Posted on 06/17/2005 2:07:44 AM PDT by Wiz
BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military launched a major combat operation with 1,000 Marines and Iraqi soldiers in northwestern Iraq on Friday, officials said.
Operation Spear started in the pre-dawn hours in restive Anbar province. The soldiers will hunt for insurgents and foreign fighters. The province, which straddles the Syrian border, is where the military said it killed about 40 militants in airstrikes on June 11.
The operation came one day after Air Force Brig. Gen. Don Alston called the Syrian border the "worst problem" in stemming the influx of foreign fighters to Iraq. Syria is under intense pressure from Washington and Baghdad to tighten control of its porous 380-mile border with Iraq.
The Marines have lost 11 men and two sailors over the past week in separate incidents around Anbar.
On June 11, the Marines had engaged the insurgents after the militants had taken control of a road near the frontier city of Qaim, Syria, about 200 miles west of Baghdad.
Also in that fighting, insurgents killed 21 people, three by beheading. Those bodies, found on June 10, were believed to belong to a group of missing Iraqi soldiers.
During the airstrikes, Marine aircraft fired seven precision-guided missiles at insurgents armed with AK-47 assault rifles, medium machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. No U.S. troops or civilians were injured.
Operation Spear ping!
At some point Syria needs to be held accountable for this.
Remember the staged Syrian "walkout" from negotiations a few weeks back?
I'd imagine they were seriously busted by the mercenaries captured in Operation Matador.
Where is this operation centered? The article is lean on details.
ping
It only says Anbar, northwest. Probably somewhere near the Border.
I could tell you, but then I'd have to shoot you. ;-)
Seriously I'm guessing its out near the border.
I got a feeling we are going to find out soon that the Iraqis have had enough and will decide to chase someone across that border.
Happy hunting boys.....
Typical AP reporting.
Tell him;-)
From the article: The province, which straddles the Syrian border
So according to AP Anbar Province is in both Iraq and Syria.
Nice catch.
You are correct, sir.
Thisclose or This-----------close?
:-)
I have to run work is calling me....take care.
Anbar is the largest province in Iraq and it starts just a tad west of Baghdad and goes waaaaay out to the western border with Syria.
Anbar is the most dangerous of the provinces, encompassing such garden spots as Fallujah, Ar Ramadi and other popular vacation destinations.
(I should be a travel agent....LOL)
Let's hope we have plans to topple boy Assad in the near future!
God Bless our troops!
How about a MOAB to 'soften' the area?
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.