A recent report shows that the Iraqi people are stepping up and helping in the fight on Terrorist in thier midst. In 2005 starting in Feb the MNF in Iraq started tracking the number of tips and reports by Iraqi citizens that they made to Iraqi Troops and Coalition forces. What they found was VERY interesting indeed. First they found that the Iraqi people were much more likely to report things to the Iraqi troops and police than the coalition troops. Which is understandable. But as the year went on and the Iraqi people saw and gained confidence in the Iraqi Army and Iraqi police now working the streets, they began to come out of the woodwork and really help out.
In Feb 2005, there were 442 tips to the forces. But as the year went by and Iraqi forces started stepping up and taking over more and more of the national security, the Iraqi people started stepping up and doing the same. From a little over 400 tips a month in Feb to almost 5000 a month by Dec! Thats a 970% increase in tips over the course of the year!!! In 2005 there were 30,273 tips. These include people walking up to troops and giving information to people calling the well publicized tip lines that are now working overtime to keep up with the increased demand.
Now I know you hear of all the IED's(Improvised Explosive Device) and VBIED's (Vehicle Bourne Improvised Explosive Device) that kill anyone. But have you heard how many we actually find or stop BEFORE they harm anyone? Of course not. That would paint a positive of some of the things that are happening in Iraq. During the week of Jan 18th, MNF and Iraqi Forces found and cleared 96 IED's without injury. Why did we only hear about the ones tha killed someone? Did you know that the MNF and Iraqi troops captured 438 terrorist in that week alone also? Of course not, becasue of the bias of the press. Telling the American public of these things might just make them think things are not as bleak as painted by the MSM.
How about this story, you heard this one right?
Iraqi school guard halts terrorists (Jan 22nd)
BAGHDAD, Iraq – Jan Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 1st Brigade, 6th Iraqi Army Division and the1-71 Military Transition Team, 1st Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, responded to a call from an Iraqi school guard reporting a possible improvised explosive device in the school Monday.
Upon arriving at the school south of Khadra, Soldiers found a 122mm mortar round booby-trapped to a door in the school.
An Explosive Ordnance Team disabled the bomb.
Or how about this one.
Fast-thinking Iraqi Police spared Coalition Force Soldiers from an improvised explosive device in eastern Baghdad Jan. 9.
Iraqi Police manning a checkpoint stopped a convoy, headed by Staff Sgt. Mark Matthews, 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 506th Regimental Combat Team, and warned them of the device. The Iraqi Police explosive ordnance disposal team soon arrived and destroyed the IED.
“The Iraqi Police provided additional security to help secure our convoy while we waited – then their EOD guys exploded the device,” said Matthews. “The IPs tested the route then we made it through with no problems.”
“Our training is definitely paying off. I appreciate the IPs letting my guys know about the IED. Their actions saved lives,” said Capt. Henry Groulx, commander, Company A, 801st BSB.
Now that story may not be a huge headline, but those tha read it might just ge the idea the IP are helping to secure their country and actually doing something. Not what you hear from the MSM, I grant you that.
Or this one?
Three raids in northern Iraq led to five captures of AIF, including one that was turned in by a cohort, Jan. 13.
Soldiers from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team received a tip that led them straight to a terrorist cell member. Once the troops closed in and caught the terrorist, he turned informant and gave up another member of his cell. The Soldiers were able to track down one of the terrorists from the information given.
Members of the cell are wanted for attacks against civilians and security forces, car theft, kidnapping and IED emplacement.
Three more AIF were detained near Mosul in relation to vehicle-borne IED attacks, based on information gathered by Coalition resources. All three men were rounded up by the 172nd SBCT along with a sniper rifle and various identification cards.
The Task Force Band of Brothers rewards program continues to garner support from the local population, as many of the citizens provide information leading to the discovery of individuals involved in crimes against the people of Iraq as well as attacks against Iraqi and Coalition forces.
You see just because no one died and it was a positive story instead of a negative, these three examples never made it to the MSM. People just don't want to hear that things in Iraq are not as bleak and bloody as the MSM would have you think. Or would they like to hear about these things? What do you think? What do you like to hear about?
