Command Sgt Major gives us the "ground truth" on Iraq

[TheRightMiller]

I can't do better than Army Command Sergeant Major Neil Ciotola, so I'll let him speak for himself. Why isn't the national media sharing his view of the world with the rest of our countrymen?

Regards,

Ron

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2007/may...ion-commentary

Army Leader Doesn't Sugarcoat His Views

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2007

'If we don't finish this, it will follow us home,' Command Sgt. Major Neil Ciotola says about the mission in Iraq. As the senior enlisted leader for the Multi-National Corps - Iraq, he oversees more than 158,000 service members and serves as the principal enlisted advisor to the commanding general, Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno. Ciotola gave his assessment of the situation in Iraq as well as candid observations on the troop surge, Congress' vote to establish a withdrawal timeline and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's recent comments on the war.

With 31 years in the U.S. Army, Ciotola is on his third deployment. He called from Baghdad and spoke recently with Tribune correspondent MyLinh Shattan.

Tell us about your role as the Command Sgt. Major?

My responsibility is to keep discipline in the corps, provide advice on all enlisted matters for soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. I provide perspective to the commander of troops on the ground. Most of the time I'm out of headquarters rather than in. I returned from Kirkuk where I was conducting ground operations along with them. I provide assessments on the way ahead, and I physically represent the commander on the street. You can't have general officers running around so I do that for him.

What did you see in Kirkuk?

In Kirkuk one brigade combat team of approximately 5,000 multi-service personnel has a profound effect on one of the larger geographic zones in the theatre. Kirkuk stands in stark contrast to things here in Baghdad. Things in the North are quite beautiful. There are huge portions of cultivated land. It's not a dangerous place. Though one of the FOBs had mortar fire, in that part of Iraq the streets are clean; a lot of essential services are being performed. Iraqi police forces are by every measure very professional. They embrace American counterparts and don't wait on them to get out into operations.

How is troop morale in Iraq?

Morale depends on the nature of the operation that day. If you have good intelligence and go out and capture a bad guy, you accomplish something; you feel good about yourself. If you're sitting inside an observation post for a four-, six- or eight-hour shift in body armor in 120- to 135-degree temperatures, it's not that good.

When soldiers are executing non-kinetic operations, like helping build a school, supplying medical services for a community, they feel great about doing stuff. When you turn on pumps that turn on fresh water where there never was any before, those especially are uplifting. When you work with Iraqi Army counterparts and they exhibit a greater sense of self-confidence; that's very gratifying, and it sustains you for another day.

How has the troop surge affected the situation in Baghdad?

For the general populace, it's safer. I won't say there aren't murders every day. I get the report from military police and operations center that murders are down. Whenever we see Americans here, people sense it's OK to come outside. In some places, we let soldiers take off their body armor for a little while. Based on what I see every day, the numbers prove that we've achieved a modicum of success. But I won't say it's time to strike up the band.

In Kirkuk, issues center around the Kurds. You don't have all the issues associated with the melting pot we call Baghdad. As you move into Al Anbar, you have violence which is prevalent. I'm not trying to paint a rosy picture. Fortunately, they're buying into what the Marines have done out there; the Americans are trying to do some good. People think there's more murder, oppression, deaths if they side with AQ al-Qaida or AQI al-Qaida in Iraq. There's a lot of power-brokering going on.

With so many combat troops on the ground in Baghdad, we represent a target-rich environment for the bad guys because we're everywhere. But part of the payoff for having us on the ground all the time is I can go into various neighborhoods, and when you see paratroopers and infantryman on the ground in force, you see shops open, people going about with a 'life is OK' type of atmosphere.

What's been the reaction to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's comment, 'this war is lost?'

I saw that reported and for the second time in many days I felt compelled to pull out my sidearm. I won't mention any names, but I'm downright disappointed; it's debilitating when I see what's going on back there. It would appear they only get a small piece of it. What we see is in stark contrast to what they see back home. I won't say this won't cost us more if we commit ourselves. I would just ask the elected constituency to keep in mind there's a time to be partisan, but there's a time you just need to shut up and keep committed.

I wonder if the same folks that are supposed to represent us today had been alive during the American Revolution, if they would have exhibited sufficient amounts of character to see that through. It's frustrating. I talk to privates, buck sergeants; we experience one thing, then see something else on TV.

A senior officer told me, 'Don't watch TV, you won't get an ounce of truth out of it. It's all bad news.'

How do you feel about the congressional legislation mandating a timeline for withdrawal?

