Something Didn't Happen

From MajGen John F Kelly USMC

I don't suppose this will get much coverage in the States as the news is so good. No, the news is unbelievable.

Something didn't happen in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, today. Once the most violent and most dangerous places on earth, no suicide vest bomber detonated killing dozens of voters. No suicide truck bomber drove into a polling place collapsing the building and killing and injuring over 100.

No Marine was in a firefight engaging an Al Qaida terrorist trying to disrupt democracy.

What did happen was Anbar Sunnis came out in their tens of thousands to vote in the first free election of their lives. With the expectation of all of the above (suicide bombers) they walked miles (we shut down all vehicle traffic with the exception of some shuttle busses for the elderly and infirm) to the polling places. I slept under the stars with some Grunts at Combat Outpost Iba on the far side of Karma, and started driving the 200 miles up the Euphrates River Valley through Karma, Fallujah, Habbiniyah, Ramadi, Hit, Baghdad and back here to Al Asad. I stopped here and there to speak with cops, soldiers, Marines, and most importantly, regular Iraqi men and women along the way. It was the same everywhere. A tension with every finger on a trigger that broke at perhaps 3PM when we all began to think what was almost unthinkable a year ago. We might just pull this off without a bombing. No way. By 4PM it seemed like we'd make it to 5PM when the polls closed. At 4:30 the unbelievable happened: the election was extended an hour to 6PM because of the large crowds! What are they kidding? Tempting fate like that is not nice. Six PM and the polls close without a single act of violence or a single accusation of fraud, and nearly by early reports pretty close to 100% voted. Priceless.

Every Anbari walking towards the polling place had these determined and, frankly, concerned looks on their faces. No children with them (here mothers and grandmothers are NEVER without their children or grandchildren) because of the expectation of death. Husbands voted separately from wives, and mothers separately from fathers for the same reason. In and out quickly to be less of a target for the expected suicide murderer. When they came out after voting they also wore the same expression on their faces, but now one of smiling amazement as they held up and stared at ink stained index fingers.

Norman Rockwell could not have captured this wonderment. Even the ladies voted in large numbers and their husbands didn't insist on going into the booths to tell them who to vote for.

One of the things I've always said was that we came here to "give" them democracy. Even in the dark days my only consolation was that it was about freedom and democracy. After what I saw today, and having forgotten our own history and revolution, this was arrogance. People are not given freedom and democracy - they take it for themselves. The Anbaris deserve this credit.

Today I step down as the dictator, albeit benevolent, of Anbar Province. Today the Anbaris took it from me. I am ecstatic. It was a privilege to be part of it, to have somehow in a small way to have helped make it happen.
Semper Fi.
Kelly
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED

What You're NOT Hearing From the VLWM

(Since the VLWM refuses to acknowledge the situation unless a bomb goes off and people die)

Iraq's Provincial Elections
By: Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
IRAQIS GO TO THE POLLS -
On January 31, 2009, Iraqis will go to the polls to select their political representatives in 14 of the country's 18 provinces. This will mark the fourth time since 2005 that Iraq has held elections. Previous votes include January 2005 elections to select provincial representatives and an interim national assembly to draft Iraq's constitution (an election that Iraq's Sunnis largely boycotted); an October 2005 referendum on the national constitution; and parliamentary elections in December 2005. Iraq will also hold elections later this year for the national parliament, and to consider the U.S.-Iraq security pact.

FEAR OF VIOLENCE -
There have always been heightened concerns about the potential for violence when Iraq has held elections, and this year is no exception. However, levels of violence were surprisingly low on all three election days in 2005. This year, U.S. and Iraqi security forces are preparing for possible outbreaks of violence, particularly in the ethnically mixed Diyala province where tensions between the Arab and Kurdish population have simmered. Time reports that "U.S. commanders last week brokered a deal" for Diyala "that will see area security provided by a joint force of Iraqi-army and Peshmerga fighters, with U.S. troops present to make sure everyone stays calm."

TURNOUT -
There were initially concerns that turnout for the elections might be low since they were scheduled at the time of a traditional Shia pilgrimage to Karbala that typically draws hundreds of thousands of visitors. Shia religious and political leaders have been working with the pilgrims to facilitate voting. But despite the timing of the elections, it appears that there will be a large turnout on Saturday: a recent poll conducted by Iraq's government found that 73% of Iraqi adults intend to vote.

