Posted on 11/08/2004 8:39:55 AM PST by epluribus_2
NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - More than 4,000 U.S. Marines and Army troops punched their way into northeastern Fallujah on Monday, kicking off a massive assault dubbed Operation Phantom Fury that seeks to put an end to half a year of insurgent control of the Sunni Muslim city.
The prelude to the assault on the Askari neighborhood was a crushing air and artillery bombardment of the city that rose to a crescendo by Monday evening, with U.S. strike jets dropping bombs around the clock and big guns pounding the city every few minutes with high-explosive shells.
Meanwhile, insurgents in Baghdad and nearby Ramadi tried to keep up the pressure on the coalition forces with new attacks, including one on a Catholic church in the capital.
Earlier Monday U.S. troops had fought their way into the city's western outskirts, seizing two bridges over the Euphrates River and helping Iraqi soldiers take the city's main hospital in the first stage of a major assault on the insurgent stronghold.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
8 minutes ago
A car bomb exploded outside the emergency unit of one of Baghdad's main hospitals in the southwest of the Iraqi capital causing an unknown number of victims, an official at the Yarmuk hospital said.
"A car bomb exploded at the gate of the emergency department, there were a lot of people wounded and dead," the official told AFP.
Patients, staff and guards were among the victims, said the official, who declined to give his name.
Just hours early, Yarmuk hospital received three dead and 45 wounded after suspected car bombs exploded just minutes apart outside two churches in Baghdad.
The attacks came as US and Iraqi forces stormed the rebel enclave of Fallujah in an operation to crush the insurgency in Iraq (news - web sites) ahead of elections planned for January.
Source?
I have a very hard time believing that since it is only 2x3 miles in size.
My sources say it held only 60,000.
One fell into a river after an accident on an improvised bridge and another needed to get the engine replaced after taking a Kornet up the rear...
That 107 mm recoiless could probably defeat the armor on an LAV, Bradley, or that big Amphib troop carrier that the Marines use, though.
Hope they don't have too much ammo for thing or that they have the normal Arab proficiency with weapons...
Sorry, but I am too busy to do your homework.
Looks like Rummy was right about their main weapon being roadside bombs.
Prayers for the UK soldiers and their families.
Black Watch soldier killed, two hurt From correspondents in London November 9, 2004
A SOLDIER from Britain's Black Watch regiment serving in Iraq was killed and two others wounded when a bomb exploded near their camp south of Baghdad, the defence ministry said today.
"It is believed to be as a result of a roadside bomb," a spokesman said.
The names of the dead and injured men were not immediately made public.
"We need to inform the families of those involved. It is unlikely there will be any further details this evening (this morning AEDT)," the ministry said.
About 850 men of the Black Watch regiment were recently redeployed to a US-run sector south of Baghdad at the request of US commanders ahead of an assault on insurgent-held Fallujah. Britain has about 8500 troops in the south of Iraq.
Ill check back in later, traffic time.
Give 'em hell, guys!
If I were there I'd be tempted to put some through the minarets to shut these things up.
LQ
Bump
Fallujah's population had dropped to 50,000 or 60,000 from 350,000 because many families had fled their homes seeking safe shelter.
They would be the first to go.
Fallujah is around 232,600.
Per some reports, most of the residence have fled. One weekend report said only about 30,000 remain in the city.
Population source:
http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/Iraq.htm
"Drop your bombs between the minarets, down the casbah way..."
It gives me a sick feeling in my stomach to know that these monsters are aiming at our brave soldiers!!! I hope we make short work of these terrorists and I pray our guys stay safe and are successful!
Eglin Studying Massive 30,000 Pound Bomb, 40 Percent Bigger Than MOAB
More "negative advertising" --against the terrorists' own cause.
Lt. Col (ret) Scott Rutter (embed) on FoxNews is saying they met with some resistance. Buildings are boobytrapped.
I may be wrong, but haven't we lost a few Abrams to anti-tank mines as well?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.