WEBVTT 00:04.140 --> 00:08.640 today 00:08.640 --> 00:10.862 on Freedom Journal rock Operation Swift 00:10.862 --> 00:13.029 Sword takes the fight to the enemy and 00:13.029 --> 00:14.973 Iraqi pulls are back in business . 00:22.340 --> 00:24.810 Welcome to this edition of Freedom 00:24.810 --> 00:26.977 Journal . Iraq . I'm specialist laurel 00:26.977 --> 00:28.921 tucker and here's a look at events 00:28.921 --> 00:30.810 shaping the region . Us and Iraqi 00:30.810 --> 00:32.754 forces had to negotiate to enter a 00:32.754 --> 00:34.921 mosque after terrorists escaped inside 00:34.921 --> 00:36.866 the building , insurgents attacked 00:36.866 --> 00:39.032 soldiers as they patrolled the Baghdad 00:39.032 --> 00:41.143 neighborhood of Monsoor in a drive by 00:41.143 --> 00:43.310 shooting troops from the 87th Infantry 00:43.310 --> 00:45.532 regiment followed the truck to a mosque 00:45.532 --> 00:47.310 and Iraqi forces from the sixth 00:47.310 --> 00:47.210 Division helps around the building 00:47.220 --> 00:49.010 holders eventually detained the 00:49.020 --> 00:51.600 suspects elsewhere . American troops 00:51.600 --> 00:53.822 caught terrorists setting up a roadside 00:53.822 --> 00:56.044 bomb in Baghdad soldiers observed three 00:56.044 --> 00:58.044 men with two bongo truck placing an 00:58.044 --> 01:00.267 explosive on a highway southwest of the 01:00.267 --> 01:02.489 city . Attack helicopters destroyed the 01:02.489 --> 01:04.544 truck , killing one of the terrorist 01:04.544 --> 01:06.489 troops detained one of the men the 01:06.489 --> 01:08.544 other individual escaped . They also 01:08.544 --> 01:10.378 discovered a set of night vision 01:10.378 --> 01:12.544 goggles , six artillery rounds and our 01:12.544 --> 01:14.600 pressure plate mechanism used to set 01:14.600 --> 01:16.489 off roadside bombs . Us and Iraqi 01:16.489 --> 01:18.489 soldiers conducted operations Swift 01:18.489 --> 01:20.380 Sword near Beijing the offensive 01:20.380 --> 01:22.491 targeted insurgents and their weapons 01:22.491 --> 01:24.547 in remote areas . West of the city . 01:24.547 --> 01:27.800 Specialist Kenny across reports . 01:27.810 --> 01:30.530 U . S . Military work side by side , 01:30.540 --> 01:33.600 Iraqi security forces to turn over the 01:33.610 --> 01:36.230 security of Iraq to its citizens and 01:36.240 --> 01:38.640 stop insurgents from disrupting the 01:38.650 --> 01:40.620 progress being made throughout the 01:40.630 --> 01:44.410 country recently . First italian 01:44.410 --> 01:46.930 1/17 century regiment under Iraqi 01:46.930 --> 01:49.000 counterparts towards Italian Second 01:49.000 --> 01:51.160 Brigade , Fourth Division conducted a 01:51.160 --> 01:53.590 large scale operation to surge and 01:53.590 --> 01:56.300 clear remote villages near Beijing in 01:56.300 --> 01:59.920 the Pilates province , Iraqi security 01:59.930 --> 02:01.980 forces led a four day missions of 02:01.990 --> 02:05.320 operations with sorts . They attract a 02:05.320 --> 02:08.770 lot of insurgent activity to this area 02:08.950 --> 02:11.117 has been a long time since . Coalition 02:11.117 --> 02:13.910 forces of value sort included a series 02:13.910 --> 02:16.132 of air assault missions in the desert . 02:16.132 --> 02:19.400 Was covering an area roughly the size 02:19.410 --> 02:21.050 of Manhattan island . 02:22.760 --> 02:25.680 Us and Iraqi forces searching the area 02:25.690 --> 02:29.070 found 15 small arms ammunition which 02:29.070 --> 02:29.650 included 02:32.580 --> 02:34.760 found stranded in the desert . 