Bloodyb struggle against Isis
Some of the shipping containers in the grounds of Saddam Hussein’s former party HQ that house the anti-Isis mission led by Brigadier Hugh McAslan (left) and his boss, US General Joe Martin.
“We ensure messaging is aligned. We are out there taking on Isil’s narrative.” Isis was a very innovative organisation and had some very clever people working for them. He said working alongside Iraqis was a rewarding part of the job. “They are really optimistic about where it’s going and I think that’s great. You see that developing confidence every day. I have got the utmost admiration for the Iraqis. They are incredibly friendly, humble and gracious and they genuinely appreciate the work that goes on.” So what would he say to Kiwis who wonder why we are in Iraq? “It’s very important for people to understand that what we are doing here is actually helping Iraqi people to aspire to the sort of life we have — where you’ve got that ability for your kids to go to school, that you are not subject to a brutal occupying terrorist regime that removes those basic freedoms. “Iraqis want pretty much what we’ve got.” McAslan sleeps in one of the shipping containers stacked in the compound in the surrounds of the old Baath Party headquarters, although there is little time for sleep. The nine-month posting will end in early August and another Coalition country will fill the No 2 post. Foreign Policy For the Iraqi general in charge of the public relations war against Isis, General Tahssen Irahim al Khafaji, it is a very personal and patriotic fight.
A former pilot under Saddam Hussein’s regime, his brother, an Army captain, was killed two years ago in a battle with Isis.
One of the general’s sons is an intelligence officer and another is a helicopter pilot in the Air Force and is involved in the war.
“It’s dangerous but I’m proud. If not my son fighting, and my brother [dying], who will take care of my country?” he says from his office at the Ministry of Defence in Baghdad.
“If I don’t take care of my country, who will take care of my country?”
He calls Isis “a disease” and expresses his gratitude that countries like New Zealand were helping Iraq to rid itself of it through training troops and helping it plan.
He said fear was not a part of his thinking and nor was it for those who remained in Iraq.
A good indication of that was the huge response to recruiting the Armed Forces College or Military College.
“You see thousands and thousands of people.”
Officials were having to choose just forces were killed in the battle for Eastern Mosul and 3000 wounded. Have they had other successes? Fallujah was the first Iraqi city captured by Isis, in January 2014. Only about 70km west of Baghdad, it was recaptured by the Iraqi military in June 2016. Tikrit was captured by Isis in June 2014 and was regained by the Iraqi military in April 2015. The hometown of former dictator Saddam Hussein, it is about 160km north of Baghdad. Ramadi was captured by Isis in May 2015 and recaptured in December 2015. A city formerly of at least 500,000 in Anbar province, Ramadi is about 112km west of Baghdad. What is next? If Mosul has been the capital of Isis in Iraq, Raqqa is its base in Syria and it will be the next target after Mosul, later this year. About 400 US Marines and Army recently entered Syria — joining 500 US who were already there — to set up an artillery outpost to support the move against Raqqa, whenever it occurs. They are armed with 155mm artillery guns. The US is also training local Arabs to join the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance of militia including the Kurdish YPG and the Syrian Arab Coalition. Isis is also being fought by Syrian antigovernment rebels fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army. The Syrian Army of President Bashar alAssad, which is supported by Russia, has complained about the Americans entering Syria but wont be attempting to remove them either because they are also fighting Isis. 800 from 4500 applicants for the Army.
“Yes they need their job but the first reason is they need to feel proud in front of their family.”
He was planning a trip to Mosul this week with stacks of literature to distribute to traumatised citizens on what support they can get from the Iraqi Government.
Tahssen sees a continuing role for the Coalition and the United Nations after the recapture of Mosul is completed, not just for helping to clear the area of explosive devices left by Isis, but in getting schools and hospitals running and advice to make the country less reliant on oil.
Tahssen flew Mig 23 fighter jets but did not see much action in service. He did not take part in the Iran-Iraq war, graduating just before it ended.
In the invasion of Kuwait, the runway at Basra air base was shot up and couldn’t be used.
And in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Saddam ordered most of the Air Force planes to be disassembled and buried including Tahssen’s ones at a base near Baghdad where he was deputy squadron leader.
In 2006 he became head of public affairs for the Air Force and in 2013 for the Ministry of Defence.