So today I’d like to share a concrete example of progress in Iraq that most Americans do not see every day in their newspapers or on their television screens. I’m going to tell you the story of a northern Iraqi city called Tal Afar, which was once a key base of operations for al Qaeda and is today a free city that gives reason for hope for a free Iraq.
Tal Afar is a city of more than 200,000 residents, roughly the population of Akron, Ohio. In many ways Tal Afar is a microcosm or Iraq. It has dozens of tribes of different ethnicity and religion. Most of the city residents are Sunnis of Turkoman origin.
Tal Afar sits just 35 miles from the Syrian border. It was a strategic location for al Qaeda and their leader, [Abu Musab al-]Zarqawi.
The news today reports:
A suicide bomber attacked a joint U.S.-Iraqi military base in northern Iraq in Monday, killing at least 40 people and wounding as many as 30, the Iraqi defense ministry said.
Also Monday, gunmen kidnapped 16 employees of an Iraqi trading company, an Interior Ministry official said Monday. The men arrived at the headquarters of the Saeed import and export company in four civilian cars and appeared to rifle through papers and computers before driving away with the employees.
No American troops were hurt in the bombing about 18 miles east of the ancient city of Tal Afar, said the U.S. military, which confirmed the attack but reported 30 deaths rather than 40.
Now who is exaggerating Mr. President?