Posted on 05/15/2005 9:37:18 AM PDT by Dog
BAGHDAD - Insurgents have freed the governor of Iraqs rebellious Anbar province after kidnapping him last week, an Interior Ministry official said on Sunday.
Raja Nawaf had been abducted with four bodyguards on the road from the town of Qaim near the Syrian border to the rebel stronghold of Ramadi by followers of Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, after a dispute with the governors tribe, relatives had said.
Anbar province is the heartland of Iraqs insurgency.
On Saturday, American troops ended Operation Matador, a week -long offensive in northwest Anbar aimed at rooting out guerrillas and foreign militants.
The US military said it lost nine troops and killed 125 guerrillas.
Wow. What a show of weakness.
Yep.
Oh come on guys, let's not be silly. Do you think insurgents/Al Qaeda would willingly let go of this guy because of weakness. Hell, if they were weak, shouldn't they have killed him.
There's more to this story then is being let on.
Michael Moore will be extremely dissapointed.
This is major news..
It would appear they wanted their family/clan to live.
Good, I didnt think he would survive.
It must be hard keeping up with a prisoner while you are being hunted like dogs.
By this time next year Iraq will look much different imo.
Are you suggesting that he was rescued or escaped?
I would not be trusting this Gov. until I reviewed this situation very carefully.
Remember the media report of fighting inside Al-Qaim..and the US military said it wasn't the Marines fighting.......it was no doubt this man's tribe fighting AQ and handing out payback to Zarqawi's crew.
You know this "Governor" is at least tacitly on their side ,or he would have been killed.
Good news. Can you add me to your ping list please? :-)
There's more to this story then is being let on.
I'd have to say I might tend to agree with ChicagoRep at this time - Something odd about this - (no reason to release this guy - killing him or letting him go makes of little difference to al Qeade).
I'd speculate that this "governor" is now under extreme "interest" of US Forces - He has been playing both sides if I had to make a guess - (he isn't alive because these thugs are turning weak, he is alive because he is in bed with them in some way or another).
Just my take as of now -
We didn't leave...show me a news report that said we have withdrawn from the area..
bump.
No Dev.....this is major losing face time for AQ.
why did we end the fight? slaughter those bastards!
I'm glad you said that. I don't feel so alone in my suspicions about my 'somethings rotten in the state of Denmark' feeling.
Maybe they didnt want tp piss Condi off.
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