Hmm, I wonder why I didn't catch this in the Drive Bys'?
ATH THA' ALBA, Iraq, March 15, 2007 — When troops from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Military Transition Team, and soldiers from the 1st Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, pulled up to the site where they teamed with Iraqi army soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 9th Iraqi Army Division (Mechanized), the Iraqi troops had already dismounted their vehicles and were ready to take down suspected insurgents.
Within a matter of five minutes, the Iraqi troops without any assistance from the U.S. soldiers had captured 11 suspects who were implicated in insurgent activities in the area.
This was the scene during a joint cordon and search operation March 12 near Ath Tha'Alba, just north of Baghdad, in which an Iraqi informant led the troops to the safe havens of suspected insurgents.
Once the Iraqi army soldiers had detained the men, they then began searching homes in the area, backyards and other places that were potential hiding spaces for weapons caches. The U.S. troops observed and only assisted in the searches if the Iraqis specifically needed their help.
Although the operation was joint, very little of the operation hinged on involvement by U.S. forces, according to Capt. John Lane, operations advisor for the 129 MTT and a native of Herndon, Va.
That would kinda count as "good news," wouldn't it? Kinda shows that progress is being made in Iraq, ie, getting the Iraqi's to stand on their own.
Heck, while we are on good news, let's jump to a different form that is happening in Iraq
BAGHDAD, March 14, 2007 — The Iraqi National Police and Multi-National Division-Baghdad Forces opened the Mutanabi Teachers' Institute in the Rasheed district of the Iraqi capital, March 13.
The institute was opened at the Netaaken School, a school for girls, ages 12 through 19, in the southern district.
Hmm, a school for young women, in Iraq. Education for women. Something that really wasn't happening under Saddam, or in seemingly most Muslim countries. Where are the womens groups to give kudos?
