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| Iraq |
| Unseen enemy is the fiercest in Ramadi |
| 2005-10-23 |
| The Bradley fighting vehicles moved slowly down this city's main boulevard. Suddenly, a homemade bomb exploded, punching into one vehicle. Then another explosion hit, briefly lifting a second vehicle up onto its side before it dropped back down again. Two American soldiers climbed out of a hatch, the first with his pant leg on fire, and the other completely in flames. The first rolled over to help the other man, but when they touched, the first man also burst into flames. Insurgent gunfire began to pop. Several blocks away, Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Rosener, 20, from Minneapolis, watched the two men die from a lookout post at a Marine encampment. His heart reached out to them, but he could not. In Ramadi, Iraq's most violent city, two blocks may as well be 10 miles. "I couldn't do anything," he said of the incident, which he saw on Oct. 10. He spoke quietly, sitting in the post and looking straight ahead. "It's bad down there. You hear all the rumors. We didn't know it was going to be like this." Here in Ramadi, the capital of Anbar Province, Sunni Arab insurgents are waging their fiercest war against American troops, attacking with relative impunity just blocks from Marine-controlled territory. Every day, the Americans fight to hold their turf in a war against an enemy who seems to be everywhere but is not often seen. The cost has been high: in the last six weeks, 21 Americans have been killed here, far more than in any other city in Iraq and double the number of deaths in Baghdad, a city with a population 15 times as large. "We fight it one day at a time," said Capt. Phillip Ash, who commands Company K in the Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, which patrols central Ramadi. "Some days you're the windshield," he said, "some days you're the bug." Ramadi is an important indicator of just how long it may be before an American withdrawal. The city has long been a haven for insurgents, but it has never fallen fully into enemy hands, as Falluja did last fall, when marines could not even patrol before an invasion in November. Senior commanders here will not rule out a full invasion, but for now, the checkpoints and street patrols continue. Because troop levels have stayed steady here, Ramadi also differs from Tal Afar, a rebel stronghold near the Syrian border, where Americans laid siege only to have to return later because they were unable to leave enough troops to secure it. Still, more than two years after the American invasion, this city of 400,000 people is just barely within American control. The deputy governor of Anbar was shot to death on Tuesday; the day before, the governor's car was fired on. There is no police force. A Baghdad cellphone company has refused to put up towers here. American bases are regularly pelted with rockets and mortar shells, and when troops here get out of their vehicles to patrol, they are almost always running. "You can't just walk down the street for a period of time and not expect to get shot at," said Maj. Bradford W. Tippett, the operations officer for the Third Battalion. Capt. Rory Quinn, a Bronx native who majored in international relations at Boston University, used a mixed analogy: "It's kind of like playing basketball: short sprints. Everything we do here is a minefield." Commanders remain hopeful that Iraqi soldiers will soon be able to take full responsibility for the city. The number of Iraqi Army soldiers here has doubled in recent months. A city council has begun to work, and a local police force is being trained. But the relentlessness of the insurgent violence here ties the American units to the streets, forcing them to focus on the fight. "We've never given them the chance to breathe, but it continues to be one of the most violent places," said Lt. Col. Roger B. Turner, commanding officer of the Marine battalion, which is attached to the Army's Second Brigade Combat Team. The vast majority of Americans killed here since September have been victims of homemade bombs, what the military calls improvised explosive devices, or I.E.D.'s. Sgt. William Callahan, a member of the bomb disposal team stationed with the Third Battalion, estimated that troops hit four such bombs a day in Ramadi. Most do not result in death or serious injury. Almost all are remotely detonated, which means someone is hiding in wait for coming vehicles. Besides the two soldiers who died near Corporal Rosener's post, seven soldiers, including two Iraqis, in a Bradley were victims of homemade bombs in eastern Ramadi a week ago. Bombs killed one marine in a Humvee on Oct. 4, and five soldiers were killed in a Bradley on Sept. 28. Gunnery Sgt. Jose C. Soto, the bomb squad's leader, said insurgents in Ramadi were highly trained, making bombs by linking several large artillery rounds together. They use fuel enhancements, like gasoline mixed with sugar, to cling to a victim's body and make a bigger fire, said First Lt. Bradley R. Watson, 27, of the battalion's Company L. The Oct. 4 attack is an example. The area was rarely traveled by troops and was laced with explosives. Sergeant Callahan said 10 I.E.D.'s went off in the area that day. At 7:18 a.m., insurgents set off three explosives from holes in the road under a convoy, flipping a Humvee onto its back. Fuel gushed, making a pool on the ground, and a marine trapped under the vehicle was barely able to keep his mouth above the rising fluid. A Navy medic riding in the Humvee lost his leg but still gave first aid. The driver was killed instantly. "It's like being caught in the undertow of a wave," said Lieutenant Watson, who was slightly hurt in the attack - the third time he has been wounded in Iraq. "Everything flips around. Everybody is shouting." Snipers are a constant plague. In one area of the city, snipers have hit four Americans since late August, and soldiers were obliged to set up blast walls for security for a polling center there last week in the dark. A law school in eastern Ramadi had to be shut down because sniper attacks were coming from it at night. "It's like everyone in this town is a sniper," said Muhammad Ali Jasim, an Iraqi soldier who has been stationed here since May. "You can't stand in one place for long." "You get a workout," Corporal Rosener said. "It's all running. Running from building to building." But closeness to the insurgents - a popular sniping position is in the hotel across the street from the marine camp in the governor's office - has given the Americans a better look at their enemy. The marines of Company K have seen arms pulling dead or wounded insurgents away from the hotel's windows. Insurgent groups appear to be numerous and fractious. Religious and militant graffiti are scrawled on walls. Colonel Turner said he saw a man on Thursday giving out leaflets exhorting citizens to ignore any mujahedeen literature that did not bear the symbol of the Islamic Army militant group - two crossed swords draped with a black flag. Ansar al-Sunna, another militant group, claimed to have killed four Iraqi contractors here on Friday. Many of their techniques directly involve Ramadi residents. One is to use telephones to track American raids: Captain Quinn said he had heard the phone ring in houses along a block they were searching, and when the owner of the house they were standing in did not pick up, the calls stopped - the insurgents had found them. The line between civilians and insurgents is blurry in Ramadi. In a twist that sets it apart from other violent cities, insurgents usually do not attack civilians in large groups. There have been no suicide bombings in recent memory, and I.E.D.'s are rarely placed close to houses. Insurgents have left alone American projects that deliver services that locals want, like the installation of 18 transformers last month for more power. And when the streets empty out, the Americans know an attack is imminent. "The population clearly gets the word - there's a network out there," Colonel Turner said at the Third Battalion's camp, in an old palace on the Euphrates. "The average population has to go against them" or the fighting will continue, he said, referring to the insurgents. Maj. Daniel Wagner, a civil affairs officer with the battalion, spends his days trying to draw in locals. But progress in Ramadi is measured in inches. Much of his time is spent patching and paving roads to prevent bombings, and planning demolitions to take away sniper nests - work he has sardonically referred to as urban renewal. Two parks are planned, as is a new police station. But the violence is a major hindrance. "I should be able to just drive over," he said. "You need a four-vehicle convoy, you're out of breath, you're sweating, you sit down and say, 'Do you feel safe here? O.K., I've got to get out of here now.' " The task is more difficult in that Anbar is one of Iraq's three poorest provinces, according to a survey conducted by the United Nations in 2004. Impoverished locals are easily recruited by insurgents. Captain Quinn said bomb makers usually carried $500 in their pockets - half the fee, he estimated, for the job, the rest being paid after detonation. So far, reaching out to locals and persuading them to shut out insurgents seems a distant goal. Among the obstacles is the very armor that the troops so badly need for protection: on Ramadi's streets, marines in Humvees might as well be astronauts in orbit. On one patrol last week, a marine from Florida smiled through several inches of bulletproof glass at a tiny boy in blue pants and a dinosaur shirt. The boy solemnly stood beside the Humvee, motioning with his arms - perhaps asking for a treat. The marine shook his head and shrugged, unable to understand. The most immediate way forward, military commanders here agree, is training and deploying more Iraqi soldiers. Of the seven battalions in Ramadi, three are in eastern Ramadi with their own territory to patrol, said Maj. William R. Fall, the Iraqi Security Force coordinator. Still, only about a company and a half is based inside the central and western parts of the city. Officers said Iraqi soldiers had vastly improved over the past year. The day of the referendum here was violent, with mortar and rocket-propelled grenade attacks raining down on many of the stations. But Iraqi soldiers stayed at their positions and returned fire when under attack, marines near the sites reported. "I see incremental progress every single day," Captain Quinn said. "It's working, but it's not a three-month affair." |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #28 From tipper's linked article: At first we used such liquidations as our response to terrorist attacks: they start - we respond, then they respond again. But starting from February 2003 the liquidation practice was not in any way linked with their attacks. We just have a list of the key figures - the list of organization leaders, of the so-called "field commanders", etc. So we started neutralizing them according to our list: we arrested those we could and liquidated those we could not. And in a short while, from mid-2003, the rate of terrorist attacks started decreasing - not only the rate of their successful attacks, but of the plotted attacks as well. After we first liquidated Sheikh Yassin and then his successor Rantissi, Hamas has not given up terrorism, of course. Quite the contrary - they have started planning a