Tuesday, February 14, 2006
An Iraqi Mayor's Tribute to Our American Soldiers
Like them, I offer the full text:
In the Name of God the Compassionate and Merciful
To the Courageous Men and Women of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who have changed the city of Tall’ Afar from a ghost town, in which terrorists spread death and destruction, to a secure city flourishing with life.
To the lion-hearts who liberated our city from the grasp of terrorists who were beheading men, women and children in the streets for many months.
To those who spread smiles on the faces of our children, and gave us restored hope, through their personal sacrifice and brave fighting, and gave new life to the city after hopelessness darkened our days, and stole our confidence in our ability to reestablish our city.
Our city was the main base of operations for Abu Mousab Al Zarqawi. The city was completely held hostage in the hands of his henchmen. Our schools, governmental services, businesses and offices were closed. Our streets were silent, and no one dared to walk them. Our people were barricaded in their homes out of fear; death awaited them around every corner. Terrorists occupied and controlled the only hospital in the city. Their savagery reached such a level that they stuffed the corpses of children with explosives and tossed them into the streets in order to kill grieving parents attempting to retrieve the bodies of their young. This was the situation of our city until God prepared and delivered unto them the courageous soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, who liberated this city, ridding it of Zarqawi’s followers after harsh fighting, killing many terrorists, and forcing the remaining butchers to flee the city like rats to the surrounding areas, where the bravery of other 3d ACR soldiers in Sinjar, Rabiah, Zumar and Avgani finally destroyed them.
I have met many soldiers of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment; they are not only courageous men and women, but avenging angels sent by The God Himself to fight the evil of terrorism.
The leaders of this Regiment; COL McMaster, COL Armstrong, LTC Hickey, LTC Gibson, and LTC Reilly embody courage, strength, vision and wisdom. Officers and soldiers alike bristle with the confidence and character of knights in a bygone era. The mission they have accomplished, by means of a unique military operation, stands among the finest military feats to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, and truly deserves to be studied in military science. This military operation was clean, with little collateral damage, despite the ferocity of the enemy. With the skill and precision of surgeons they dealt with the terrorist cancers in the city without causing unnecessary damage.
God bless this brave Regiment; God bless the families who dedicated these brave men and women. From the bottom of our hearts we thank the families. They have given us something we will never forget. To the families of those who have given their holy blood for our land, we all bow to you in reverence and to the souls of your loved ones. Their sacrifice was not in vain. They are not dead, but alive, and their souls hovering around us every second of every minute. They will never be forgotten for giving their precious lives. They have sacrificed that which is most valuable. We see them in the smile of every child, and in every flower growing in this land. Let America, their families, and the world be proud of their sacrifice for humanity and life.
Finally, no matter how much I write or speak about this brave Regiment, I haven’t the words to describe the courage of its officers and soldiers. I pray to God to grant happiness and health to these legendary heroes and their brave families.
NAJIM ABDULLAH ABID AL-JIBOURI
Mayor of Tall 'Afar, Ninewa, Iraq
Besides the obvious and easy swipe at the MSM for not highlighting this important bit of news, what more commentary need we add? That it is plainly obvious that we are fighting al qaeda in Iraq? That we are winning the hearts and minds of those we want, and eviscerating those of our enemy? What greater testament to the centrality of Iraq to executing and winning the War against islamofascism could there be?
Oh, you mean that's why this isn't being reported?
Well, I am not done stealing from my friends. Scott Johnston further reports on Col. McMaster, the Commander of the 3rd AC and a PhD in American history provided riveting Congressional testimony on the events at Tall 'Afar, and directs us to a transcript of said testimony. Please read it all. Reflect on how fortunate we are to have these extraordinary people doing this unbelievable work for us. Don't even trouble yourself with the idiocy of the mainstream media, which simply represses the news, and instead authors opinion-fables.
6 Comments:
By 
Cassandra, at
Tue Feb 14, 12:37:00 PM:
Now for some serious unrepentant neo-con chest-thumping...
Ha! So you admit it! :)
By Cardinalpark, at
Tue Feb 14, 02:18:00 PM:
By Phoenician in a time of Romans, at
Tue Feb 14, 07:23:00 PM:
Besides the obvious and easy swipe at the MSM for not highlighting this important bit of news, what more commentary need we add? That it is plainly obvious that we are fighting al qaeda in Iraq? That we are winning the hearts and minds of those we want, and eviscerating those of our enemy? What greater testament to the centrality of Iraq to executing and winning the War against islamofascism could there be?
