Heavy Fighting in AR Ramadi Iraq~~~ Sadr's fighters have attacked US Forces.

Fox News

[netmilsmom]

>>Eagles Up!!! Prayers Engaged!!! Godspeed to our fighting men!<<

Amen!!!!!!!

[Mo1]

Do not feel bad, the media makes this mistake all the time - sometimes on purpose.

I try not to .. but I'm sure there will be a few more posts to correct me.

[CasearianDaoist]

Well it seem pretty incomprehensible back then too.

At any rate, we best get use to the usage again as it looks like it is about to come back into fashion. I only hope that the GOP is proactive in explaining the case. If they had the b@lls they would bring up just what the media did after Tet. They will not, though...too bad.

[swarthyguy]

First, try and comprehend.

Will we go into the mosques, I never mentioned 30K feet.
I mean either Spectreing the mosques or sending in a hunterkiller force or blowing it apart with tanks.

How do we do a handover with the country in flames, granted 3 months from now, the revolt could be a memory.

If this revolt isn't quelled, how the heck will we hand over authority? wouldn't be any authority if Shia militias control a huge swath of Baghad and Badr City. Democracy is tough in these conditions.

And this thing is escalating fast, admin people fighting, waves of jihadis attacking all sorts of targets.

It's an issue of our resolve; we're talking arrest warrants and they're talking jihad.

I have no doubt the US will prevail.

But again, if Badr is holed up in a mosque, will we go in? Or will we allow him to enhance his stature by holding off the coalition troops.

That is the core issue. Every day that passes while he thumbs his nose at us emboldens the odious Nam comparisons and makes the US look ineffectual.

Perception is key; remember General Giap's words about how Vietnam was won not in the ricepaddies and jungles of Nam, but in the streets, kitchens and living rooms of America.

Tet was a US victory. How was it played on TV?

Granted, now there's the net and Fox. But can't you see the spin on CNNetal. Sadr has to be killed ASAP.

[Melinator]

Killed 80 but they just keep coming...

Wow, sounds like a human wave of biblical proportions.

[el_texicano]

I would like to see 'em drive an M1A2 Abrams up their six...

Seriously, a marker and a prayer for the boys fighting. Damn, so anxious for them I can't stand it.

[madison10]

I am paying attention. Was under the impression that the two, although both are Muslim, do not agree with one another on many issues. The anti-U.S. sentiment helped to unite them...great.

BTW, praying for God's protection on your son.

[housethatruthbuilt]

The myth is the result of no one (thats not a lib) being allowed to talk about Vietnam. If you bring it up and you weren't alive then they (usually libs) say "what do you know?" If you did fight in the war, like most soldiers of any war, you don't talk about it because you just don't. The Libs have taken ownership of it on college campuses with hugely biased courses on it. It is not talked about in high school. It is the biggest cover up in our history because if the average person knew just how bad the communists infiltrated this country we would be pissed and do something about it. Instead when you bring up communism, you get laughed at.

Someday all the vets of that war will be dead and no one will be around to tell the truth - if the libs have their way. They created the quagmire that they refer to any time someone defends this country with the military (that isn't a Dem).

[TexKat]

Although I kinda like Bret B. he is not the smartest - how could anyone spend years at the Pentagon and go through two wars and not know the meaning of the word casualty....pure stupidity and sloppiness.

liz don't be so fast to believe everything that is posted.

When Bret Baier first reported this is some of what he said and while reporting he specifically pointed out to the viewers that not to jump to conclusions, that casulties did not mean dead. In his second report.

AR Ramadi:

Bret Baier Fox News:

100 enemy fighters. Fighting is so bad that our guys had to call for the administrative individuals for assistance. There are US casulties and US deaths. The enemies appear to be very well trained and the operation appears to be very well trained.

Evidently the poster did not hear all of Bretts report/reports.

[Pukin Dog]

I sure as hell hope that airpower was available within 30 minutes or so to all our units. Otherwise, someone needs to be handed his ass. There's no reason why Apaches, Cobras, A-10s, C-130s and some ground-attack fighters shouldn't have been ready to roll at a moment's notice.

Hold on, buddy. You do not go into a counter-insurgency mission guns-blazing, loaded for bear. You first must gage the enemy strength, numbers and resistance. If you show up with heavy power, you only drive them into their holes to fight another day. The point is to draw them out into the open, away from civilians and safe houses and waste them in the street. This is counter-punching. It saves innocent lives.

