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Marines Encircle Fallouja (Operation Valiant Resolve commencing)
LA Times ^ | 4-4-04 | Tony Perry and Edmund Sanders

Posted on 04/04/2004 10:01:15 PM PDT by BurbankKarl

FALLOUJA, Iraq — Thousands of Marines surrounded this anti-American stronghold early today in preparation for a complex raid to retake control of the city and apprehend those responsible for last week's slayings of four U.S. security contractors.

The highly anticipated action, dubbed Operation Valiant Resolve, was expected to be one of the biggest military offensives since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government a year ago.

All roads leading to this city of 300,000 were cut off and barricaded with tanks and concertina wire. Working through the cold and windy desert night, under a large moon, Marines set up camps for detainees and residents who might flee any fighting. Before dawn, several Marine positions were hit by mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Bursts of automatic gunfire could be heard throughout the city.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: ca; fallouja; falluja; fallujah; iraq; marines; muslims; opvaliantresolve; valiantresolve
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To: LdSentinal
"This should have been done last year."

That's what I was thinking. We have known that Fallujah is a terrorist haven that we have no control over. So why did it take until now before we decided to take control over this city?
461 posted on 04/05/2004 2:10:28 AM PDT by ThermoNuclearWarrior (Mow Fallujah Down!!!)
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To: ThermoNuclearWarrior
That's what I was thinking. We have known that Fallujah is a terrorist haven that we have no control over. So why did it take until now before we decided to take control over this city?

We want to keep the US casualties down. Election year and all that kinda stuff.

462 posted on 04/05/2004 2:14:35 AM PDT by dennisw (“We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way.” - Toby Keith)
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To: HAL9000
AFP via Babelfish translation -

The Navy American announces an operation of scale in Falloujah

ATTENTION - Contains elements of a pool of press///

The Navy American announced Monday the launching of an operation of scale in the rebellious city of Falloujah, to 50 km in the west of Baghdad, after the murder Wednesday of four civil American.

"Our goal is clear, we want to capture the men that we seek. We do not want to go there and to draw in all the directions ", affirmed lieutenant James Vanzant.

The sunnite city was encircled and the soldiers allowed only the cars carrying number plates of Falloujah to reach it.

The officer of the Navy added that the operation would last several days.

(Translation note: "Navy American" = U.S. Marines)

463 posted on 04/05/2004 2:15:20 AM PDT by HAL9000
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To: MEG33
I know that they have captured a lot of al-Douri's family and very close associates, but the last one that I can remember has been a couple of months ago I think.

I'm pretty sure it was about the time we took one of his wives into custody, as well as his physician that the story was out there that he had Leukemia (maybe that was "Barbra Steisand" from his physician). Since then several other relative and associates have been taken, but no Izzat, and I can't remember the last time I've seen anything much about him.

Somehow I have a feeling that he is basically irrelevant by now, what with the likes of Zarqawi, Sadr, and probably others raising trouble.
464 posted on 04/05/2004 2:16:34 AM PDT by Cap Huff
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To: MNJohnnie
Travis - takes a photon torpedo to the midship
465 posted on 04/05/2004 2:21:15 AM PDT by stocksthatgoup
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Comment #466 Removed by Moderator

Comment #467 Removed by Moderator

To: stocksthatgoup
Seems the doom and gloomers are realizing that war results in dead people, unhappy media and broken buildings....

So does peace, amigo. History is pretty clear in that you can't avoid 'dead people, unhappy media and broken buildings' by minding your own business. What you can do is fight small battles now to avoid larger ones in the future. Or, you can go hide and hope that fate forgets about you.

468 posted on 04/05/2004 2:38:48 AM PDT by Steel Wolf (--- CAUTION! -- STUDENT GUNNER ---)
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To: All
I just found out on Saturday that my nephew is one of the Marines camped out on a hillside outside Fallujah. He wrote to his dad (my brother) that they were receiving lessons on how to be nice to the Iraqi people. Okie Dokie!

Take care of business Dan - and come home safe!
469 posted on 04/05/2004 2:44:26 AM PDT by fawn796
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To: sheik yerbouty
"Must be gerbil stuffing day.."

What???

470 posted on 04/05/2004 2:50:38 AM PDT by Screaming_Gerbil (Let's Roll...)
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To: win
I think those 5 were from Ft. Riley KS.
471 posted on 04/05/2004 2:59:05 AM PDT by Amelia
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To: ThermoNuclearWarrior
We have known that Fallujah is a terrorist haven that we have no control over. So why did it take until now before we decided to take control over this city?

The Marines are in charge there now.

472 posted on 04/05/2004 3:03:51 AM PDT by Amelia
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To: kayak; Happy2BMe; 68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub
May God watch over our troops on this important operation!

Amen !!

Now .... go get 'em, men !!



473 posted on 04/05/2004 3:26:02 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Become a monthly donor on FR. No amount is too small and monthly giving is the way to go !)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
BUMP!!!
474 posted on 04/05/2004 3:26:17 AM PDT by F14 Pilot (John Fedayeen Kerry - the Mullahs' regime candidate)
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To: Happy2BMe

475 posted on 04/05/2004 3:36:52 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP (Become a monthly donor on FR. No amount is too small and monthly giving is the way to go !)
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To: Howlin; Southflanknorthpawsis
FYI
476 posted on 04/05/2004 3:38:29 AM PDT by Amelia
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To: StarCMC
Double Amen to that!
477 posted on 04/05/2004 3:41:31 AM PDT by 7.62 x 51mm (© • ™ • ®)
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To: MNJohnnie
Amen.
478 posted on 04/05/2004 3:58:37 AM PDT by texasflower (in the event of the rapture.......the Bush White House will be unmanned)
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To: BurbankKarl
We should extend the operation to all the Sunni Triangle.
479 posted on 04/05/2004 4:01:45 AM PDT by Reader of news
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To: dusty99994
we need more boots on the ground in Iraq..always did...I'm afraid that it will turn into a mess with Iran sending men to fight in the south and Saddams thugs still up north..we only have 107,000 on the ground now..But that will be hard to do in an election year

Two points:

1) There are only 375 000 males in the entire United States Army. We not only need to send more of them to Iraq-we need ten times that many to fight this war.

2) The election year-no policy that does not command electoral support can succeed in this nation-that's the system. That's not a bad thing.

480 posted on 04/05/2004 4:06:45 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Now you go feed those hogs before they worry themselves into anemia!)
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