ANALYSIS

ANBAR ELECTIONS -
Once written off by U.S. intelligence officials as overrun by violent groups (in particular, al-Qaeda in Iraq) and unsalvageable, improvements in the majority Sunni Anbar province have been dramatic. Less than 1% of Anbar's population voted in the January 2005 election, due to the Sunni boycott of the elections and the threat of violence. The Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP), the only major Sunni party participating in the 2005 elections, won control of the province-but it has been criticized for failing to provide basic services. The Awakening movement is challenging the IIP in the upcoming election. There has been a great deal of mutual animosity during the political campaign, and some observers fear that "any hint of vote fraud could lead to 'profound instability' there."

THE KURDISH ANGLE -
Recognizing the potential for a shift in power, Kurdish leaders are going to great lengths to get out the Kurdish vote in provinces outside of Kurdistan, particularly Diyala and Ninawa. Kurdish officials intend to bus thousands of voters from Suleymaniya (in Kurdistan) to vote in Diyala's Khanaqin municipality elections. "Their names are registered here. They just work in Suleymania," said a Kurdish official.

THE BATTLE FOR BASRA -
Another hotly contested election is occurring in the oil-rich southern province of Basra, where over 1,000 candidates are vying for just 35 seats. Political campaigning by the four major Shia factions has been heavy. Recognizing the importance of Basra, senior Iraqi leaders (including prime minister Nouri al-Maliki) have traveled to the province to campaign on behalf of their parties.

IMPLICATIONS

A POWER SHIFT?
The religious parties, which have largely controlled the provincial governments until now, may decline in power. In a recent poll sponsored by the Iraqi government, "41 percent of respondents said they preferred secular candidates, while 31 percent said they would support candidates supported by religious parties." While this poll has been questioned, it is clear that the influence of Muqtada al-Sadr, once a major force in Shia politics, has waned. Time notes: "The Sadrists seem to have taken a cue from their lack of popularity and decided not to field candidates officially in the provincial elections. Instead, the Sadrists are quietly backing some candidates who maintain an association with the movement.... If candidates tied to the movement fail to make a decent showing in cities such as Basra, Amarah, Najaf and Karbala, the Sadrists' only official political power will be in the Iraqi parliament, where they hold 28 of 275 seats."

A SIGN OF RECONCILIATION?
Since Sunni turnout was low in 2005, Kurdish and Shia politicians have wielded a disproportionate amount of political power in mixed provinces. This election may more accurately represent the Iraqi population. The International Crisis Group's Robert Malley comments: "Whereas the January 2005 elections helped put Iraq on the path to all-out civil war, these polls could represent another, far more peaceful turning point. Despite likely shortcomings, they may begin to redress some of the most severe problems associated with the 2005 vote, assuring fairer representation of all segments of the population."

Daveed Gartenstein-Ross is the vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the director of its Center for Terrorism Research.

Sounds Like A Win To Me

From the Fearless 1st Marines in Iraq.

Regimental Combat Team 1 completes third Iraq tour

.....on Sept. 1, the regiment handed over control of security in the region to the Government of Iraq following the notable Provincial Iraqi Control ceremony in Ramadi, Aug. 26, during which local Iraqi leaders signed a Command and Control Memorandum of Understanding.
The success the regiment is having on the battlefield today is the result of five years of Coalition forces’ sacrifices, but a lot of credit should also go to Iraqi security forces and the military training teams who trained them.
Iraq’s army and police units have grown from a “fledgling police and military force to a fully capable and operational counterinsurgency force in an amazingly short amount of time,” according to Maj. Tony Barrett, the RCT-1 intelligence officer.
“Al Anbar has not had this good of an outlook in the millennia-long history of its people,” said Barrett. “There are constantly improving essential services, increasing
political rivalries that are not turning violent, multiple internal and foreign investment firms looking to invest in al Anbar and a sustained reduction in violence that is making this all possible.”

"Improved services", "sustained reduction in violence"

Sounds like a win to me.