The enemy is dying at an acceptable rate tonight. Casualties are a fact of war.

[joesnuffy]

In a 14 day period during 1969 my "platoon' lost ten guys...In a four months period..my company lost 15 -30 WIAs/KIAs per month on average...

For a War wide casualty report this isnt too bad...(of course if your loved one is one of those its disasterous and heartbreaking)

As long as we stomp them every time they raise up to attack...we will prevail..

It will take time and to do it right...as to not incite those not inclined to fight to take up arms with the terrorists
It will also costs more American lives..

The only other course is to kill them all and let God sort them out...which will only polarize all muslims...and we will never have the chance to show them that democracy and freedom is better than Islamo-fascist slavery

Given time..and correct levels of reward and punishment of stepping up the response intensity and then ratcheting it back..we will have a chance to win the hearts and minds..

The down side is...it will cost American lives...
and that is a heavy price to pay...but if we bring freedom to Iraq and it takes...it could spread to other Islamic nations..and then the people will take care of the imams and mullahs themselves...and Islamic terrorism will be dead...and we will have friends in the Middle East...If such a thing is possible...then terrorist attacks will end...

And we wont have to kill them all and let God sort them out ..until HE is rady to...

imo

[swarthyguy]

Update.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040405/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_us_shiites_baghdad&c

[johnb838]

If they have a nuke this could be quite a historic day.

[glock rocks]

Please pray on this day, and every day, for our Patriot Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world in defense of our liberty, and for the families awaiting their safe return.

[BushMeister]

Damn, so anxious for them I can't stand it.

I know, it seems surreal to be watching commercials and fluff reports on the cable news shows when thousands of our troops are fighting for their lives in Iraq. We got so used to seeing continuous coverage during the "war" phase of OIF that it seems like the fighting today is being ignored.

This is a big test for our forces, as it's the first day of large-scale combat on the enemie's initiative.

[Arkinsaw]

And this thing is escalating fast, admin people fighting, waves of jihadis attacking all sorts of targets.

I've been opposed to our guys being policemen and museum guards, but heck, lets not get carried away here. The highest report we have had is 100 enemy so far and we can't necessarily believe everything we hear. The sky isn't falling......yet.

[jimbo123]

From Fallujah WP report:

"Some of the fighters are young guys, the equivalent of dope peddlers, who do this for money. Others are holy warriors willing to die for a cause," said Capt. Will Dickens, another company commander whose troops were fired on repeatedly. "The die-hard [suicide fighters] just stand up in the open, fire from the hip and stay there until they kill or are killed."

[Getsmart64]

I agree....I didn't say the battle for Iraq will be over....just this particular bunch....another bunch will pop up...we all know that....and you're right...we won't be bringing them into the 21st century overnight....no one diagrees with you....if Bush wins in Nov....we will still be there in '08...but life will be better...not much...but better.....

[kcvl]

If I didn't know better I would think the Democrats are waging a HOLY WAR against President Bush by calling this VIETNAM!!! With a McCain *sskisser thrown in for good measure. It started out with fat TED KENNEDY this morning all the way to Eleaner Clift and Joe Biden this afternoon. The SAME CREEPS showing up on talk shows, as usual. You would think they were hoping for a FAILURE! Now if we hear CHRIS MATTHEWS tonight we will know FOR SURE.

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, warned yesterday that the United States is now "dangerously close" to losing control on the ground in Iraq.

"We're talking not only about the insurgency, partly by outsiders, but also about a religious dynamic that is very difficult to deal with," Hagel said in an interview. "You have the most combustible elements at play here. If it all blows at the same time, Abizaid knows that we probably will not get control of it again."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden (D-Del.), the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the situation in Iraq could begin to resemble the war in Vietnam if the United States does not move quickly to deploy a "fairly large" number of American forces.

"This is a prescription for disaster," Biden said. "We can't handle a two-front war" against both insurgents in the Sunni triangle and disaffected young men loyal to Sadr. "It could end up as another Vietnam if we don't get ahold of this situation now."

[Dead Dog]

Looks like a Muslim version of Tet. Unlike in Kennedy's Vietnam, this time it won't work.