The "Brave Rifles" at Tel Afar

The news coming from US Headquarters in Baghdad has been interesting but not very inspirational.

There is a major (for Iraq) operation ongoing in the Tel Afar area of far north western Iraq in which the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment (a 5,000 man armored brigade really) is engaged with most of its deployable troops alongside a 5,000 man Iraqi military force.

They are doing what seemed likely a few weeks ago.  They are trying to break up guerrilla redoubt or base areas along the Syrian border.  The marines were working at that in the al-Qa'im/Haditha area along the Euphrates River a while back, and it was clear then that this would have to be done all along the border to prevent the enemy from consolidating control in such a way that the coalition could only enter the area in such strength as to be crippling elsewhere from thinning out forces.

So, that's what they are doing.  The key thing to watch for here is whether or not the Iraqi forces are mature enough to maintain themselves in a city sympathetic to the insurgents after American forces are, of necessity, moved away.   The small size of the American force in Iraq makes it inevitable that much of the 3rd ACR will depart after the operation ends.  Then, we will see if the Iraqis can "hack it" in a tough place.

Unfortunately, it appears that the Iraqi troops at Tel Afar are mostly Kurdish.  The Sunni and Shia Turkmen inhabitants of Tel Afar do not look upon Kurds with sympahty, and the use of such troops in a Turkmen city will be watched carefully by the Turkish General Staff in Ankara.

In the meantime we have the spectacle of a US Army general officer in Baghdad announcing once again that the insurgencies are on their last legs.  160 dead in one day.  Some legs!  You have to wonder if the people who make asinine statements like this realize how foolish and servile they make themselves in the eyes of ordinary people.  I don't think they are really stupid so I will opine that they are just so conditioned to the "can do" spirit expected of "team players" that they can't help themselves.

I hope this works out for them.  They can take the transcripts of their statements in with them the next time they go to be interviewd by Rumsfeld for a job.

Incidentally, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment was founded in the 1840s as a force of mounted infantry (not dragoons) needed to patrol the Oregon Trail.  They were designed at that time to travel mounted and fight dismounted and they carried long, infantry rifles.  In Mexico, General Scott watched them march into Mexico City and cried out "Brave Rifles.  You have been baptised in fire and have come out steel."   "Brave Rifles" has been the regimental motto ever since.  God bless them.

Pat Lang

Comments

[skeptic]

I think we've won the war 3 time this year. I've lost count of the number of times we won in 2003 and 2004.

I do wonder if these people have the slightest concept of what they're doing by saying this. They spread the news or the specific claim and then a month or so later it is proven to be false.

Talk about a surefire method of disillusioning the public.

[Ckrisz]

COL Lang,

I was wondering to what extent you think the Turkish General Staff and political leadership is willing to accept a semi-independent Kurdistan in Iraq? Especially given the latest outreach efforts on the part of Erdogan?

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=4300168

[Pat Lang]

CK

I think they are willing to be fairly friendly so long as the Kurds don't act up too much. pl

[Mr.Murder]

Perfect chance to triangulate. Turkey will grow within the EU community with a stable hedge on its other sidew, setting up repatrions for monied Kurds with the skills and venture backing to help rebuild Iraq.

Win-win.

The only people bucking it so far have been the same lobbyists Denny Hastert loves so much that this citizen has been able to background reference.

Then again Hastert's lobby money had a soft spot for Chechen rebels and the Abramoff money trail... ditto DeLay.

[richard a ross]

I was in the 3rd cav at ft lewis in 1968. all we did was knock down trees with our tracks and camp out in the rain. I am so proud of the new ARMY and what they are doing for country.I long to serve my country in ajust cause.God bless.

[Mgrace]

I am very proud & grateful for our troops. I am very thankful for the brave souls that continue to protect our freedom. We must never forget or take for granted that we are free be cause of the brave! We must always be grateful to those brave souls that gave the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for the sake of freedom! God Bless the Brave Riffles, God bless all our troops, A 3d ACR Mom