US launches big operation south of Baghdad -military

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US launches big operation south of Baghdad -military
16 Jul 2007 06:57:58 GMT

BAGHDAD, July 16 (Reuters) - Around 8,000 U.S. forces launched a
fresh operation on Monday targeting Islamist al Qaeda militants in
farmland south of Baghdad, the military said.

The operation, called Marne Avalanche, is designed to stem the flow
of weapons and militant fighters into the southern part of the capital,
where U.S. and Iraqi forces are already fighting hard to clear them out,
the military said in a statement.

In pre-dawn raids, helicopter-borne troops swept into an area the U.S.
military said was an al Qaeda safe haven around the Euphrates river
valley, 35 km (22 miles) south of Baghdad.

The terrain, criss-crossed with an extensive canal system, has been
the location of fierce fighting between U.S. forces and militants in the
past and at least one air strike was called in during the early hours
of the operation, a spokeswoman said.

Tens of thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces are engaged in a series of
security clampdowns in and around Baghdad to thwart sectarian violence
pushing Iraq towards full civil war.


Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L16581751.htm

[madrchsod]

1. the battle of the marne?-marne avalanche?

digging up ww1 battle to name this operation? i`d say ...desperation avalanche

avalanche---"a sudden great or overwhelming rush or accumulation of something <hit by an avalanche of paperwork>"

battle of the marne--"It resulted in a Franco-British victory against the German army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger."....... well it really did`t

second battle of the marne which history refers to as the battle of reims-"It was the last major German offensive in the Western Front",

[xchrom]

2. clear, hold and build -- so the insurgents blow up kirkuk.

[LeftHander]

3. Mission Whack-A-Mole Accomplished.....nt