Five U.S. troops killed in house-to-house searches in Iraq, and more reasons for U.S. withdrawal

[ProSense]

Attack on U.S. patrol in Iraq kills 5

By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 59 minutes ago

BAGHDAD - U.S. and Iraqi troops searched house-to-house and combed fields with their bare hands Saturday after American troops and their Iraqi interpreter came under attack in the notorious "triangle of death" south of Baghdad, leaving five dead and three missing.

The military said the patrol was struck in a pre-dawn explosion near Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad — an al-Qaida area where two U.S. soldiers were found massacred after disappearing at a checkpoint nearly a year ago.

A nearby unit heard the blast and the search was launched after communication could not be established with the patrol, the military said. Shortly after the blast, a drone observed two burning vehicles.

<...>

He also said joint U.S.-Iraqi forces had sealed off the area and were conducting house-to-house searches, rounding up dozens of suspects. The military declined to comment on detentions but said troops were looking for suspects.

The Iraqi officer said U.S. troops singled out seven suspects out of as many as 50, including a wounded man who was hiding in a house and confessed to participating in the attack. He said most of the houses searched near the attack contained only women and children because the men had fled, fearing arrest.

"I was in my cucumber field when I heard a big explosion followed by shootings. I ran toward my house because I was afraid that I would be arrested if spotted in the field," Mizaal Abdullah, a 37-year-old farmer who was in the custody of the Iraqi army, said by telephone. "This is the third time that I have been arrested. Each time, the real attackers flee the area and innocent people like me get arrested."

more

The following is cross-posted at Daily Kos (http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/5/11/205654/310">Anbar Province offer clues for a U.S. exit from Iraq):

Could it be that U.S. troop presence in Iraq is fueling unnecessary violence and if they left, that aspect of the violence would subside? Anbar Province offer clues for a U.S. exit: leave it to the Iraqis to rid their country of al-Qaeda.

If the following McClatchy report is correct, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq may solve the problem Bush continues to cite as the reason for continuing the occupation:

Anbar a bright spot in turbulent Iraq

By Leila Fadel
McClatchy Newspapers

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Ali Hatam Ali al Suleiman sat in a high-backed leather chair in his Baghdad office, proud of what the Anbar Salvation Council has done. The council, a group of leaders from the Dulaim tribe, Iraq's largest, is driving the al-Qaida in Iraq group from what had been sanctuary in Anbar province.

<...>

"The service we are providing is fighting al-Qaida and militias with no mercy," he said. "They corrupted our religion; they misinterpreted our values. We are Iraqis - not Sunnis and Shiites. We don't threaten to bomb and to kill; all we wanted was our dignity and to live."

<...>

"The Americans were not truly working in Anbar," he said. "We asked them to clean their hands of al-Qaida and we will drive them out."

The effort has been largely successful, said Suleiman, an elegant young sheik of 34. Life in Ramadi, the provincial capital, is reviving. Residents have cell phone service. Schools and hospitals are opening.

"We did in three months what they couldn't do in four years," he said, referring to U.S. troops. "We are not fighting al-Qaida for the sake of the Americans. We are fighting them to rid ourselves of this shame."

link

The Anbar Salvation Council:

1. is driving the al-Qaida in Iraq group from Anbar province;

2. claims American efforts were not working;

3. asked the U.S to leave it to them; and

4. accomplished in three months what Americans couldn’t do in four year.

Today, the U.S. commander in northern Iraq called for more troops saying the Iraqi government officials are not moving fast enough. This obviously proves that Bush's escalation of the war, 21,000 troops for Baghdad and Anbar province, isn’t really the solution. Basically, Bush is sending five extra brigades into an area to be targets for more violence. Iraqis want their country back. The U.S. should comply: set a deadline, speed up training of Iraqi troops and withdraw U.S. combat forces. Where did I hear that before? Hint: June 22, 2006.

Some Iraqi politicians aren’t ready to give up the U.S. military crutch, but it appears the Iraqis are.

[Island Blue]

1. What the hell are we doing there? Someone please tell me.

K & R.

[Igel]

2. The Anbar Salvation Council is a solution.

Before, it was the problem; the guys that are now our allies were, last summer, killing Americans. That makes a big different right there.

Now, they're also pacifying other areas and trying to keep the ISI off their turf. And they're doing it in ways that I find lamentable, but efficient: They torture, they kill, they take no prisoners. In other words, they do what is culturally acceptable for an Iraqi to do (if an American does it, they scream and cry that no human being could ever do such things; then, when it's late and the cameras go away, they take their Ryobi drills out and go hunting).

We could impose order ... if we adopted "culturally appropriate" tactics like Saddam used.

[Grandrose]

3. Accomplished in three months what Americans couldn’t do in four year

Out of Iraq now!!!:kick:and recommend.

[bigdarryl]

4. HOUSE TO HOUSE!!!!!! searches WTF!! are they doing acting like policemen . DAMN!!!!

[Drops_not_Dope]

5. Delete

bug error. :)

[Drops_not_Dope]

6. The Generals on the Ground

we are told, execute this war without interference from politicians in Washington. We are also told al Qaeda is the enemy and Iraq is the central front and, as of now, an unsafe haven for the enemy. I ask a simple question; why haven't we been primarily in Anbar, fighting the enemy? According to a report on CNN a few days ago, the guy on the ground - in charge - said he doesn't have enough troops. There has never been enough troops in Anbar. This Bullshit about the Military making the strategy not the politicians is so transparent.

[TayTay]

7. Nothing makes any sense about the Bush "policy" in Iraq

Nothing at all. It's like the whole country has gone through a mad looking glass and we can't get back.

[tabasco]

10. If you look at it as the war-profiteering venture that it is ...

it makes perfect sense. A quite successful venture at that.

[IndianaGreen]

8. Democrats have the power and the votes to end the war in Iraq NOW!

The key to ending the war in Iraq is for the Democrats in Congress to DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Congress can end the war now by not acting on a supplemental funding bill!

Bush already vetoed the supplemental that Congress sent him earlier. Congress is under no obligation to submit another bill. Bush's supplemental is DOA. In effect, by its inaction, Congress would be defunding the war.

Unless the Congress defunds the war, be prepared to see more dead and wounded in this needless and wasteful conflict which was launched to advance the economic interests of a few.

[fedupinBushcountry]

9. 45 soldiers have died

since Bush vetoed the spending bill. How many more while republicans sit on their hands until September? They and he should be ashamed.

[ProSense]

11. Kick! n/t