"They had Russian,French stuff,Belgian stuff,& guess who's been the most vocal against this war?"

Los Angeles Times ^ | March 31, 2003 | Geoffrey Mohan

[Kay Soze]

UPDATE

U.S. Hits Republican Guard Near Euphrates
By Geoffrey Mohan
Times Staff Writer

8:49 AM PST, March 31, 2003

ALBU AZIZ, Iraq -- In its first offensive move since arriving in central Iraq last week, the second brigade of the U.S. Army's third infantry division swept into this village on the west bank of the Euphrates River today, killing about 26 soldiers, most of them from the Republican Guard.

Led by the infantry and tank elements of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment, the column encountered small-arms fire, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades from Iraqi forces in this town across the river from Hindiyah, about 20 miles southeast of Karbala on a road that leads east toward the ruins of Babylon.

About 23 combatants, most of them in civilian attire, surrendered after several hours of fighting. One soldier from an engineer company was lightly wounded by shrapnel during the dawn raid, which sent civilians fleeing down alleys and into doorways.

After several hours of fighting, the brigade halted on the west side of a bridge leading across the Euphrates, as lead elements tried to clear passenger cars placed on the two-lane bridge to block their progress. Commanders later called off a planned crossing.

Sporadic machine-gun fire could be heard from tank-mounted guns throughout the four-hour battle. Several ammunition caches were blown up, setting off spectacular explosions. Numerous sand-bagged positions indicated this town, where pro-Saddam Hussein and Ba'ath party flags waved from several buildings, had been preparing a defense. But the brigade's M1-A1 Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles appeared to have little trouble hitting their targets, and suffered no damage.

Prisoners were bound and seated on the fronts of tanks and escorted to the rear of the column. One had a bandage over his head, while another was barefoot, and one wore nothing but black thong underwear.

Amid the fighting, residents waved white flags, and several eagerly pointed out enemy positions to the U.S. troops, which led to the destruction of a large weapons cache and the confiscation of dozens of weapons, including advanced, Russian-made sighting scopes for mortars.

"They had Russian stuff, they had French stuff, they had Belgian stuff, and guess who's been the most vocal against this war?" said an angry Lt. David Chen, executive officer of Cyclone Company of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment.

[Kay Soze]

Had the UN enforced but one of myriad of resolutions calling for trade restrictions and disarming Iraq we would not have to be in this war.

Thank the French,Germans,Chinese and Russians for 12 years of trade sanction violations.

[annyokie]

Ah, yes! Yet another reason to post this map:

[Maeve]

"They had Russian stuff, they had French stuff, they had Belgian stuff, and guess who's been the most vocal against this war?" said an angry Lt. David Chen, executive officer of Cyclone Company of the 4th Battalion, 64th Armored Regiment.

No surprises here. Time to sanction them along with China into oblivion.

[Republic Rocker]

LMFAO @ that map.......:lol

[Maeve]

That map is a hoot, isn't it. < grin >

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks for the heads up.

[American Soldier]

I can think of more permanent and effective ways to transport them there. All I need is a little help from my friends (in the Air Force).

[r9etb]

... and one wore nothing but black thong underwear.

Shoulda listened to his mother.

Most guys have had the "underwear dream," where they're walking in public in nothing but their underwear. It's awfully disconcerting. This has got to be worse.

[ikka]

Prisoners were bound and seated on the fronts of tanks and escorted to the rear of the column. One had a bandage over his head, while another was barefoot, and one wore nothing but black thong underwear.

Oh boy, does that ever set up the guy for jokes after the war!

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

No Erwin Rommelstrasse?

[Southack]

"They had Russian stuff, they had French stuff, they had Belgian stuff, and..."

...It didn't do them the least bit of good.

[tillacum]

The map is so funny! LMHO

[mtbopfuyn]

Please don't tell me SH is issuing uniform black thongs to his forces. Oh jeez, I just had a horrible image of SH's thong, eeeewww!

[annyokie]

Thanks! I love it and stick on all frog-bashing sites!

[okiedust]

Wonder if National Geographic has this version ready to go? Funniest thing I've seen in a long time.

regards

[Blood of Tyrants]

Amid the fighting, residents waved white flags, and several eagerly pointed out enemy positions to the U.S. troops, which led to the destruction of a large weapons cache and the confiscation of dozens of weapons, including advanced, Russian-made sighting scopes for mortars.

It is beginning to happen. The bolder ones at first will do this and then as the power of the Fajadeen wanes, more and more people will start ratting out the enemy, eager to be free of the fighting.

[struwwelpeter]

They had Russian stuff, they had French stuff, they had Belgian stuff, and guess who's been the most vocal against this war?" said an angry Lt...

From the mouths of babes. If a lieutenant has figured this out, even Hillary cannot be far behind.

[okiedust]

FYI ping. I like the map of France, myself....enjoy.

regards

[Salvation]

And another LOL!

[SAMWolf]

LOL! Good map. Thanks for the ping