U.S. Military Pounds Insurgents in Iraq

[not systems]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/08/05/international/i125927D77.DTL

By BASSEM MROUE, Associated Press Writer

Friday, August 5, 2005

(08-05) 13:37 PDT BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) --


U.S. Marines and Iraqi troops pounded insurgents with bombs and tank cannons Friday during a major offensive along a stretch of the Euphrates River valley where 22 Marines were killed this week.

About 800 U.S. Marines and 180 Iraqi soldiers moved into Haqlaniyah, one of a cluster of western towns in Anbar province around the Haditha Dam that is believed to be a stronghold of Iraqi insurgents and foreign fighters.

Heavy Abrams tanks battled insurgents armed with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, while U.S. jets destroyed at least four buildings — two of which were found booby-trapped with explosives, a U.S. military statement said.

...

The prime minister also met with radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose supporters lost a fight with U.S. forces last year.

Al-Sadr encouraged Iraqis to vote in the referendum on the constitution and in the parliamentary elections to follow, but said he would not vote in the legislative balloting.

"I will not take part in the presence of occupiers, but I will give the freedom to whoever wants to join," he said.

[marylanddem]

1. This doesn't make sense to me

How the hell do they know who they're killing? This whole war just sickens me.

[pocket]

2. they dont know

they figure if you get in the way of a bullet, then you must be an insurgent.

[NeoConsSuck]

18. Exactly.

Build up the body count. We'll stick the labels on later.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. Same as it ever was.

If it is dead it is an insurgent. We've got 22 dead to avenge so we need at least 220 dead Iraqis.

We will win every battle and lose the war. Same as it ever was.

[leftchick]

4. more like 2200

:(

[Warren Stupidity]

6. indeed. eom.

[TahitiNut]

14. Hey! They paid somebody $100 for the information. Gotta be good, right?

It couldn't be that someone has a hard-on for somebody else. Nawww....

[tabasco]

19. They don't. They are pounding neighborhoods, not insurgents.

The insurgents were long gone after the attack on the Marines.

The civilian casualties will be on the Arab tv networks for sure.

[cliss]

24. That's right. Didn't we do this before?

(recall Falloujah). There was an incident.

The insurgents humiliate the U.S. Insurgents quickly leave the town. The US retaliates, blows the town into the Stone Age.

We've done this many times in Iraq. I've read several articles which explain that the insurgents get out of Dodge real quick. Then, they leave the town vulnerable to the wrath of the U.S. which moves in and destroys everything in its path.

Result: the survivors are more enraged, more bent on getting even than before.

The problem is, there's always another village nearby.

[VegasWolf]

22. If they are not wearing an occupier's uniform, then they are a terrorist.

[movonne]

5. Is this just to make bush look good....after all our boys being killed

yesterday and the day before...

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

7. and what about this?

while U.S. jets destroyed at least four buildings — two of which were found booby-trapped with explosives,


How can they know the buildings were booby-trapped, if they were destroyed? Did the building blow up in a spectacular fashion or something?

[Zorra]

8. They're pounding civilians. The Iraqi Resistance is already gone.

The Resistance booby trapped the area and hit the road, Jack, just like any smart guerrilla resistance would.

[lyonn]

17. Ah Hell Zorra,

wish I had thought of that.

Sincerely,

George W.

[xchrom]

9. i doubt if many of the insurgents have stuck around

to get pounded.
those that die -- well their families will send more to replace them.

[daleo]

10. It sounds like lashing out

They have to try to show themselves that they aren't helpless. Plenty of civilians will die, solidifying support for the "insurgents".

[thebigidea]

11. U.S. Military Releases Pounds of Bullshit to Change Subject From Deaths

[BillZBubb]

12. Punitive reprisal to get back ahead on the body count curve.

If it's dead, it's an insurgent. Nothing new here.

[Disturbed]

13. Wiining the hearts and minds while..

killing and maiming civilians and destroying their cities, towns and villages. The goal: kill and maim civilians and destroy their cities, towns and villages and the remaining will be subdued and bow to the Coloninzation.

[gratuitous]

16. Yep, and collective or punitive reprisals are against U.S. law

Of course, that may just be one of those "quaint" provisions of the Geneva Conventions that Alberto Gonzales doesn't think the U.S. has to honor anymore. But give him time; sooner or later he'll get to the part of the constitution that says that all power does NOT vest in the Executive branch.

[Frederik]

15. Yee-ha!

"while U.S. jets destroyed at least four buildings"

That'll teach'em not to root for the terrists!

[teryang]

20. These military responses are strictly news cycle oriented

A tit for tat response to attention getting casualties. Is that two by four hitting America in the head big enough yet?

[Darranar]

21. More people slaughtered for no good reason. n/t

[Dr Fate]

23. Did anyone throw flowers, topple statues or find WMDs???

Just asking.

[pinniped]

25. I was going to predict a followup story to the Marines' death the other...

day. This story is it, only where are the alleged body counts?

I'm sure they will tally it up for tomorrow's paper.

[maddezmom]

26. 500 lb bombs?

more innocents will die.

[niallmac]

27. What's the score? Saddam vs the U.S. Democracy machine?

Who has tortured and killed more Iraqis now? The US or Saddam?
You can include insurgents or not. I consider the "insurgents" to be people who would
be vying for my tourist dollar in any other non holocaust scenario. I figure they just hate crusaders.