U.S. Closes in on Iraqi Insurgency Leaders (light, tunnel, etc)

[Barrett808]

U.S. Closes in on Iraqi Insurgency Leaders
By JASON KEYSER, Associated Press Writer

TIKRIT, Iraq - U.S. forces hunting top and midlevel leaders of the Iraqi insurgency are close to unraveling a network of five powerful clans that have funneled money, weapons and instructions to street gunmen and bombmakers, according to a U.S. Army commander.

A decline in attacks on U.S. forces in recent weeks has allowed troops time to track the top level of the insurgency and the former regime — an effort capped by the arrest of Saddam Hussein earlier in December.

...

Commanders tracking the insurgents' top support and guidance networks began to peel back the layers in June with the arrest of Saddam's personal secretary and de facto chief of staff, Abid Hamid Mahmoud, No. 4 on the list of 55 top fugitives among the former regime and its supporters. His functions were subsequently divided between about half a dozen brothers among the five extended families. One of those men was captured, too, and eventually led U.S. forces to Saddam's underground shaft dug out in a muddy farmhouse yard. His identity has been kept secret.

"We have decimated several of these families. A great many have been captured from these families. In some cases they are dead," said Russell, who declined to name the clans. The capture of Saddam was the net result of the trove of uncovered information on these tribes, and it seems to have deprived insurgents of an important symbol to rally around, he added.

(more)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031228/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_unraveling_the_insurgency&cid=540&ncid=1480

[Mikimouse]

1. A decline in attacks?

News to me.

[NickB79]

6. News to me too

And to the writers of the article discussed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=288770

"WASHINGTON - The number of U.S. service members killed and wounded in Iraq has more than doubled in the past four months compared with the four months preceding them, according to Pentagon statistics."

Doesn't sound like a decline to me! Or to the 200+ people (both soldiers and Iraqi civilians) killed or wounded in just the past week!

[Cooley Hurd]

2. "A decline in attacks on U.S. forces in recent weeks..."

Fuck you, you goddamn liars!!! Tell THAT to the families of the EIGHT soldiers who were killed since Christmas Eve! Go ahead!! I double-dog DARE YOU, Shrub, to meet with those families and make that statement to their faces, that there's been a DECLINE in attacks! C'mon, you coward! Leave the pig farm for a few days and TELL THAT TO THE FAMILIES IN PERSON!!!!

AARRGH! :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr: :grr:

[TruthIsAll]

3. You still believe the Bushit propaganda?

Jeez, when will you ever learn a basic, simple, proven fact: Anything Bush claims is a lie, or wishful thinking.

[Sagan]

4. yadda yadda yadda

If we get THIS guy, attacks will go down.. No? How about THIS guy? No?

etc...etc.. ad nauseam..

[Cocoa]

5. mabye they'll even get Saddam!

the ACE OF SPADES!

Can't wait for that, everything's gonna be all better, if they just do this one more thing...

[yellowcanine]

7. I am confused - I thought they caught the leaders

Didn't they catch Saddam, "Chemical Ali" and Terik Aziz?
Are new leaders being created? That could be a problem, no?

[jayfish]

11. Not Only Did They Catch...

Chem Ali and Saddam, they killed each of them one or two times as well. For an update on the lessening attacks check out this story.

AP Story

-SNIP-
Rebels lobbed a grenade and fired on U.S. soldiers searching homes for insurgents in the northern city of Mosul on Monday, triggering a firefight that left three Iraqis dead and two U.S. soldiers wounded.
-SNIP

-SNIP-
The gunbattle came a day after roadside bombs killed two U.S. soldiers and two Iraqi children in central Iraq. Also Sunday, the death toll from a massive, coordinated insurgency attack on the southern city of Karbala rose to 19.
-SNIP-

-SNIP-
In Baghdad, a large explosion was heard Monday afternoon, rattling windows. A coalition spokesman said that the cause of the blast was being investigation and that it took place outside the Green Zone, a barricaded area on the west bank that houses the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition governing Iraq.
-SNIP-

-SNIP-
Also Monday in Mosul, U.S. troops defused a roadside bomb at a major traffic intersection, and insurgents fired rocket-propelled grenades and small arms at a U.S. military convoy. There were no injuries or damages.
-SNIP-


Wheeew, I'm glad things are finally staring to calm down over there.

Jay

[Cocoa]

12. don't forget Uday and Qusay

boy that was exciting wasn't it, and it really made things much better.

Hey, maybe the Dow will hit 10,000 too! A big psychological milestone that will really get things running for real.

[otohara]

8. Saddam Killed Iraqi's, Now We

kill Iraqi's - and this makes us....better how?

[Ernesto]

9. Once again we hear from "Major Frank Burns"

AKA Col. Russell. What is this guy doing, trying to be Ari Fliescher in uniform? What a SUCK-ASS!

[htuttle]

10. "deprived insurgents of an important symbol to rally around"

They are really DANGEROUSLY clueless, aren't they?

I'm sure there is already 'Free Saddam' graffitti being put up in areas where they didn't even used to support him...