US airstrikes kill 12 in Iraq

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

BAGHDAD - Airstrikes in Baghdad's Sadr City district and in Basra have killed 12 suspected insurgents, U.S. and British military officials said Friday.

An unmanned drone fired on a group of gunmen carrying self-propelled grenades and mortars in Sadr City late Thursday, according to a military statement. Six were killed, the statement said.

Armed drones are routinely used for long air patrols over the capital. The unmanned aircraft rely on sensors to pick up militant activity during the night. Insurgents do not have air defenses capable of shooting down the slow-moving aircraft.

Sadr City is a principal stronghold of the Mahdi Army militia of cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Government troops supported by the U.S. military have been fighting to gain control of the district of 2.5 million people for the past 10 days.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080411/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

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New US air strikes kill 12 in Iraq
by Salam Faraj

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Fresh US air strikes on suspected Shiite militiamen planning to launch attacks on security forces killed at least 12 people in Baghdad and Basra on Friday.

Six insurgents were killed by US aircraft in the southern port of Basra early Friday, hours after a Hellfire missile fired from a drone killed six militants in the Iraqi capital, US and British military officials said.

The strike in Basra happened when US aircraft homed in on the northern Al-Hayaniyah district after identifying a group of militants, British spokesman Major Tom Holloway told AFP by telephone.

"The air strike was launched after positively identifying a mortar team that was engaging the Iraqi troops on the ground," Holloway said.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080411/wl_afp/iraqunrest_080411105531

[Jacobin]

1. It feels like its 1971 again for me, reading the news

Same irrational military adventurism.

Same split between the hawks who think America can do no wrong and that we have to stay in unwinnable situations.

Same young people being drug into the mindless fighting, destroying their lives.

Same horrendous waste of treasure.

It makes me want to crawl in a hole.

[ckramer]

2. US airstrikes created 12x3 more fighters in Iraq

What would their family members do?