02:35.780 --> 02:38.550 Several individuals were being for 02:38.550 --> 02:40.106 committing acts of terror , 02:41.060 --> 02:44.680 arrested somewhere between 02:44.690 --> 02:48.040 15 and 25 terrorists . These were 02:48.040 --> 02:50.262 actual terrorists that we're conducting 02:50.262 --> 02:52.484 operations against the Iraqi army , the 02:52.484 --> 02:54.800 Chip and the coalition forces as well 02:54.800 --> 02:57.900 as common criminals , murders , 02:57.910 --> 03:00.980 kidnappers and car thieves who are 03:00.990 --> 03:03.212 preying on the people of Asian city and 03:03.212 --> 03:05.046 actually affecting their lives . 03:05.046 --> 03:07.580 Operation switchboard demonstrated that 03:07.580 --> 03:10.380 Iraqi security forces are willing and 03:10.380 --> 03:12.780 ready to take the lead in the war on 03:12.790 --> 03:16.610 terror . Specialist 03:16.620 --> 03:20.210 kenya crowds Bayji Iraq the 03:20.210 --> 03:22.060 american team in Iraq like the 03:22.060 --> 03:24.171 coalition is made up of soldiers with 03:24.171 --> 03:26.393 many different backgrounds but with one 03:26.393 --> 03:28.580 goal in mind , Specialist Cleon jones 03:28.580 --> 03:30.691 tells us about the accomplishments of 03:30.691 --> 03:32.636 the National Guard unit that calls 03:32.636 --> 03:33.660 Puerto rico home 03:33.780 --> 03:37.610 after 03:37.610 --> 03:39.850 you're in Iraq , the 9/18 military 03:39.850 --> 03:42.530 police company is going home . While 03:42.530 --> 03:44.419 these Puerto Rican guardsmen were 03:44.419 --> 03:46.197 deployed , they provided convoy 03:46.197 --> 03:48.740 security and train the Iraqi police . 03:48.750 --> 03:50.800 These citizen soldiers were on 03:50.800 --> 03:52.700 countless missions around Saddam 03:52.700 --> 03:54.533 Hussein's hometown , which creek 03:54.533 --> 03:56.940 without a single injury . Fourth 03:56.940 --> 03:58.996 platoon of the 9 18 was stationed at 03:58.996 --> 04:01.320 fort operating base some role near the 04:01.320 --> 04:03.760 city of Beijing . One of their primary 04:03.770 --> 04:05.659 job was to train the Beijing City 04:05.659 --> 04:08.000 police officers . Sergeant first class 04:08.010 --> 04:10.680 Jose Olivarez , a 28 year veteran of 04:10.680 --> 04:13.080 the National Guard , explains . We work 04:13.080 --> 04:15.930 with them training and deal with their 04:15.940 --> 04:19.510 guns , change the drugs in 1919 , 04:19.520 --> 04:23.380 so we really enjoyed the 04:23.390 --> 04:25.700 job because it's amazing the first time 04:25.700 --> 04:28.260 we get there just getting inside the 04:28.270 --> 04:30.492 station and they don't make the world . 04:30.492 --> 04:34.440 So as soon we find them how to arrest 04:34.450 --> 04:37.460 the bad guys are out to search vehicles 04:37.470 --> 04:40.820 so they make the job like most cars . 04:40.820 --> 04:42.876 Men , these men and women have known 04:42.876 --> 04:45.098 each other for years and have developed 04:45.098 --> 04:47.320 a sense of family . These soldiers care 04:47.320 --> 04:49.431 so much for one another but they take 04:49.431 --> 04:51.653 the time to pray for one another before 04:51.653 --> 04:53.542 leaving the camp again . Sergeant 04:53.542 --> 04:55.598 Alvarez , I know my guys really know 04:55.598 --> 04:59.520 the job when they got aside also so 04:59.520 --> 05:02.760 we get outside in the briefing so we 05:02.760 --> 05:05.530 make pray after we're going