I was with a young private driving me around in Kirkuk who asked, 'If we leave now, why did we commit ourselves if we don't have the commitment to see it through?' What did I tell the family of sergeant so-and-so who was killed here a couple days ago? We're playing to party policy. That's not just me, it's the young people. These men and women are phenomenal; they are self-effacing to a fault. It's called DUTY, a four-letter word. If they were that opposed, if this was a hopeless cause, why do 99.7 percent come back from leave?

There's a perspective back home that the sky is falling. Now, don't get me wrong, in Diyala, the infantry and cavalry, they all have one heck of a fight on their hands, but they're not quitting. We just had nine killed in Diyala, but they'll say, 'Don't you dare think about pulling us off the line.' These are men that have been out there fighting. They're the testimonial that people should be paying attention to. Every day that goes by that we do what we do, we give this country a chance.

Anything else you wish to share?

One thing strikes me as profound: We're in our 5th year in this war in Iraq. Every time I go out, I get shot at; I'm not going to tell you otherwise. I don't worry for me; I worry for the youngsters. Even while our travels take us everywhere - Basrah, Mosul, the Syrian border, all the way out to the Iranian border, Ramadi, Kirkuk, Tikrit - everywhere you go, there are kids that wave. What makes them wave? We can't be evil.

I'd like to add one more comment. I believe if we don't finish this, it will follow us home.

MyLinh Shattan can be reached at mylinh@mylinhshattan.com.

[forestal]

Wow, lots of bogus information in your post. Let me shine some light of truth for you....

Report: U.S. Drive in Baghdad Falters
Monday June 4, 2007 1:01 PM



By KIM GAMEL

Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD (AP) - U.S.-led forces have control of fewer than one-third of Baghdad's neighborhoods despite thousands of extra troops nearly four months into a security crackdown, a newspaper reported Monday - an assessment that came as the U.S. casualty toll soared.

But military officials said they have warned all along that the fight would not be easy.

Iraqi police also said at least six people were killed and 14 were wounded in three separate bombings Monday in Baghdad.

The New York Times said an American assessment of the security plan through late May found that American and Iraqi forces were able to ``protect the population'' and ``maintain physical influence over'' only 146 of the 457 Baghdad neighborhoods.

[forestal]

More truth...

US can forget about winning in Iraq: top retired generalThe man who commanded US-led coalition forces during the first year of the Iraq war says the United States can forget about winning the war.

"I think if we do the right things politically and economically with the right Iraqi leadership we could still salvage at least a stalemate, if you will -- not a stalemate but at least stave off defeat," retired Army Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez said in an interview.

[forestal]

Republican Chicken Hawks don't want you to know this...

Number of Unidentified Bodies Found in Baghdad Rose Sharply in May

The number of unidentified corpses discovered in Baghdad soared more than 70 percent during May, according to new statistics from the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, an indication that sectarian killings are rising sharply as militias return to the streets after lying low during the first few months of the troop "surge."

In May, 726 unidentified bodies were found in Baghdad, many bound and shot in the head or showing signs of torture and execution, compared with 411 during April, according to figures provided by a ministry official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

The Bush administration and military have cited a decline in sectarian killings as proof that the troop escalation is working. And despite May's increase in corpses, the numbers remain far below the peak of sectarian executions last year. In July and August, for example, a total of 5,106 people died violent deaths in Baghdad alone, according to the United Nations, including 3,391 reported by the city's morgue.

[forestal]

This is winning???

Monday, June 4, 2007

Security Incidents for Monday, June 04, 07



In Country:
#1: U.S.-led forces have control of fewer than one-third of Baghdad's neighborhoods despite thousands of extra troops nearly four months into a security crackdown, a newspaper reported Monday — an assessment that came as the U.S. casualty toll soared. The New York Times said an American assessment of the security plan through late May found that American and Iraqi forces were able to "protect the population" and "maintain physical influence over" only 146 of the 457 Baghdad neighborhoods. Troops have either not begun operations aimed at rooting out insurgents or still face "resistance" in the remaining 311 neighborhoods, according to the report, which cited a one-page assessment along with summaries from brigade and battalion commanders in Baghdad.


Baghdad:
#1: A roadside bomb killed three people and wounded eight in Zaafaraniya district of southern Baghdad, police said.

#2: The Iraqi army killed seven insurgents and arrested 57 others during the past 24 hours in different areas of Baghdad, police said

#3: A bomb planted inside an ambulance killed one person and wounded three others in the Bab al-Muadham area of central Baghdad, police said.

