It would be in combat 12 days later. [5] The 173rd incurred 1,533 deaths and around 6,000 wounded. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. At the same time that Hello Dollyopened at NhaTrang airbase, a company of 173rd Airborne had walked into an ambush in Viet Cong base zone, known as the Iron Triangle. Thus began the Battle of Dak To.. 2023 Stars and Stripes. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. But they certainly did no more than the many other non-elites did, like 4th Division grunts, the artillery and others.. The anguished cries of the wounded are what they remember most. By unlawfully disclosing his units location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers he was entrusted to protect.. Air Force). After he was notified of the assignment, Melzer joined his new unit and attended weeks of training, including classified and unclassified briefings, to prepare for the deployment. He then eliminated nine enemy soldiers who were assaulting his position. Besides Melzer and O9A, the Neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen whose leader was arrested for plotting to attack Baltimores energy grid and other groups have tried to recruit active-duty and veteran service members or have their own members join the military for training. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Melzer pleaded guilty in June 2022 to charges of attempted murder of U.S. Army soldiers, illegally sharing national security information and providing and attempting to provide terrorists with material support. The changing face of the 173d Airborne Brigade now offers opportunies for both Female and Male individuals. The Americans reacted to the NVA buildup by launching Operation Mac-Arthur, with the 4th Infantry Division assuming operational control over the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Kloepper assumes command of 173rd Airborne Brigade - United States Army Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. Task Force Gun Devil included Headquarters and Service Battery, 3-319th (including two provisional maneuver platoons); Company D, 2504th; Company B, 1508th; Company A, 1-325th; a military police platoon (4th PLT 13th MP Co.); a rotating Romanian mechanized infantry battalion; a Canadian dismounted infantry company (3rd Bn Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry); and an Afghan National Army company advised by French special forces. He was arrested May 30 at Caserma Ederle in Vicenza. a private assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, Soldier indicted for conspiring with neo-Nazi group seeks dismissal because grand jury wasn't racially diverse, Paratrooper pleads not guilty to charges he plotted with satanic Neo-Nazis to ambush his unit, Italy-based paratrooper charged with plotting with satanic neo-Nazi group to attack his unit, Gallantry: Biden presents Medal of Honor to retired Army Col. Paris Davis for his heroics in Vietnam, US to send bridge-launching vehicles for tank deployments to Ukraine in new $400M aid package, Japan complains to US over Utah senators remarks on imprisoned Navy officer, Military, VA provide troops, vets more gun safety options to help reduce suicides, Pentagon tells service members to stop displaying giant US flags at major events, K-Town Now features the latest news from the Kaiserslautern Military Community. All rights reserved. The rifle companies suffered 51% losses in just one month, Murphy wrote. [121], In May 2021, as part of the NATO training exercise Swift Response 2021, soldiers of the brigade were simulating seizing and securing the decommissioned Cheshnegirovo airfield in Bulgaria. Assisting the LRS and 5th Group ODA were elements of the 82nd Airborne, Iowa National Guard, and ANA. At its peak of its deployment in Vietnam, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) comprised over 7,000 soldiers. [113], In March 2015, a 173rd Airborne battalion of around 600 American paratroopers headed to Ukraine to train Ukrainian national guard troops. Fox News' chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin provides details on Retired Green Beret Col. Paris Davis' military career. According to court documents, Melzer is a member of O9A. 3. . Melzer, 22, was arrested last spring in Italy, where he served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and pleaded not guilty in September to eight charges, including conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals . The 2-503rd conducted combat operations in Zabul Province. TWS is the largest online community of Veterans existing today and is a powerful Veteran locator. On Nov. 11, A, C and D companies of the 1st Bn., 503rd Inf., engaged the NVA for eight hours at two separate locations south of Ben Het sustaining 21 KIA and 128 WIA. On 1 July 2006, a documentary inspired by the song and based on the brigade's actions during the operation premiered on the GAC Channel. Online. Five times troopers tried to hold him back, yet Watters persisted in aiding and carrying the wounded back to safety. By unlawfully disclosing his unit's location, strength, and armaments to other O9A members and jihadists in furtherance of this ambush, Melzer traitorously sought to attack the very soldiers . Image Saber Strike 15 - Apaches take Flight. According to court documents, Melzer planned a jihadist attack on his U.S. Army unit in the days leading up to a deployment to Turkey and sent sensitive details about the unit including information about its location, movements, and security to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), a white supremacist Satanist, neo-Nazi, and pro-jihadist group. In