out . So 05:05.540 --> 05:08.610 that's a good help for us . We go 05:08.610 --> 05:11.360 out the 9 18 throws a lot of their 05:11.360 --> 05:13.970 success to the 101st Airborne Division 05:13.980 --> 05:15.869 platoon leader , First lieutenant 05:15.869 --> 05:18.290 Francisco calderon talks about working 05:18.290 --> 05:20.290 with the rock , Hassan of the third 05:20.290 --> 05:23.960 brigade combat team past 4187 Purple 05:23.960 --> 05:26.430 Grey one of first have helped us a lot 05:26.430 --> 05:28.652 of providing every support . Everything 05:28.652 --> 05:30.819 that we need is being a great learning 05:30.819 --> 05:34.120 experience for me , my soldiers being 05:34.120 --> 05:36.342 hand in hand while the elite units from 05:36.342 --> 05:39.280 the army , uh , for several division 05:39.280 --> 05:41.224 goes back a long way with a lot of 05:41.224 --> 05:44.250 history where they're proud of uh , 05:44.260 --> 05:46.670 wearing their combat patch , Being side 05:46.670 --> 05:48.614 to side with them outside combat . 05:48.614 --> 05:51.770 Fourth question was also well respected 05:51.770 --> 05:54.550 by 101st Captain Ryan Burnett . First 05:54.550 --> 05:56.840 Battalion one 87th Infantry Regiment 05:56.840 --> 05:59.560 talks about working for the 9 18 Puerto 05:59.560 --> 06:01.810 Rican National Guard is uh , any 06:01.810 --> 06:03.588 National Guard unit has been an 06:03.588 --> 06:06.620 invaluable asset to this task force , 06:06.630 --> 06:10.460 if not for their experience in the 06:10.470 --> 06:13.420 military police and their ability to 06:13.430 --> 06:16.390 maneuver out to the police stations and 06:16.400 --> 06:19.430 partner with the Iraqi police as a 06:19.440 --> 06:22.520 cohesive unit and a dedicated asset to 06:22.520 --> 06:25.600 the police . The police would not be 06:25.610 --> 06:28.700 half as far along as they are right now . 06:28.710 --> 06:30.720 The 9/18 replacement unit will have 06:30.720 --> 06:32.942 some pretty big shoes to fill when they 06:32.942 --> 06:35.430 arrived in Beijing Iraq specialist , 06:35.430 --> 06:39.410 William jones after 06:39.410 --> 06:41.521 the break . Iraqi schools are back in 06:41.521 --> 06:44.440 business stay with 06:45.240 --> 06:49.090 ra , rebounding people's 06:49.090 --> 06:51.146 lives and given a new hope that will 06:51.146 --> 06:52.950 affect these kids for future 06:52.950 --> 06:55.100 generations . And now they've got 06:55.100 --> 06:56.990 people working making a living 06:56.990 --> 06:59.212 providing bread for their families on a 06:59.212 --> 07:01.770 daily basis . This is a rat's future 07:01.770 --> 07:03.937 generation that's being taught here at 07:03.937 --> 07:05.990 the school today because I remember 07:05.990 --> 07:07.879 that I remember the day there was 07:07.879 --> 07:10.046 school in the United States Army Corps 07:10.046 --> 07:11.879 of Engineers came and toured the 07:11.879 --> 07:13.712 facility again and gave him this 07:13.712 --> 07:15.712 facility to go to school in there . 07:15.712 --> 07:17.960 Remember that 07:18.840 --> 07:22.690 we all know 07:22.690 --> 07:24.634 that when one person in the family 07:24.634 --> 07:27.210 serves in the military , the entire 07:27.220 --> 07:29.690 family service , we want to thank you 07:29.700 --> 07:32.770 for keeping us safe in the United 07:32.770 --> 07:34.880 States and also for the effort to 07:34.880 --> 07:36.436 extend democracy around the 07:36.436 --> 07:48.560 world . 