Posted on 09/21/2005 7:26:19 PM PDT by jmc1969
TALL AFAR, Iraq -- The Iraqi soldiers had already searched the house, according to a sticker plastered across its front gate.
But when their commanding general and a U.S. colonel arrived one afternoon last week to praise their performance and observe them in action, the troops wanted to give a demonstration.
A fiery explosion -- some soldiers said they saw a man throw a grenade, others said the door was rigged to blow -- erupted from inside, followed by bursts of gunfire. The shouting soldiers stumbled out through a cloud of smoke, covered in blood. The rest of the platoon, which had lost a lieutenant in a grenade attack the day before, appeared dejected, some huddling around the wounded, others sitting with their heads in their hands.
What happened next, commanders here said, suggested significant progress toward the goal of shifting security functions to Iraqi forces so that the United States can begin withdrawing troops from Iraq. When the clashes grew intense, the Iraqi soldiers did not shrink, American officers said.
"Okay, men, it's time to buck up and show our mettle," said a U.S. Special Forces soldier, acting as platoon commander. "We can't let this stop us. We need payback!"
They went looking for revenge. When they were ambushed again, in a home one block away, they were ready. After a firefight, they came out smiling proudly, with several raising two fingers to indicate the number of insurgents killed.
"A couple of months ago, they might not have been able to pull it together after something like that," said Col. McMaster, who witnessed the abortive raid and helped bandage an Iraqi soldier whose wounded hand was pouring blood onto the sidewalk. "They showed a lot of resolve. Eventually, they will be able to control this city."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
All right, that 2 good stories today. Now I KNOW some Freeper hacked the Wash Poop computers. Come on, fess up.
What was the first one?
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Yep but there is progress. Good Iraq analysis piece posted on Free Repb. tonight from Belmont.com. Title is
Presentation at the Fourth Rail [interesting analysis]
Liberating Iraq PING
"Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters"
Thank you. A lot of fair-weather conservatives
are ready to break and run from our commander-in-chief.
We conservatives sometimes talk brave, talk big,
then desert our leaders. That's a shame.
(I have not served. My tagline honors my son and my cousin.)
Washington Post?
What's up with them? Losing readership?
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