U.S. Marines launch major operation in west Iraq (Operation Saif)

[HAL9000]

BAGHDAD, June 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Marines launched a major operation in western Iraq on Tuesday, dispatching 1,000 troops against suspected insurgents in the western Euphrates river valley.

"Operation Saif (Sword) began early this morning to root out terrorists and foreign fighters living along the Euphrates River between the cities of Haditha and Hit," the Marines said in a statement.

Marine and army units were backed by a company of 100 Iraqi soldiers, it said.

The operation, in an area 200 km (125 miles) northwest of Baghdad, is at least the fourth battalion-sized operation the Marines have launched in towns in the Western desert during the past two months.

Earlier this month they staged Operation Spear against militants in the border town of Karabila.

Marines said they killed dozens of insurgents in that operation, but they also destroyed much of the town of 60,000 with air strikes and street-to-street battles before abandoning it at the end of the five-day operation.

The Euphrates valley has emerged as a strategic area in the counter-insurgency war, which has worsened since a Shi'ite- and Kurdish-led government took power two months ago.

Foreign militants responsible for a worsening campaign of suicide bombings are believed to enter the country near where the river crosses from Syria, and train in safe houses in towns along the valley.

[familyop]

Outstanding!

[happinesswithoutpeace]

"but they also destroyed much of the town of 60,000 with air strikes and street-to-street battles before abandoning it at the end of the five-day operation."

Good ole' Rueters. No Bias there.


Cute.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

I spelled Reuters wrong.

Sorry about that.

[Allegra]

GET 'EM!

[C210N]

foreign fighters living along the Euphrates River

Just one slight correction: These "fighters" are TERRORISTS, and they are not "living", they spend their time PLOTTING and KILLING.

that is all...

("living" implies they are working, sending kids to school, etc)

[Old Sarge]

Doncha love it when a plan comes together!

Leave some for me, guys!

[Allegra]

Nice to have another one in our time zone now. ;-)

Look out, terrorist freaks! We've got another FReeper on the ground and he's coming after you...

[Dog]

Morning Allegra.

[Dog]

Sarge you be careful you hear..

[Allegra]

Morning, Dog!

Isn't it cool? We have another FReeper in theater.

[Old Sarge]

Being careful, Dog-guy - dodging sandstorms, so far...

Does everything with liquid over here LEAK?!?

[Dog]

It is cool....:-)

[gr8eman]

Yes...the zipperheads will be leaking in their pants fast when they see you and the boys coming. Good Luck!

[Wiz]

Operation Sword ping

[TomasUSMC]

Humm, been there done that, but we are back again and again and again to the same place. Just like Vietnam.

The operation should not be in Western Iraq, it should be in EASTERN SYRIA!

1000 Marines and 100 Iraqis. Does anyone see a problem with those numbers? And we are being told we will be there for 10 more years by General Abizaid. I wonder what the operation will look like in 10 years:

"A new operation is being conducted today, marking the 10th year of the war. This operation will be conducted in Western Iraq and will involve -

- 900 Marines and 110 Iraqis"?

If we don't go and crush Syria and Iran, instead of playing this kinder gentler compassionate bush war, we are just replaying wars that we did not win. I know we won most of the battles, but its the political end result that counts. We lost in Nam. Mr. Bush, the enemy wants a timetable, give them one. Either the Syrians and Iranians change their ways or Syria will lose Damascus and Iran will lose Tehran by the end of oh say ..... 45 minutes. (okay give 'em a little longer)....
Maybe this will help the President:

"The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. That was because we wished in this first attack to avoid, insofar as possible, the killing of civilians. But that attack is only a warning of things to come. If Japan does not surrender, bombs will have to be dropped on her war industries and, unfortunately, thousands of civilian lives will be lost..................................................
"Having found the bomb we have used it. We have used it against those who attacked us without warning at Pearl Harbor, against those who have starved and beaten and executed American prisoners of war, against those who have abandoned all pretense of obeying international laws of warfare. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans. "We shall continue to use it until we completely destroy Japan's power to make war. Only a Japanese surrender will stop us....................................
" "Nobody is more disturbed over the use of Atomic bombs than I am but I was greatly disturbed over the unwarranted attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor and their murder of our prisoners of war. The only language they seem to understand is the one we have been using to bombard them. "When you have to deal with a beast you have to treat him as a beast. It is most regrettable but nevertheless true."...................................
-President Truman.

-Tagline:

[andie74]

Dig in Sarge! And we'll be prayin' for you and all the guys and gals in uniform who are staring down evil today.

[Allegra]

Does everything with liquid over here LEAK?!?

Have you encountered the soft drink cans with the old-fashioned pull tabs from the 70s that come off?

If you haven't, you will in Iraq. LOL

[demlosers]

Marines said they killed dozens of insurgents in that operation, but they also destroyed much of the town of 60,000 with air strikes and street-to-street battles before abandoning it at the end of the five-day operation.

Any film at 11? :)

[Brofholdonow]

Good for you on picking up this ongoing press dishonesty. These fifth column a-holes probably thing that GW is the terrorist and that the newly elected Iraqi government is ilegal. The lies continue with these media types:

Murdering terrorists are are fighters, rebels or insurgents.

The Hitleresque Saddam Hussein, Assad of Syria, Mubarak of Egypt and the current ganster leader of China-all murderous thieves of power, according to the freedom from the truth press, all are dishonestly offered as "Presidents."