U.S., Iraqi Forces Mop Up in Samarra

[leftchick]

I think this gets most disgusting headline of the year award....


http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041003/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq&cid=540&ncid=716


<snip>

SAMARRA, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces scoured Samarra for holdouts on Sunday after reclaiming control of the city from Sunni militants in fierce fighting that won praise for Iraqi troops.


<snip>
The military says 125 rebels have been killed and 88 captured since the operation started early Friday. But residents say many civilians are among the dead, including women and children.


"The people who were hurt most are normal people who have nothing to do with anything," said Abdel Latif Hadi, 45.


The strike in Fallujah was the latest aimed at groups with links to terrorists, particularly the network of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Followers of the Jordanian militant have claimed responsibility for a string of deadly bombings, kidnappings and other attacks.



An Iraqi family sit amid the rubble outside their home in the northern city of Samarra, October 3, 2004. U.S.-led forces backed by warplanes tightened their grip on the rebel stronghold of Samarra Saturday, saying they had killed 125 rebels in one of the largest offensives since the fall of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites). REUTERS/str

[leftchick]

1. Ahhhh.... The Smell of Victory!!....

Iraqis emerge from their homes to view a destroyed car in the northern city of Samarra, October 3, 2004. U.S.-led forces backed by warplanes tightened their grip on the rebel stronghold of Samarra Saturday, saying they had killed 125 rebels in one of the largest offensives since the fall of Saddam Hussein (news - web sites). REUTERS/str

[wishlist]

2. The Iraqi survivors are the ones doing the "mopping up" unfortunately

Appalling choice of wording for headline for sure.

[BlueCollar]

3. Mopping up?

"The people who were hurt most are normal people who have nothing to do with anything," said Abdel Latif Hadi, 45.


I suspect that Samarra will be quiet for a very short time...the "insurgents" will be back...with help

[jmcgowanjm]

4. Believe this or not

Mafkarat al Islam:

A total of 7 helicopters were shot down beginning with a
Black Hawk, then a Cobra, then another Cobra, then a
Chinook which was being used to land troops west of
Samara, then two Apache helicopters which were downed to
the north of Samara. The weopns used to take down
the helicopters were the "Strella, C5K, Dimotrov 14.5 ml".
The resistance also managed to destroy 4 Abram tanks,
7 Humer's, two transports and kill over 82 Iraqi
occupation soldiers and 65 US soldiers.

After this attack, the US called in its F14 and F16 attack
planes which bombed the city for a straight 8 hours using
cluster bombs, napalm, and laser guided weapons. Fearing
for the life of the city's inhabitants, the resistance withdrew
from sections of Samara and moved to the surrounding
villages and towns where it attempted to draw the
US forces towards it and away from the city.

2 ways to know:
USMedia finds something else to
talk about.
Film gets out.

[BlueCollar]

5. 65 KIA?

Having trouble with that casualty count...

[acmavm]

7. If 65 Americans were KIA and then they end up losing the city again,

there will be hell to pay in this country. Anyway, that's just my opinion. I pray that that's not true, but I think we'd better be finding out the truth whether or not we lost all those soldiers and all those tanks. Because if we did, it was a horrible waste of life for a battle in a country that , in the end, we're gonna lose anyway. The mass bombings of these cities is not going to fly in the Arab world.

I am also worried about civilian casualties. How many innocent people did we kill in 8 hours of bombing?

Frigging idiots running this mess. The bush* administration refuses to talk to anyone. The method of preference is just to kill. The intelligent this to do would be to try to negotiate and get the hell out. But then, that's the intelligent thing to do. They aren't going to stop until they install their puppet government, kill everyone who disagrees with them, get their hands on the oil fields, and try to make Commander Bunnypants look like Alexander the Great.

[reprobate]

18. Could you please supply a link or other info on the Strella?

Google refuses to return anything on it. I'm not questioning your post, but am interested in the progress of new weapons in the hands of the insurgents.

[Owlet]

6. Well, it remains to be seen...

...if US-trained Iraqi soldiers can hold the place. That's the whole idea of this exercise. The Americans have basically pulled out and waiting to see if the Iraqi units are able to retain control of the city. If so, on to Falluja. If not, back to the drawing board.

[teryang]

8. Mopping up? To put report in perspective

Check out this interactive map of Iraq insurgency Sept 2004:


http://www.guardian.co.uk/flash/0,5860,1316529,00.html


2,368 attacks plotted on interactive map of Iraq.

