I'm actually surprised that this story hasn't resonated throught the MSM and the left-o-sphere
QAYARRAH, Iraq, March 16, 2007 — Iraqi army soldiers seized a convoy of 20 illegal fuel trucks carrying crude oil in the Qayarrah region, south of Mosul, Feb. 20.
Crude oil is often sold on the black market in the Irbil Province, which has an oil refinery in eastern Iraq. Profits are believed to fund terrorism.
“We know black market (oil) profits are…used to support anti-Iraqi forces,” said Master Sgt. Hernan Rincon, intelligence noncommissioned officer-in-charge for the “Black Dragons,” 5th Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, out of Fort Bliss, Texas.
Iraqi army soldiers, manning a check point, stopped the convoy of vehicles after determining they were illegal based on fake documents the drivers were carrying.
“As far as coalition forces and the Iraqi army are concerned, (oil smuggling is) a criminal act that the IPs deal with,” said 1st Lt. Alexander Moen, a native of Winnebago, Ill.
This story would be the perfect opening (if they ever actually wandered by accident into a site named Defend America) for those on the left to say "See! It is all about the oil!" But, back in RealityLand, it is an example of the Iraqi military being able to operate on their own, and doing what they are supposed to do.
It was also a big step forward for the Iraqi army and soldiers of 1st Platoon, Battery B, who a month prior had trained the Iraqi Army on these types of patrol operations. The platoon worked with them in the area to teach them how to search vehicles and how to spot fake documents.
“We taught these guys how to do this, now they are doing it,” said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Blanchard, 1st Platoon sergeant.
“This is good news to me because the lessons that we taught these guys, and what to look for, are now paying off,” he said.
It is good news, so why do we not see it in the media? As the story points out, having the Iraqi's trained and operating not only discourages bad guys, but sends a positive message to the residents of that area. If the story got any mass play here in the U.S.A., it would send a positive message to American's, rather then the gloom and doom the liberal media pushes. We all know why they do not want a positive message out there, of course.
Then over to other good news
KALSU, Iraq, March 19, 2007 —The Musayyib courthouse held a grand re-opening March 13 showing off the improvements of the structure and the technology inside. A joint effort between Iraqis, Civil Affairs team soldiers, and paratroopers of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division continued this history of law in the region with the completion of the three-month long renovation project.
The grand opening ceremony recognized the completion of two security buildings on the grounds and newly renovated water tanks and network, latrines, electrical distribution and generator, furniture and courthouse equipment.
That doesn't seem to be part of the military solution that the Left keeps claiming we are only involved in, eh?
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