U.S., Iraqi Troops Seal Off Fallujah

[farmgirl]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=540&e=1&u=/ap/20040405/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_fallujah


By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press Writer

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops in tanks, trucks and other vehicles surrounded the turbulent city of Fallujah on Monday ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the grisly slayings of four American security contractors last week.

Explosions and gunfire could be heard coming from the center of the city. Streets on the outskirts were largely deserted.

One U.S. Marine was killed in fighting in the area Monday, said Lt. Col. Gregg Olson, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment.

U.S. commanders have been vowing a massive response to pacify Fallujah, one of the most violent cities in the Sunni Triangle, the heartland of the anti-U.S. insurgency north and west of Baghdad.

After the slayings of the Americans on Wednesday, residents dragged the four bodies through the streets, hanging two of their charred corpses from a bridge, in horrifying scenes that showed the depth of anti-U.S. sentiment in the city.

U.S. troops closed off entrances to Fallujah with earth barricades ahead of the planned operation, code named "Vigilant Resolve." Military patrols entered the outer suburbs on reconnaissance missions and to broadcast warnings on loud speakers to residents to stay indoors until Tuesday.

Iraqi police in the city visited mosques, dropping off Arabic leaflets from the U.S. military, telling residents that there was a daily 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. It ordered them not to congregate in groups or carry weapons, even if licensed. It instructed people that if U.S. forces enter their homes, they should gather in one room and if they want to talk to the troops to have their hands up.

Some 1,200 U.S. Marines and two battalions of Iraqi security forces were poised to enter the city to arrest suspected insurgents, said Lt. James Vanzant, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. He would not say when the troops would enter the city.

"The city is surrounded," Vanzant said. "It's an extended operation. We want to make a very precise approach to this. ... We are looking for the bad guys in town."

Marine 1st Lt. Eric Knapp said the troops will target the killers of the four Americans as well as rebels who have attacked U.S. forces and Iraqi police in the past month. "Those people are specially targeted to be captured or killed," he said.

A Marine officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. forces had a list of targets for raids. He would not give details.

A witness reported that a U.S. helicopter struck a residential area in the city early Monday, killing five people. The bombing damaged five houses, said the witness, Mohammed Shawkat. There was no immediate U.S. comment on the report.

Another witness, resident Ali Jasim, said there was shooting near one of the U.S. barricades on a road out of Fallujah and some Iraqis who were trying to leave the city were hit. It was unclear whether they were killed or wounded. Roads to a hospital in Fallujah were blocked to all traffic except ambulances.

The California-based 1st Marine Expeditionary Force assumed responsibility for Fallujah, 30 miles west of Baghdad, from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division on March 24. The Marines said they intended to take a softer approach with Fallujah residents, hoping to win popular support.

But the Marines have quickly found themselves mired in violence. On March 26, Marines and insurgents fought a lengthy street battle in the city that killed one Marine and five Iraqis.

The same day as the killing of the four U.S. civilians, five Marines were killed when a bomb exploded under their vehicle in a village near Fallujah.

[obd]

Good, very good. The time of revenge is near. I have only one thing to say about the coming operation: May it be swift, may it be deadly, and may all the American soldiers and Iraqi soldiers fighting for a better Iraq succeed in destroying the brutal and barbaric terrorists of Fallujah.

Good luck men, and may you all come home safe, sound, and knowing you did your job and the people of your nation know it and love you for it. Thank you for risking your life in the service of your nation.

Good hunting Marines,

obd

[George W. Bush]

Payback is a dish best served cold.

[Soulhunter]

what a juvenile rhetoric in here!

[HELEX]

Ok, what happens if you cut off one of the heads of a Hydra? :cantbeli:

[Soulhunter]

do you think GWB knows who the Hydra was?

[HELEX]

I you ask me about my opinion about Bush and if he knows anything, the answer is always: NO :roll:

[MEGR]

I have faith in my military and what they are going to do. I hope that God protects them when the shooting starts.