07:50.440 --> 07:53.730 Welcome back multi national force , 07:53.730 --> 07:56.330 Iraq or MnF . I celebrated its second 07:56.330 --> 07:57.830 anniversary with a special 07:57.830 --> 07:59.870 commemoration and award ceremony at 07:59.870 --> 08:02.240 camp Victory in Baghdad . Fighting its 08:02.240 --> 08:04.530 many accomplishments MnF I Commanding 08:04.530 --> 08:06.363 General George Casey praised the 08:06.363 --> 08:09.340 efforts of the force and what you and 08:09.340 --> 08:11.340 your predecessors have accomplished 08:11.340 --> 08:14.470 here uh over the past two years is 08:14.470 --> 08:17.220 absolutely phenomenal and you have 08:17.220 --> 08:21.010 facilitated the relentless forward 08:21.020 --> 08:24.550 march of democracy and the 08:24.550 --> 08:28.050 triumph of democracy over tyranny . And 08:28.050 --> 08:30.200 sometimes we lose that in the day to 08:30.200 --> 08:32.250 day hubbub of everything that we're 08:32.250 --> 08:35.110 doing . But because of the 08:35.120 --> 08:37.176 multinational force , the members of 08:37.176 --> 08:39.398 the coalition and all of the supporting 08:39.398 --> 08:42.050 headquarters , Iraq , Iraq and the 08:42.050 --> 08:45.640 Iraqi people have been able to take 08:45.640 --> 08:48.410 those steps . The occasion was marked 08:48.420 --> 08:50.031 by the awarding of the Joint 08:50.031 --> 08:52.198 Meritorious Unit Award to the troops . 08:52.198 --> 08:54.309 He served under multinational force . 08:54.309 --> 08:56.500 Iraq from May 14th 2004 to december 08:56.500 --> 09:00.390 15th , 2005 Soldiers in Iraq know , 09:00.390 --> 09:02.446 first hand that this is a country in 09:02.446 --> 09:04.340 need of many things , has combat 09:04.340 --> 09:06.284 operations throughout insurgents . 09:06.284 --> 09:08.507 Reconstruction continues businesses are 09:08.507 --> 09:10.507 opening and most schools across the 09:10.507 --> 09:12.507 country are back in the business of 09:12.507 --> 09:14.340 teaching with a little help from 09:14.340 --> 09:17.840 coalition friends filling up . It's all 09:17.840 --> 09:19.970 about the giving says First Sergeant 09:19.970 --> 09:22.081 joseph Higgins , they're saying right 09:22.081 --> 09:24.192 now that the american soldiers aren't 09:24.192 --> 09:26.790 here just to get the bomb buildings and 09:26.790 --> 09:28.401 that kind of stuff . Higgins 09:28.401 --> 09:30.457 coordinated the latest round of gift 09:30.457 --> 09:32.290 giving to an Iraqi school inside 09:32.290 --> 09:34.720 Baghdad's international zone . He and 09:34.720 --> 09:36.887 other coalition force troops gave away 09:36.887 --> 09:38.942 school supplies . Simple things like 09:38.942 --> 09:40.998 trans and markers , coloring books , 09:40.998 --> 09:43.276 paint the things that are really basic , 09:43.276 --> 09:45.340 basic things that America . It took 09:45.340 --> 09:47.590 about an hour to saturate the school 09:47.590 --> 09:51.440 with smiles . Each student was given a 09:51.440 --> 09:53.273 bag of school supplies and other 09:53.273 --> 09:55.440 goodies made especially for Children . 09:55.440 --> 09:57.910 Higgins and his team of gift givers 09:57.920 --> 10:00.290 also recognize the top performers in 10:00.290 --> 10:03.730 each classroom . Thank 10:03.730 --> 10:07.640 you . Yeah . 