Posted on 09/28/2004 7:34:16 AM PDT by Nepalis
SAMARRA, Iraq - Gunmen carrying flags of Iraq (news - web sites)'s most feared terror group surfaced in force in the central Iraqi city of Samarra on Tuesday for the first time since U.S. troops briefly entered it in a deal with tribal leaders that the Americans had portrayed as a success story in battling the insurgency.
Dozens of masked gunmen carrying automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades drove through the main streets of Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, in about 20 vehicles. Some carried the black flags of Iraq's most-feared terror organization, Tawhid and Jihad, which is run by Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
The group has claimed responsibility for the brutal slayings of foreign hostages, including two American civil engineers and an American businessman.
Two of the cars carrying the gunmen were police pickup trucks that appear to have been confiscated by the insurgents. The gunmen stopped some cars and asked passengers to hand over music tapes, giving them tapes with recitations from the Muslim holy book, the Quran, in exchange.
After a two-hour drive-through, the convoy dispersed around noon and the gunmen could not be seen in the streets. It was not clear why they left.
Samarra has been under insurgent control and a virtual "no-go" area for U.S. troops since May 30.
The Americans returned briefly on Sept. 9 under a peace deal brokered by tribal leaders by which U.S. forces agreed to provide millions of dollars in reconstruction funds in exchange for an end to attacks on American and Iraqi troops.
U.S. and Iraqi commanders portrayed the deal as a success story in their attempts to put down the 17-month-old insurgency that aims to drive foreign forces from the country.
In recent weeks, however, the city witnessed sporadic clashes between U.S. troops and insurgents.
A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb on Sept. 19, near a U.S.-Iraqi checkpoint in the city, killing three people and wounding seven, including four U.S. soldiers. More deadly clashes broke out there Sept. 22.
American military commanders have indicated that Samarra, along with Fallujah and the Baghdad slum known as Sadr City may have to be subdued prior to a general election in January.
I like your editorial title... *rolling eyes*
Good targets.
We need to hit these demonstrations with Maverick and Hell-fire missiles...or MOABs eveytime they go on for this long.
Here's a solution:
Once the election is over our military can quit playing patty-cake with these bozoes.
I hope there is a large stock of virgins up there in Islamofascist heaven, because they are going to be needed.
Asked?? More like "do it or you die"
I listened to a soldier locally on talk radio yesterday and he said that we are trying to fight a politically correct war.
They can't respond the way they need to.
It is high time we fight this to win!
What's so bad about it. I hope they keep it up. Aim for the black flag.
Don't shoot until you see the "automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades" alert...
We need more bombs to those terrorists . The negotiation must stop .
So they drove through town at a random time, stayed for a while, then got out while the getting was good. Why is this so awful? Now, if they had stayed and set up bunkers and blockades, that would have been bad. But simply making a fairly peaceful drive-by doesn't sound like the approach of Armageddon to me.
Seems like an easy target for our military. Why weren't they destroyed?
A couple of dozen thugs riding around in pickups waving flags is "Bad, Bad, news"?
Let me get this straight. Are you actually telling me there are enemies in this war on terror? And the enemies belong to a TERRORIST group? And the terrorists are going to Iraq?
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!
Run for the hills we are all doomed!!!! Quagmire...Quagmire. Sell stocks; buy gold and diamonds!!!
Sarcasm off/
Two hours and no missiles is a failure.
Exactly my sentiments.
Of course , Iraq war is anti-terror war .
masked gunmen
If they were confident enough to show their faces, i might be concerned.
I heard they are playing Kennedy's speech in Iraq on the radio.
Must be these guys think they have a chance.
Thanks, Ted.
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