Operation Steel Curtain Rolls On

Operation Steel Curtain began a new phase today, as troops entered Ubaydi, having moved on from Husaybah and Karabilah. (See map here.)

Members of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 6th Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, move out at sunrise to sweep from Husaybah to Karabilah, Iraq, on Thursday (Rick Kozak / Military Times)

From this MNF-Iraq press release:

Insurgent fighters have been battling with Iraqi and Coalition forces since the operation began at dawn.

Five targets were struck by Coalition air strikes. The insurgents were engaging Coalition Forces with small arms fire at the time of the strikes.

Preliminary reports indicate and estimated 25 insurgents have already been captured and are currently detained.

From this article at the Marine Corps Times:

U.S. and Iraqi troops trying to stem the flow of insurgent fighters across the Syrian border launched a dawn assault Monday on another border town, killing a reported 37 insurgents.
...
The offensive in Obeidi followed demands by Sunni Arab politicians for an end to U.S. and Iraqi military operations, claiming they threaten Sunni participation in next month’s elections — a key U.S. goal.

U.S. commanders have said offensives, especially those in the western province of Anbar near the Syrian border, are aimed at encouraging Sunni Arabs to vote in the Dec. 15 parliamentary elections without fear of intimidation by insurgents opposed to the political process.

Ubaydi is on the north side of the Euphrates, whereas Husaybah and Karabilah are on the south side.

UPDATE: Bill Roggio has a post (Nov 15) where he points out Ubaydi is actually on the south side of the Euphrates.

According to one of Bill Roggio's earlier posts, Ubaydi is the western most bridge across the Euphrates in Iraq. By controlling Husaybah, Karabilah, and the bridges at Ubaydi, Coalition Forces will be in a strong position to block foreign fighters coming down either side of the Euphrates.

It is not clear which route Coalition Forces took from Karabilah to Ubaydi, if they went along the south bank of the Euphrates and crossed the bridge at Ubaydi, or if they crossed the Euphrates before Ubaydi. It is possible there are amphibious assault units taking part in Steel Curtain, but I haven't been able to find confirmation of this. These amphibious units might have ferried across some units. This Washington Post article from May, at the time of Matador, indicated the Marines then crossed the Euphrates on linked rafts. (HT: Security Watchtower) I've seen hints that at least one amphibious assault unit is there, but since the military hasn't released any information on this publicly, I won't name the unit here.

This region was the target of Operation Matador back in May. Towns targeted in that operation included the ones being hit in Steel Curtain. If the intent is to clear and hold this same area, it is possible that after Ubaydi, the towns of Al Rummanah and Al Rabit will be next to be visited by Steel Curtain. Such an action would give the Coalition a stranglehold on the entry points for foreign fighters.

Is all this having an effect? Here are the words of General Casey, in the November 9 issue of This Week in Iraq:

The real story is what you are not seeing in Iraq. For example, the terrorist and foreign fighters are at a stalemate. They are finding it harder and harder to cross the borders from Syria and other adjoining countries. They have lost base areas such as Tall Afar and are experiencing defeat at every engagement. Moreover, they are not able to reconstitute after battles as in the past because of Iraqi Security Forces maintaining security once areas are swept of terrorists.

Additionally, being a terrorist mastermind is not a long-term career. Since January, 800 foreign fighters have either killed themselves as suicide bombers, been killed or captured — over 100 of those are known leaders or trusted agents of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s al Qaeda in Iraq network. Once captured these terrorists lead to other terrorists, decimating the terrorist network and leaving only the less experienced leading the no-experienced.

Operations in Tall Afar, the Euphrates River Valley and along the border are showing the negative impact the Coalition is having on the terrorist and foreign fighters ability to smuggle people into Iraq, establish safe havens and conduct operations. They are making mistakes and showing their true intention.

Operation Steel Curtain is a watershed moment, because serious large-scale operations designed to clear terrorists out of the western river towns where foreign fighters take shelter on their way into Iraq are being combined with a permanent security presence. This kind of operation was not possible until the Iraqi Security Forces were capable of providing this kind of security presence. My sense is that there aren't hordes of foreign fighters coming in, but the ones that are slipping through are the dangerous ones, the suicide bombers, and if an Iraqi security presence can choke off even these, life in Iraq will be better.

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Bill Roggio gives reasons why other phases of Steel Curtain may still be yet to come.