Multi-National Corps – Iraq commences Phantom Phoenix

Lt. Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps, announced the beginning of Operation Phantom Pheonix.

The operation is a series of joint Iraqi and Coalition division- and brigade-level operations to pursue and neutralize remaining al-Qaeda in Iraq and other extremist elements. Phantom Phoenix will synchronize lethal and non-lethal effects to exploit recent security gains and disrupt terrorist support zones and enemy command and control. “Working closely with the Iraqi Security Forces, we will continue to pursue al-Qaeda and other extremists wherever they attempt to take sanctuary,” Odierno said. “Iraqi citizens continue to reject extremist elements. We are determined not to allow these brutal elements to have respite anywhere in Iraq.”

Why details are sketchy, Odierno stated the operations is comprised of,

"series of joint Iraqi and Coalition division- and brigade-level operations to pursue and neutralise remaining al Qaeda in Iraq and other extremist elements".

Further, he stated,

that in addition to the use of force, the operation includes“non-lethal aspects … designed to improve delivery of essential services, economic development and local governance capacity.”

Finally, Townhall is reporting,

"Al-Qaida in Iraq is attempting to regain strength and establish new support areas in northern Iraq," said Lt. Col. James Hutton, a spokesman for the U.S. military. "AQI has fled its former sanctuaries and remains a dangerous foe." Extremists have been pushed out of their former stronghold in Anbar province west of Baghdad, and appear to be concentrated in the province of Diyala to the northeast of the capital and in Mosul to the north.

Therefore, we should expect Operation Phantom Pheonix to concentrate efforts in the Diyala River Valley to the lake in the Kanaqin district of the Diyala province and along the Hamrin Ridge. Further, the operation should also seek to rid the Tigris River valley from Badghdad to Mosul where MNF-I has determined that Al Qaeda is attempting to regroup. From these press reports, it would appear that MND-N is the main effort of this new operation.

The Institute for the Study of War is also listing two new operations south of Baghdad in 3rd Infantry Divisions zone without equating it to a higher (Corps-level) operation. I would suspect that these Division level operations are also part of Operation Phantom Pheonix, focusing more on the non-lethal effects noted by LTG Odierno.

Given all this information, it appears that Operation Phantom Pheonix is a continuation of efforts to defeat the last reamining Al Qaeda elements and prevent them from establishing safe havens in the belts around Baghdad. Since most remaining remnents of Al Qaeda are north of Baghdad, I suspect more kinetic operations in the north.

Operation Marne Fortitude II discusses the non-lethal parts of 3rd Infantry Division's fight. Given that most Al Qaeda elements have been killed or captured south of Baghdad, it appears that the 3rd Infantry Division is transitioning more to reconstruction and nation building activities than one would expect from MND-N.