Obama Visits Iraq, Sends a Message to the Enemy + Biden B-Roll
Obama Visits Iraq, Sends a Message to the Enemy + Biden B-Roll
Ok, I’m back. A little break now and then does everyone good. As I mentioned in my last post, I’m gonna mix it up a little. Today I’m going to talk a little bit about President Barack Obama sending a subtle but strong message to Iraq and the world – it’s safe enough for me to be here. That’s a rather simple message, but it’s a bold one.
President Barack Obama’s surprise trip to Iraq on April 7, 2009 shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s kinda like the Chinese with the US vessel last month – testing the waters so to speak, or sending a message. President Obama showing up in Iraq sends a strong message – that the U.S. is indeed winning and feels it’s safe enough for the President to show up. That’s saying a lot. Yes, it was an unannounced stop, but that’s just smart, ya know?
The real question is, though, whether or not the rest of the world read between the lines on the visit. Only time will tell, but it looks to this old man that eyes are turning further East – to Afghanistan at least. There’s still the potential for trouble in Iran and Pakistan, though. It will be interesting to see if Obama can keep those powderkegs from blowing up. If he can, he would be well on his way to being elected a second term in 2012.
Ok, enough chatter. Here are some pics from around the world, in the field…
President Obama Visits Iraq, Addresses Service Members and Government Employees
President of the United States Barack Obama visited Al Faw Palace on Camp Victory, Iraq April 7. This was Obama’s first visit to Iraq as commander in chief and made time to talk to service members and civilians serving here. Photo by Staff Sgt. Joy Pariante
Soldiers Patrol Waygul Valley
Soldiers from C. Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Infanry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, patrol the Waygul Valley’s rocky cliffs, near the village of Walo Tangi, in Konar province, Afghanistan, April 6. Photo by Sgt. Matthew C. Moeller
Patrol in Afak, Iraq
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Trevor Peters from Olean, N.Y., of the 110th Military Police Company, 2nd Special Troops Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, guides a vehicle as it backs up at an Iraqi police station in Afak, Iraq, April 5. The Soldiers visit the police stations to ensure their training and logistical needs are being met. Photo by Senior Airman Eric Harris
School Book Delivery in Salah Ad Din Province
U.S. coalition forces vehicles and Iraqi army vehicles line up in convoy formation before leaving the staging area in Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Tikrit, Iraq, on March 31. The convoy’s mission is to deliver Iraqi school books to schools around the Salah ad Din province. Photo by Staff Sgt. Raull Elliott
Patrol in Abu Ghraib
U.S Army Spc. Vincent Fowler, attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, hands out candy to Iraqi children in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, March 31. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert J. Whelan
Patrol in Abu Ghraib
U.S Army 1st Lt. Andrew Dacey, attached to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, sits with an Iraqi sheik to discuss a school project in Abu Ghraib, Iraq, March 31. Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Robert J. Whelan
B-roll of Vice President Joe Biden speaking at the 18th Airborne Core Welcome Home ceremony at Ft. Bragg. Part 1 of 4. Video shot by Multi Media Branch, Directorate of Information Management (DOIM).
There’s been a LOT of action in Afghanistan this month:
Coalition and Afghan forces have killed at least 52 insurgents and captured 17 others in four days of fighting in Afghanistan, military officials reported.
The firefights mostly have occurred in Afghanistan’s southern Helmand and Zabol provinces, where military officials say the Taliban is increasing its presence.
Afghan and coalition forces have killed at least 37 insurgents in Helmand since April 3, and 14 insurgents were killed in Zabol on April 4. Combined forces also killed one insurgent and captured eight others in the southern province of Kandahar on April 3. Bombing cells, illegal drug operations and foreign fighter trafficking have been disrupted.
In eastern Afghanistan, the combined forces captured a Taliban commander and three others in Khowst province on April 3, and detained four militants in Lowgar province on April 4.
A breakdown of operations since April 3 follows:
Afghan soldiers, assisted by coalition troops, killed two armed militants April 6 in Helmand province’s northern village of Tarin Kowt. The combined force was on patrol in an area known for heavy militant presence when they were attacked with a barrage of small-arms fire.
The Afghan-led force called for close-air support and engaged the enemy fighting position with small-arms and mortar fire, killing two militants.
In eastern Afghanistan April 6, Afghan commandos, assisted by coalition forces, captured a militant suspected of planting a homemade bomb along a road in the Gardez district of Paktia province.
The combined force was departing a meeting with local leaders when they saw a suspicious man running from a motorcycle overturned in the road. The commandos pursued the man on foot and detained him. Upon searching him, they uncovered a battery pack and a remote control, most commonly used by militants for detonating explosives from a distance.
