Successful military ops in Iraq increasing (updated)

By John B. Dwyer

This article from the Defense Department website describes yet another successful operation conducted by US and Iraq forces against Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). This one occurred in Diyala province. Such successes are becoming the norm in and around Baghdad, and beyond.

A look at recent Multi-national Force-Iraq website press release headlines provides an outline of this operational realty:

"Precision-guided munitions kill top Al Qaeda leader."

"Iraqi and coalition forces capture Al Qaeda emir in Qayyarah."

"Coalition forces detain 13 suspected AQ operatives."

"Paratroopers capture IED cell leader."

"17 suspected bombers captured."

"Coalition forces kill 2 terrorists, detain 25, discover media cell."

Many of these successes are due to timely intelligence provided by Iraqi citizens, Sunnis, Shias & Kurds, fed up with indiscriminate terrorist violence.

Update:

Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters cites BBC reports on the capture of the man who appears to be the top AQ leader in Iraq. Khaled Mashhadani Khaled, who "told interrogators that the group's supposed leader, Omar al-Baghdadi, was a front."

The updates provided by CQ are quite interesting, demonstrating the extent of deception practiced by AQ and the degree to which AQ is a foreign entity in Iraq. Baghdadi was in fact played by an actor, and Mashdani publicly swore an oath of allegiance to hium, knowing he was a fictitious character.

This BBC report is most attention-grabbing.