If They Keep This Up

“This is just one more step that we have taken towards seeing a sovereign, democratic and free Iraq,” said (Lt.Col. Chris) Hastings. “I have seen what the ISF are capable of doing, and I know that they will continue to do great things as they conduct their own operations, search for weapons caches and continue following the rule of law.”

ANSWER and the rest of the moonbat contingent are going to look even more stupid than they already are...if thats possible.

Marines continue drawing down in al Anbar

FALLUJAH, Iraq – Marines with 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, handed over control of several forward operating bases and combat outposts in the city of Fallujah, Iraq, to Iraqi Security Forces Jan. 1.

The turnover is concurrent with U.S. plans to begin drawing down forces in Iraq throughout the next three years.

During a media round table at the Pentagon Briefing Room in Arlington, Va., December 2, 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said service members should be out of populated areas in the country by the end of June 2009.

“We will confront or have a different kind of situation, in Iraq, at the end of June 2009 than we would have thought perhaps in June of 2008,” he said at the meeting. “And I think that the commanders are already looking at what the implications of that are, in terms of the potential for accelerating the drawdown and in terms of how we meet our obligations to the Iraqis.”

1st Battalion, 4th Marines, is among several battalions in al Anbar leading the way to tear down, demilitarize or turn over bases and outposts to Iraqi Security Forces.
The battalion has consolidated its forces into centralized locations and is currently only keeping a small number of its forces in the city.

Iraqi Security Forces has the lead on security and protecting the citizens living in Fallujah, and they conduct their own security operations without the aid of Coalition forces, he said.

The Truth Unpoliticized About Troop Withdrawls

Never Forget Who Started This!!!!

From my friend CJ via email this morning.

General Petraeus and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have recommended that we move forward with additional troop reductions over the next several months – continuing our policy of "return on success." With this reduction in forces, the President also announced additional troop deployments to Afghanistan.
Ø Eight thousand troops will come home from Iraq without replacement. The reduction of forces will include 3,400 combat support troops over the next several months, 1,200 Marines serving in Anbar Province, and another Army combat brigade of about 3,400 troops in early 2009. In addition, troop deployments to Iraq have been reduced to 12-month tours instead of 15. If progress continues in Iraq, General Petraeus believes that further reductions are possible in the first half of 2009.
Ø Successes in Iraq and increasing capability of Iraqi forces have allowed for a reduction in coalition troops. Many coalition partners have now completed their mission in Iraq, and more will be able to conclude their deployments this year. More than 140,000 troops from 41 countries have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and troops from Australia, Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Ukraine have given their lives in this fight.
Ø A Marine battalion will deploy to Afghanistan in November followed by an Army combat brigade of about 3,400 troops in January 2009. During the past year, the United Kingdom, France, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Australia, Germany, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and others have sent additional forces to support the NATO mission in Afghanistan. U.S. forces serving in Afghanistan now total 31,000, up from about 21,000 two years ago. Additionally, there are 31,000 coalition troops, an increase of about 11,000 over the past two years.
Ø The United States, Afghanistan, and our allies will nearly double the size of the Afghan National Army over the next five years. This new initiative is an international effort to help the Afghan government mobilize more forces of its own and further enable Afghan security forces to take a leading role in building a democratic Afghanistan.
The Success Of The Surge And Increased Capability Of Iraqi Security Forces Is Undeniable
Ø Anbar Province, once considered "lost," has now been reclaimed by the Iraqi people. Iraq's largest province has a mayor and functioning municipal council in almost every city. U.S.-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams are assisting local leaders in creating jobs and economic opportunities.
Ø Attacks in Anbar Province are down more than 90 percent from October 2006. The success in Anbar is a credit to Iraqi Security Forces, the local tribes, and American troops who together dismantled al Qaida's safe haven.
Ø Across Iraq, violence is at its lowest point since spring of 2004, and civilian deaths, sectarian killings, and suicide bombings are all down. Successful operations led by Iraqi Security Forces against Shia extremist groups have been conducted in Basra, Baghdad, and al-Amarah, capturing hundreds of Al Qaida fighters and extremists.
Ø Normal life is returning to Iraq, and political reconciliation is moving forward. Markets are open and full of commerce, restaurants once again can stay open late, and hundreds of doctors who fled the violence have returned to Iraq to serve the people of their country. The United States will continue working on the Strategic Framework Agreement and Status of Forces Agreement to establish bilateral relations with Iraq like those we have with dozens of other countries and to authorize multinational forces for security support.
Ø We are on the offensive in Iraq, and Iraqi Security Forces are increasingly capable. Current Iraqi-led operations are being conducted in the northern city of Mosul and in Diyala Province where al Qaida seeks refuge. While the progress in Iraq is still fragile and reversible, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker report that there now appears to be a "degree of durability" to the gains we have made.

