Posted on 08/23/2003 1:43:49 AM PDT by BlackVeil
British troops have sealed off the area of the attack Three British troops have been killed and one seriously wounded in an ambush in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.
According to reports, the soldiers' vehicle came under fire from a pick-up truck as they travelled along one of the city's main streets. There was an exchange of fire, followed by an explosion.
Soldiers have sealed off the area of the attack around the University of Basra and are searching vehicles. Journalists were not being allowed to enter the area.
"The casualty has been taken to hospital for treatment and the incident has been contained," an MoD spokeswoman said.
TV pictures from Basra suggested the situation was calm at present.
Investigation launched
"This is a difficult time for all concerned and our priority now is to inform the families of those concerned," said the MoD spokeswoman.
The ministry has started an investigation. It says it will release more details about the attack shortly. The deaths bring to 10 the number of British soldiers killed by hostile action in Iraq since US President George W Bush declared major combat operations over on 1 May.
A British soldier, Captain David Jones, died in Basra just over a week ago after a bomb attack on the ambulance he was travelling in.
The attack followed rioting over the lack of utilities in Basra as temperatures soared, but the city had been reported to be relatively quiet in the last week.
I think you partially answered your question with...Bin Ladin has been after us for at least 10 years, and he has killed only a couple hundred beyond those on 9/11.
If we don't go to where the enemy is and kill him, you can rest assured he will come here to kill you and me. And those casualty numbers could be horrendous.
5.56mm
As for is it worth it? I will direct you to George Will's latest words:
But the neo-cons (or whoever) want control, and control of Iraq will have its costs. Costs that may including the loss of Republican power along with American lives.
Move on out of Iraq. Mission accomplished.
Statement Warns of More Attacks (Stop support for Israel, Russia, and convert to Islam or else)
Yahoo! ^ | Nov. 16, 2002 | ALAA SHAHINE
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - A statement attributed to al-Qaida threatened more attacks in New York and Washington unless America stops supporting Israel and converts to Islam, an Arab TV reporter who received the unsigned document said Saturday.
Yosri Fouda, correspondent for the satellite station Al-Jazeera, told The Associated Press he received the six-page document on Wednesday. That was a day after the TV station broadcast an audiotape purportedly made by Osama bin Laden.
Fouda, who is known for good contacts within al-Qaida, would only say that the statement came from his sources with the group. But he insisted he was certain it came from the terrorist movement's leadership.
Fouda, speaking by telephone from London, said the statement called on Americans to stop supporting Israel and other governments that "oppress" Muslims or face more attacks. The statement also called on Americans to convert to Islam, he said.
Fouda quoted the statement as saying:
He added the statement demanded U.S. troops leave the Arabian Peninsula, and justified the killings of American civilians because they pay taxes that finance military operations.
There was no immediate reaction from Washington. No officials were available for comment at the Pentagon or the National Security Council Saturday afternoon. A report on the statement as described by Fouda was carried in The Sunday Times of London.
Fouda is a prominent Arab television journalist who has broken several important stories about al-Qaida. In September, Al-Jazeera broadcast Fouda's interviews with two top al-Qaida operatives hiding in Pakistan, Ramzi Binalshibh and Khaled Sheik Mohammed.
Binalshibh was arrested in Karachi, Pakistan, shortly after the broadcast and was transferred to U.S. custody.
Fouda said the statement also referred to the crisis between the United States and Iraq as one more reason to attack Americans.
"You are placing Muslims under siege in Iraq, where children die every day. Oh, how weird that you don't care for 1.5 million Iraqi children who died under siege, but when 3,000 of your compatriots died, the whole world was shaken," Fouda quoted the statement as saying.
Meanwhile, a militant Islamic Web site that carries news about al-Qaida has dismissed as lies a report that a senior member of the terror group is in U.S. custody.
U.S. officials in Washington said Friday that one of the leaders of al-Qaida had been detained in a foreign country and handed over to U.S. authorities.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, declined to identify the detainee, but said he was not al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, his chief depity, his son or the suspected mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The site scoffed at the U.S. officials' refusal to name the detainee. "Maybe they fear to announce a certain name, and al-Qaida would issue a denial so their (the U.S.) situation would become worse," it said.
On Fox News yesterday (8/22/03) one of the leaders or spokesperson for Ansar Al Islam reiterated the above words more or less by stating that the blood of our troops is required in retaliation for our presence in Iraq and our tax support of our military.
Yep, the war on terrorism, must move on, despite trying to end the war with your, laconic's, and AWW's, demo like hand wringing.
That is the mission and those who die in that mission did not die in vain, they are heroes, and a country in 2003 that considers them heroes, not pawns as your comrades in the press wish to propangandize, as they did during Vietnam.
For a historical retrospective the liberal press's push to get the US out of Indo-China, resulted in 3,000,000 murders in Cambodia.
We should be going after terrorists with WMD potential not car bombing bushwhacker types.
And that has no bearing on the Walter Cronkite like liberal press soul.
It wasn't the Viet Cong or Khmer Rouge who were evil. It was the American military who were the source of all evil.
Well the world saw the effects of the Khmer Rouge and the liberal press said reletively nothing about their helping them into power.
JMO, but the liberal press of the late 60's and early to mid 70's have the blood of those murdered by the Khmer Rouge on their hands.
That won't matter though, Walter Cronkite is giddy to go boating off Martha's Vineyard, with the Clintons.
What is so "demagogic" about bringing up recent history.
The history of the Khmer Rouge murdering 3,000,000 between 1975-1979.
Do you hate history that much?
If you do, jmo, but you should put your resume to the WP, NYT, or if you want to stay in the UK, the Mirror.
Seems that you would find comrades with the writers and editors alike.
Destro, if I understand what is going on correctly, the purpose is not to control Iraq like a colony. Fortunately and unfortunately for those Iraqis who desire freedom Iraq is hosting the war on terror. This is only one attempt to avoid having the war on terror to be fought on American soil.
The Iraq theater is where the stage is set for all terrorist that wish to give the performance of their life (to bring it on). Curtains up.
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