#4: In a separate incident, one person was killed and five others wounded due to clashes between security forces and gunmen in Al Fadel region.

#5: On the other hand, police found in Al Fadel region five unidentified bodies with gunshot wounds and signs of torture, a source from Al Kanadi Hospital reported.

#6: Gunmen kidnapped an Iraqi senior official and his son in northern Baghdad on Monday, an Interior Ministry source said. "Unidentified gunmen riding three cars kidnapped Saad Majid Ali, director general in the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, and his son at around 3:00 p.m. (1100 GMT) in Waziyriah neighborhood, "the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. Ali was driving his car with his son when the attack occurred, the source added.

#7: Eight U.S. soldiers were wounded in an attack using roadside bombs, small arms fire and mortar rounds at a patrol base southeast of Baghdad on Sunday, the U.S. military said

#8: Mortars hit Nafaq Al-Shurta neighborhood ( west Baghdad ) injuring four people.

#9: Shooting was opened on a police patrol in Mehdiya neighborhood in Doura ( west Baghdad) injuring four policemen.

#10: Mortars hit the green zone without having casualties recorded.

#11: Mortars hit Al-Shurta Al-Rabia'a ( south west Baghdad) killing one civilian and injuring four others.

#12: mortars hit Amil neighborhood ( south west Baghdad) targeting the army headquarter there without injuries recorded .

#13: Twenty eight (28) dead bodies were found in Baghdad as the following :
19 dead bodies were in west Baghdad ( Kharkh bank ) ; 6 in Saidiya , 3 in Amil , 3 in Doura , 3 in Shulaa , 2 in Qadisiya , 2 in Abu Ghraib. While 9 bodies were found in east Baghdad ( Rusafa bank) ; 5 in Adhamiya , 2 in Sadr , 2 in Sha'ab .

Khaldiya:
#1: Five bodies were found around the town of Khaldiya, 80 km west of Baghdad, police said.


Yusufiya:
#1: A roadside bomb targeting a police patrol killed one policeman and wounded three others near the town of Yusufiya, 15 km (10 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.


Iskandariya:
#1: One person was killed and another wounded in mortar rounds attacks between Al Janabat tribe and Al Massoud tribe, Lieutenant Haydar Al Shumari from Al Iskandariya Police reported


Basra:
#1: "A British vehicle patrol came under an explosive charge attack in central Basra during the early hours of Monday, lightly wounding a British soldier and causing damage to an armored vehicle," Capt. Katie Brown, the military spokeswoman for the Multi-National Force (MNF) in southern Iraq, told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq

#2: Another British patrol was attacked by an explosive device and RPGs in al-Gaziza area, 10 km north of the city, damaging another vehicle, she added


Taji:
#1: A suicide car bomber killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded three at a checkpoint near Taji, 20 km (9 miles) north of Baghdad, on Sunday, an Iraqi military source said.


Qaiyarra:
#1: A suicide truck bomber struck the house of police chief of a town in Iraq's northern Nineveh province Monday, wounding two policemen, a provincial police source said. "The suicide bomber drove his explosive-laden truck into the house of Brigadier Ali Attallah Mallouh, police chief of Qaiyarra town, 60 km south of Mosul, and blew it up, wounding two of his guards," the source from Nineveh police told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The powerful blast damaged Mallouh's house and several nearby houses, the source added.


Mosul:
#1: Gunmen killed a Catholic priest and three of his assistants in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Sunday, police said on Monday. Iraqi police said Chaldean Catholic priest Ragheed Aziz Kani and his assistants were killed near the church of Rouh al-Quds after leading Sunday prayers in eastern Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad.

#2: A roadside bomb exploded near a fuel truck, wounding the driver and setting the truck on fire in Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of Baghdad, police said

#3: A suicide truck bomber wounded 11 people in an attack on the house of a local police brigadier near Mosul, police said.


Kirkuk:
#1: Sunday evening , gunmen kidnapped an officer of the Iraqi army (the brigadier general Muhammad Mehdi) at Ma'aridh area in downtown Kirkuk .

#2: Around 8 pm of Sunday evening , three gunmen opened fire on a resident of Tuz district Haraj suq near in Kirkuk city killing him and kidnapped his son during that time a police patrol came and arrested all of them finding out that one of them is a policeman.

#3: Around 9.45 pm of Sunday evening , a roadside bomb exploded in front of a house at Tariq Baghdad neighborhood near Uqba bin Nafi'a petrol station in the downtown of Kirkuk having some damage to the house only.