approximately early May 2020, the Army informed Melzer that he would be reassigned to a unit scheduled for a further foreign deployment, where the unit would be guarding an isolated and sensitive military installation (the Military Base). (Staff Sgt. Before this heroic act, according to his citation, Barnes dashed through the bullet-swept area, manned the machine gun [the team had been killed] and killed nine enemy soldiers as they assaulted his position.. The draws between the ridges are dreary, tangled places of perpetual twilight. The brigade returned to Europe and home station after once again proving itself in combat throughout the eastern mountains of Afghanistan. The first of the separate brigades was the 172nd Infantry Brigade, activated in 1998. Div., at Dak To. [15] The maneuver battalions of the Vietnam era 173rd trace their lineage to the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment, which successfully assaulted the fortress island of Corregidor in the Philippines by parachute and waterborne operations, thereby earning the nickname "The Rock". Want to write for Task & Purpose? took place InTuyhoe then on to the kontum proence battle 3/68.then to ahn khe.gravy.then we went to lz english I Think.Dalat Was The LAST . 173rd Airborne Afghanistan Veteran Enduring Freedom Patch Design Military Cap Black. The 173d Airborne Brigade was now attached to JSOTF-N as the conventional force. Brigade members received over 7,700 decorations, including more than 6,000 Purple Hearts. On 14 June 2009, the 173rd IBCT(A) was announced as one of the brigade combat teams deploying to Afghanistan, and the unit prepared to once again return. The 173rd participated in various operations with the objective of ensuring security and subduing Taliban insurgents in the mountainous regions along Afghanistan's border with Pakistan, near the Hindu Kush. During fierce, close-quarters fighting, some of the paratroopers made it into the PAVN trench line but were ordered to pull back as darkness fell. I slept with Joe. One soldier who didnt survive the blast was chaplain Maj. Charles Watters. The 173rd Airborne Brigade serves as the conventional airborne strategic response force for Europe. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. At 06:58 the following morning, Alpha Company began moving alone up a ridge finger and triggered an ambush by the 6th Battalion of the 24th PAVN Regiment. The Brigade deployed to France in 1918 as part of the Division, but did participate in any named campaigns. Eric Melzer, a 24-year-old from Kentucky, shared location and layout information about a sensitive U.S. military installation to the violent, anti-government, neo-Nazi organization Order of Nine Angles. A paratrooper in the 173rd Airborne Brigade's Sky Soldiers, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, in Vicenza, Italy, in 2019 through 2020 plotted an ambush on his unit, "to result in the deaths of as many of his fellow service members as possible. He was arrested in May 2020 while in Italy, before he could carry it out. [3][4] The remaining units of the 173rd were inactivated. Manage Preferences 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team | Military Wiki | Fandom A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison Friday after he plotted to ambush his unit and illegally shared classified information with a violent transnational extremist organization, of which he was a member. The 173rds 2nd Bn., 503rd Inf., led the assault. Scandal-plagued Republican former Mesa County, Colorado Clerk Tina Peters has been convicted of obstruction of government operations, reported 9News on Friday. As part of his plot, he planned on sharing additional security details of the base once in Turkey in order to maximize damage done in an attack. [89] The paratroopers secured the airfield, allowing the C-17s to land and bring in the heavy armor and the 163rd Armor contingents. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Get the latest military news, entertainment, and gear in your inbox daily. Meanwhile, NVA soldiers began a ferocious attack on A Company at the bottom of the hill. IE 11 is not supported. And about 60 of the dead paratroop-ers29%were killed by friendly fire.. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. For example, after describing the units weaponry during the deployment and providing information consistent with the briefings he had received Melzer described to his co-conspirators how an attack would essentially cripple the units fire-teams.. The brigade served mainly in Kirkuk for the next year. According to the latest filing in the case citing Murdoch's sworn deposition, the Fox boss admitted that he provided a preview of the ads to Kushner before they became public. A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to provide a Europe-based neo-Nazi, Satanist, and pro-jihadist group by giving it classified information to attack his unit, federal prosecutors said Friday. Marvinny and two other attorneys on Melzer's defense team argued in a sentencing memo last year that Melzer should get 15 years, plus 10 years' supervised release. Sky Soldiers that died in the service of their country while in Iraq. In May 2020, Melzer was informed his unit would be deploying to another overseas location to guard a sensitive U.S. military base. Privacy Policy | For corrections contact corrections@rawstory.com, for support contact support@rawstory.com. . The 173rd was the only separate brigade to have support formations permanently assigned to it, though other separate brigades would receive support elements of their own a year later. [62] Combined with noncombatant