mega-attack, some kind of "Mother of All Terrorist Attacks" as they call it. But up to now, they haven't accomplished anything over the past two years. ... And you can see for yourselves that the dramatic decline of the number of planned terrorist attacks started when we were able to neutralize approximately one fourth of the activists from the list of militants from the three fighting organizations: Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Arafat's radicals (Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades). [Emaphasis Added] Which is why I (and, I think, .com) keep harping about wetwork teams. You kill the serpent by cutting off its head, not its tail. The Israelis know this and the remaining world had better learn it d@mn soon. No waiting for logical conclusions, or for nature to run its course. You go out and find those who are spreading this pathogenic meme, and kill them. Read tipper's linked article if you have any doubts. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-10-23 23:34 |
| #27 What OS says. You flatten a few blocks and yoou'd be surprised how cooperative the rest would be. Ramadi is a no man's land. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2005-10-23 22:21 |
| #26 #19 Too bad that we ate too civilized to go Roman on Ramadi. We would only have to do it once. Posted by SR-71 2005-10-23 13:21|| Front Page|| Comment Top Yep. I once suggested that we do so and the guys at Arrrgghhh!!! website jumped all over my ass for that one. If that's how the military types think, we're not going to do too well against these modern day Nazis in thobes. |
| Posted by: Uleating Wheagum6743 2005-10-23 22:16 |
| #25 Clear the women and children, the elderly and infirm, and then have a grand ceremony in which we re-introduce napalm on a massive scale. |
| Posted by: Uleating Wheagum6743 2005-10-23 22:10 |
| #24 Sow salt in the craters (we provide). Dear God, please Provide the Wadmin and congress critters of all stripes and markings, with the spine required to support our Warfighters (i know... ["Spell-Chk" snafu]). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. |
| Posted by: Asym Triang 2005-10-23 19:10 |
| #23 Oldspook plan + pig blood. Lots of pig blood. |
| Posted by: Master of Obvious 2005-10-23 18:55 |
| #22 Its not a matter of vengance. Its a matter of operational safety. War is hell - time you faced up to it my anonymous little pointy headed friend., and these peopel doing the bombings and supporitng the bombers have made a decision to be on the other side - they are our enemies by their own choice. Here is the clubat coming to you with the nugget of truth you nutters on the "peace at any price" bandwagon seem to miss: these are not "innocent" people. To dig a hole in the street, place several (LARGE!) 152mm shells in a hole in the street, wire it to where the detonate properly (you cant just pitch them in there - triggering is important), and then cover it, set up the wireless trigger, and an observation point - and then to set an ambush with automatic weapons (machinguns, grenades,etc) to kill survivors... Thats pretty blatent and obvious to anyone within eyesight that they are not doing charity work - they are setting up and comitting an illegal act of war and hiding with cilivilans to cover thier actions. So the locals are allowing this and not reporting it - thats called aiding and abetting, and they share in the guilt - and consequences - for the actions comitted with their knowledge and support in their home area. So, if the locals make themselves part of the problem, then they get to be involved in the solution. They ahve made themselves and thier areas combat zones, and they will be subject to combat actions. This includes demolition of areas to improve scurity. The solution is to cordon and clear any area attacked, and to do demolitions to clear dangerous areas so they can be observed by non-hostiles. This means after an IED goes off, the area is cordoned off, the locals are put onto trucks with whatever goods they cna manage, then transported away by the IP/ISF to relocation camps in another region. Then D-9's bulldoze a 100m radius around the detonation point where they can be clear observation of the point. Repeat this until they realize that if they support terrorists, they pay the price with thier own houses, land and goods - and therefore stop aiding and abetting the terrorists. OR else we have a miltiarily clear set of objectives and they all end up relocated out of the "Sunni triangle" into a Shia or Kurdish zone. Either way, the military objective is done: the supply routes are secured, and the attacks against troops are halted. |
| Posted by: Oldspook 2005-10-23 17:33 |
| #21 Tipper---very interesting article. Thanks for pointing it out. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-10-23 15:58 |
| #20 I'm not overly exercised about this article, RWV, I just want our troops to have the means whereby they (to paraphrase Patton), make the other poor bastard die for his country. I can only imagine that our going light on the Sunnis is due to incredibly misplaced loyalties being shown towards Saudi Arabia. Time to can that sh!t and get down to business. While I would prefer that we do not level the entire town, if we have to make an example of it, then make and example of it and get it over with. Enough of the death of a thousand paper cuts. Simple fact; The terrorists dress in civilian clothing in order to better elude detection and capture. This practice knowingly endangers the civilian population. It's time to make sure (per Oldspook) that the civilian population realizes this. Once their casualty numbers surpass our troop fatalities the light may come on. If not, consider it a free edumahcation. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-10-23 13:29 |
