Four months after arrival, 2nd Brigade Combat Team sees changes in Ramadi

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=26624

RAMADI, Iraq — Four months ago, when the 2nd Brigade Combat Team arrived in Ramadi, the local population certainly did not roll out the welcome mat. But in the intervening months, as the brigade adjusted its operations and sought more interaction, the relationship has gotten decidedly better.

“Four months ago, we were doing ‘movement to contact’ patrols every day. We were an obtrusive presence,” Col. Gary S. Patton, brigade commander, said Saturday. “Now, we’ve established a security base in the city, and we’re doing more precision raids. We’re getting good intel from the local population. When we first got here, that wasn’t happening.”

But brigade officials acknowledge they are in the midst of what Patton called a “classic counterinsurgency fight” in a city with a population approaching 400,000. snip

Since then, things quieted a little, he said. But as the elections draw closer, the brigade is seeing the action pick up again. Patrols have come under fire nearly every day, mortars have been shot at bases and a crowd of children threw rocks at one unit last week.

“It’s a contested city, that’s for sure. I don’t think we can quite see the light at the end of the tunnel yet,” said Alexander, the operations officer. “But we’ve at least turned the corner and can see some doors we might be able to get to.”

more

I can't tell if this is a "look at how good things are in Iraq" article as the first paragraph suggests or not? Looks like the military has went from patrolling the streets to search and destroy missions in Ramadi? Is that a good thing? I am not sure? Strange article. Got to read between the lines I think? Maybe this is the way the reporters have to write the stuff to get it past the minder or something?

[bemildred]

1. It's a "it's not really hopeless yet" story.

That in itself tells you all you need to know.

[UL_Approved]

2. They worked in the criticism here:

A quote:

"One challenge, Maj. Tom Munsey, the brigade fire support and information operations officer, said is the relatively high illiteracy rate outside of Ramadi, which was once known as a university town.

“The big impression I get is that the people of Ramadi are tired of the fighting,” Munsey said. “The question I always ask, and one that I haven’t gotten a straight answer to yet, is ‘What was Ramadi like five years ago?’”"

This seems to be a little more than "between the lines". Consider the long-term and we are a total failure.

[donsu]

3. seems the truth is that our military is only safe in it's bases in the

cities and only leave these bases to do raids.

like everyone hides in the green zone and rarely leave to go out into Iraq.

twining the two realities into a media story is tricky.

[yellowcanine]

4. That "no light at the end of the tunnel" talk can't make Rummy happy.

heh. Someone didn't get the memo about avoiding Vietnam analogies.

[TahitiNut]

5. Gee, I guess events of last month just didn't happen???

Fighting Rages in Iraq's Rebel-Held Ramadi

Dec 8, 2004 — By Majid Hameed

RAMADI, Iraq (Reuters) - Fighting raged between rebels controlling the western Iraq town of Ramadi and U.S. Marines Wednesday after two Iraqis were killed in clashes following a suicide car bomb attack, witnesses said.

As insurgents battled Marines in Ramadi, the death toll from clashes in the northern city of Samarra climbed to six, with four civilians and two police killed, a hospital official said.

Warplanes were heard over Ramadi, where witnesses said a U.S. armored vehicle was in flames and smoke rose from an American base that was hit by a mortar.

Fighting spread from the center of the city to the industrial zone in the east after a suicide bomber attacked a U.S. military checkpoint and clashes killed two Iraqi civilians.

<snip>

[Massachusetts]

6. FUBAR

[fertilizeonarbusto]

7. Things are sooooooooooo good in Ramadi

That two US soldiers got killed there last night. What fucking bullshit!

[warrens]

8. I think this was reluctantly ground out after a lot of screaming

Why don't you ever tell OUR side? All you ever do is interview some bitter former employee who had both his legs blown off. Why not tell the story from the perspective of an idiot who's only been here a few months and hasn't figured out this is all a big scam? Huh?

As such, doesn't look like the Bushies got much for all the screaming. Nothing in the story really backs up the lede.

[NNN0LHI]

9. I am starting to know how the Soviet people felt during their Afghan war

Our media used to make fun of how the Soviet media was lying to their citizens about what was actually happening in Afghanistan. Anyone know what finally brought an end to that war? It was a group of mothers from the USSR who had sons were either in Afghanistan, or had their sons killed or maimed there who kept raising hell until the insanity finally stopped. I wish mothers of American soldiers were all as wise and forceful as those mothers were. What time does The Apprentice come on?

Don