Iraqi Tank Brigade Assumes Combat Responsibility

Fox Mccloud

Fox Mccloud

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By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service


CAMP TAJI, Iraq, May 15, 2006 – As the new Iraqi army attains capability, more units are taking over security responsibility within their country. The latest example is the Iraqi 2nd Brigade of the 9th Mechanized Division, which assumed responsibility for security in the Taji area during a ceremony here today.

The brigade will be "in the lead" in defending 150 square kilometers of the region, including the cities of Saab al Bour and Hor al Bash.

The 2nd Brigade, which is the only Iraqi armored unit with T-72 tanks and BMP armored personnel carriers, is called the "jewel of Iraq" by military leaders in the country, said U.S. Army Maj. Jeremy Hoffman, a military transition team officer for the brigade.

During the ceremony, U.S. Army Lt. Col. David Thompkins, commander of 7th Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, turned over responsibility for the territory to Iraqi Col. Jamal Mal-Allah Ahmed.

"This is a great day for the 9th Mechanized Division," Iraqi Maj. Gen. Ayoub Bashar, commander of the division, said through an interpreter. "A lot has been achieved by this young division, achievements that have done a lot to increase the division's combat capabilities."

Soldiers of the 7-10 Cavalry have been serving as mentors, coaches and battle partners to the 2nd Brigade since January, Thompson said. "We have fought together shoulder to shoulder for the past few months against the enemies of a free Iraq," the colonel said. "With the 2nd Brigade now in the lead, we look forward to continuing our partnership to provide security for the Iraqi people."

The Scorpions, a U.S. military training team, has worked with the brigade since it formed in October. The brigade had no personnel, weapons, uniforms, housing or tanks just seven months ago, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Carl Grunow, senior advisor to the 2nd Brigade. American and Iraqi soldiers worked together closely to build the brigade capabilities, he said.

Bashar spoke of the role the U.S. team played in helping the brigade. "I especially thank the American MTT team, who worked day and night, hand in hand with their brothers of the 2nd Brigade," he said.

The military training team and the 7-10 Cavalry will not simply turn responsibility over to the Iraqis and leave the area. Grunow said his team and its successor will continue to mentor and coach the Iraqi unit in training and in combat. The soldiers of the 7-10 Cavalry also will continue to operate with their Iraqi counterparts in the region.

The 2nd Brigade will report to the commander of the U.S. 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. Officials expect that next month this command arrangement will change as the Iraqi 9th Mechanized Division is validated and assumes responsibility for the area covered by both the 1st Brigade and 2nd Brigade.

The 9th Division commander said he is looking forward to that day, and is working with 4th Division soldiers and military training teams to speed its arrival. "We should be the pioneer to sacrifice and defend the Iraqi nation, its freedom and achievements against terorists and those who may attempt to violate Iraqi freedom and trespass its land and violate its earth," Bashar said.

The commander looked directly at Iraqi military Chief of Staff Gen. Babakir Shawkat Zebari and said the division is "prepared to carry out their motto: 'Iraq First.'

"These men are dedicated to keeping Iraq safe," he said.

After the ceremony, Babakir said he is pleased with the unit's capabilities and proud of its soldiers. He said more and more Iraqi units are working to assume security responsibilities. By the end of the year, all Iraqi divisions will be up and running and "in the lead," he said.

Bashar told the soldiers of the brigade that he has full trust in them to succeed in their mission. "You will go after the terorists and intruders who are trying to break down Iraq," he said. "You are going to give terorists a painful lesson in this area. That will cause the terorists to stay out of this area or else be killed."
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source

I think it says a lot if the US begins to trust them with tanks.
 
Fox Mccloud said:
I think it says a lot if the US begins to trust them with tanks.
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Yeah, at this rate we'll be back to giving them WMDs in a few months. :mischief:
 
I kind of find it ironic that American-trained Iraqi troops are using Soviet weapons.
 
blackheart said:
I kind of find it ironic that American-trained Iraqi troops are using Soviet weapons.
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I believe that Hungary gave them some T-72s. Those could be it.

The Iraqis are more used to Russian weapons, though. If given American weapons, they might not know how to use them without some additional training.
 
Russian weapons in many instances are better suited for the enviroment and training level of iraqi troops.
 
Giving them somewhat outdated Soviet weapons for a national army seems kinda half-arsed.
 
Nothing outdated about the cannon on that tank or the 762x39R comming out of thoes ak's at mach 2 ya know. I see with the threats they will be dealing with and what others in the region have the equipment is not that bad. The Doctines under wich it is used are were it's at.
 
Excellent! This means that they can defend themselves, and Americas can start pulling outwith a few months! This is very good news.

(See- Those of you who oppose the war can say one GOOD thing. We have trained a militia to protect a country.)
 
Good to hear that America is training Iraq to develop and defend, rather than ousting Sadaam and then leaving.
 
Are the Iraqis really going to be doing a lot of tank combat? :crazyeye:

Seriously though, it's good to get them up on their feet.
 
I have to agree RM here... you won't see Kursk ever agan.
 
Bronx Warlord said:
Nothing outdated about the cannon on that tank or the 762x39R comming out of thoes ak's at mach 2 ya know. I see with the threats they will be dealing with and what others in the region have the equipment is not that bad. The Doctines under wich it is used are were it's at.
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The cannon on that tank can't pierce the Chobham armor on American or British tanks, so I kind of guess that it's a good thing Iraqis are getting second-rate weapons incase they ever turn against us.

But I'm surprised American arms manufacturers weren't given priority in supplying the Iraqi army.
 
Fox Mccloud said:
Well it's good for the situation. How many tanks do the insurgents have?:p
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Tanks are kind of useless for fighting in the insurgents anyways...
 
Keep in mind that this is a mechanized division and that the tanks are few in numbers.

This is not the first unit of the new Iraqi army to hit the streets. There are something like sixteen brigades now with varying degrees of capabilities and reliability. The commando battalion and the counterterorism are said to be particulary good.
 
IglooDude said:
Yeah, at this rate we'll be back to giving them WMDs in a few months. :mischief:
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The REPUBLICAN guard is BACK :D

About time too. Though the in fighting will be a major worry. Especially as Iraq vs Iraq forces clashes are worrying.
 
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