Posted on 09/05/2005 7:22:04 AM PDT by jmc1969
Abu Musab Zarqawi's foreign-led Al Qaeda in Iraq took open control of a key western town at the Syrian border, deploying its guerrilla fighters in the streets and flying Zarqawi's black banner from rooftops, witnesses, residents and others in the city and surrounding villages said.
A sign newly posted at the entrance of Qaim declared, "Welcome to the Islamic Kingdom of Qaim." A statement posted in mosques described Qaim as an "Islamic kingdom liberated from the occupation."
Zarqawi's fighters were killing officials and civilians seen as government-allied or anti-Islamic, witnesses, residents and others said. On Sunday, the bullet-riddled body of a woman lay in a street of Qaim. A sign left on her corpse declared, "A prostitute who was punished."
By the weekend, however, Zarqawi's forces had fought back and taken control of Qaim, residents said. Accounts from the town described a rare, prolonged overt presence of the foreign fighters.
The Albu Mahal tribe as of Sunday remained in control of its village outside the city. However, a car bomb placed by Zarqawi's fighters in front of the home of a tribal leader, Sheikh Dhyad Ahmed, killed the sheikh and his son on Sunday, resident Mijbil Saied said.
A Zarqawi fighter said any Marines and Iraqi forces had left Qaim, with "nothing left of their crosses."
Shops selling CDs, a movie theater and a women's beauty parlor were newly burned, apparently targeted by Zarqawi's group under its strict interpretation of Islamic law.
Zarqawi's fighters had taken control of the town's hospital, one of its medical workers, Dr. Muhammed Ismail, said. The hospital's director then ordered all patients to leave, fearing the presence of Zarqawi's fighters would draw air strikes on the clinic, Ismail said.
Zarqawi fighters manned checkpoints on the four entrances to the city.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Right now would be the best time to do it.
People are focues on Katrina. Just level Al-Qaim and get it over with.
I don't disagree...give the women and children a few hours to get out then level the place.
Makes it easier to bomb!
Concentrate, Isolate and Annihilate. Remember Fallujah!!! I hope this time we get more of their leaders.
I'm sure the Bush kool-aid drinkers will flame you, but you are 100% corrrect. Pres. Bush has lost his nerve and clarity of purpose. Very sad.
soon to be lake qaim waterpark.
Last year they did this in Fallujah. Now they're doing it in Qaim. Explain to me how that is not progress given that the campaign has shifted from the heart of Iraq west to the border with Syria.
Here's what the enemy is saying:
Iraqi Resistance Report for events of Saturday, 3 September 2005: Al-Anbar Province. Al-Qa'im.
Combat breaks out in al-Qa'im Saturday night as US troops try to storm into city.
In a dispatch posted at 8:05pm Mecca time Saturday evening, the al-Qa'im correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported that at the time of writing a violent battle was under way between Iraqi Resistance fighters and US occupation troops on the eastern outskirts of the city, which is near the Iraq-Syria border.
The clashes erupted after US forces tried to storm into the city with a large number of military vehicles. More than 50 Iraqi Resistance fighters were taking fighting in defense of al-Qa'im, repulsing the American
effort to break in.
The correspondent reported that the Resistance fighters were firing rocket launchers, mortars and light and medium weapons. A large number of mortar rounds can be seen raining down on positions where US troops are located.
The correspondent was unable to ascertain, however, the extent of US or Resistance losses.
Here's what the enemy is saying:
Iraqi Resistance Report for events of Saturday, 3 September 2005: Al-Anbar Province. Al-Qa'im.
Combat breaks out in al-Qa'im Saturday night as US troops try to storm into city.
In a dispatch posted at 8:05pm Mecca time Saturday evening, the al-Qa'im correspondent for Mafkarat al-Islam reported that at the time of writing a violent battle was under way between Iraqi Resistance fighters and US occupation troops on the eastern outskirts of the city, which is near the Iraq-Syria border.
The clashes erupted after US forces tried to storm into the city with a large number of military vehicles. More than 50 Iraqi Resistance fighters were taking fighting in defense of al-Qa'im, repulsing the American
effort to break in.
The correspondent reported that the Resistance fighters were firing rocket launchers, mortars and light and medium weapons. A large number of mortar rounds can be seen raining down on positions where US troops are located.
The correspondent was unable to ascertain, however, the extent of US or Resistance losses.
You just don't get it, do you? (See my tagline...)
~~~~~~~~
How to get rid of water:
Step 1: Blast the dam and drain the mudhole.
Step 2: Repair the dam.
Step 3: Let the mudhole refill as water runs back into the void.
Step 4: Repeat Step 1.
Much more efficient than trying to catch raindrops. Get the picture?
After we take the city this time maybe we should build a gigantic road block at the Syrian border. Also, I hope this time we don't announce we are coming and give the bad guys a chance to escape. Surround the city with troops, give the women and children 24 hours to vacate and then bomb and sweep through the rubble.
More info, major operation going on:
The association Doctors for Iraq received reports from medical staff in al-Qaim hospital, near the Syrian-Iraqi border, that a field clinic in al- Karabila village has been bombed by the US occupation forces, after they had already killed at least 50 people in military operations.
The ongoing attack on the whole area surrounding al-Qaim is preventing Doctors for Iraq to reach the city and check on the informations received, but the association expressed its deep concerns about the medical and humanitarian situation created by the military operations. Doctors for Iraq said they fear many victims of the bomb assaults are trapped under debris and rubble in the area. The association launches an appeal to humanitarian medical organisations all over the world to organise urgent aid to the area.
Excellent picture! I was thinking along the same lines.
How do you say "stationary target" in Arabic?
Stupid is as stupid does.
Incomming!
So I guess we'll conquer it again. And again. And again.
Sure am glad the grownups are in charge.
I know...proofreading is important.
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