losses, this represented one-fifth of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's total strength. [104][107] The 173rd's tour ended in July 2008, and the last redeploying paratrooper from the brigade returned to Europe by the beginning of August 2008. Deadly Prelude The Battle of Dak To was actually a series of intense clashes culminating in the decisive battle for Hill 875. Vietnam War: The Early Years through rare photographs, 1965-1967 Soldier Admits Plotting with Neo-Nazi Cult to Kill Fellow Troops", "U.S. Sky Soldiers Killed in Iraq - 173rdairborne.com Melzer admitted to sharing sensitive information about his imminent deployment with the 173rd Airborne Brigade including unit location, movements and security with an occult-based neo-Nazi group called the Order of the Nine Angles. The goal, Melzer said in an unsealed indictment, was to plot an insider mass casualty attack. Several months later, encouraged by the apparent success of joint operations with the 22nd Division, Peers directed the organization of a Task Force South with two battalions of the Brigade "pairing up" these units with several Ranger battalions and the 44th and 53rd Regiments of the ARVN 23rd Division south of Bnh nh. Div., charging up the south slope. The jungle is laced with vines and thorns, and in it live diverse snakes, a million leeches and about half the mosquitoes in the world. Another historian called the terrain probably the wildest in South Vietnam if not all Southeast Asia., CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR SOCIETY PHOTOS. Privacy Policy. The proposed bill is the latest among a string of measures targeting trans youth. A former U.S. Army soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to provide a Europe-based neo-Nazi, Satanist, and pro-jihadist group by giving it classified information to attack his. Step 2 - Use PayPal with the highest . Lozada stayed behind and poured deadly machine-gun fire on an advancing NVA force, allowing his company to safely withdraw. [97] The Turkish forces were eventually released. [citation needed]. Four additional battalions were activated or designated at Bamberg and Schweinfurt, Germany. Neo-Nazi soldier who planned to ambush army unit jailed - rawstory.com [22] Consistent with regimental combat teams activated before them, these separate brigades were given their own shoulder sleeve insignia. The 173rd secured these areas with company sized detachments, often patrolling the 4th ID's sectors with two unarmored M998 cargo Humvees at any given time. [76] However, this plan fell through when the government of Turkey would not allow offensive operations to be conducted from its soil, and the entire 4th Infantry Division was left stuck on ships in the Mediterranean for the opening of the operation. [5] They were supported by the 173rd Support Battalion, 173rd Engineer Company, Troop E/17th Cavalry and Company D/16th Armor. In approximately October 2019, Melzer deployed abroad with the Army to Italy as a member of the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. The brigade returned to the United States in 1972, where the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, were absorbed into the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), and the 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery was reassigned to Division Artillery in the 101st. . This work, B-Roll Package: Squad Ambush with Cypriot Troops, by SGT Mariah Gonzalez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting Operation Hump - Wikipedia ; 1st and 3rd battalions of the 12th Inf. War Zone 'C' ambush of the 173rd Airborne during the - reddit [85] Operation Iraqi Freedom began on 20 March with V Corps, consisting of the 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and 3rd Infantry Division making a forceful push from the south, beginning the Iraq War. The brigade was the first major United States Army ground formation deployed in Vietnam, serving there from 1965 to 1971 and losing 1,533 soldiers. One of the few combat operations that brigade conducted during this time was an amphibious assault against PAVN/VC forces as part of an operation to clear the rice-growing lowlands along the Bong Son littoral. An ex-soldier was sentenced to 45 years in prison for attempting to murder U.S. service members, providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists and illegally transmitting national defense information, the Department of Justice announced Friday. No weapons were discharged. Market data provided by Factset. Satanist Soldier Who Plotted To Slaughter Companions Sentenced To 45 Todays sentence makes clear that Melzers brazen actions backfired and that this office along with our partners in law enforcement and the military will work tirelessly to bring traitors like Melzer to justice and to protect the safety and integrity of our armed services., Melzer betrayed his fellow soldiers and his country, said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBIs Counterterrorism Division. Nine soldiers from the brigade lost their lives during the deployment. Opposing them at one time or another were the NVAs 24th, 32nd, 66th and 174th regiments, totaling 7,000 men, constituting the NVA 1st Infantry Division. U.S. Army paratroopers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade and Cypriot troops train on the M4A1, Tavor x95, MG3, Negev 7.62, and RPG-7V in Larnaca . In an instant, he leaped on the device, shielding the blast with his body. Short Range Ambush Platoon 1968 - 1969. [18] 340 of the 570 173rd Airborne troops who attacked the hill became casualties. "An arrest affidavit says that when officers tried