U.S., Iraqi Troops Launch Mosul Offensive

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi troops pushed into insurgent-heavy neighborhoods and stormed police stations in Mosul on Tuesday, launching an offensive to retake parts of this northern Iraqi city where militants staged a mass uprising last week in support of insurgents in Fallujah.



Mosul's five bridges were closed to start the operation and American forces began securing police stations in the western part of Iraq (news - web sites)'s third-largest city, said Capt. Angela Bowman, with Task Force Olympia.


"We are in the process of securing all of police stations and returning the police to these stations to put in place a strong police presence," she said. "Some of those stations are in neighborhoods on the western side of the city where there has been insurgent activity and presence. We are now moving through the neighborhood."


About 1,200 U.S. soldiers were taking part in the offensive to recapture about a dozen police stations abandoned by Iraqi forces after an uprising that sprung up following the U.S.-led attack on Fallujah in a week-old operation that has left at least 38 American troops and six Iraqi soldiers dead. American officials estimate that 1,200 insurgents have been killed in the Fallujah fighting.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&ncid=716&e=2&u=/ap/20041116/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq

Fallujah Part 2 :(

[maddezmom]

1. reuters link: wonder where the rest of the soldiers are???

A U.S. brigade, around 5,000 soldiers, and a brigade of Iraqi national guards had been assigned to the operation, but only a fraction of those assets were being used, she said.


Violence in Mosul was part of a surge in unrest in Sunni areas of Iraq that coincided with a major U.S. assault on the rebel bastion of Falluja. The U.S. military says it has taken control of Falluja, but scattered resistance remains.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=716&e=11&u=/nm/20041116/ts_nm/iraq_dc

[BiggJawn]

2. It's like squeezing a balloon....

You try to push one bulge back into your hands, and another one just pops out between your fingers.

Why are these morons in charge of our forces having such a hard time figuring out what's going on? It's not like they don't have a rich history to learn from. Unless they're SO locked into this "Terra-ist" bullshit that they can't figure out how to deal with an effective Resistance organization.

I read news stories, and I see that our command is AMAZED that the "insurgents" are so well organized, with lines of supply and communications networks and EVERYTHING! WOW!

[lazarus]

3. Mosul is HUGE

2-3 million people.