www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil April 22, 2006 TThehe AAdvidvis r BBaghdad,aghdad, vviaia tthehe TTigrisigris Offi cial Weekly Command Information Report for the Multi-National Security Transition Command — Iraq Page 2 April 22, 2006 THE ADVISOR Iraqis continue ‘dominant Volume 3 Issue 15 contribution,’ general says Iraqi Security Forces have reached By U.S. Army Sgt. Sara Wood a point where almost 50 percent of American Forces Press Service Commanding General improvised explosive devices are found U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Martin E. Dempsey and cleared before they detonate, Lynch Command Sergeant Major WASHINGTON — Iraqi Security said, adding that one reason for this U.S. Marine Corps Forces continue to play an increasingly success is that operations have been Sgt. Maj. Ralph G. White larger role in the fi ght against terrorism, designed to take sophisticated bomb- with many units taking responsibility for makers off the battlefi eld. Public Affairs Offi cer U.S. Army Lt. Col. Michael Negard their own areas and making connections In 2005, 115 bomb-makers were taken with citizens, a U.S. military spokesman off the battlefi eld, and since the beginning Deputy Public Affairs Offi cer in Baghdad said Thursday. of 2006, 26 more have been captured. The U.S. Army Capt. Mark E. Jacobsen In a marked improvement over last capture of people with technical expertise Deputy Public Affairs Offi cer year’s three battalions, the Iraqi Army results in the production of less-effective for Training now has two divisions, 16 brigades IEDs that aren’t reliable, Lynch said. U.S. Army Master Sgt. Ryan Mosier and 58 battalions that have the lead in He said another factor that has helped Public Affairs NCOIC counterinsurgency operations in their reduce attacks in Iraq is the effectiveness U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Tuttle areas, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, of border operations. Foreign fi ghters con- Editor Multi-National Force – Iraq spokesman, duct most suicide attacks, and the Iraqi U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Rick Brown said at a news conference. Also, at least Security Forces have been able to sig- Journalists 25 percent of daily company-level and nifi cantly limit the fl ow of people across U.S. Navy above operations are independent Iraqi Iraq’s borders, resulting in a more than 50 Journalist 2nd Class John J. Pistone operations, he added. percent reduction in suicide attacks. U.S. Air Force “The Iraqi Security Force continues to Attacks will continue, he said, Staff Sgt. Lucia Newman make a dominant contribution for opera- because insurgents are intent on disrupt- tions across Iraq,” he said. ing the formation of a national unity CPATT Public Affairs Offi cer Lynch noted that independent opera- government, which would mean the Ann Bertucci tions by Iraqi Security Forces are success- death of their cause. Al-Qaida in Iraq is The Advisor is an authorized publication for members of the ful not only because Iraqis are effective determined to incite sectarian violence, U.S. Defense Department and multinational partners. and familiar with the surroundings, but but coalition and Iraqi operations are Contents of this paper are not necessarily the offi cial views also because Iraqi citizens are willing to designed to stop this violence and create of the U.S. government or multinational partners of the U.S. Department of Defense. The editorial content of this work with them and provide intelligence. an environment in which a government publication is the responsibility of the Multi-National Security Transition Command — Iraq Public Affairs Offi ce. He said Iraqi civilians have repeatedly can be formed, Lynch said. given intelligence to Iraqi Security Forces “The absence of an effective national The faces of Iraqi soldiers and police have been altered to protect their identities. that result in effective operations. unity government is creating the condi- Direct questions and comments to: “(Iraqi citizens) have indeed reached tions for the insurgency to do what it [email protected] a point where they are tired of the wants to do,” he said. “The quicker it MNSTC-I PAO insurgency, and they realize that they forms, the quicker we see a reduction in APO AE 09348 are indeed the target of attacks by the violence. So the Iraqi government does DSN: 318-852-1334 insurgency,” Lynch said. need to form as quickly as possible to To subscribe to The Advisor, Working together, the Coalition and reduce this violence.” visit us online at: www.mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil/advisor.html “Americans must be prepared for violence to continue in ON THE COVER Iraq even after a government is formed. There will be no Iraqi River Patrol offi cers scan Iraqi equivalent of V.E. Day or V.J. Day.” the banks of the Tigris River in their new patrol boat, April 17. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Photo by U.S. Navy Journalist 2nd Class speaking to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations John J. Pistone Page 3 April 22, 2006 Baghdad, a river runs through it By U.S. Navy Journalist 2nd Class John J. Pistone MNSTC-I Public Affairs BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Tigris River cuts Baghdad in two, branching off to connect much of the city by a highway of water. With more than 35 miles of water- ways in the Baghdad area, many Coalition advisors and Iraqis feel this is the major supply route for insurgents, and that until recently it has gone virtually unprotected. With fi ve new patrol boats provided by the Coalition, the Iraqi Police are now in a position to secure these waterways. “We believe that the insurgents have been using the rivers as a means of transporting their supplies because there are no checkpoints and no one on the Photo by U.S. Navy Journalist 2nd Class John J. Pistone water to stop them,” said Richard Eaton, Police Officers from the Baghdad River Patrol cruise down the Tigris International Police Liaison Offi cer with River through Baghdad in one of their new patrol boats April 17. the Baghdad River Patrol and member of the Coalition’s Civilian Police Assistance they had been relegated to manning patrol been using the waterways because of the Transition Team. stations along the river and were not able citywide curfews. He said now they are in He said the Iraqi police have always to really get out and patrol the waters. a position to put a stop to this. had a presence on the water but until “The boats they had were old and slow “The rivers in Baghdad have always recently it was limited to body recovery and often were inoperable,” Eaton said. “This been dangerous but we have seen more and trying to stop illegal fi shing. He said prevented them from being able to conduct and more bodies dumped in the river any type of patrolling or police work.” over recent months. It has been frustrat- Capt. Firas of the Iraqi River Patrol ing because we did not have the tools to said in the past they would get a report stop the criminals,” Mohammed said. of someone in trouble in the water and “Now that we have these boats, we can the majority of the time the person had be active and aggressive in stopping drowned before the police could get there. these crimes.” A combination of the inadequate boats Mohammed feels the new boats will and the lack of an effi cient communica- also help the Iraqi people feel more secure. tion system were the cause of the problem, “In order for the people to have peace he said. He feels things will dramatically they need to see us on the water, they change thanks to the new boats provided need to see that we are out there day and by the Coalition. night,” he said. “Now they see us patrol- “With our old boats we were not able ling in our new boats and they know that to respond to emergency situations … we we are there to protect them.” could barely get outside of our immediate Eaton said the offi cers have had a area,” Firas said. “Now we can go north, we steep learning curve with the new boats. can go south and we can bring police offi - Even though they are very skilled, they cers and rescue divers to a scene quickly.” Photo by U.S. Army Capt. Mark E. Jacobsen were not used to the increased power of Patrol Offi cer Mohammed has been on An Iraqi River Patrol Offi cer scans the boats. He said the area where they the River Patrol for more than fi ve years the Tigris River for insurgent needed the most mentorship has been and said there have always been problems activity on April 17. patrolling tactics. on the river. He said that over the past few years, more and more criminals have See RIVER, Page 5 Page 4 April 22, 2006 9th Division hosts senior U.S. Army offi cer By U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Rick Brown MNSTC-I Public Affairs TAJI, Iraq — The commander of the 9th Iraqi Army Division, Maj. Gen. Bashar Mahmood Ayoub hosted a meeting April 19 with the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, Gen. Peter Schoomaker at the Taji Military Training Base a few miles outside of Baghdad. Bashar provided a briefi ng to Schoomaker on the progress of the new Iraqi Army’s fi rst and only mechanized division. Bashar said the division began taking form in November 2004 and currently stands at more than 4,500 soldiers spread out over two brigades, the division headquarters and other support Photos by U.S.