[Soulhunter]

so did God not protect those 614 who have already died?

[George W. Bush]

so did God not protect those 614 who have already died?

Why doesn't PHPBB have an ignore feature like vBulletin?

[Soulhunter]

is that your best answer to that question, GWB???

[Russian Texan]

Why doesn't PHPBB have an ignore feature like vBulletin?

Yep, I keep thinking the same...

[Soulhunter]

lol, russiantexan ;)

[Russian Texan]

lol, russiantexan ;)

I don't think he'll get it though... :)

[MEGR]

Soulhunter... Are you and American? I don't know if you are or not, but i am.. I'm proud of the job they did, and I pray for their safety every night.. I don't see what's wrong with that.

[HELEX]

Soulhunter... Are you and American? I don't know if you are or not, but i am.. I'm proud of the job they did, and I pray for their safety every night.. I don't see what's wrong with that.

So you are proud of invading a country with a not longer existing Military justified by nothing but lies and motivated by greed? :cantbeli:

[MEGR]

Like i said to Mustamato.. The Iraq war has been discussed to death here.. I respect your rejection to the war, and there is no point at all arguing about it.. I'm not going to change my opinion and you won't change yours.. But a war for greed? For oil? I would have to disagree because gas has gone up in price here at a 1.80 average (one of the highest price ever).

GOD FORBID THAT BEING FOR OR AGAINST THE WAR THAT I WANT MY TROOPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND COME HOME SAFELY. I guess that's just overrated to you.

[Haiw]

Soulhunter... Are you and American? I don't know if you are or not, but i am.. I'm proud of the job they did, and I pray for their safety every night.. I don't see what's wrong with that.

So you are proud of invading a country with a not longer existing Military justified by nothing but lies and motivated by greed? :cantbeli:
The troops aren't responsible for the war. They just had to fight it. So you can't blame the troops for the rather dubious reasons of starting the war.

[George W. Bush]

Soulhunter... Are you and American? I don't know if you are or not, but i am.. I'm proud of the job they did, and I pray for their safety every night.. I don't see what's wrong with that.

So you are proud of invading a country with a not longer existing Military justified by nothing but lies and motivated by greed? :cantbeli:
The troops aren't responsible for the war. They just had to fight it. So you can't blame the troops for the rather dubious reasons of starting the war.

The case for Operation Iraqi Freedom still stands. WMD will be found.

[Carlos]

Yea - GWB at least got the delivery notes from his daddy so he does know... :roll: woot

[HELEX]

The case for Operation Iraqi Freedom still stands. WMD will be found.

Is that really no joke???? :roll: :cantbeli:

[George W. Bush]

Yea - GWB at least got the delivery notes from his daddy so he does know... :roll: woot

Huh what? Is this the old anti-war liberal disproven chestnut that the U.S. sold WMD to Iraq? While the U.S. may have sold arms to Iraq before they used WMD on Kurds and way before U.N. sanctions, it was only a small amount in comparison to Russia, France, and China (less than 1% of total arms sold to Iraq.)

The three countries that continued selling arms to Iraq AFTER U.N. sanctions took effect were the ones who staunchly opposed Operation Iraqi Freedom. Can you guess why?

[MEGR]

The case for Operation Iraqi Freedom still stands. WMD will be found.

Is that really no joke???? :roll: :cantbeli:

I think it's his opinion. I like he, hopes that there will be WMDs... Iraq is rather big, they could have been buried or sent them somewhere.. To think that they where never there is not completely correct i think. I know this has been discussed to death also, but there were countries other than the US that said they still had them... I hope they do find them before one is detonated in Europe or US or whereever.

[HELEX]

@George W. Bush


The three countries that continued selling arms to Iraq AFTER U.N. sanctions took effect were the ones who staunchly opposed Operation Iraqi Freedom. Can you guess why?

So show me one picture of this modern equipment in Iraqi arsenals to proof that, Im very interested. rofl

There also never was a Image of these "new" Roland missiles from France. :cantbeli:

It was only Propaganda BS!