[lynx rufus]

12. Hard to believe they did not kill many more US soldiers

that's one busy place. I wonder if some US hating country
plans to start sending weapons over the Iraqi border.
It would be in the best interest of many, if not most,
countries to keep the US as bogged down as possible.
Would China or Russia or NK or Iran or Syria... or someone else
buy upgraded RPGs or some such thing from a cash starved,
weapon rich country for use by Iraqi Freedom Fighters?
The weapons could be older - wouldn't have to be the new stuff.
Everyone needs cash and it could be very difficult to trace
older weapons.

[madrchsod]

9. ???

oh they got their mop buckets out cleaning up all the blood and body bits of all the innocents they slaughtered? are in the hospitals mopping the blood off the floors as the bleeding lie waiting for the mercy of death? are they are mopping up the shit,piss, and the vomit of the wounded?

[DeepModem Mom]

10. Jane Arraf just reported live on CNN International --

It was just awful, awful to watch -- mothers wailing and crying hysterically -- rows of bodies, wrapped in cloth, waiting to be buried. Arraf said it was impossible to tell who among the dead were insurgents, but many among the dead were women and children, and that parents were saying that some of the young men were not insurgents. She said not only were parents affected, but the townspeople and hospital staff were upset and very angry. What horror --

[leftchick]

11. I hate Jane Arraf....

the only reason she is embeded with the US Military is because she is such an usefull tool for them. Those CNNI videos will not been seen on CNN State Run Television here in the states... :grr:

[DeepModem Mom]

13. They will not be run in the States, and Jane was not shilling today...

In fact, I'm not sure she shills at all on International. The two faces of CNN are interesting to behold -- and quite damning.

[leftchick]

14. I know the stark difference....

I sampled CNNI while in Europe last year and was astounded at the difference. AmeriKans are being so dumbed down and are not even aware of it... :(

[MADem]

23. I live in the states

...and I am watching CNNI right now. They are covering a huge ETA arrest in Spain as I type.

ON EDIT--I like Jane Arraf, too. I think she's got guts. I'd be pantwetting scared in her circumstances. Her coverage in the worst of Falluja was quite comprehensive and very brave.

[leftchick]

24. I still don't like her...

I have digital cable and don't get CNNI. Do you have satellite? I have never seen her admit on CNN that civilians get killed. It is always qualified with "some Iraqis say"... like "don't believe this but". She is surrounded by US Marines and is safer than 90% of the journalists in Iraq. Now who is brave?

[slojim240]

15. This was about nothing more then killing as many Sunnis as possible

In a few weeks there will be more insurgents in this place and all over Iraq. When we flatten one place we just disperse the insurgents elsewhere in the country. But then, what do we care, we just love killing all those Arabs.

[reprobate]

17. This is bush's version of "Wack a Mole"

And the cia warned him before the invasion that this would happen. But he was smarter than anyone else, so he ignored them. Thanks Georgie

[progressivebydesign]

16. I know WHY they are pushing to use Iraqi forces now...

..Keep the US body count LOW before the election... watch for more of this. THe Iraqi soldiers are the ones that will be taking the hits more and more, because our media doesn't count them..

[muriel_volestrangler]

19. Looks like AP paid attention to complaints about the headline

it's now "U.S., Iraqi Forces Take Charge in Samarra".

[leftchick]

21. Isn't that special? Notice how happy this woman is about it...

in my post below. US WAR CRIMINALS..... :grr:

[leftchick]

20. More War Crimes from the US Terrorists....

An Iraqi woman cries after her sister and aunt were killed during clashes in the northern city of Samarra October 3, 2004. U.S.-led forces tightened their grip on the rebel-held city Samarra on Sunday in the first step of a campaign to take back all of Iraq (news - web sites) but ignited complaints about the cost in lives and suffering. REUTERS/Akram Saleh

[fedsron2us]

22. The crimes people commit to win an election

You can be sure that many of the victims will be civilians and that the guerillas will merely melt away to fight another day. Those who have lost family and friends will just have more reason to hate the USA. The American army may have difficulty getting volunteers to serve in the future but I expect the Iraqi resistance will have no such problems.

[Disturbed]

25. Population Support.

Bombing these cities and towns is slaughter. It seems that what the US Military is trying to do is diminish the support of the Insurgency from the Iraqi population. Killing non-combatents, especially woman and children may have the opposite effect.

[x84722]

26. They alwas give a body count for rebels...

They alwas give a body count for rebels, but never for civilians.

[leftchick]

27. Ah, no Abu...

they are lumped together so one never knows...