LTG Odierno Interview about the Surge Operation

Posted By Blackfive

On CNN, Lt. Gen. Odierno discusses Operation Arrowhead Ripper and other new operations throughout Iraq:

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN: “General Odierno, what’s the goal of Arrowhead Ripper?”

ODIERNO: “Well first, it's a little bit bigger than Arrowhead Ripper. It's a large scale core operation that’s going on in several different areas within Iraq. One of them being Arrowhead Ripper in Baqubah. Another one happening in Arab Jabour – in Third ID’s area -- and another operation going on in Multinational Force West out north of Fallujah, and a series of operations in order to go after al Qaeda strongholds in and around Baghdad that is affecting our ability to provide security to the populous of Iraq.”

ROBERTS: “Is this because you believe a lot of what happens in Baghdad comes from outside of the city itself?

ODIERNO: “It is our assessment that many of the accelerants that we call them -- truck bombs, car bombs, and other things -- originate outside of Baghdad. We call it the Baghdad belts. The areas surrounding Baghdad that try to influence the population inside of Baghdad.”

ROBERTS: “General Odierno, we certainly hear a lot of opinions about this in Congress these days. Let me go to you on the ground there and ask: the so-called ‘surge,’ is it working or not?”

ODIERNO: “Well, first off, the full surge just got into place on the 15th of June. So it takes some time for the soldiers to get used to the area they're in because it's a very complex environment. So, in my mind, we have to give it a little bit of a chance yet.

“I would say 60 to 90 days from now we can give an initial assessment on how well the surge is doing. In order to comment on the surge now in my mind is much too premature because it is just now beginning in its full glory.”

ROBERTS: “Do you have any early indications?”

ODIERNO: “Well, I would say, for example, our ability to do these operations that we're doing now. We weren't able to do that before. So we can maintain security forces inside of Baghdad while we’re simultaneously conducting operations in Baqubah, Arab Jabour, Fallujah. So that allows us to keep pressure on them.

“More importantly I'm hoping it will allow us to maintain it over a long period of time and continue to buy the time and space necessary for the Iraqi security forces to take over.”...

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Comments

[jordan]

The General's answers were spot on. Don't give 'em an inch. Odierno is giving us confidence here at home, I hope results follow. I would have liked to see a little more sarcasm in regard to "Is the surge a success" when it only started up a couple of days ago. Hello, CNN, all the troops got in country only a few days ago. Get with it.

You know, I'm getting a little sick of the MSM turning accusingly to the military to demand answers about this so called horde of traumatized, raw-nerved, schizoid, short-triggered soldiers streaming back from Iraq, having been driven loony by Bush's evil war.

If you didn't trash their mission, subvert their Commander's leadership, spread pictures and stories only of the most dejected and forlorn soldier-victims, perhaps their morale might be a little better, Mr. John Roberts of CNN, Mr. "Week At War." Perhaps they'd feel a little less hopeless, and unappreciated if you didn't persistently trashtalk their work and their demographic, or the backgrounds of military people.

Perhaps if you spoke of our soldiers' actions in as glowing terms as you reserve for Al Queda and insurgent "accomplishments" Iraq vets might not have these feelings about their experiences and sacrifices in Iraq. Perhaps if you sometimes covered a live, heroic soldier and detailed his actions in battle, which is the majority of the force, maybe the depression that so concerns and troubles you, wouldn't be fed, maintained and validated.

Perhaps if you had a sense of proportion and accuracy you could cover the fighting forces with a balanced perspective that tells the overarching truth of heroic majority, instead of highlighting, embellishing and lavishing coverage on the minority.

Vietnam vets often point out that it was the public's view of the war as a negative failure that contributed to their mental traumas and deflated self-esteem upon returning home. Is that what you are trying to accomplish here, Mr. CNN Week at War?

Don't get me wrong, PTSD is a serious condition that needs to be addressed with far more substance than it has been. It requires all of us to learn more and know how to deal with it when our relatives finally come home.

Now, if only Odierno could reach through the screen and knock John Robert's head onto his newsdesk, things would be good. Just kidding.

[OldSoldier54]

What you said, Jordan.

[LisaV (aka "Talismen" - Lady Crusader against jihad)]

The press needs to do some research on the old phrase "for the duration"....they're so "ANSWER ME NOW" with their questions, it's pathetic. They're like 5 year olds in a candy store.

It's going to take as long as it takes...it is what it is.
How else do they want it described to them?

Idiots....

[The Dark Horse]

What I fail to see is, inconsistency here. Apparently, something that had barely began in Iraq, called "the surge," has failed. If judged by Senator Reid's logic than the other "surge," this one in Washington, has also failed. The surge I am talking about, ofcourse, is the surge in Democractic leadership blanketing the house and senate. Why is no one reporting on the progress of that failing "surge?"

May foresight come to the congressional leadership and let them allow our troops to succeed, less Alcibades and the misnomers of Athens be forgotten.

God Bless The Troops

The Dark Horse

Cairo, Egypt

[Melinda]

The surge is just beginning. I live near an army base (Ft. Benning)... they are getting ready to Deploy in early July....

[Cincinnati_Bob]

From my own impression; if I was exposed only to the MSM, (and frankly, you're not going to get this kind of stuff too many other places than B5 and a few other blogs) I would be of the opinion that the surge already happened and it hasn't done squat.

Maybe people that actually watch the likes of Wolf Blitzer's Romper Room might have more insight or even disagree.

[bthun]

With you 100% on this one C_Bob.

I will still watch FOX and CNN from time to time to get the offsetting views. Ok, I confess, I watch the weather channel too. But I now source my military news from other feeds, like B5, Grim, Eaglespeak, Neptunus Lex, and Milady's Villainous Company, along with various other MILblogs.

I have long since entered into a self-imposed boycott of the MSM in general and the local print/rag media (AJC) in particular. Selective boycotts of advertisers are in force as are letters to the editors and advertisers from time to time.

Then again, as I've probably mentioned before, I still boycott Toshiba.

Of course it matters...

CurmudgeonsяUs

[Cincy]

The current operation is the huge. The media, so far, has only focused on Operation Arrowhead Ripper. There are three other American lead operations under way (two more in the belts and another in Bahgdad) and the Brits have launched similar large scale operations in the south. The entire operation was meticiculously planned by Petraus and McMasters who, by the way, executed the same strategies on smaller scales in Mosul and Tal Afar earlier with great success.

What is funny is that the cat seems to have gotten the MSM's tongue. Can you imagine a similar effort by Al Quada going virtually unreported for almost 60 hours? The MSM, specifically the liars that spin tall tales for the Associated (with terrorist) Press and Al Ja Reuters are probably working desperately to carft / draft / wordsmith articles that will spin these overwhelming victories as losses. The problem is reports by Bill Roggio, Michael Yon and other embedded new media types with boots on the ground will go viral on the web first. The irrelevant questioning of Odierno by the talking head from CNN was typical of the MSM death rattle you hear and see everyday.

If you want to read a compelling and inspiring version of this battle check out Michael Yon's report when he posts it. He's the Ernie Pyle of our time. And if you want DAILY cold hard facts from the battle field read Bill Roggio. The MSM is in its death throes.

[Steve]

This surge isn't going to work unless something is first done about the Rules of Engagement. Otherwise it is just giving the enemy more targets to shoot at.

[jordan]

The lack of any coverage at all of this operation tells me it must be going well. The only way they can prevent reporting on a military success is to avoid the story altogether. Either that or, as Yon and Pat Dollard suggest, the media has yet to fully grasp the scale and extent of the multiple operations.