Casper supports troops in Iraq

by Stan Lowe, Chairman (retired), Wyoming Veterans’ Commission
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 2:20 PM MDT

Armed Forces Day, observed annually the third Saturday of May, fell on May 19 this year.

Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, who served under Pres. Harry S. Truman, created it on Aug. 31, 1949, to end observance of separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force days after Truman merged all armed forces into the Department of Defense (DOD).

As in past years, the DOD used the occasion to boost its “America Supports You” program to thank military people for their patriotic service.

Using the DOD’s theme, Natrona County United Veterans Council conducted a “Support the Troops Rally” at Veterans Park in downtown Casper on Armed Forces Day, which was well attended.

This column is observing Armed Forces Day and the DOD’s program by briefly summarizing three randomly selected news articles released by the Defense Department’s public relations office, Armed Forces Press Service (AFPS).

The first news article, dateline May 15, tells about successes enjoyed by coalition and Iraqi forces in five different locations in just one day during which they nabbed 11 terrorists and a large cache of deadly weapons and explosives.

In a Mosul raid, an Ansar al-Sunna terrorist group leader was detained, and he surrendered weapons, documents and the group’s finances.

In Fallujah, six terrorists, part of the murderous Ansar al-Sunna network operating in eastern Anbar province, were captured.

Northwest of Taji, three terrorists with senior leadership ties to al Qaeda were caught.

Paratroopers near Musayyib seized an enemy militia member involved in recent deadly attacks using explosive projectiles against Iraqi security and coalition forces.

The weapons he had were an AK47 assault rifle, Russian 9mm pistol, 9mm submachine gun, three ammunition bandoliers, Russian hand grenade, two stun grenades and six ammunition magazines.

Also recovered were improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which the enemy uses extensively to cripple and kill our troops, and the militia member’s ID card.

Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, Multinational Force Iraq’s spokesman, commenting on these successful operations, stating that information gained from them leads “one step closer to dismantling terrorist networks in Iraq and helping the Iraqi people.”

Another AFPS news piece, dateline May 18, quotes Marine Col. Richard Simcock, a regimental combat team commander, concerning his successful operations in Fallujah. He attributed them to higher troop levels resulting from the “Troop Surge,” the additional troops President Bush recently sent to Iraq, highly criticized.

Simcock said his 6,000 Marines have broken the “whack-a-mole” cycle of securing an area and then moving on only to have the enemy return afterward. Added troop levels allowed his troops to go places previous smaller troop numbers couldn’t go.

The new strategy is to secure an area, turn it over to Iraqi forces to maintain and move on to another trouble spot and repeat the cycle. They’ve done this four times in just five months.

Simcock also said progress in Fallujah is “phenomenal.” In 2004, the city was almost destroyed, nearly all citizens captured or killed. Now it has 4,000 residents and is economically sound and flourishing.

Admittedly, the terrorists haven’t given up. They still use murder and intimidation to hinder the city’s government because they fear it. Within the last year, four of Fallujah’s 20 councilmen were murdered. The vacancies were filled quickly. The council continues to meet.

The last article, dated May 14, has more good news about improved security conditions in Anbar province in western Iraq.

Marine Brig. Gen. Charles Gurganus, commander, Multinational Force West, stated that despite continued danger, security is improving so much that part of the 22 joint security stations in Ramadi likely will be closed.

Gurganus said two indicators reveal a significant attitude change in that anti-Iraqi government Sunni populated province.

Anbar’s residents, condoning violence formerly, now have a “growing disapproval of and hostility toward al Qaeda and other terrorists,” he said. Critically important, citizens are increasingly providing information about insurgent operations to Iraqi security forces.

Another success indicator is the brave Iraqi army and police. Though regularly challenged by danger, they come back to work each day. Recruitment in Anbar is up.

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