[Haiw]

The point is that the even Bush himself has moved the reason for the war away from the WMD.

[MEGR]

Other than blame Bush, don't you think that they could've recieved flawed intellegence?

As much as you think Bush is the Anti Christ and all that bad stuff, i don't think he would go as far as to make up a war to not get oil (look at the gas prices rising here), kill alot of voters (alot of military were GWB supporters i suppose), and risk his reelection.. Any politician will tell you that sometin like that is political suicide.. I mean after Enduring Freedom, Bush's numbers were plain superb.. So as dumb as most of you people think GWB is, he wouldn't be dumb enough to do that.. Rummy or Powell would have convinced him otherwise right?

I know you all have your opinions and conspiracies and such, but GWB took a HUGE risk in doing this operation which was somewhat noble (to liberate alot of people), but was supported by faulty intellegence. Powell the other day said that he had multiply sources saying the same things about mobile weapons labs. The labs were found, but they weren't weapons labs, but labs for hot air balloons or something. CIA has taking a beating in funds and such over the past decade regarding HUMINT which is vital. I mean isn't it true that Britain still sticks by its claim that Nigeria (or some African Country) was selling uranium to Iraq?

My two cents however, is that the US certainly did find and eliminate three WMDs.. Saddam, Uday, and Qusay. These three individuals have killed or ordered the killings of more people than the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan.. The mass graves were found with alot of dead folks inside like expected.

I'm getting all my info from the news if you wanted to know where i got these facts from.

[cut]

GOD FORBID THAT BEING FOR OR AGAINST THE WAR THAT I WANT MY TROOPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND COME HOME SAFELY.

hmm that reminds me, I know someone who believes in god.. I was talking to him last night, we rent rooms in the same house, he had his calling from god, to become a priest, he then went on to explain how he ended the fighting in Iraq... by beating up an iraqi during a trip to egypt. He also claims he has no lower ribs, just like adam and eve (???), he said he has seen god's face in the sky, god then proceeded to talk to him at length, which allowed him to predict that the last winter in the US would be a harsh one.

He always talks to himself (or is it god?) and chuckles incencently to himself. Now is it just me or is this man a complete psycho?

[HELEX]

Rummy or Powell would have convinced him otherwise right?

No, Wrong. Cheney is the man who whispers in Ws ears.

[MEGR]

But Helex.. Can you see where i'm coming from.. Doesn't that make some sense?

[Damian]

Payback time!

[HELEX]

But Helex.. Can you see where i'm coming from.. Doesn't that make some sense?

No, because Iraq was and is in no way related to 9/11. That is what Im talking about all the time.

[MEGR]

GOD FORBID THAT BEING FOR OR AGAINST THE WAR THAT I WANT MY TROOPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND COME HOME SAFELY.

hmm that reminds me, I know someone who believes in god.. I was talking to him last night, we rent rooms in the same house, he had his calling from god, to become a priest, he then went on to explain how he ended the fighting in Iraq... by beating up an iraqi during a trip to egypt. He also claims he has no lower ribs, just like adam and eve (???), he said he has seen god's face in the sky, god then proceeded to talk to him at length, which allowed him to predict that the last winter in the US would be a harsh one.

He always talks to himself (or is it god?) and chuckles incencently to himself. Now is it just me or is this man a complete psycho?

Cut.. I am a Christian, but I am not like him.. He well.. Has some problems, I'm a Baptist as they would call it, that follows mostly the New Testament...I actually do pray everyday for the safety of our troops... Prayer can be a powerful thing if you have faith man.. However.. Lets try to stay on topic for once ;)

[obd]

Helex, all you do around here is bash Amerca and Americans. You are nothing but am immature and poorly educated reject and you blame all the worlds problems, and most likely your won failures in life, on America because your too stupid to see reality.

