US launches REALLY BIG air assault in Samara

Fox TV | March 16, 2006

[blu]

50 aircraft,1500 Iraqui/ US Troops in Samra (n of baghdad) , largest air and land assult since we went in.

[michigander]

US-Iraqi forces launch offensive against insurgents in Samarra

2006-03-16 20:31:34

TIKRIT, Iraq, March 16 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. and Iraqi troops waged on Thursday a large-scale offensive against insurgents in a sprawling open area northeast of Samarra, 120 km north of Baghdad, a local provincial security source told Xinhua.

"Iraqi army and police forces, backed by U.S. helicopters launched a pre-dawn offensive against insurgents in the Jallamarea from several directions," the source from Salahudin province said on condition of anonymity.

The attack targeted insurgents, including the al-Qaida fighters in the open area between Samarra town to the south and the al-Dowr town to the north, and between Tigris River to the west and the Himrin mountains to the east, the source said.

Local residents name the main road linking Baghdad and Mosul the "death road" as it passes through the targeted area. The offensive against insurgents came amid the recent security deterioration in Iraq.

[boxerblues]

Nope ... no suggestions just prayers for the troops. My son use to be with the 101st and I have a special place in my heart for them

[concrete is my business]

RE: "You've posted a total of 1 thread and 23,166 replies."

Laughing now. Is that a record?

[Jay777]

More... According to the Coalition Press Information Center, initial reports indicate that a number of enemy weapons caches have been captured, containing artillery shells, explosives, IED-making materials, and military uniforms.

[SlowBoat407]

Moving more troops in to provide extra security for religious holidays.

Ri-i-i-ight.

Turn up the heat, guys!

[cardinal4]

Remember the story a few weeks ago about the gun-ships going into Iraq? Are these the helicopters you speak of?

Sorry for the ignorant question!

No, those gunships the story spoke about, are c-130s modified to kick some serious butt. The introduction of an AC130 Gunship to any theatre, is a definite escalation..

[Drammach]

My personal preference for dealing with Iran..

Bomb into stone age..
Let them rebuild on their own..

If we don't like the result, repeat step one..

I call it my "New Middle East Strategy"..

[MountainDad]

Thanks for your thoughts. they mean a lot to me!
You never get used to it, you just deal with it and pray quite a bit. Hard to put into words sometimes....

[daybreakcoming]

Just heard John Thune (who I donated to and like) use the term "back out of Iraq" regarding US forces. Call me touchy but I don't ever want that term used re this war.

[Reborn]

[geopyg]

I'm pretty sure the news will end up showing the "wedding" or "dinner party" that we hit.

[Alberta's Child]

That's about par for the course as far as Fox News is concerned.

I have hockey pucks that are smarter than most of those news personnel there at Fox. Their coverage of Hurricane Katrina was so frightfully bad that it was comical -- and made for some of the most entertaining threads I've ever seen here on FreeRepublic.

[El Gran Salseron]

Bombing them into the Stone Age sounds good but they are not very far past the Stone Age.

[Don Carlos]

The helicopters I'm talking about are those being shown on FNC. They are specifically equipped for troop air assault, i.e. they get the troops in quickly. This was a tactic that was used extensively in Vietnam, nothing new, but it still works! Get lots of troops in quickly and kick butt before the enemy can react!

If the 101st Airborne is involved, they will have their own helicopters, and will have trained extensively with the troops involved.

[MozartLover]

Sure is.

Prayers for your son.

Mine's in Kuwait, I'm sure he's okay.

But the son of a friend is in the 101, right where the action is..

[trubluolyguy]

That big a force? Maybe a Zarqawi alert?

[SueRae]

Get fat boy Sadr while you're at it. Good luck and God speed to the troops, US and Iraqi.

[Drammach]

A cousin of mine in MS has a son that just left for Iraq last week..
His first time there..
He's got a wife, a 3 year old daughter, and an infant son at home..

There's a lot of prayers flyin' in our family too..

My best wishes and prayers for You and Yours..
God Bless..

[softwarecreator]

THEY are going to say .... Bush is responding to the political polls and just trying to look like they are really doing something in Iraq

Yup.  It's already started,   Here's the top 2 stories on MSNBC:

U.S. launches biggest Iraq air operation since 2003. Strikes target insurgents.

RELATED STORIES: • Bush ratings slump to new lows

[RikaStrom]

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