Via Macsmind: "Cracking the Whip - When the enemy is down - Kick his ass"
[AP] "BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's new prime minister promised Tuesday to show "no mercy" to terrorists and said before President Bush arrived for a surprise visit that a long-awaited security plan for Baghdad will include a curfew and a ban on personal weapons.
Bush, who was expected to be in Baghdad for about five hours, met with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss Iraq's next steps.
Security officials said tens of thousands of Iraqi and multinational forces would deploy Wednesday throughout Baghdad, securing roads, launching raids against insurgent hideouts and calling in airstrikes if necessary.
Underscoring the lack of security, a series of explosions struck the northern city of Kirkuk, killing at least 16 people.
Iraqi security forces planned to deploy 75,000 Iraqi and multinational forces in Baghdad as part of al-Maliki's ambitious plan to crack down on security in the capital, a top Iraqi police official said.
Bush's visit came on the final day of a two-day work session aimed at keeping up the momentum generated by last week's swearing-in of key Iraqi national security officials, and the U.S. airstrike that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq.
Maj. Gen. Mahdi al-Gharrawi, the commander of public order forces under the Interior Ministry, said al-Maliki's plan includes securing roads in and out of Baghdad, banning personal weapons and implementing a 9 p.m.-6 a.m. curfew.
Al-Gharrawi told The Associated Press that the plan to be launched at 6 a.m. Wednesday would be the biggest operation of its kind in Baghdad since the U.S. handed over sovereignty to Iraq in 2004."
I know it says this operation has been planned for more than a month, but it sure can't hurt to have all the new material recovered from the Zarqawi bomb site. And the President reassuring the Iraqis the way he did today with a personal "boots on the ground" visit will change at least some of the dynamics of these raids. Those who were straddling the fence between their fear the terrorists would take control vs. those who want a unified and functioning country that can take its place in the world are far more likely to be working together for good after the President's visit. Can you say "vastly improved intelligence?"
Here's to a major operational success! Or as MacRanger shouts: "Hoorah! Git-R-Done!"
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