The forces discovered homemade bomb buried in the road and safely destroyed it in place. The militant was taken into custody.
Afghan and coalition forces killed 14 armed militants in the Qalat district of Zabol province April 4. The Afghan-led force was patrolling the area known for having a militant presence, when they were attacked by numerous armed militants with heavy small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire.
The combined force moved forward, closing in on the enemies’ position as Afghan soldiers recovered insurgent weapons. Inside a cave complex, they discovered a cache of bomb-making materials and several explosives, which they destroyed.
As the force pushed forward, a firefight ensued when militants re-engaged the patrol from four motorcycles and various fighting positions with small-arms and RPG fire. After positively identifying the armed militants and assuring there were no non-combatants in the area, the combined unit returned fire with small-arms and close air support, killing 14 militants.
Afghan soldiers, assisted by coalition forces, killed 15 militants and discovered a large bomb-making facility, drug lab and weapons cache during ongoing operations to disrupt militant activities in the Kajaki district of Helmand province Saturday, April 4, 2009.
The combined forces were conducting an early morning search of known insurgent compounds used for weapons and bomb-making materials trafficking, and as a safe-haven for insurgent fighters moving between Helmand and Oruzgan provinces.
During a search of one compound, the forces discovered a drug lab containing 5,000 pounds of poppy seeds used to produce opium, 10 bags of opium, scales and other drug paraphernalia.
A further search of the compound uncovered various weapons and ammunition, including one heavy machine gun with ammunition, two rocket-propelled grenades, body armor, mortar rounds, several containers of homemade explosives, and several bags of ammonium nitrate commonly used to make explosive.
A second compound nearby also housed a bomb-making facility containing ready-to-use suicide vests, a large amount of bomb-making materials and components. The facility, located near a mosque, appeared to have been strategically placed in order to deter detection and destruction. The building had extensive booby traps, and the combined forces were unable to retrieve the explosives from the building safely. After ensuring that no civilians were in the area and taking every precaution to minimize damage to surrounding buildings, the combined force destroyed the materials with a controlled detonation.
The combined forces received machine-gun, small-arms and RPG fire during the operation. They returned small-arms fire and, with air support, killed 15 militants.
One militant was killed and eight suspects were detained April 4 in Kandahar province during a joint operation to bring down a Taliban cell directly linked to the March explosions that killed four Canadian troops.
In Kandahar’s Arghandab district, Afghan and coalition forces raided a compound housing Taliban members. Immediately upon their arrival, the assault force encountered an armed militant who engaged them. The assault force returned fire, killing the man.
Afghan forces called out for all women and children to peacefully exit multiple buildings. With women and children moved to safety, forces questioned eight men suspected to be involved in bomb-making in Kandahar. All eight were detained.
When forces searched the compound, they found multiple weapons, munitions and bomb-making materials, all of which were destroyed.
Eleven women and 27 children were protected.
Afghan troops, assisted by coalition forces, killed 20 insurgents during one of a series of continuing operations in the Kajaki district of Helmand province April 3.
The combined forces were conducting a combat reconnaissance patrol in known Taliban stronghold when they were ambushed by numerous armed insurgents with mortar and small-arms fire.
The combined forces pursued the enemy in their fighting positions, returned fire and called in close-air support. They destroyed six enemy fighting positions and killed 20 insurgents.
Afghan and coalition forces detained four suspected insurgents during an April 4 operation in the Baraki Barak district of eastern Afghanistan’s Lowgar province to disable the Haqqani terrorist network there.
A combined force raided a compound to remove a local Haqqani tactical commander responsible for direct-fire ambushes, kidnappings and explosives operations. When the force arrived at the targeted compound, Afghan forces called for non-combatants to peacefully exit the buildings, with all occupants following the force’s directives. Without incident, four suspected militants were detained.
Afghan army commandos, assisted by coalition forces, captured a Taliban commander and three other insurgents April 3 in an early-morning raid of a compound in the Lagharah Valley of Khowst province.
The captured mid-level commander is believed responsible for facilitating suicide bombings and emplacing roadside bombs in the area. He is known to have aided in direct ambushes and bomb attacks on Afghan National Police and coalition forces. The compound has been used in the past to launch attacks against the people of Afghanistan, including the ordered burning of a school in Seekuun Village.
Three other militants believed to associate with and aid the Taliban commander also were detained.
No Afghan or coalition military or non-combatant civilians were reported wounded in any of the operations.
Sgt Stryker signing out.