Posted By:
Melanie Morgan
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The White House Office of Public Liaison tipped us off to some highlights of the progress being made in Iraq, as reported in Rear Adm. Mark Fox’s briefing in Baghdad today.

Our offensive operations continue with increasing evidence that the surge is pressuring terrorists, keeping them off balance, and eliminating safe havens. We have established a degree of tactical momentum that we will continue to build on.

• We continue to pressure former sanctuaries in the Baghdad Belts, around Ramadi and in and around Baqouba.
• We are denying al Qaeda Iraq (AQI) freedom of movement and disrupting extremist secret cells while increasing local citizens’ confidence in the Coalition and Iraqi Security Force.

The number of caches found and cleared continues to grow.

• In the last week, Coalition and Iraqi Security Forces seized more than 120 weapons caches.
• We have seized more weapons caches in the first six months of this year than all of last year combined.

On July 24, Iraqi Security Forces conducted a raid in An Nasiriyah and seized a large cache that included:

• 42 improvised explosive devices
• Approximately 400 rockets of various calibers
• 70 mortar rounds
• 11 heavy machine guns

Leads and tips received from Iraqi citizens are up and helping us discover these weapons caches.  Last month there were some 23,000 tips a month, four times the number at this time last year.

We are seeing more and more Iraqis turning against violence.

• On July 7, 100 Sheikhs and 400 religious and political leaders met in Ramadi for a conference called “Promise of the People.”
• They agreed to “The Ramadi Covenant” - a solemn agreement between tribes and most importantly with the Government of Iraq that is a clear sign the people of Iraq are rejecting the hatred, violence, sectarianism and Taliban-like state offered by AQI.
• In Baqoubah, 50 tribal leaders met at the governor’s house on July 14 to discuss security, services, and pledged to work together in the Muqdadiyah Tribal Conference.
• On July 16 in Taji, Sunni and Shia shieks pledged unity to one another to stop the sectarian attacks, each signing a map next to their village.
• On July 23, 16 local shieks and tribal leaders in Khalis pledged on behalf of some 75 shieks to work to end the violence.

Congratulations to Iraq’s National Soccer Team on winning the Asian Cup yesterday. This championship team represented Iraq with distinction and honor, inspiring all with their unity, teamwork, dedication and athletic ability.