On July 15, 2008, there was a suicide bombing here at FOB Gabe. I was not here for the event, but two bombers infiltrated into a group of Iraqi Army recruits at the Entry Control Point to FOB Lion (Saad) the Iraqi side, and blew themselves up about a minute apart. According to news reports “two bombers blew themselves up minutes apart among recruits at a U.S.-Iraqi army base in the eastern suburbs of Baqubah, killing 27 people and injuring 68, Iraqi security officials said…. A member of the Diyala province security operations command said Sunni and Shiite Muslim tribal leaders had been asked to send recruits to join a new offensive against insurgents who have terrorized the eastern Iraqi province…. Iraqi officers were organizing the recruits outside the main entrance to the Saad base when the explosions went off in quick succession, a familiar tactic of Sunni insurgents. No U.S. casualties were reported.” (http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq16-2008jul16,0,7370032.story )
Days later, al Jazeera announced the Iraqi’s surge in Baqubah to root out the AQI elements that have reportedly moved back into the area. They are sick and tired of these zealots killing their brothers.
Now, for some good news, it would seem that these bombers had the same effect as the German bombers of London did in WW2; their resolve was strengthened. Iraqis are doing the heavy lifting for this surge in Baqubah.
They are flying their own Air Force helicopters and they are professional. They fly UH1's that I suspect have been around since we used to like “So Damn Insane” but I must admit, I did not do a tail number search to verify. The pilots are mission ready and rated on Night Vision Goggles (NVG’s). I do not worry about getting out of their way as they ferry in and out of our LZ. One of the pilots flew with the “Night Stalkers” at Ft. Campbell and was rated in a Kiowa on NVG’s.
The Iraqi Special Forces are well disciplined and trained troops -- not like the previous bullet sponges we saw with the police and the Iraqi Army of the past. The Iraqis are getting their hands dirty and taking some initiative. They take their wounded to their hospitals and don’t expect us to Medevac them in our UH-60’s. It takes time.
They are rounding up the insurgents and taking them in and out of their base to do the interrogations needed to root out this plague.
