Updated News from Iraqi

by Bushra Juhi (Associated Press)

BAGHDAD – Iraqi officials said police on Monday arrested a man suspected of being a top al-Qaida in Iraq figure in the northern city of Mosul, where security forces have been carrying out an intensified crackdown to root out the terror network.

The U.S. military said it was looking into the report. Reports of high-level al-Qaida arrests in the past have sometimes proven incorrect.

Maj. Gen. Ahmed Taha, of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, identified the detainee as al-Qaida in Iraq’s wali – or governor – in Mosul, which would make him the terror network’s top figure in the city and surrounding region.

But a security official involved in the detention said officials were still interrogating the detainee, Abdul-Khaliq al-Sabawi, to confirm whether he is the Mosul waili. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the arrest.

Al-Sabawi was captured in a morning raid in Salahuddin province, which neighbors Mosul’s Ninevah province to the south, said Taha, director of the ministry’s internal affairs office.

Some of Mosul’s al-Qaida figures are believed to have fled or stayed out of the city before the sweep began more than a week ago – the latest in a series of high-profile operations launched by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-maliki to break the hold of armed groups in several areas around the country in the past two months.

So far, more than 1300 people have been arrested in and around Mosul in the operation, though 240 were cleared of suspicion and released, said Maj. Gen. Hussein Ali Kamal, the deputy interior minister for intelligence and security affairs.

U.S. –backed Iraqi forces have been carrying out targeted raids on suspected militants in the city – and so far the sweep has seen almost no clashes, a sign insurgents are seeking to lay low or escape. The defense Ministry reported the first death in the crackdown, saying raids Monday left one militant dead, along with 78 people arrested. The ministry statement gave no details on how one death occurred.

On Sunday, U.S.-Iraqi forces increased a parallel operation in regions between Mosul and the Syrian border aimed at intercepting fleeing al-Qaida figures, an official in the Iraqi security forces Nivevah command center said.

Also Monday, Iraq’s largest Sunni Arab party said it rejected an apology made by the U.S. military after an American sniper used a Quran for target practice. The unidentified soldier was disciplined and removed from Iraq, the military said Sunday.
The Iraqi Islamic Party called the shooting of Islam’s holy book a “flagrant assault on Muslim sacraments” and that the “apology alone” was not enough.

It said the U.S. military should impose the “severest punishment” on the soldier to ensure others do not repeat his act.

The Quran, with 14 bullet holes and graffiti marked on its paged, was found on May 11 by Iraqis near a former base outside Radwaniyah, west of Baghdad.

On Saturday, the top U.S. commander held a formal ceremony apologizing to Radwaniyah’s Sunni tribal leaders, vowing the act would not be repeated.

Some Random Platoon Pictures

We stayed at FOB Summerrall for one week and slept in bunk, but some good old time though

FOB Summerrall in next to Bayji Oil Refinery and power plant

We are getting ready for mission

WARDAWGS ON THREE

The Situation in Iraq

Situation in Iraq by Hamid Ahmed From The Associated Press

BAGHDAD – Government troops began house-to-house searches for al-Qaida in Iraq militants in Mosul on Thursday, part of a major security operation to cleanse Iraq’s third largest city from cells of the terror network.

Described by the U.S. military as the last major urban base of al-Qaida in Iraq, Mosul has become the site of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s third security drive in two months as he attempts to defeat Shiite militants and Sunni extremists.

Al-Maliki flew to Mosul on Wednesday to take charge of the operation by U.S.-backed Iraqi forces. On Thursday, he sought to enlist the support of former Saddam Hussein-era army officers and local tribal leaders in two separate meetings in Mosul.

Mosul has traditionally supplied the army with a large number of its officers and al-Maliki called on authorities to help bring back those who wish to return to duty, according to a statement issued by his office.

The prime minister also appealed to dignitaries from local tribes to stand behind his security forces.
Al-Qaida in Iraq, though weakened by the U.S. troops buildup over the past year, appears to be far from defeated.

In an attack that bore the group’s hallmarks, a suicide bomber Wednesday blew himself up in a funeral tent in a village west of Baghdad, killing 22 people and wounding 40, according to police Col. Faisal al-Zubaie.

The funeral for Taha Obaid, a primary school principal killed the previous day by gunmen, was attended by local U.S.-backed Sunni tribesmen fighting al-Qaida militants. It was not known how many of them were among the killed and wounded.
Obaid’s 3-year-old son was among those killed, said al-Zubaie

In Baghdad, a fragile cease-fire reached this week between Shiite politicians and followers of anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in the Sadr City district came under renewed strain Thursday.

Overnight and early morning clashes between U.S.-backed Iraqi forces and militiamen loyal to al-Sadr left eight men killed and 19 wounded, according to officials from two hospitals in the Shiite enclave.

The U.S. military, meanwhile, said two militants were killed and a third was wounded late Wednesday by an air-to ground Hellfire missile as they placed a roadside bomb on a road between Sadr City and the northern Sunni district of Adhamiyah.

Also in Baghdad, police officials said a roadside bomb struck the convoy of the capital’s Shiite governor, Hussein Tahan. One of his bodyguards was killed in the blast and six others were wounded.

Rock On

I'm very proud of the Soldiers we have. These young men are very brave in every way. We conduct Route Clearance Mission almost everyday. They go out there and clear the route and make it safe for other Coalition Forces to travel on. It seems like a very simple mission, but indeed very important for other units out there. I thank you, the parents of these fine Soldiers, and I thank the Spouses and Children of the Soldiers for your support. We are getting ready to go out now. Remember us in your prayers. God Bless.

