iraq-led insurgents.

Today is the fifth day of Operation Steel Curtain. The operation’s goal is to restore Iraqi sovereign control along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating throughout Al Qaim region. The offensive is part of Operation Sayaid (Hunter), designed to deny al Qaeda in Iraq the ability to operate in the Euphrates River Valley and to establish a permanent security presence along the Syrian border.

** And there we go lots of good news, and we have yet to see any of this ever get reported on the coward run, gutless tree hugging new age islamofascist supporting media outlet of lies and lefty bile the BBC.

Talking of the filth at the BBC I had to laugh at this, after all had the brave backroom soldiers of the UN said no, I guess the UK/US and other countries would have had to pack up and go home, and stop putting their lives on the line. After all maybe the UN would have got the French in to help out! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4419222.stm
(ok one more cheap joke...)

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