Posted on 11/08/2005 8:29:37 AM PST by jmc1969
Al-Qaeda's Iraq operation, led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, said it was launching an offensive in the west of Iraq in response to a major US and Iraqi military operation on the Syrian border.
'Your brothers in the military branch of Al-Qaeda in the Land of Two Rivers are launching today 'The Conquest of Vengeance' on behalf of the Sunni community in Al-Qaim,' the group said in an online statement which could not be independently verified.
It stressed the group's 'right to defend the (Islamic) nation and avenge the honour and blood' of Iraqis.
The offensive came 'after the crusaders and the apostate government have not ceased their operations', referring to a warning it issued yesterday for US and Iraqi forces to halt their sweep against insurgents within 24 hours.
'After that they will only see from us the worst and something that's going to make the earth tremble under their feet,' the earlier statement said.
Operation Steel Curtain began Saturday and was designed to 'restore Iraqi sovereign control along the Iraqi-Syrian border and destroy the Al-Qaeda in Iraq terrorists operating throughout Al-Qaim region,' the US military said.
Around 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and a force of 2,500 US troops were engaged in the sweep, which the US military said has resulted in the deaths of at least one US marine, an Iraqi soldier and 36 'suspected rebels'.
Sixty-eight people were detained today who were believed to be insurgents, the military said.
"Earth tremble", huh? Recent history should have taught you that anything less than a nuclear device is just going to piss us off. And really, pissed off is about as nice as we're ever going to be with AQ. Light that candle, Skippy.
Nuke
Would I lie to ya, Z-man? Oh, and tell 'em "Chesty was a bedwetter." I know you don't know what that means, but it'll scare 'em to death. Would I lie to ya? Now you just head right on over there and have at it, and I'll buy you a non-alcoholic beer afterward. Here, lemme hold yer wallet...
"And this is very important: Be sure to tell them that on November 10" (the birthday of the Marine Corps).
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