Clear, Hold, Build...

A US soldier from the 2nd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment walks past a church as he patrols at a residential neighbourhood in Baghdad, 20 January 2008. JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

Evening...

When I arrived home this afternoon and opened one of my many email accounts, I had a note from a wonderful lady who shared with me that her husband was the soldier in front of the church in the last photo at the bottom of my blog, On the Move - how cool is that? It made my day - thanks for sharing the information ma'am.

Above is another snap of him from a different angle...

Tonight's blog...

From yesterday's reporting...another article on the great work our warriors from 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment are conducting in the Bread Basket as part of Operation Phantom Phoenix.

This appears to me to all be part of the US political-military strategy described as clear, hold, and build: to clear areas from insurgent control, to hold them securely, and to build durable, national Iraqi institutions.

No question in my mind that the 2nd SCR is right in the middle of executing this strategy in the Bread Basket and throughout the Baghdad area...

Sunday, 20 January 2008

Multi-National Corps – Iraq
Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory APO AE 09342

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RELEASE No. 20080120-01
January 20, 2008

Tips lead to detention of 10 AQI during Operation Phantom Phoenix

Multi-National Division – North PAO

TIKRIT, Iraq – Coalition Forces detained 10 suspected al Qaeda in Iraq operatives during a raid in an Al Ali village, in the northern Diyala River Valley area, known as the bread basket, Jan. 17.

The successful raid was part of Operation Raider Harvest, which is part of Operation Phantom Phoenix – a countrywide operation to eliminate AQI and other extremists in Iraq.

Working off tips from local Iraqis, Soldiers from 3rd Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment detained the suspects at seven different locations in the village.

One of the detainees is a suspected AQI company commander, four are suspected AQI fighters, two are suspected improvised-explosive-device emplacers and three are suspected AQI informants.

“With the detainment of this cell, the residents within this area will be more inclined to help Coalition Forces and Iraqi Security Forces in identifying remaining AQI,” said Capt. Samuel Davis, 3/2 SCR Intelligence officer. “With the detention of the majority of the members of this cell, insurgent activities within the area will be severely decreased, and increase the likelihood of being able to establish a Concerned Local Citizen group or neighborhood security.”

Since Jan. 8, with the start of the clearing phase of Raider Harvest, CF and ISF have detained 70 suspected AQI in the AO, killed four and wounded four more. In addition, 25 IEDs have been found and cleared, along with eight vehicle-borne IEDs, six house-borne IEDs and 30 weapon caches.

At the same time as the ongoing mission of clearing AQI from the bread basket, CF, ISF and Concerned Local Citizens are also conducting humanitarian aid drops, providing medical aid, delivering fuel, establishing security checkpoints and building Joint Combat outposts. Operation Raider Harvest is not only designed to clear AQI from the bread basket , a former AQI stronghold and safe haven, but also ensure that they are unable to return.

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Chris, I love you son. Stay strong and be safe...our prayers are covering you and the rest of the 2nd SCR....

v/r,
- Collabman