Marines Encircle Fallouja (Operation Valiant Resolve commencing)

LA Times ^ | 4-4-04 | Tony Perry and Edmund Sanders

[BurbankKarl]

FALLOUJA, Iraq — Thousands of Marines surrounded this anti-American stronghold early today in preparation for a complex raid to retake control of the city and apprehend those responsible for last week's slayings of four U.S. security contractors.

The highly anticipated action, dubbed Operation Valiant Resolve, was expected to be one of the biggest military offensives since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government a year ago.

All roads leading to this city of 300,000 were cut off and barricaded with tanks and concertina wire. Working through the cold and windy desert night, under a large moon, Marines set up camps for detainees and residents who might flee any fighting. Before dawn, several Marine positions were hit by mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Bursts of automatic gunfire could be heard throughout the city.

[MNJohnnie]

This should have been done last year


HAAAAA!!!! Why is it that the Doom and Gloom crowd ALWAYS has to find something to bitch about?

[piasa]

You'll have to ask Freeper Ernest_at_the_Beach - I was just copying his info from another thread.

[Getsmart64]

'Tis wy I would like to see a civil war in Iraq...we'll just back the good guys to make sure they win...

[Mo1]

Amen

[LdSentinal]

Not really much of "killing each other." More like revengeful Kurds slaughtering defenseless Baathists. Boo hoo!

[tubebender]

PRAYERS for the Troops over there...

[tarator]

Before dawn, several Marine positions were hit by mortar rounds and rocket-propelled grenade fire. Bursts of automatic gunfire could be heard throughout the city.

Anyone who thinks this is "two days too late" must have missed this part. Plenty of terrorists are still in there, ready to be neutralized. If this is just a case of "termites," sounds like those termites got to the foundations and have ruined the entire structure, requiring complete reconstruction.

In fact, there were reports of jihaddis gathering into the city in anticipation of the fight. I think letting them come in was a clever move. Now, spring the trap!

[Cinnamon Girl]

The Israelis aren't barbarians either. And their humanity gets exploited frequently by women and children with bombs. I'm just concerned about the set up.

[piasa]

Even if they only sent the coworkers from Blackwater security co. instead of 20,000 Marines they're screwed...

[LdSentinal]

I'm not Doom and Gloom.

It just should have been done. The Allies occupation of Germany was so much harsher than what's being done in Iraq now.

Fallujah, Tikrit, parts of Mosul, Balad, Habbinayah, Ramadi, Sammarra, and Baquoba should have been cordoned off after the fall of Baghdad.

[MEG33]

It has begun for Fallujah.

[endthematrix]

TURN UP THE HEAT! GO MARINES! MAKE 'EM WELL DONE!

[boris]

"Burn the house down to get the termites, eh?"

Who needs that 'house' except the termites?

--Boris

[DonaldDuke]

2 days too late.

I don't think so. If I'm not mistaken, the city was sealed off almost immediately. This latest stuff seems to be about stopping traffic from getting too close to the operation.

[Cindy]

For Historical Purposes - Reference Link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1109118/posts

"4 From U.S. Killed in Ambush in Iraq; Mob Drags Bodies" NYT ^


Posted on 03/31/2004 11:03:39 PM PST by Happy2BMe



April 1, 2004


"4 From U.S. Killed in Ambush in Iraq; Mob Drags Bodies"
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

[saquin]

I hope the 20,000 number is right. That's the number said to be reported on the "jihadi websites". The LA Times article says this:

"Today's action by the 2,500 Camp Pendleton-based Marines was the latest attempt by U.S. forces to tame Fallouja"

I hope that 2,500 number is wrong. I hope they added some more troops to that number. Something closer to 20,000 would make me very happy. 2,500 wouldn't.

[Fawnn]

Prayers lifted....

Prayer bump!

[BroncosFan]

One word: Jenin.

[church16]

Either way, we're going to win, civil war or not... only the guys over there will be using LITENING II, not LANTIRN tonight to blow away the bad guys.

[c-b 1]

We have to make them think twice about even thinking about attacking our guys.

You are right, terrorists understand one thing, Deadly Force. Sadly they don't think like we do, they believe being killed by our troops earns them eternity in the land of 70 virgins.