The Gloves Are Off/Iraqi Army Takes It To The Enemy
U.S. Backed Iraqi Army Captures/Kills 200 Insurgents
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi officials said Monday that U.S.-backed Iraqi troops had targeted a religious cult called "Soldiers of Heaven" in a weekend battle that left 200 fighters dead, including the group's leader, near the Shiite holy city of Najaf. Two U.S. soldiers were also killed when their helicopter crashed during the fighting.
The Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said the raid on Sunday was targeting a group called the Jund al-Samaa, or Soldiers of Heaven, which appeared to have had links to Saddam Hussein loyalists and foreign fighters. Officials said the cult wanted to stir up trouble to force the return of the "Hidden Imam," a 9th century Shiite saint who Shiites believe will come again to bring peace and justice to the world.
Both Mohammed al-Askari, the defense ministry spokesman, and an Iraqi military commander in charge of the Najaf area said 200 terrorists were killed and 60 wounded, lowering previous estimates for the death toll in the battle outside the holy city. Maj. Gen. Othman al-Ghanemi, the commander of the 8th Division that is in charge of Najaf, said 150 had been captured, while al-Askari put that figure at 120.
The fighting began Sunday and ended Monday. Iraqi security forces frisked suspects while others patrolled elsewhere on the battlefield in a mopping up operation.
Story Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WAY TO GO Iraqi and U.S. Military! Looks like the Iraqi Army is begining to take it to the enemy :-) All they needed was some time and training and look at them go. This should make a lot of you "Nay Sayer's" feel a bit more comfortable. Pretty soon this will be going on all across the Country, and the bad guy's will lose. And our Troops will come home with the Honor and Respect they deserve.
BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi officials said Monday that U.S.-backed Iraqi troops had targeted a religious cult called "Soldiers of Heaven" in a weekend battle that left 200 fighters dead, including the group's leader, near the Shiite holy city of Najaf. Two U.S. soldiers were also killed when their helicopter crashed during the fighting.
The Iraqi government spokesman, Ali al-Dabbagh, said the raid on Sunday was targeting a group called the Jund al-Samaa, or Soldiers of Heaven, which appeared to have had links to Saddam Hussein loyalists and foreign fighters. Officials said the cult wanted to stir up trouble to force the return of the "Hidden Imam," a 9th century Shiite saint who Shiites believe will come again to bring peace and justice to the world.
Both Mohammed al-Askari, the defense ministry spokesman, and an Iraqi military commander in charge of the Najaf area said 200 terrorists were killed and 60 wounded, lowering previous estimates for the death toll in the battle outside the holy city. Maj. Gen. Othman al-Ghanemi, the commander of the 8th Division that is in charge of Najaf, said 150 had been captured, while al-Askari put that figure at 120.
The fighting began Sunday and ended Monday. Iraqi security forces frisked suspects while others patrolled elsewhere on the battlefield in a mopping up operation.
Story Here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WAY TO GO Iraqi and U.S. Military! Looks like the Iraqi Army is begining to take it to the enemy :-) All they needed was some time and training and look at them go. This should make a lot of you "Nay Sayer's" feel a bit more comfortable. Pretty soon this will be going on all across the Country, and the bad guy's will lose. And our Troops will come home with the Honor and Respect they deserve.
posted by Marie's Two Cents | 8:37 AM
12 Comments:
I believe this is just the beginning of the end. Now that the troops can engage without having to pussy foot around we will be seeing a lot more of this.
Personally in light of Iran's threat about more involvement, I think it's time to put the two Carrier groups into action with some butt kicking messages to Iran.
Ken,
I believe the same.
I myself think we are about to see a new front (Or several) opening up in the war on terror.
I also believe that some may look at us as if we are "Bogged Down" in Iraq, but I have alway's believed we can walk an chew gum at the same time.
And the "Powell Doctrine" needs to be dropped. If we break it, "Screw It"!!!!!
And the "Powell Doctrine" needs to be dropped. If we break it, "Screw It"!!!!!
Marie, I understand you are a big supporter of this administration and all it has brought to the world and the American people. Could you please explain that?
"If we break it, "Screw It?" In some interpretations, that would imply you'd walk away from any responsibility for breaking it. I don't think you mean that, but that's what it sounds like. "Screw it!" Usually means "The heck with it!" Am I right?
Colin Powell says Re: Iraq: "If you break it, you own it." That means we have to see it to the end. Or it's ours for a very, very long time. Like forever! We own it!
Hi Marie,
That is good news, I am glad to see that the Government Iraq and it's forces working together with our military to get rid of those terrorists.
In answer to Mrs. Green, you mean how we owned Somalia after Bill Clinton messed up that one big time. LOL Never forget Black Hawk Down.
Mrs Green,
Marie, I understand you are a big supporter of this administration and all it has brought to the world and the American people. Could you please explain that?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Explain what? My support for our President, the Troops, and putting an end to this terrorist crap? Or all of the above?
Or some other point you were trying to make that I missed?
"If we break it, "Screw It?" In some interpretations, that would imply you'd walk away from any responsibility for breaking it. I don't think you mean that, but that's what it sounds like. "Screw it!" Usually means "The heck with it!" Am I right?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let me give you a couple of examples,
When we were engaged in "Operation Desert Storm", we bombed the hell out of Baghdad, and evicted Saddam's Military from Kuwait right?
I didnt see us march into Baghdad and "Own It" then! Oh we tried other means to get rid of the pain in the ass of the middle east but to no avail. But we didnt go to Baghdad until we absolutely HAD to "Operation Iraqi Freedom". Which in the first instance I would have supported going all the way to Baghdad at the time to get rid of Saddam and "Fix It", and put an end to that madman then.
So what I am saying is, if we go take out Iran's launchpads, or bunkerbust his Nuclear facility's, we dont have to go march into Iran and "Fix It".
You following me so far?
In other words if we have to take out some obstacles that are a direct threat to the United States, we dont have to send Troops ALL the time. Yes I mean "Screw It"! Let the Ayatollah's and President Nutjob in Iran "Fix It"! It's not like we are going to bomb the hell out of Tehran. Just take out his weapons so the idiot cant wipe the US or Israel off the map!
Like what we are doing in Somalia, the Eithopian Military is handling the hard work, and we just gave them "Air Support" and we ran in, checked the dead to make sure we got who were were going after and left. And we continue to assist with Air Support.
I guess if I didnt make myself clear, that's what I meant. It isnt necessary to send Troops in ALL the time.
Colin Powell says Re: Iraq: "If you break it, you own it." That means we have to see it to the end. Or it's ours for a very, very long time. Like forever! We own it!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
I can see if we have another Iraq situation, how we would have to "Own It", but I dont see that one happening again!
There are alot of people in these Countries that would welcome Air Support without having to send Troops all the time.
I guess sometimes I dont make myself clear enough.
Night,
That is good news, I am glad to see that the Government Iraq and it's forces working together with our military to get rid of those terrorists.
In answer to Mrs. Green, you mean how we owned Somalia after Bill Clinton messed up that one big time. LOL Never forget Black Hawk Down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You know what get's me Night? Some smaller operations just like this have been going on in Iraq for quite some time and the MSM isnt reporting it. But I get DOD email so I know what's going on.
I guess they dont have much of a choice when it's something as huge as this. They cant hide it.
It's been taking a long time, but that was alway's to be expected when forming and training a Military straight from scratch.
People need to remember we have been having neighboring countries to Iraq help this process along, like Jordan for instance. They have been training Iraqi Troops for the last few years!
The Arab countries around Iraq have just as much of an interest in seeing Iraq succeed even though you dont hear alot about them.
They are truly begining to take the lead and NOT running away, I do believe it's working :-)
Nothing to see here,..move along,..it isn't news,...Hillary! Hillary! Hillary!
P**ses me off that the only thing the MSM had to say was that the US/British airstrikes did all the killing.
This is REAL NEWS. For once, the Iraqi Army engaged the enemy, didn't s**t their pants and run away, and dealt a MAJOR blow to the insurgents!
But, of course,..nothing to see here,..move along,...
Trek,
Well at least Fox News got it.
We didnt expect the MSM to report on this did we?
I really need to keep up more with For The Troops
I will get back in the swing with that blog again this week.
I am already sick of Hillary and it's almost 2 year's before the election. Yet we have been hearing about her for the last 6 years!
That's all the MSM want's to report about, Hillary, Obama, and Edwards!! Sickning isnt it?
I guess it's up to us to report the progress in Iraq, no one else is going to do it.
WAY TO GO IRAQI ARMY!!!
BAGHDAD, Jan. 29 —Iraqi forces were surprised and nearly overwhelmed by the ferocity of an obscure renegade militia in a weekend battle near the holy city of Najaf and needed far more help from American forces than previously disclosed, American and Iraqi officials said Monday.
They said American ground troops — and not just air support as reported Sunday — were mobilized to help the Iraqi soldiers, who appeared to have dangerously underestimated the strength of the militia, which calls itself the Soldiers of Heaven and had amassed hundreds of heavily armed fighters.
Iraqi government officials said the group apparently was preparing to storm Najaf, a holy city dear to Shiite Islam, occupy the sacred Imam Ali mosque and assassinate the religious hierarchy there, including the revered leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, during a Shiite holiday when many pilgrims visit.
“This group had more capabilities than the government,” said Abdul Hussein Abtan, the deputy governor of Najaf Province, at a news conference.
Only a month ago, in an elaborate handover ceremony, the American command transferred security authority over Najaf to the Iraqis. The Americans said at the time that they would remain available to assist the Iraqis in the event of a crisis.
The Iraqis and Americans eventually prevailed in the battle. But the Iraqi security forces’ miscalculations about the group’s strength and intentions raised troubling questions about their ability to recognize and deal with a threat.
The battle also brought into focus the reality that some of the power struggles in Iraq are among Shiites, not just between Shiites and Sunnis. The Soldiers of Heaven is considered to be at least partly or wholly run by Shiites.
And your point, Mrs. Green?
Which MSM-distorted news source did you obtain that from?
We know the Iraqis underestimated the size of the force. The fact is: THEY DIDN'T RUN! They engaged an enemy of superior size and kept fighting!
I know it galls leftist losers such as yourself, but to us right-minded individuals, that's called a POSITIVE sign!
I know it galls leftist losers such as yourself, but to us right-minded individuals, that's called a POSITIVE sign!--trekmedic251
Losers? Yeah. Right. That's why the Democrats are now in charge of Congress, why Senator Macaca is out and Webb is in? And why Nancy Pelosi is now Madame Speaker, and why over 70% of the American people disapprove of the job Bush is doing.
You, sir or madame, are officially the minority.
But you talk like some rooster who thinks the sun rises every morning to hear you crow.
But you talk like some rooster who thinks the sun rises every morning to hear you crow.
It does,..don't you know that already?
Oh, yeah, your head is too far up Pelosi's ass to ever SEE the sun anymore.
Post a Comment
<< Home