#4: Around 8 am , a roadside bomb exploded in the downtown of Kirkuk at the celebration field near Zamzam bakery injuring a cab driver .

#5: Sunday evening, abductors phoned a family in Suleimaniya telling them that their son with three other students are abducted demanding 70 thousand dollars as a ransom to release them. Those students disappeared last Friday on their way from Baghdad (as the college is there) to their home city in Suleimaniya .

#6: Three policemen were injured by a roadside bomb attack on their patrol in central Kirkuk, 250 km (155 miles) north of Baghdad, police said

#7: Around 2.15 pm, a roadside bomb exploded targeting a police patrol on Korneesh street in Kirkuk city injuring two policemen

[forestal]

I love the smell of napalm in the morning....It smells like napalm...

<img src="http://static.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/iraq-civilian-casualties.jpg"/>

Reuters: The number of civilians killed in Iraq jumped to nearly 2,000 in May, the highest monthly toll since the start of a U.S.-backed security crackdown in February, according to figures released on Saturday.[..]

An Interior Ministry official, who did not want to be named because he was not authorized to release the figures, said 1,944 civilians were killed in May, a 29 percent hike over April. At least 174 soldiers and policemen were killed in the same period.

The death toll was based on statistics compiled by Iraq's ministries of interior, defense and health on the number of people killed and wounded in attacks in Iraq.

After three months of declines, there has been a sharp rise in the number of sectarian murders in Baghdad. Mortar attacks in the capital are becoming deadlier and car bombs remain common.

[hvp05 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by forestal

Wow, lots of bogus information in your post.

5 replies... somebody hit a nerve?

[forestal]

So we're losing more troops than ever before, and nothing has changed as far as the violence against Iraqis is concerned....

I think another tax cut for Paris Hilton will solve this....

AP:

BAGHDAD -- The U.S. military announced Sunday that 14 American soldiers were killed over the past three days, including four in a single roadside bombing and another who was struck by a suicide bomber while on a foot patrol. [...]

Combined with the previously announced death of a U.S. soldier in central Baghdad on Friday, it was a deadly start for June. May was the third bloodiest month since the war began in March 2003, with 127 troop deaths reported.

From the New York Times:

Not including the deaths so far in June, American forces have suffered an average of about 90 fatalities per month since they began more aggressively patrolling 10 months ago, according to an analysis of the fatalities tracked by Icasualties.org. That compares with about 65 deaths per month in the previous 10 months.

The change is far grimmer in the areas where the American presence has increased the most. In Diyala, where large forces of Sunni insurgents have been battling thousands of American troops rushed in to calm raging violence, 78 Americans have been killed this year, compared with 20 in all of last year, according to Icasualties.org.

American soldiers in Baghdad have been hit the worst: at least 192 Americans were killed in the capital in the first five months of this year, according to the data, compared with 81 in the same period last year.

The AP again:

Gunmen at a fake checkpoint in Baqouba, 35 miles north of Baghdad, also killed two passengers and wounded eight others when they opened fire on three minibuses that sought to flee from the highway trap.

At least 73 other Iraqis were killed or found dead nationwide [on Sunday], including 31 bullet-riddled bodies of men who were apparent victims of death squads usually believed to be run by Shiite militias.

[forestal]

I'm practicing my "Shock and Awe" campaign....

Originally Posted by hvp05

5 replies... somebody hit a nerve?

[TheRightMiller]

Originally Posted by forestal

I'm practicing my "Shock and Awe" campaign....

I'm neither shocked nor in awe. I'm also not a "chicken hawk." My grandfather, my father and I all wore the uniform of our country, so I speak as a veteran who listens to and trusts my friends and fellow veterans currently serving in Iraq. Their stories are remarkably similar to the one recounted by the CSM. They tell me about all the good they're doing over there and how frustrating it is to see none of it reported in the mainstream press. The CSM's comments addressed the good and the bad, and I trust him and the ones risking life and limb over there before I trust the mainstream press.

For all the focus on the current situation in Iraq, an assessment that no one is willing to accept is this: what happens after we leave will be worse. The commentary at the following link is sobering but truthful (at least in my view):

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion...513/21edit.htm

Finally, note the similarity in the statements of Mr. Zuckerman, a senior member of the American press establishment, and the CSM:

"This is an enemy who will strive to follow America home." - Mortimer B. Zuckerman

"I believe if we don't finish this, it will follow us home." - Command Sgt. Major Neil Ciotola, U.S. Army

Now there's a truth that "...people don't want to hear."

Regards,

Ron