U.S. Airstrikes Hit Al-Qaeda 'Safe Havens'

By John Jessup

CBN News Washington Correspondent

January 10, 2008

CBNNews.com - Operation "Phantom Phoenix" is now in its third day.

The joint U.S.-Iraq mission is clear and simple: to crush al-Qaeda strongholds and pave the way for peace.

Click the play button for Newswatch coverage and comments from CBN News' Erick Stakelbeck.

So far, al-Qaeda is putting up less of a fight than expected.

Video released by the Department of Defense shows U.S. bombers and fighter jets taking out al Qaeda safe havens, reportedly in southeast Baghdad.

Aerial strikes are part of a joint U.S.-Iraq operation to deliver a fatal blow to al Qaeda in Iraq. The objective, called Operation Phantom Phoenix, according to one military commander, is to hunt them down until they're dead or pushed out of the country.

"They're looking to establish a base here as well so this particular fight is a continued effort to keep them on the run," said Maj. Gen. Mark Hertling.

Diyala province is the focus of the nationwide campaign.

The drop in violence the country has seen in the last six months has not made its way here yet.

That's because al-Qaeda fighters pushed out of Anbar and Baghdad, moved into Diyala, and declared Baqouba to be its capital.

So far, 20-30 insurgents have been killed in the campaign and they're putting up less resistance than they expected.

Ahead of his Mideast peace tour, President Bush underscored what the military is trying to accomplish.

"We're not going to allow these terrorists to try and respite anywhere in Iraq. We're not going to allow them to regain any of the strongholds that they've lost," Bush said.

Although 2007 was the deadliest year on record, violence tapered off significantly by the end of the year. Military officials say that is in large part because of the troop surge.

The operation underway now is designed to help Iraqis get the upper hand over insurgents and build on the momentum of decreasing violence.

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