[cut]

GOD FORBID THAT BEING FOR OR AGAINST THE WAR THAT I WANT MY TROOPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND COME HOME SAFELY.

hmm that reminds me, I know someone who believes in god.. I was talking to him last night, we rent rooms in the same house, he had his calling from god, to become a priest, he then went on to explain how he ended the fighting in Iraq... by beating up an iraqi during a trip to egypt. He also claims he has no lower ribs, just like adam and eve (???), he said he has seen god's face in the sky, god then proceeded to talk to him at length, which allowed him to predict that the last winter in the US would be a harsh one.

He always talks to himself (or is it god?) and chuckles incencently to himself. Now is it just me or is this man a complete psycho?

Cut.. I am a Christian, but I am not like him.. He well.. Has some problems, I'm a Baptist as they would call it, that follows mostly the New Testament...I actually do pray everyday for the safety of our troops... Prayer can be a powerful thing if you have faith man.. However.. Lets try to stay on topic for once ;)

don't worry I know the difference I was in christian schools all the way through my eductation. That anecdote wasn't a reflection on you. And it wasn't totally off-topic afterall he did stop violence in Iraq last time round. :P :lol:

[Haiw]

Helex, all you do around here is bash Amerca and Americans. You are nothing but am immature and poorly educated reject and you blame all the worlds problems, and most likely your won failures in life, on America because your too stupid to see reality.
Apart from the anti-Americanism I would you you're not exactely unfitting to the description either. :roll:

[MEGR]

But Helex.. Can you see where i'm coming from.. Doesn't that make some sense?

No, because Iraq was and is in no way related to 9/11. That is what Im talking about all the time.

That is sort of different than what you've been saying about the war being concocted and such..

9/11 was a wake up call to deal with terrorism.. The US certainly wants to rid of Al Queda, but has stated that this is a war on Terror.. From reports in Iraq, there seems to be plenty of terrorist (Abu Abbas for example) who are involved in groups such as Ansar Al Islam i believe the name is in N. Iraq. If you had watched the news in the past few months, terrorists have even targeted there own people in assassinations and bombings killing alot of civilians...As far as I know, Bush didn't say he wanted to just go after Al Queda, but other groups, and countries that harbour them (Afganistan for example). Iraq is just another stop in the War on Terror.

I sure hope that we can even go after the Saudis for there support on terrorism, but it seems that no matter who is in the White House, the Saudis will always be free from any sort of action. That, I think is a disgrace...

[HELEX]

Helex, all you do around here is bash Amerca and Americans. You are nothing but am immature and poorly educated reject and you blame all the worlds problems, and most likely your won failures in life, on America because your too stupid to see reality.

So when exactely did I bash America or the Americans? Im only critical on the foreign policy of their current goverment.

Show me where I bashed America!

Im waiting. :roll:

[MEGR]

Helex.. Although I don't agree with you and vice versa, you do bring up concerns that are evident in alot people worldwide.. Hopefully, I have shown you why we are doing this [war] whether you agree or not.. I hope there won't be any biased and that we can carry an intellegent conversation about issues and such..

[HELEX]

@Devgru77

Al Queda is in Pakistan now, and Saddam always killed radical Islamists in his country.


MEDIA ADVISORY:
Media Silent on Clark's 9/11 Comments:
Gen. says White House pushed Saddam link without evidence

June 20, 2003

Sunday morning talk shows like ABC's This Week or Fox News Sunday often make news for days afterward. Since prominent government officials dominate the guest lists of the programs, it is not unusual for the Monday editions of major newspapers to report on interviews done by the Sunday chat shows.

But the June 15 edition of NBC's Meet the Press was unusual for the buzz that it didn't generate. Former General Wesley Clark told anchor Tim Russert that Bush administration officials had engaged in a campaign to implicate Saddam Hussein in the September 11 attacks-- starting that very day. Clark said that he'd been called on September 11 and urged to link Baghdad to the terror attacks, but declined to do so because of a lack of evidence.

Here is a transcript of the exchange:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLARK: "There was a concerted effort during the fall of 2001, starting immediately after 9/11, to pin 9/11 and the terrorism problem on Saddam Hussein."

