Posted on 08/30/2005 9:16:59 AM PDT by jmc1969
RAMADI, Iraq, Aug. 30 -- U.S. warplanes backed Sunni Arab tribal fighters on Tuesday in what tribal leaders called an unprecedented Sunni-led offensive to drive out Abu Musab Zarqawi's forces.
Three days of ongoing fighting in towns near the Syrian border killed at least 61 people, at least 56 of them Tuesday, said Dr. Ali Rawi, emergency-room director at the hospital in the largest city near the fighting, Qaim, about 200 miles northwest of Baghdad.
Forty-two of them wore the black training-suits and athletic shoes favored by Zarqawi's fighters, Rawi said.
Others appeared to be fighters of a rival tribe or civilians, he said.
Tuesday's bombings and clashes in the towns of Husaybah and Karabilah marked some of the fiercest fighting yet in a growing rift between Zarqawi's insurgents and some tribes of their Sunni Arab base.
The clashes came after insurgents kidnapped and killed 31 men belonging to the Albu Mahal tribe because they had joined the Iraqi security forces, said Sheikh Muhammed Mahallawi, one of the tribe's leaders.
"We decided, either we force them out of the city or kill them," with the support of U.S. bombardment, Mahallawi said.
His tribe also had asked local residents not to aid or house Zarqawi's fighters, he said. Some of the local people refused the request, in a show of support for Zarqawi, he said.
Zarqawi's group said in a statement posted in local mosques that it had lost 17 men.
The fighting, while localized, met the constantly stated U.S. aim of "driving a wedge" between foreign-led insurgents--Zarqawi is Jordanian--and their Sunni Arab base. Resentment of Zarqawi's fighters earlier this month sparked clashes in Ramadi, where Sunni Arab tribes rallied to block his forces in their stated aim of driving Shiite Arabs from the city.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
"Forty-two of them wore the black training-suits and athletic shoes favored by Zarqawi's fighters, Rawi said. "
CNN reported in a full screen text that the U.S had killed 56 "CIVILIANS" ! and no correction has been issued.
Having to watch this channel for hurricane coverage is a pain in the a$$. Between Cafferty's cheap shots at Bush, insane Cindy ads, and vicious propaganda lies about the military, I won't be back there soon.
LOL! I like that compromise..
Welcome :-)
i dont want to be too optimistic here but i noticed there has not been a major car bomb in baghdad in quite a few days.
Thanks for the ping!
Major good news!
bttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!
Excellent!
There are so many wonderful things in this story.
I read it from beginning to end with a huge grin.
Wow.
Great news...many thanks for the ping! :-)
61 DEAD. 42 BAD GUYS. 19 OUR TRIBE.
Two to one ratio.
Well we can warn Syria... You let him in, and we are coming after him... If they try to get in the way, then we will shoot to kill.
LOL! Hey I am up for that too. I was just trying to be a little bit diplomatic. Give them a chance to straighten up or else...
Once again the Armchair Generals speak. Only to be listened to by Armchair soldiers.
Second those thoughts. Awhile back I saw a report that some reporter asked one of our Generals in Iraq, off the record, about how long would it take the US to secure Syria, and could we do it with the troops we have in place.
The answer was "Yes, and in nineteen days".
The reporter then asked why nineteen days? The response was classic..."One day to do the job, and eighteen days to quit laughing."
You favor criticizing each and everything our troops accomplish. You seem to have made it your life's mission.
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