to seize the iPad, people sitting at the table with her started passing around the tablet. All rights reserved. Melzer, who held the rank of private while in the Army, was a member of the Order of Nine Angles, a Neo-Nazi and Satanic organization which has praised both Adolf Hitler and al-Qaeda. In command for five months, I had been assured that I would be leading the company for one year, which suited me fine. Melzer, a private, was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, which was deployed to Italy. "[119][120][121] He was charged in June 2020 with conspiring and attempting to murder military service members, and providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. [71], It was Shinseki's idea to reactivate a few separate brigades and assign them their own support and sustainment units, which would allow them to function independently of division-level headquarters. Web. After the brigade finally left South Vietnam in 1971, the greater portion of the province reverted to VC control. I would've died successfully cause another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark," authorities said. Cataloguing data may change with further research. Some 15 Army artillery batteries along with tactical air support provided immense firepower. Rick Holmes of C company, 2nd battalion, 503rd infantry, 173rd airborne brigade, sits down on January 3, 1966, in Vietnam. Russian Fighter Jet Shot Down By Friendly Fire [55], Following an attack on the k T Base,[56] and actions on hill 882 by the 1-503rd that saw 7 men dead and 34 wounded,[57] 330 men of 2-503 moved in to assault Hill 875. The goal of the activity was to exercise the combat, combat support and combat service units of both armies and to achieve a higher cooperation level in airborne operations planning, organization and management tasks. Greeley, a combined search and destroy effort by elements of the U.S. 4th Infantry Division, the U.S. 173rd Airborne Brigade, and Army of the Republic of (ARVN) 42nd Infantry Regiment and Airborne units. Her awards include a 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Washington Dateline Award and an Honorable Mention from the Military Reporters and Editors Association for her coverage of crime at Fort Hood. [47] In August of that year, the brigade received its distinctive unit insignia. The unit fought in the Iron Triangle, a VC stronghold north of Saigon,[35][39] seeing many engagements with VC forces during that time. Exactly five years ago today, Veterans from the 173d Airborne Brigade gathered on the. The dust-offs started coming within 30 minutes. Melzer, who was a private assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, planned a jihadist attack on his Army unit in the days leading up to a deployment to Turkey and sent. [106] The brigade repositioned the base three days later. [26][31] As larger US Army commands were established in Vietnam, the brigade was assigned to the IIICorps and IICorps tactical zone, which they would serve in for the next six years. Barnes manned a machine gun after its crew had been killed. Leading up to that climactic end, the 173rd Airborne Brigade fought several engagements south of Ben Het. [70] The brigade was inactivated on 14 January 1972 at the fort,[5] and its assets were used to form the 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, a parachute component within the airmobile 101st. Gen. John W. Barnes officially ended the unit's pair-off program and replaced it with Operation Washington Green, an intensive area security effort with territorial and paramilitary forces in Bnh nh Province. Tiffany Muller, president of the End Citizens United PAC, called on the FEC to "immediately investigate," according to a copy of the complaint provided to NBC News. "[69], From April until August 1971, the unit underwent the process of redeployment to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the first time that the 173rd Airborne Brigade in name had returned to the United States since 1942. 24. [6] Controlling the oil fields had been a specific operational goal of the Task Force[85] because they were viewed as the most valuable strategic asset in northern Iraq. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS (47.9 32.5 cm) Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. On Nov. 20, 1967, Pfc. The enemy loss in lives was about four times that of the allies.. [76] Supported by the 1st Infantry Division and the 10th Special Forces Group, the 4th Infantry Division was to assemble in Turkey and use its heavy mechanized brigades to attack through Tikrit and eventually assist V Corps, which would attack from the south, in surrounding Baghdad. [92] On 10 April the brigade was able to move into the city, securing it after a short urban battle. (Department of Justice). [114] This program was known as Fearless Guardian which was congressionally approved under the Global Contingency Security Fund. Parents would be allowed to kidnap their children and take them out of state if they are receiving gender-affirming care or are considered at risk of receiving such care under a proposed Florida law, Vice News reports. Russian Tank Gets Absolutely Shredded by Ukrainian Fire. The group has expressed admiration both for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Usama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. He was hit and killed later, still tending to the wounded. A year later, he allegedly joined O9A, which expresses admiration for Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, the Justice Department said. [50], In response to the destruction of Alpha Company, MACV ordered additional forces