The Taliban And Al Qaida Will Not Be Allowed To Return To Power In Afghanistan
Ø Troop increases have made a difference in Afghanistan. Improved security is the foundation for peace as well as political and economic success in Afghanistan. The increases in the Afghan National Army, NATO, and U.S. forces will help restore basic security, which is the key to restoring the confidence of the Afghan people.
Ø America has committed over $10 billion in 2008 and 2009 for political and economic development. Unlike Iraq, there are few natural resources in Afghanistan. Its underdeveloped infrastructure, fragile democratic institutions, and ruthless attacks from the Taliban and al Qaida present huge challenges. New personnel from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the State Department's Foreign Service office will increase our civilian presence. Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Agriculture Development Teams will help Afghans fight corruption, improve governance, feed their people, and jump start their economy.
Ø Pakistan has an interest in and responsibility for defeating the Taliban and al Qaida. The Taliban and al Qaida fighters who hide in Pakistan's remote border regions pose a threat to Pakistan's future as they have recently stepped up their attacks in the region. Pakistan's new democratically elected leaders have a responsibility to govern their territory and prevent establishment of a staging ground for extremists to plot and carry out terrorist attacks.
Ø NATO and the United States are committed to working with Pakistan to fight al Qaida and the Taliban. The same terrorists who take refuge Pakistan's remote border regions and target and kill innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan are also plotting new attacks against Europe and America.
Success In Iraq And Afghanistan Is In The Interests Of The United States And Our Allies
Ø The situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan is difficult. All three countries have seen violence and terror used to impose an ideology on their people. There is another way forward in the broader Middle East – freedom.
Ø Defeating our enemies requires success on both the military and ideological fronts. The courage of our Armed Forces, coalition partners, government civilians, and the Iraqi and Afghan people ensures we will prevail in the battle against the al Qaida, the Taliban, and the extremists that support and fight alongside them.
Ø America will stand by brave elected leaders, determined reformers, and millions of people who seek liberty, justice, and tolerance. There will be difficult times in the work ahead, but we can transform nations that once harbored terrorists into allies in the war on terror.

Ramblings for a Monday

From the Suck it Up Department:

Biden quoted as saying that Israel will have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Biden, Obama, Jews

Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden was quoted Monday as telling senior Israeli officials behind closed doors that the Jewish state will have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran. In the unsourced report, Army Radio also quoted Biden as saying that he opposed "opening a additional military and diplomatic front." Biden, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long been considered strongly pro-Israel. His nomination as Barack Obama's running mate had been expected to shore up the Democrats' strength with U.S. Jewish voters.
Army Radio said Israeli officials expressed "amazement" over the remarks attributed to him.

Michelle Malkin has a PDS Alert (Palin Derangement Syndrome)

We noted the nutroots’ deepening Palin Derangement Syndrome over the weekend, topped by a diarist at the Daily Kos who’s been spreading disgusting, bottom-of-the-barrel rumors — picked up by the excitable and shameless Andrew Sullivan — about Gov. Sarah Palin’s youngest child and attacking one of Palin’s daughters as the mother of Trig.
The Free Republic fights back with photos of a very pregnant Gov. Palin in late February. I linked to an April blog post from an airline passenger who met the pregnant governor on a flight from Fairbanks. It is unbelievably surreal that this dirtbag Kossack rumor has to be debunked.

Everyone (well, on the left), is calling the choice by Senator John SIDNEY McCain of Governor Sarah Palin to be the Republican Vice President a last minute, all in, desparation move.