| #19 Too bad that we ate too civilized to go Roman on Ramadi. We would only have to do it once. |
| Posted by: SR-71 2005-10-23 13:21 |
| #18 I think that you should consider the source on this article before getting too exercised. The NYT article could have been published in the Guardian or any of a dozen mideast propaganda rags. It would be simpler if they just put "F**K BUSH" in red 72 point letters over and over and not bother with the pretense that they are printing news. Everything that I have read from that part of the world plus the first hand reports from my son and his buddies in the 1/23 4th Marines after they got back from Haditha and environs suggest this article is hyperventilating BS and wishful thinking by the NYT. |
| Posted by: RWV 2005-10-23 12:05 |
| #17 Gee Ramadi is just like Mosul used to be. Horrors. Work to be done, but it will be done because our Marines and soldiers are pros, something the NYT is willfully ignorant of. |
| Posted by: Remoteman 2005-10-23 12:05 |
| #16 Personally, I like the Israeli model for handling these kinds of terrorist situations being encountered in Ramadi. A good overview of the theory and practice is to be found here |
| Posted by: tipper 2005-10-23 11:44 |
| #15 If we flatten it (and I think they need a good reminder of what are are *capable* of) -- do not rebuild it like in Fallujah. Let it crumble and rot to dust. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-10-23 11:28 |
| #14 I say this place should suffer the fate Zenster outlined. We are dealing with a mindset that only understand a limited range of things. The option they understand and respect is the one to use. You can't "reason" with them. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet O´ Doom 2005-10-23 11:22 |
| #13 Wow! I didn't realize the INSURGENTS were so damn good. We don't have a chance. Let's run. OTOH maybe this is NYTBS and Ramadi is Okinawa. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-10-23 11:07 |
| #12 Surprise! A Gloom, Doom, Despair article from the front page of the New York Times. Another of the same by reporter Sabrina Tavernise (based in the Green Zone hotel bar?) and various Iraqi stringers. How does this compare for information to that lovely musical demonstration of troop movements (raids v.s clear&hold) clearing and garrisoning one town after another? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-10-23 10:48 |
| #11 My best friends all have sons over there. One drives a Bradley, another a Navy Medic traveling with him, another is a Marine...I have to read the news for them as they can't bear it. YOU tell them to patient because flattening the village is cruel???? That little boy was probably not asking for a treat but playing with a detonator....that's cruelty. Where's a neutron bomb when we need one? |
| Posted by: Danielle 2005-10-23 09:44 |
| #10 I am seeing a technology gap, here. We have geosynchronous satellites, high altitude recon aircraft, UAVs, and even have been testing blimps that will just sit over a place. Why the hell aren't they using them? Even a company could detail a squad to do nothing but look at monitors all day and night. Literally nothing would happen on the street without them knowing about it. A single squad. What is the problem, here? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-10-23 09:44 |
| #9 Yeah. Isn't it swell? |
| Posted by: .com 2005-10-23 08:58 |
| #8 That's just evil and impatient. |
| Posted by: Glort Whetle9985 2005-10-23 08:56 |
| #7 I agree with OS. Even if we end up flattening the entire town. I just don't care. |
| Posted by: anymouse 2005-10-23 08:30 |
| #6 Fairly simple. Everything for one block around any IED spot is leveled. And left that way. Either the locals stop these bastards from planting the bombs (and we are talking about hunderd pounds or more of explosives - thats several 152mm shells - so its kind of obvious), or they move someplace else. Pretty soon we either have a pacified city, or a parking lot. But either way the bastards that are doign this run out of shelter, and our guys get hit less. |
| Posted by: Oldspook 2005-10-23 03:16 |
| #5 an aerosol with the solvent DMSO and nasty drug the CIA played with in the 60s should be considered for a few weeks of constant spraying on this town. At the minimum they would be too burned out after the first week to fight. At best they might be rendered perm. mellow. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-10-23 02:54 |
| #4 I agree with Zenster |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-10-23 02:37 |
| #3 Yeap,time for a Fallugah moment. |
| Posted by: raptor 2005-10-23 02:34 |
| #2 Spot-on, Zenster. Rinse and repeat as need throughout SunniLand. The Triangle needs sterilization - and I means exactly that. One cannot emphasize too strongly, or too often, IMHO, the cost of giving the Triangle a pass - when it needed to feel the pain - far more than any other part of Iraq. Fuck Turkey. Fuck them Forever. :) - see the smiley? Isn't it cute? Fuck Turkey. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-10-23 02:20 |
| #1 a popular sniping position is in the hotel across the street from the marine camp in the governor's office Simple enough, raze the hotel. If Ramadi is such a terrorist hotbed, detain every single male of fighting age and sequester them for the duration. Let the entire town choke and wither economically due to lack of manpower. Use acoustic triangulation to pinpoint sniper locations and level any building being used for attacks. Enough of this nice-guy sh!t. Hearts and minds isn't working, time to go for the short and curlies. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2005-10-23 02:09 |