Platoon BBQ

This is one of the Best days in Iraq so far for the Platoon. We have many good days, but this one is probably one of the best. I would like to say thanks to SGT Gooden, SGT Sarmiento and SSG Mauzerall for planning, executing and contributing to the BBQ and make it possible. We find our way to the Grill, the foods from DFAC (The personnel at the DFAC were very helpful and gave us a lot of food). And we had a lot of money left to spare, so we went to the Main PX and bought us all sort of premium meats and drinks. As I'm writing this, my Alpha Team is getting ready for the mission we have tonight, may them be motivated and finding the IEDs and keep the Coalition Forces save as they travel the road. God Bless the fine Soldiers we have and God bless America. I would like to personally thanking the parents and spouses of the WARDAWGS, because the WARDAWGS are the WARDAWGS.





The Real Cook is SGT Gooden, while the rest are just poster!

This DFAC worker gave us some good food

1LT Trevino joins with the platoon for some BBQ, he is currently working as XO for HSC Platoon

SPC Connolly, 1LT Valasquez just got out of mission and join us for some food as well

Some Volleyball

Some more Volleyball

and some more volleyball with three funny men (PFC Richardson, SPC Connoly and SPC Lucas

Posters: SGT Lopez, SGT Owens, 2LT Pham and PVT Shell

2LT Pham (too many picture in this Blog) with SPC Mueller

Sun is too Hot (SPC Mckoy)

Out of Shape (SPC Lopez)

Sharing a Pack (SSG Mauzerall and SSG Borressen)

just enjoying some food(1)

just enjoying some food(2)

just enjoying some food(3)

just enjoying some food(4)

just enjoying some food(5)

just enjoying some food(6)

just enjoying some food(7)

PLATOON MEETING

We had our platoon meeting tonight. Some of the Soldiers are not very happy about that, and I am planning to have meeting everyday now just for the heck of it. Everybody in the Platoon is doing quite good. We all chip in $5.00 per person, and SGT Gooden is in charge of setting up a platoon BBQ tomorrow. Life in Iraq has been good to us and everybody is doing fine and dandy. SGT Owens' birthday is May 22, but we go ahead and sing happy Birthday to him today anyway.


The WARDAWGS Family

SGT Sarmiento, SPC Mueller SGT Guevara relaxing in front of the TV

PFC Richardson, SSG Mauzerall, SGT Gooden and SSG Wilhelm enjoying a game of spade.

We sing "Happy Birthday" to SGT Owens

ARMY STRONG

PROMOTION CEREMONY

For the Month of May, SSG Garza, SSG Pedrogonzales, SGT Lopezgarcia received new rank because the Army trust these Soldiers and asks them to step up and take more responsibilities of higher level of performance and responsibility. SFC Robinson said to me once that, "rank comes with both privilege and curse". But I believe it otherwise because it is an honor and privilege to be able to serve in the Arm Forces, but even a bigger honor to be able to lead the young brave Soldiers through the War. That, Rank is a responsibility earned and held by continuing positive achievement. That the higher the Rank the more responsibility to set an example of courage, discipline, and abstemiousness. Rank, therefore, comes neither with Privilege nor curse. But it comes with honor and responsibility.


SSG Borressen along with 1SG Grant and CPT Peterson pin SSG rank on SSG Pedrogonzales and SSG Garza




My wish is that the Soldier will not look upon promotion as a movement upwards, a gain in power, wealth and prestige but an inward movement, a gain in responsibilities, abstemiousness and honor. I think this is too much to ask, even for myself.

SANDSTORM

The sandstorm that SPC Luttrell and SPC Connolly stated as "a typical day in Iraq" is not necessary true. There are only few days like this. Whenever something happen, the person who tells the story usually exaggerates to be more than what it sounds and looks like. If it is a typical day in Iraq, why there are still more than twenty five million people living in this country today? What I am trying to convey is that you need to actually experience it first hand before making an assumption of an event or a place. Iraq indeed is a very beautiful country. As a matter of fact, it is the birth of civilization, the cradle of civilization. The Fertile Crescent is Iraq. The story of humanity started in Iraq at the garden of creation. Just like the bible mentioned it Iraq is the irrefutable site of the Garden of Eden where humanity took birth. Iraq is a land located between two great rivers, the Euphrates and the Tigris, the land between the two Rivers. Am I confusing you now?

Just A Few More Pictures

The WARDAWGS are doing fine and dandy everyday. The Company Commander said that the Company is doing excellent work in Iraq and everybody through out Iraq also recognize the work we are doing everyday. The WARDAWGS are so very motivated at what we are doing. And my job is to make sure the Soldiers understand the important of their work and that they put in 100% effort in working with each other in making Iraq a better place for Iraqi people. Let us, also, remember the people in Burma, China, and the Midwest United States in prayer.


Private Porter, SPC Lucas and SSG Pedrogonzales


SPC Pyke works hard to decorate the new room


From Left: SSG Mauzerall, SGT Sarmiento, SSG Pedrogonzales, SPC Dow, SGT Owens and SSG Borressen (The High rise is on the background)
Marching toward the CHOW Hall


2LT Pham working with the BFT while on patrol


SPC Dow is chilling with the New RG-33 (very rommie as you can see) while SPC Mueller is struggling to upload the Robot.