Iraq Violence Falls to 4-year Low

By Alexandra Zavis (Los Angeles Times)

Baghdad – The U.S. military said Sunday that the number of attacks by militants in the last week dropped to a level not seen in Iraq since March 2004.

About 300 violent incidents were recorded in the seven-day period ended Friday, down from a weekly high of nearly 1,600 in mid-June last year, according to a chart provided by the military.

The announcement appeared aimed at allaying fears that an uprising by militiamen loyal to radical Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr could unravel security gains since 28,500 additional American troops were deployed in Iraq in a buildup that reached its height in June.

Navy Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, a military spokesman, credited the decrease to a series of operations launched by the Iraqi government in the last two months to extend control over parts of the country that have been under the sway of armed Sunni Arab and Shiite militants.

They include crackdowns in the southern oil hub of Basra, the northern city of Mosul and the Baghdad district of Sadri City.

The number of attacks nationwide spiked to about 850 in the week that Basra crackdown began, according to the military’s chart. The figure has ebbed and flowed since.

The fighting in southern Iraq subsided to a week after it started when a truce was reached between al-Sadr’s movement and the main Shiite factions in Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s government. Violence also has dropped in Sadr City since another deal was signed May 12, clearing the way for Iraqi troops to deploy throughout the heavily populated district, which is a bastion of al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia.

But clashes have persisted in other section of the capital, where U.S. and Iraqi forces are confronting al-Sadr’s militia.

Driscoll said the number of attacks nationwide had declined 70 percent since the crest of the troop buildup.

Most of the additional forces are expected to leave Iraq by the end of July.

Cilivian Traffic On MSR Tampa

SPC Henriquez as Buffalo Driver and SGT Port operates the arm

Civilian Traffic on a normal day

Larger Than Life

The Company Commander notified me that there were some rumors around that Somebody from 58th CEC got hurt. The truth to the matter is that, there are IED accident as it happened periodically, but everybody is fine and dandy. As for our Platoon, we are doing extremely well and very blessed indeed. SSG Turton will be leaving the Wardawgs and will be taking over a Base Reactionary Force Platoon and SSG PedroGonzales will be first squad leader.

The Summer month is coming and we can feel it with the radiation beating down the neck as we walk, but I assume it is just the same as Fort Irwin (I have not experienced the Fort Irwin summer yet, but I assume desert is desert).

Here are some hot shot for your viewing pressure.

SPC Lucas senses the BBQ meat

SSG PedroGonzales

SPC Connolly

SGT LopezGarcia

SGT Owens

SPC Pyke

SPC McKoy and SGT Gooden

1LT Trevino when he was still the Platoon Leader

Commo SGT Garcia

SPC Luttrell

SSG Wilhelm

SPC Lucas again

"I'm Singing in the Rain" Gunner SPC Dow

SSG Moran

SSG PedroGonzales again

SPC Lucas again

Mechanic SPC Thompson

SPC Ariola

The men of Old 2nd SQuad (SSG Borressen is the PSG now, SSG PedroGonzales heads to 1st Squad)

Scatter all over

All these pictures have different birthday, but they have good meaning to all of us one way or another. We take a close look at the pictures and they bring up a lot of history and memories through the deployment.


SGT Gooden PMCS the Vehicle before rolling out the Wire

Best Picture of the Month

PFC Richardson takes a nap while in FOB Summerall

SSG Borressen sleeps like a baby (while in Summerall)

Big bad Sandy School Bus

We patrol through the village

It is funny sometimes to be able to see the vehicle stuck in the mud, sand, concertina wire, etc.

Looking cool (PFC Richardson)

SSG PedroGonzales inspects an expended 57mm projectile round

Iraqi: Al-Qaida is on the run

By Lee Keath (The Associated Press)

BAGHDAD – Al-Qaida fighters and other Sunni insurgents have largely scattered from the northern city of Mosul in the face of a U.S.-Iraqi sweep, fleeing to desert areas further south, an Iraqi commander said Sunday. He vowed the forces will not allow them to regroup.

The U.S. military said al-Qaida in Iraq was “off-balance and on the run” but remains a very lethal threat, tempering remarks by the U.S. ambassador a day earlier that the terror network was closer than ever to being defeated.

The comments came amid a flurry of attacks in Baghdad and other areas, most likely attributable to Sunni insurgents. A roadside bomb targeted a patrol of U.S.-allied Sunni Arab fighters near a mosque in northern Baghdad, killing one of the so-called Awakening Council members and wounding three others, a police official said.