I can't believe they actually fell for that trick.
Sarah Palin was the front runner for months

August 31, 2008 at 3:58 am ·
While the Obama supporters are fairly delusional in their thinking that Sarah Palin was a last minute desperation pick in response to their sensational convention, the reality isn’t even close. Sarah Palin has been under consideration for months to be John McCains’s running mate, and was even the front runner for most of that time.
Far from being a last-minute tactical move or a second choice when better known alternatives were eliminated, Palin was very much in McCain’s thinking from the beginning of the selection process, according to McCain’s advisers. The 44-year-old governor made every cut as the first list of candidates assembled last spring was slowly winnowed. The more McCain learned about her, the more attracted he was to her as someone who shared his maverick, anti-establishment instincts.
“He looked at her like a kindred spirit,” said one close adviser, who declined to be identified in order to speak more freely. “Someone who wasn’t afraid to take tough positions.”

And from Iraq, comes more news of victory and progress and stability and all the things the left said could not happen, would not happen, not no way, not no how, absolutely, positively uh uh.

September 01, 2008Agence France-Presse

Iraqi Forces Take Over in Anbar

Iraqi forces today took over control of Anbar, once the most explosive battlefields in Iraq, from the U.S. military, symbolising the growing security gains in the war-torn country.
The ceremony to transfer Anbar to local forces took place at the provincial governate building in Ramadi, the provincial capital. It marks the handover of the 11th of Iraq's 18 provinces and the first Sunni province to be returned to the control of the Iraqi government.
"I would like to announce that the (Anbar) transfer from the U.S. to Iraqi forces is done," said Muwaffaq al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security advisor at the handover ceremony.
"The province of Anbar which was one of the hottest regions in Iraq is today celebrating the receiving of the security file."
Police said tens of thousands of Iraqi and American troops were on alert across the vast desert province in western Iraq.
Majid al-Assafi, the provincial police chief, told AFP on Aug. 31 that his forces were ready to accept security responsibility in Anbar, the country's largest province and home to about two million people.
The U.S. military said the transfer of security was an "important milestone with regard to security" in the province. But the "transfering of security does not necessarily mean that the security situation is stable or better," the military statement said.
"It means the government and the provincial authorities are ready to take the responsibility for handling it."

News From Fallujah Iraq

Security insures stability, stability insures prosperity, prosperity is a measure of victory.

Resolve to Win

From the Fearless First Marine blog:

Story by Cpl. Chris Lyttle

FALLUJAH, Iraq – Transportation in the city of Fallujah has taken the high road, far beyond the days of Bedouin caravan runners who used camels to travel and transport goods across the desert.Besides the occasional farmer’s donkey carting vegetables, Iraqis use four wheels, vice four legs, as a preferred method of travel. Dump trucks, tankers, commuter traffic and other vehicles steadily flow into Fallujah’s entry control points, which have been put in place to safeguard people inside the city.

Increasingly long car lines at the ECPs are a visual indication that commerce is on the rise, but so is the inconvenience of traffic congestion. To accommodate for this growth, Iraqi contractors and 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines are rebuilding the ECPs to cut the wait time for commuters, which in turn could boost the city’s incoming revenue.“Historically, the city of Fallujah has a transportation and logistics-based economy,” said 1st Lt. Philipp Rigaut, assistant operations officer, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines.

“Based on demographics, the largest employment sector in Anbar and Fallujah involves transportation, particularly with truckers and cab drivers. The new ECPs throughout Fallujah are designed to support the increasing traffic flow while serving its primary purpose as the first line of security upon entering the city.”

Cross-posted at The Talon

Marines of Lima Co Have New Digs

Fearless 1st Update

FALLUJAH, Iraq (July 20, 2008) – After roughly four weeks, the Marines of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines have a new housing compound at Entry Control Point-5 (ECP-5), a post where Marines and Iraqi Police control traffic and safeguard entrants into the city of Fallujah, after a fire destroyed it June 25.
Marines worked alongside the Fallujah Fire Department to subdue the fire.
While no one was injured, the fire destroyed several wooden buildings and much of the Marines’ personal possessions and military equipment.
After the incident, the company received overwhelming support from neighboring units, Iraqi local nationals and stateside supporters.
1st Lt. Travis Bowden, executive officer of the company, said the company received such an outpouring of support that the fire feels like it came in the form of a mixed blessing.
“Even though it’s unfortunate that the Marines lost a lot of things, it turned out for the better in the long run,” Bowden said. “We have new buildings and it gives the Marines a fresh start.”