Heavy Fighting Erupts in Western Iraq

[maddezmom]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Heavy fighting broke out in western Iraq between pro and anti-government tribes Tuesday, leaving at least 35 people dead from both sides, hospital officials said.

The outcome could affect the ease with which foreign extremists move in and out of the border area.

The clashes between the pro-government Bumahl tribe and the pro-insurgent Karabila tribe began after 2 a.m. in the western city of Qaim near the Syrian border, said the officials at the Qaim General Hospital. They spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation from insurgents.

The officials said 20 members of the Bumahl tribe and 15 from Karabila were killed in the clashes. He said dozens were also wounded.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050830/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_fighting

[acmavm]

1. Let freedom reign and thank whatever powers you hold to be in control

of the universe that the insurgency is in it's 'last throes'.

The bush** administration: no crime too small, no lie too stupid.

[rodeodance]

3. in-fighting. umm... part of the civil war that Rummy says is not happen-

ing. At least that is what he said last week--he saw no signs of a civil war about to start. Wrong AGAIN Rummo!!

[Taxloss]

2. This is an exceptionally worrying development.

Internecine fighting of this sort is a clear precursor of civil war; if tribal organisations are identifying as contra-government rather than contra-occupation and taking that out on their neighbours (or vice versa) then we see a distressing willingness to resort to violence for political ends. And anyone can see what that means. The present (proposed) constitution is a non-starter to begin with, a political dead duck.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. but but but

the president said it was the great, positive development?

You are not suggesting that our president LIED to us, are you?

Sure that isn't illegal under Patriot II?

[NeoConsSuck]

4. As opposed to LIGHT fighting..

in the rest of the country..

[izzie]

6. Once more we have got Number 3 or number 2 man?

So we are winning? Right? Drag out ben Larden the polls are down.

[maddezmom]

7. U.S. Launches Airstrikes Near Syria Border

BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. warplanes launched airstrikes Tuesday near the Syrian border, destroying what the military described as three terrorist safe houses. Iraqi officials said fighting was underway there between tribes that support and oppose foreign fighters.

A U.S. statement did not mention tribal fighting but said four bombs were used to destroy a house occupied by "terrorists" outside Husaybah. Two more bombs destroyed a second house in Husaybah, occupied by Abu Islam, described as "a known terrorist," the statement added.

"Islam and several other suspected terrorists were killed in that attack," the statement said, adding that the strikes began about 6:20 a.m. The statement said intelligence reports indicated several of Islam's associates fled his house in Husaybah for the nearby town of Karabilah.

"Around 8:30 a.m., a strike was conducted on the house in Karabilah using two precision-guided bombs," the statement said. "Several terrorists were killed in the strike but exact numbers are not known."

more;http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050830/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_airstrikes

[maddezmom]

8. 47 dead in U.S. air strike in Iraq-hospital source

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 47 people died in two U.S.-led air strikes in the western Iraqi town of Qaim near the Syrian border on Tuesday, a Qaim hospital official told Reuters.

Mohammed al-Aani said 35 people died in one house and another 12 in a strike on a second house.

Earlier, the U.S. military said it had killed an al Qaeda militant named Abu Islam and a number of other fighters in air strikes on Karabila close to Qaim. The U.S. military gave no details of the total number of casualties.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050830/wl_nm/iraq_airstrike_dc

[iconoclastic cat]

9. So, hell is, in fact, breaking loose all over.

[WCGreen]

10. But that much violence is the same as in any big city

in america...

I remember Rumsfield saying something like that a while back....

What a putz