RUSSERT: "By who? Who did that?"

CLARK: "Well, it came from the White House, it came from people around the White House. It came from all over. I got a call on 9/11. I was on CNN, and I got a call at my home saying, 'You got to say this is connected. This is state-sponsored terrorism. This has to be connected to Saddam Hussein.' I said, 'But--I'm willing to say it, but what's your evidence?' And I never got any evidence."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clark's assertion corroborates a little-noted CBS Evening News story that aired on September 4, 2002. As correspondent David Martin reported: "Barely five hours after American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon, the secretary of defense was telling his aides to start thinking about striking Iraq, even though there was no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the attacks." According to CBS, a Pentagon aide's notes from that day quote Rumsfeld asking for the "best info fast" to "judge whether good enough to hit SH at the same time, not only UBL." (The initials SH and UBL stand for Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.) The notes then quote Rumsfeld as demanding, ominously, that the administration's response "go massive...sweep it all up, things related and not."

Despite its implications, Martin's report was greeted largely with silence when it aired. Now, nine months later, media are covering damaging revelations about the Bush administration's intelligence on Iraq, yet still seem strangely reluctant to pursue stories suggesting that the flawed intelligence-- and therefore the war-- may have been a result of deliberate deception, rather than incompetence. The public deserves a fuller accounting of this story.

[George W. Bush]

@Devgru77

Al Queda is in Pakistan now, and Saddam always killed radical Islamists in his country.


MEDIA ADVISORY:
Media Silent on Clark's 9/11 Comments:
Gen. says White House pushed Saddam link without evidence

June 20, 2003

Sunday morning talk shows like ABC's This Week or Fox News Sunday often make news for days afterward. Since prominent government officials dominate the guest lists of the programs, it is not unusual for the Monday editions of major newspapers to report on interviews done by the Sunday chat shows.

But the June 15 edition of NBC's Meet the Press was unusual for the buzz that it didn't generate. Former General Wesley Clark told anchor Tim Russert that Bush administration officials had engaged in a campaign to implicate Saddam Hussein in the September 11 attacks-- starting that very day. Clark said that he'd been called on September 11 and urged to link Baghdad to the terror attacks, but declined to do so because of a lack of evidence.

Here is a transcript of the exchange:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLARK: "There was a concerted effort during the fall of 2001, starting immediately after 9/11, to pin 9/11 and the terrorism problem on Saddam Hussein."

RUSSERT: "By who? Who did that?"

CLARK: "Well, it came from the White House, it came from people around the White House. It came from all over. I got a call on 9/11. I was on CNN, and I got a call at my home saying, 'You got to say this is connected. This is state-sponsored terrorism. This has to be connected to Saddam Hussein.' I said, 'But--I'm willing to say it, but what's your evidence?' And I never got any evidence."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clark's assertion corroborates a little-noted CBS Evening News story that aired on September 4, 2002. As correspondent David Martin reported: "Barely five hours after American Airlines Flight 77 plowed into the Pentagon, the secretary of defense was telling his aides to start thinking about striking Iraq, even though there was no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the attacks." According to CBS, a Pentagon aide's notes from that day quote Rumsfeld asking for the "best info fast" to "judge whether good enough to hit SH at the same time, not only UBL." (The initials SH and UBL stand for Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.) The notes then quote Rumsfeld as demanding, ominously, that the administration's response "go massive...sweep it all up, things related and not."

Despite its implications, Martin's report was greeted largely with silence when it aired. Now, nine months later, media are covering damaging revelations about the Bush administration's intelligence on Iraq, yet still seem strangely reluctant to pursue stories suggesting that the flawed intelligence-- and therefore the war-- may have been a result of deliberate deception, rather than incompetence. The public deserves a fuller accounting of this story.



Clarke's just another bitter ex-Clintonite. Most Americans don't believe a word he says.

[MEGR]

I believe GWB is right.. Maybe you've heard this or not, but he totally contradicted his testimony that was made in Aug 2002 (look around the News websites for this, i cant find the exact article).

