The anti-insurgency effort appears to be gaining momentum:

More than 3,000 U.S. and Iraqi troops launched an operation in the southern approaches to Baghdad on Tuesday, seizing a suspected insurgent training camp and capturing more than 160 alleged rebels, the U.S. military command said.

The force also took control of a bridge across the Euphrates River believed to be a favored corridor for insurgents moving into and out of key cities, including Baghdad and the Sunni rebel stronghold of Fallujah, a command release said.

The operation involved the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as well as U.S. and Iraqi army troops and members of the Iraqi National Guard.

The release did not report any casualties taken or inflicted.

Other than the AP's insistence on calling the terrorist bands "rebels", the announcement gives more evidence that the Iraqi security forces have begun to have an impact on the situation on the ground. At the very least, they have trained well enough that American forces can concentrate on conduction anti-terrorist operations with Iraqis in support, instead of focusing on their training. It also shows Iraqis that they can beat the terrorists, with our support, which should boost morale among their corps.

Victory brings momentum, and with momentum comes the confidence to achieve more victories. More importantly, the Iraqi people will begin to have confidence in both our ability to stabilize the Sunni Triangle and their own forces' ability to enforce the peace afterwards.

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» More good news from Iraq from Media Lies
aptain Quarters discusses an AP story about a joint Iraqi-US effort that took control of a vital bridge on the outreaches of Baghdad as well as a suspected terrorist (AP calls them "rebels") training camp. It appears the anti-terrorist efforts in Ira... [Read More]

Tracked on October 5, 2004 8:24 PM