into the area. The next morning the three companies of 4-503 were chosen to set out and relieve the men on Hill 875. (Markus Rauchenberger/Army) A former Army private who pleaded guilty last year to plotting. US Army soldier gets 45 years for neo-Nazi plot to ambush his own paratrooper unit . After. The paratroopers esprit de corps, elitism and personal pride would not permit that.. The 4th Infantry Divisions 1st Brigade included the 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 8th Inf. Todays sentence took that opportunity from him.". [63] For its combined actions during operations around Dak To, the 173rd Airborne Brigade was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Melzer, who was a private assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vicenza, Italy, planned a jihadist attack on his Army unit in the days leading up to a deployment to Turkey and sent sensitive details about the unit including information about its location, movements and security to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles, according to court documents. Legal Statement. Department of The Army This video shows rare footage from an actual Vietcong ambush Stanton, Vietnam Order of Battle, pp. He said Melzer's fellow paratroopers in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team were left feeling angry as . The 173rd had been operating near Bien Hoa Air Base outside Saigon and had been in combat only against NLF guerrillas. [3][24], On 26 March 1963, the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate) was assigned to the Regular Army and activated on Okinawa. [41] Soldiers of the brigade became involved in Operation Attleboro in fall of 1966, an operation that started out as a small search and destroy mission north of Saigon, but eventually involved 22,000 troops from 21 battalions. A U.S. soldier wears an Army Airborne patch during military drills in Kazlu Ruda, Lithuania, on March 1, 2022. prosecutors alleged that Melzer intended to spark a jihadist terror attack on his own unit. In-Depth Coverage . BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team Soldier received a Silver Star for valor in a ceremony here July 12. On Nov. 3, A and B companies made a combat assault from Dak To airstrip to a ridge line just below Hill 1338, recalled Alex Cooker, then the platoon leader of 3rd Plt., B Co., 3rd Bn., 12th Inf. Companies C and D started up the hill at 9:43 a.m., with A Company providing rear security and attempting to cut out a landing zone at the bottom. NAME AND TYPE OF OPERATION: Unnamed ambush patrol on Route 19, RVN. It. Far too often, the part played by Ivy Division GIs at Dak To is glossed over. The 1-508th (minus Company B) conducted combat operations in eastern Afghanistan, attached to 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. The next day, Pfc. "Ethan Melzer infiltrated the U.S. Army in service of a neo-Nazi, white supremacist and jihadist group. In order to successfully accomplish this mission, the battalion . The 173rd Airborne Brigade ("Sky Soldiers"[1]) is an airborne infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) of the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy. An official website of the United States government. The platoon was surrounded and wiped out with 22 killed and one missing. (Photo: U.S. Army) This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Artillery support was rendered ineffective by the limited range of visibility. Forty-eight American soldiers lost their lives that day. [79] The force also received force field artillery headquarters from the 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery, which brought a Tactical Operations Center, a Q-36 counterfire radar and Combat Observation and Lasing Team (COLT)a pair of Dragoneye Unmanned Aerial Vehicles from the US Marine Corps, to be operated by the Brigades Ground Surveillance Systems (GSS) team. His first duty assignment was with Alpha Company, 3d. While stationed abroad, Melzer consumed propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, which is also known as ISIS. (U.S. Army video by Sgt. [73], In 2002, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry (2-503rd) activated, providing a second infantry battalion. "Jurors found Peters guilty of obstruction of government operations but acquitted her on a charge of obstruction of a peace officer. Lozadas actions garnered him a posthumous Medal of Honor. Ethan Phelan Melzer, 24, from Kentucky, planned a jihadist attack on his U.S. Army unit just before he was to deploy to Turkey and sent information about his unit's location, movements, and security to members of the extremist organization Order of the Nine Angles (O9A), a white supremacist, neo-Nazi and pro-jihadist group. All rights reserved. Peters, a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist, is best known for being indicted last year on completely separate charges of election tampering and misconduct, after she allegedly breached voting equipment to try to prove the 2020 presidential election was stolen. (See the sidebar on page 36 for the 4th IDs role.). Former Army private Ethan Melzer planned to ambush soldiers and cause a "mass casualty" attack in the service of a Neo-Nazi group. And vets of that proud unit feel the sting. It was the audio portion of film shot on Hill 724 in Vietnam where a pitched battle followed a highly successful Vietnam ambush in November 1967. On Nov. 23, the 4th Battalion from the north slope coordinated a final assault on the hilltop with the 1st Bn., 12th Inf., 4th Inf. [91] By 29 March the entire brigade was in Iraq and ready to conduct offensive operations.[91].