If Saddam wanted kill off the extremists, than what about he terrorists camps in the North?

As for Pakistan, I mean, isn't that what we are doing? We have relationships with Musareff to specifically find and destroy the Al Queda holdouts in Pakistan.. Pakistan even sent its own military into the remote regions to find them... This has been on the news lately, and has already been documented.

However, I think we are getting way off topic...Let's stick the Fallujah thing then.

[HELEX]

If Saddam wanted kill off the extremists, than what about he terrorists camps in the North?

The North was and is controlled by the Kurds, "allies" to the american troops. It was controlled by the kurds and protected by America all the time after desert storm. rofl

You just shot a hole in your own foot. :roll:

[MEGR]

I was talking about he Ansar Al Islam terrorist camps up north..They did find terrorists camps up there, so apparently it wasn't completely controlled by the Kurds.

[HELEX]

I was talking about he Ansar Al Islam terrorist camps up north..

So what do you think I was talking about?

[cut]

Clarke's just another bitter ex-Clintonite. Most Americans don't believe a word he says.

if that's the only dirt YOU of all people can dig on him I'm inclined to believe him, and there's no denying he's a leading terrorism expert.

[MEGR]

Here's an Article I dug up ===>http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0402/p01s03-wome.html

[Soulhunter]

Regarding Ansar-al-Islam: the Kurds (and by that the US) didn't care to take them out before the war because precisely they wanted to be able to say afterwards that Iraq was harboring terrorists and had ties to Al-Qaeda ... there was an article on this somewhere on the net, I would have to look it up. And it was NOT on Aljazeera ;)

But fact is, Ansar-al-Islam WAS in the kurdish-controlled area. Saddan didn't have access to them.

[Soulhunter]

DevGru77: no, I'm not american but that's not important, is it? Since I'm not anti-american, only anti-Bush.

You didn't answer my question as to why God failed to protect the 613 KIA?

[AVZ]

My comment on todays events:

The action going on in Iraq today looks even more helpless than the israeli action against palestinians when it comes to the destinations of peace/reconstruction phase/democratic nationbuilding etc............ :petting:

[NcDeuce]

Do you think the escalation in violence in Fallujah is due to units being switched or just a coincidence? It is a key location; very close to Baghdad and close to the river that leads to Tharthar Lake.

I believe Fallujah was in the 82nd Airborne's sector...now under USMC control...if my memory is correct.

Obviously the military believes the situation needs 'other help'...

In August 1992, a full four months prior to the deployment of major U.S. Forces, the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) were conducting operations in the country of Somalia, again, providing "ground truth."
...if you catch my drift

[Argyll]

It's not just their help they need Nick,that place is a ****hole that even Saddam left to rot

[One?]

Apprently most iraqi cities are currently attacking US soldeirs. wtf is going on?

[Pistol762]

There appear to be a good number of representatives from countries who are impo :fork: tent and unable to gather the guts to do what needs to be done in the middle east. Some continue to operate on the theory that many Americans really give a good ahw-shucks what anyone in Canada, France or anyplace else thinks....just look out for the Marines landing in your neighborhood and the rumble you hear is the 1st Armoured passing by with a few good Brits on our flank!

What was going on before was not working how is that confusing? Every time we turned around someother Ragheaded Islamo-fascist was killing soldiers / civilians / diplomats or trying to sink ships, blow-up barracks, etc. At what point do we (as a free people) say enough?

We tried talking to the like of Arafat, and others to what end? We tried the ignore them and send them TV's and they still hate us and have sworn to kill us....do we just wait till one of these idiots shows up at our door. How foolish can you be to even think that way.

Should we wait till the fascists light off a Nuke say in Baltimore?

I'll take the old refrain from the Cold War of a "Good communist is a dead one."..and adapt it to current circumstances....of "Futawa You Arse " and "A good Islamo-Fascist is a dead-one"

[NcDeuce]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11572

[NcDeuce]

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11572

:bash: