Army unit claims victory over sheik - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - June 23, 2004:
"The Army's powerful 1st Armored Division is proclaiming victory over Sheik Muqtada al-Sadr's marauding militia that just a month ago seemed on the verge of conquering southern Iraq.
The Germany-based division defeated the militia with a mix of American firepower and money paid to informants. Officers today say 'Operation Iron Saber' will go down in military history books as one of the most important battles in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.
'I've got to think this was a watershed operation in terms of how to do things as part of a counterinsurgency,' said Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling, a West Point graduate and one of two 1st Armored assistant division commanders, in an interview last week as he moved around southern Iraq. 'We happened to design a campaign that did very well against this militia.' "
"The Army's powerful 1st Armored Division is proclaiming victory over Sheik Muqtada al-Sadr's marauding militia that just a month ago seemed on the verge of conquering southern Iraq.
The Germany-based division defeated the militia with a mix of American firepower and money paid to informants. Officers today say 'Operation Iron Saber' will go down in military history books as one of the most important battles in post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.
'I've got to think this was a watershed operation in terms of how to do things as part of a counterinsurgency,' said Brig. Gen. Mark Hertling, a West Point graduate and one of two 1st Armored assistant division commanders, in an interview last week as he moved around southern Iraq. 'We happened to design a campaign that did very well against this militia.' "
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