Well, let's see...
Basra suspends relations with the British
Iraqi voices are drowned out in a blizzard of occupiers' spin
Car bomb hits US military patrol in Iraq's Fallujah:
"The U.S. troops revenged and opened fire randomly after the attack causing unknown number of casualties, the residents said."
Covey attacked in Baghdad, wounding four.
By Dawnfire82, at
Wed Feb 15, 04:21:00 AM:
The question was "What greater testament to the centrality of Iraq to executing and winning the War against islamofascism could there be?" to which you replied with a string of negative articles (and one ridiculous out of context blurb. "revenged and opened fire randomly?" pff. Dawnfire = soldier. We do not fire randomly. Waste of ammunition.) which, really, doesn't make sense.
Presuming that you just meant to highlight negatives, let me pick on one article which I found particularly offensive...
*ahem*
Are you kidding? You posted an article whose opening line reads "The deception that launched the invasion of Iraq now increasingly shapes media coverage of the occupation" as an example of objective rebuttal? This article is full of half-truths, polluted by ideological spin and simple illogics. The guys describes Iranian Revolutionary Council members (Ayatollah Hassani, for instance) as Shia clergy and anti-occupation Iraqi voices. Shia clergy, yes, technically. Not an Iraqi voice, and in fact member of a foreign government with territorial designs on Iraq. Whereas he ignores Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, an *actual* Iraqi Shia imam who *gasp* supports the democratic process and peaceful unity of the country.
And he implies that secret US "death squads" are running around killing academics and scientists?! Precisely the same kind of people necessary to running a modern democratic country? That's irrational, paranoid, and fantastically illegal all at the same time. This cat apparently spent too much time under Saddam. Perhaps if he had quoted the general in full; "Boykin was reportedly asked whether the government would re-establish a program to pinpoint and murder adversaries, as under Operation Phoenix, which the CIA carried out during Washington’s war against Vietnam. Boykin replied that the U.S. military and its Special Operations forces were “doing a pretty good job of that right now” in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We’re going after these people,” he said. “Killing or capturing these people is a legitimate mission for the department,” Boykin added. “I think we’re doing what the Phoenix program was designed to do, without all of the secrecy.” Somehow, this author replaced US Army Special Operations A Teams killing terrorist adversaries with US-Sponsored Death Squads(tm) killing innocent academics.
Three times he appeals to "eyewitness Iraqi reports" by unnamed civilians, and mentions Fallujah specifically. Doctors and refugees. Would these be the same doctors who claimed that Marine snipers were deliberately targeting children and pregnant women in Fallujah, and who also claimed to be collecting "Marine sniper bullets" from the heads of victims as proof? Which never materialized, by the way. Reminded me of the Great Jenin Massacre Fiasco of 2002. Remember that? Global outrage and UN resolutions passed condemning a massacre and mass burial of Palestinians which never happened? Also based on "eyewitness reports."
Secondly, analyze this idea and compare it with reality. If the deception really was increasingly shaping media coverage of the occupation, why is there so much negative press and so little positive? Why was he able to cite so many passages if reports were censored or ignored? If the US is sponsoring DEATH SQUADS killing INNOCENT IRAQIS then why is the good general bragging about it to a media outlet which is famously anti-military?
This article is partisan garbage. It is intellectually dishonest or just flat wrong on virtually every topic mentioned.
BTW, he erroneously labels LTG Boykin as "undersecretary of defense for intelligence" which he is, in fact, not. Hon. Stephen Cambone is. If he misses this basic fact, a matter of public record, why should I believe the rest of his assertions?
What really sickens me is that people read stuff like this and just accept it. And then vote.
By Cardinalpark, at
Wed Feb 15, 10:04:00 AM:
Dawnfire82- thanks for responding to that pile. I couldn't even splutter out words.
CP:-)
By Phoenician in a time of Romans, at
Wed Feb 15, 04:59:00 PM:
The question was "What greater testament to the centrality of Iraq to executing and winning the War against islamofascism could there be?"
I was addressing the "That we are winning the hearts and minds of those we want, and eviscerating those of our enemy?" mainly.
(and one ridiculous out of context blurb. "revenged and opened fire randomly?" pff. Dawnfire = soldier. We do not fire rando.mly. Waste of ammunition.)
Uh-huh