Bombings and shootings killed three people in an around the city of Baqouba, north of Baghdad, where U.S. forces waged a fierce offensive last year to break al-Qaida domination of the city, police said. Police officials in both cities spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press.

Iraqi security forces also made their first major discovery of a weapons cache in Baghdad’s Shiite district of Sadr City, where troops and police deployed last week – a move that could raise tensions in the military’s truce with the powerful Mahdi Army militia.

The U.S. and Iraqi military have called Mosul the last remaining urban stronghold for al-Qaida in Iraq after successes against the terror network in Baqouba and major towns in the western province of Anbar.

Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mohamed al-Askari said security forces had arrested some 1,030 people during their sweep the past week in Mosul. Another 251 detainees had been freed after being cleared of suspicion, he said.

He said some 2,000 al-Qaida and other Sunni insurgent fighters were believed to have been in the city before the swept was launched. He could not say how many remained in the city , but said most who managed to flee were believed to be taking refuge in deserts near the cities of Tikrit and Ramadi, further south.

“Now they are in a confused situation.” He said at a joint news conference with U.S. military spokesman Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll. “We will not allow them to reorganize themselves.”

Maintenance Day

We had our maintenance day today. The Bravo Team went down to the Motorpool at 1900 today to get the vehicle tuned up. While fixing the vehicles, we also had basketball games going on. We also tried out rock-climbing as well. The reason why we had the time to do that was because there were Force Protection Exercise and we were stuck at the the Motorpool. Nonetheless it was so much fun while we were at it. SGT Gooden said that he had so much fun, but after a few rounds of climbing, he was hurting pretty bad. I did not bring my camera to the Motorpool, otherwise there would be some very good pictures of Soldiers doing crazy things while at work. I'm glad that through the hard works, the Soldiers still find some good old fun. SSG Garza is no longer with the War Dawgs. I guess it is a good thing for him. He is heading to second Platoon and be 4th Squad Leader. Other than that, the Soldiers are doing fine and dandy.

Lesson learned

It is another good day for the Platoon. We have been very blessed in many ways and only us, the Soldiers would be able to understand it. and We are also very bless with supportive spouses and everyday is another day closer for us to come back home and reunite with the loved onces.


Not the best option for the sand

Refit day

Today is the Platoon's refit day and we got few things done. First of all, vehicles are tuned up. Some of us got the New IBA (small people who did not get it in Kuwait and New Soldiers). The glassy Soldiers also visit the optometry for new glasses and inserts for EyePro. Other than that, it has been a good day and as of now, we are all getting ready to get some rest before mission tomorrow. We, as the Platoon, are doing quite good. The Summer is around the corner, and I hope as you reading this, you would continue to remind your love ones to drink plenty of water, or otherwise.

SPC Ariola, SPC Dow, PFC Porter, SPC Connolly and SPC Luttrell play video game in the Day room

The situation got more intense

The Platoon has good memories with the Adapter

2LT Pham’s New IBA (Today, SPC Caprio, SPC Henriquez, SGT Sarmiento and 2LT Pham all got new IBA. The New IBA seems better and a lot of people actually like it)

The Refrigerator in the Day Room is full of Drinks

Nascar in Arabic

SGT Guevara the Buffalo Operator

Very Good question: Why do I pick up bombs?

Pictures from Iraq

The Children ask for candies as the patrol pass by

Shops along the road

The Bridge to The East is Open (Tigris River)

I think this is the Shopping Center

Entrance to the University of Tikrit

Local 7-11

Grand father and grand child catch the afternoon wind

a Son of Iraq (Concerned Local Citizen) chased the bad guys away

Busy Afternoon Market

Stairway to Heaven Mosque is currently under re-construction

Iraqi Security Forces make sure no bombs are being place on the bridge

SWEEPING

SPC Luttrell, SGT Owens get ready to walk

Children of Iraq

Infantryman PFC Porter

Dismounted Sweeping

Very Happy Iraqi children



The terrains were unpredictable, but we managed not to get stuck in the mud


We talked to an Iraqi Civilian (The man and his grand-daughter were just sitting outside of his house, it was probably very hot inside the house)

SPC Luttrell and the Buffalo

SPC Caprio and the Buffalo

Walking by the Creek

Medic Connolly, SPC Felder (from Battalion), Interpreter Ali and 2LT Pham

River Crossing

Children watched as the Patrol pass by

The patrol pass by the village