10:07.860 --> 10:09.680 While Higgins and his crew were 10:09.680 --> 10:12.030 hustling around making sure no child 10:12.030 --> 10:14.650 was missed . Air Force Captain Jason 10:14.650 --> 10:17.440 medina paused to reflect on this act of 10:17.440 --> 10:19.607 kindness and what it might mean to the 10:19.607 --> 10:21.550 Iraqi people because it's a very 10:21.550 --> 10:24.750 important part of our presence in Iraq 10:24.760 --> 10:27.070 to be able to balance some of the more 10:27.750 --> 10:30.140 controversial violent aspects of this 10:30.140 --> 10:32.290 war and and show that there's a human 10:32.300 --> 10:36.140 side to as with most of the giving in 10:36.140 --> 10:38.029 Iraq , the source of these school 10:38.029 --> 10:40.540 supplies was nowhere to be seen having 10:40.540 --> 10:42.373 initiated this act of kindness , 10:42.373 --> 10:45.040 thousands of miles away . Organizations 10:45.040 --> 10:48.240 like uh closes for jesus out of Las 10:48.240 --> 10:50.184 Vegas sends these things were just 10:50.184 --> 10:52.351 getting from all kinds of Boy Scouts , 10:52.351 --> 10:54.407 Girl Scouts everybody while it might 10:54.407 --> 10:56.407 have seemed like pandemonium . This 10:56.407 --> 10:58.073 round of gift giving was well 10:58.073 --> 11:00.240 orchestrated . Normally there's little 11:00.240 --> 11:02.351 chaos that happens and some organized 11:02.351 --> 11:04.950 chaos is good , but we just we just try 11:04.950 --> 11:07.061 to keep it under control . Navy Chief 11:07.061 --> 11:09.283 Petty Officer , Darryl Crandall . Thank 11:09.283 --> 11:13.020 God Iraq Right . The father of a 11:13.020 --> 11:15.131 college age daughter , First Sergeant 11:15.131 --> 11:17.187 Higgins knows the value of education 11:17.187 --> 11:19.242 and encourages americans to continue 11:19.242 --> 11:21.353 donating school supplies to the Iraqi 11:21.353 --> 11:23.520 Children are what he calls the future 11:23.530 --> 11:25.930 of Iraq . Thanks for watching the 11:25.930 --> 11:28.041 newscast that brings you stories from 11:28.041 --> 11:30.097 the front lines of the war on terror 11:30.097 --> 11:32.263 and Operation Iraqi freedom . We leave 11:32.263 --> 11:34.486 you now with a special look back at the 11:34.486 --> 11:36.708 accomplishment of multinational force . 11:36.708 --> 11:38.763 Iraq produced by army Sergeant marty 11:38.763 --> 11:40.708 Collins from all the period FN and 11:40.708 --> 11:43.660 Prime Journal Rock have a great day . 11:49.240 --> 11:50.160 Yeah , maybe 12:15.840 --> 12:17.951 courses are not oppressed with course 12:17.951 --> 12:20.062 impulses are not occupied , but we're 12:20.062 --> 12:23.840 here to help a lot of what 12:23.840 --> 12:26.170 we're here for is to help them get back 12:26.170 --> 12:28.003 on their features to help people 12:36.350 --> 12:40.250 think is doing our 12:40.260 --> 12:43.380 best to contribute the 12:43.390 --> 12:46.760 accomplishment of the goal , of course , 12:46.760 --> 12:47.760 is 13:01.600 --> 13:03.822 the president going out in town for the 13:03.822 --> 13:05.989 past year . They pretty much there was 13:05.989 --> 13:08.156 no presence of US coalition forces out 13:08.156 --> 13:10.489 here , came out , just came out of town , 13:10.489 --> 13:12.711 just struck the whole three cities . So 13:12.711 --> 13:14.767 it was a big change for them and I'm 13:14.767 --> 13:14.610 sure was a big eye opener . And since 13:14.610 --> 13:16.443 then it's , you know , you could 13:16.443 --> 13:18.499 probably been real peaceful people . 13:18.499 --> 13:21.120 They like a present out here . So I 13:21.130 --> 13:22.686 believe it was a good thing 13:22.686 --> 13:28.390 thing .