Rebels Grow More Deadly

Atlanta Journal Constitution ^ | 8/8/2005 | staff

[kellynla]

In two vicious attacks last week, Iraqi insurgents killed 20 U.S. Marines in what President Bush called "a grim reminder" of the increasingly lethal tactics faced by American troops in Iraq.

It was a reminder also that, as the war grinds on, the insurgents have evolved, using more powerful explosives and more sophisticated triggers for precision timing. They also have made use of improved intelligence, built on watching U.S. forces since they invaded Iraq in March 2003.

"This is a very brutal, lethal and adaptive enemy," Army Gen. Carter Ham said at the Pentagon on Wednesday, hours after a powerful roadside bomb destroyed an amphibious armored vehicle, killing 14 Marines and their civilian translator. "They are dangerous, and they certainly have a capability."

Disturbing as that attack was, Monday's ambush of six Marine snipers raised questions more troubling still. How, for instance, did a crack team of elite fighters on a covert mission wind up surrounded and unable to defend themselves long enough to summon help? Sniper deaths stunning

"They're awfully good, and the fact that a whole bunch of them were killed at once really could portend some bad things in terms of how the insurgents got the information they had," said Steven Metz, chairman of regional strategy with the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. "Is this a signal that they have some sort of inside information, or was it just pure happenstance?"

By week's end, there were more such questions than answers coming from the U.S. military, which has repeatedly acknowledged it has limited information on the size and capabilities of the Iraqi insurgency.

Independent analysts toss about numbers --- roughly 20,000 Baathist holdouts, criminal elements and foreign jihadists is the current consensus

[Toonces T. Cat]

Now they're calling them "Rebels"...Disgusting!!!

-Toonces

[TheSorcererwiththeCosmicKey]

"Is this a signal that they have some sort of inside information, or was it just pure happenstance?"


DO NOT EVEN ATTEMPT TO GROW A BRAIN!

[caver]

"Rebels"??? We'll be calling them our friends before all this is over with. Geez!

[mewzilla]

Rebels?! Heck, most of the terrorists aren't even Iraqis. They're frigging Saudi imports. My God, that's a despicable headline.

[MNJohnnie]

In two vicious attacks last week, Iraqi insurgents killed 20 U.S. Marines in what President Bush called "a grim reminder" of the increasingly lethal tactics faced by American troops in Iraq

"Increasingly letal"???? Another example of journalistic fraud and writing the story they want to happen, not what is really happening. Look at the whole chart. See anything intresting?

Real figures below with link.

http://icasualties.org/oif/

Military Fatalities: By Month
Period US UK Other* Total Avg Days
8-2005 34 0 0 34 4.25 8
7-2005 54 3 1 58 1.87 31
6-2005 78 1 4 83 2.77 30
5-2005 80 2 6 88 2.84 31
4-2005 52 0 0 52 1.73 30
3-2005 36 1 3 40 1.29 31
2-2005 58 0 2 60 2.14 28
1-2005 107 10 10 127 4.1 31
12-2004 72 2 3 77 2.48 31
11-2004 137 4 0 141 4.7 30
10-2004 63 2 2 67 2.16 31
9-2004 80 3 4 87 2.9 30
8-2004 66 4 5 75 2.42 31
7-2004 54 1 3 58 1.87 31
6-2004 42 1 7 50 1.67 30
5-2004 80 0 4 84 2.71 31
4-2004 135 0 5 140 4.67 30
3-2004 52 0 0 52 1.68 31
2-2004 20 1 2 23 0.79 29
1-2004 47 5 0 52 1.68 31
12-2003 40 0 8 48 1.55 31
11-2003 82 1 27 110 3.67 30
10-2003 44 1 2 47 1.52 31
9-2003 31 1 1 33 1.1 30
8-2003 35 6 2 43 1.39 31
7-2003 48 1 0 49 1.58 31
6-2003 30 6 0 36 1.2 30
5-2003 37 4 0 41 1.32 31
4-2003 74 6 0 80 2.67 30
3-2003 65 27 0 92 7.67 12
Total 1833 93 101 2027 2.32 873

[Mr. Keys]

Tomorrow they'll be "activists". Truly disgusting scum. I mean our media.

[GSlob]

About 2800 years ago the Assyrian King Tiglath-Pileser III faced a similar problem in that same neighborhood and had to besiege some god-forsaken town [maybe, even a proto-Falluja]. Being of philanthropic predisposition, he first had it walled around, hoping to starve them out. When this did not break the spirit of resistance, but the starving besieged started trickling out, he had them impaled on the stakes he planted on his circumwallation in full view of the besieged town - and then flayed alive. This sight finally broke the back of resistance, the place surrendered, the survivors were mildly admonished and sold into slavery.
And the rumors of it circulated far and wide, and there were no more resistance to the Assyrians for the next century or so. And the MSM scribes of the time carved on cliffs and stelae their cuneiform inscriptions praising the great, mighty, wise, kind and good King Tiglath-Pileser III, and that's how the story came down to us.
Maybe there is a lesson in it. He was a local himself and understood whom he had to deal with.

[jjm2111]

When I was in Kuwait, I talked to enough guys who had fought in the Sunni triangle. The news never reports when the good guys get these guys before they can set a bomb, or when they set a bomb and eff it up. The perception of the war effort is so colored by the news media here, it is astounding.

[kellynla]

I've spoken to many Marines who have served two and some three tours in Iraq and some with two or three PH's and all are anxious to return. They KNOW the progress being made there and know their mission.
Of course last week was a very difficult for the Corps but those of us who have been in combat are perfectly aware that in war men will die.
However, there is no substitute for complete VICTORY!

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[jb6]

Why I have always said, Iraq was a mistake, we should have invaded Saudi Arabia and sent the House of Saud to their devil Allah.

[El Gato]

Real figures below with link.

That's pretty amazing 28-31 for *every* full month since the invasion. Certainly doesn't seem to be "growing more deadly".

The MSM won't be satisfied until we are choppering off folks from the roof of the Palestine Hotel and US Embassy in Baghdad.

[RATkiller]

I don't have any practical knowledge of the military. However I think there are orders, perhaps unwritten, to go easy on the Sunnis since the Saudis are Sunnis. So we trade American lives in order to minimize our bad PR - notice I didn't say good PR. There should be a lot more dead "civilians". Case in point: I read that whenever a convoy goes out they always see a lot of small boys with cell phones running around. I would shoot every one of these little ba$tard$. Too many of these soldiers think they are knights tipping their plumed helmets to their foe and having an afternoon joust. They are now acting as garbage men - collecting the garbage and burning it. If I had to get rid of cockroaches I killed them all: mommy, daddy, and baby cockroaches cause the babies just grow up to be adult cockroaches.

[mewzilla]

Why I have always said, Iraq was a mistake, we should have invaded Saudi Arabia and sent the House of Saud to their devil Allah.

Works for me.