A few miscellaneous stories to start us off:

Prime Minister al-Maliki continues to tour the country in efforts at securing some sort of reconciliation, and won an important victory last week when 25 of the 31 tribes in Anbar province agreed to join in the fight against foreign terrorists and Iraqi insurgents. Just as important, the news actually appeared in the New York Times:

Twenty-five of about 31 tribes in Anbar, a vast, mostly desert region that stretches westward from Baghdad to the borders of Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, have united against insurgents and gangs that are “killing people for no reason,” said the tribal leader, Sheik Abdul Sattar Buzaigh al-Rishawi.

“We held a meeting earlier and agreed to fight those who call themselves mujahadeen,” Mr. Rishawi said in an interview. “We believe that there is a conspiracy against our Iraqi people. Those terrorists claimed that they are fighters working on liberating Iraq, but they turned out to be killers. Now all the people are fed up and have turned against them.”

More than 1,500 people attended a national reconciliation meeting in Iraq:

In his opening speech at the second national reconciliation conference Al-Maliki said “our goals are big and they require patience and perseverance.” He said “we need unity and the basis of unity is reconciliation and the principle of dialogue far away from extremism and violence.” Al-Maliki noted that reconciliation means protecting national unity and the country from terrorism and joining efforts to strengthen the country’s economy. More than 1500 figures representing civil societies are taking part in the national reconciliation conference held by the supreme authority for national reconciliation and dialogue.

The Foreign Military Studies Office recently released translations of documents from the Iraqi archives, and one of the more interesting documents details a meeting between al Qaeda, the Taliban, and Iraqi agents. The document, dated 9/15/01, reads in part:

The Afghani Consul Ahmad Dahstani (the information on the denotation paper number (2)) had mentioned in front of him with the followings:

1. Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban Group in Afghanistan were in touch with the Iraqis and that group of the Talibans and Osama Bin Laden had visited Iraq.

2. The United States of America has evidence that the Iraqi government and Osama Bin Laden’s group expressed cooperation among themselves in bombing targets in American.

3. In case Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban were proven to have been involved in carrying out these terrorist operations, it could be possible that the United Stated will attack both Iraq and Afghanistan.

4. The Afghani consul heard about the connection between the Iraqis and the Osama Bin Laden group during his stay in Iran.

5. Upon what has been presented we suggest writing to the Intention Committee with the above information.

A series of television ads paid for by Kurdish in Iraq thank America for removing Saddam:

[Narrator] Saddam’s goal was to bury every living Kurd…

He failed.

[Kurd Citizens]: “Thank you.”

“Thank you, America.”

“Thank you.”

[Narrator]: The Kurds of Iraqi Kurdistan just want to say ‘thank you’…for helping us win our freedom.

[Kurd Citizens]: “Thank you for democracy.”

“Thank you, America.”

“Thank you.”

Security

During an interview on CNN, General Abizaid said that Iraqi troops are becoming more capable every day:

Iraqi security forces are becoming more capable every day, fighting and dying for their country because the future depends on them, U.S. Central Command’s commander said this week.

“I come to the conclusion that Iraqis are fighting and dying for their country, that the government has pledged their sacred honor and their future to making this work,” Army Gen. John Abizaid said in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer. “Their lives are on the line.”

Iraqi security forces now number more than 300,000, and almost 70 percent of Iraqi battalions have the lead for security in their area of control:

Six Iraqi army division headquarters, 26 brigade headquarters and 88 battalions have the lead in their own areas – almost 70 percent of the Iraqi Army, and an increase of five division headquarters, 22 brigade headquarters and 65 battalions since November 2005.

The goal is for Iraqis to have the lead in all areas by the end of 2006.

The media constantly focuses on the negative security incidents in Iraq, and totally ignores the progress being made by Iraqi security forces, but this week I want to start with those stories the mainstream media did cover:

Uncovered

Iraqi security forces are now in control of Dhi Qar province:

Currently, 1,860 Italian and 430 Romanian troops provide security in Dhi Qar, a relatively peaceful region compared to the main southern city of Basra or Sunni-majority provinces north and west of the capital. Cichowski said the coalition troops would “return to the bases and offer training to the Iraqi forces” after the handover, adopting what he called an “overwatch” position. Dhi Qar will be the second province where Iraqi forces have taken over security resonsibility [sic] following the handover of Al-Muthanna province by Australian and British troops on July 13.

The area is rich in archeological treasures, and tourists are now returning to the area, something they could not do under Saddam:

Dhi Qar province is an archeologist’s dreamland. It contains the site of the ancient city of Ur, purported to be the hometown of the biblical figure Abraham. Near the ruins of the ancient city stands the Ziggurat of Ur, a towering ancient temple dating back more than 4,000 years.

Iraqis and tourists are now able to freely visit this area, something they could not do under the oppression of Saddam Hussein, said Maj. Gen. Kurt A. Cichowski, Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategy, Plans and Assessment, Multi-National Force – Iraq.

Operation Together Forward continues to improve the lives of Iraqis in Baghdad:

The combined military operations in the area include a variety of civil service projects, such as a large-scale trash cleanup, medical services, and establishing a generally close working relationship with local residents – all of which serve to deter further terrorist attacks.

“Many of the shops that were once closed have reopened, such as a butcher shop and a bakery,” said Staff Sgt. John Davis, of Company A, 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. “Main roads in the neighborhood are starting to look and feel like a neighborhood again, and economic activity and employment have increased since the beginning of the operation.”

The efforts to date are impressive:

As of Thursday, Iraqi Security Forces and MND-B cleared more than 55,500 buildings, 60 mosques and 50 muhallas, detained more than 90 terrorist suspects, seized more than 1,200 weapons, registered more than 780 weapons and found 33 weapons caches.

Acting on intelligence, Iraqi and coalition forces arrested the members of a kidnapping ring.

Iraqi police in Baghdad uncovered yet another weapons cache in a mosque:

The weapons and munitions seized consisted of an M16A1 assault rifle with a scope, 19 AK-47 assault rifles with magazines, a PKC machinegun, three Sten guns with silencers, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher with two rounds, and more than 750 7.62mm rounds. The national policemen also found 14 grenades, three grenade fuses and various bomb-making materials.

Thanks to assistance from local residents, Marines captured a high-level insurgent leader during a raid in Saqlawiyah. Residents in the area couldn’t be happier to have the Marines there:

Marines from 3rd Platoon sat with locals to talk about problems in the area and insurgents. They invited Marines into their homes and shared information. They offered Marines chai, an Iraqi tea, and discussed the insurgency in the area.

“It’s good that people actually care,” Clough said. “They share their problems with us and sometimes give us ‘intel’.”

In Mosul, a top al Qaeda terrorist was arrested, and two terrorists died when they blew themselves up after being surrounded by Coalition forces. They will not be missed.

The spiritual leader of an Iraqi terrorist group was arrested by Iraqi police in Baghdad. The cleric was responsible for issuing fatwas, or religious edicts, approving of the killing civilians. The group he heads is thought to be responsible for more than 1,000 murders.

Iraqi soldiers prevented a car bomb attack, discovering a vehicle with 2,000 pounds of explosives, and disarming it before it could be set-off.

Acting on intelligence, Iraqi and coalition forces discovered a large weapons cache in Anbar province. The cache consisted of:

·‐– Bill Crawford lives in San Antonio, Texas. He blogs at All Things Conservative.