Insurgent Iraqis kill six Marines

St. Louis Post-Dispatch ^ | 04/17/2004 | Ron Harris

[Helvan]

HUSAYBAH, Iraq

[TomasUSMC]

I don't like saying this but it's begining to feel like VN...

-Except at least in Nam, the White House never called Communism a religion of Peace.

[radu]

Prayers sent for these Marines and their families.

Not a word have I heard about what's going on in this city on the news. Not a word. Hmmmmm.

[leadpenny]

When did you get the title of "Breaking News Police"?

When I saw you had taken my first choice, "FReeper-Know-It-All-Loudmouth!"

Are you really so stupid that you can't see I was merely making an observation?

I swear, . . .

Don't swear. The On-Line Clue Store is open 24/7. Buy one!

[Dog]

You have to ask how did this happen.......there needs to be a serious look.

According to Marines, an estimated 300 Iraqis from Fallujah and Ramadi launched an assault against the Americans in Husaybah around 8 a.m., beginning with a roadside bombing and a flurry of 24 mortars.

What are we doing at the negotiating table in Fallujah....?

[Dog]

BTW .....this is the SECOND article that alludes to action west of Fallujah.

[Dog]

Look at Shermy's post 20......some background..

[leadpenny]

The negotiating table should be an ultimatum table.

[Dog]

You got it.......I still want to know how did we allow THREE HUNDRED fighters to slip out of Fallujah and Ramadi..

[TomasUSMC]

If we have Fallujah surrounded, how is it that they can launch an attack from Fallujah to another town?

Matter of fact, since I'm in question asking mode, why is Fallujah still standing?

[TomasUSMC]

"Why haven't we captured or killed Sadr in Najaf??? Why haven't we taken control of Fallujah??? We haven't accomplished either mission that we sat out too do. The way some of these leaders are talking it doesn't sound like we are going to either. We could have easily done both within a few days if we had wanted, but instead we started negotiating with terrorist scum, and now we look weak. The reality is that we are weak if don't allow our men to fight. We are capable of winning easily, but if aren't allowed then out power is irrelevant. If we don't at the very least kill or capture Sadr and take complete control of Fallujah then they have won and we have lost."

Totally agree. The enemy is using the clock to better rearm regroup and you better believe they are looking for WMDs too. And when they find them they will show us how the explode in our face. We don't have time to play around with these Islamist.

[Jeff Head]

They (the islamic extremists) have brought it on themselves by their atrocities and now given us a golden opportunity to send a clear, unambigouous message in Fallujah in terms of something similar to my post 38. I pray we will not pass up the opportunity. If we do...we will not be honoring those who died...and we will be inviting more death to our own from these animals.

[TomasUSMC]

Why arn't we using the Kurds? It would be major payback time for them. I bet 3000 kurds with U.S. air and arty could have taken Fallujah twice by now.

This whole strategy of kinder gentler compassionate combat is bull. I say give the Kurds Independence and let them govern the rest of the place while we take down the next Terrorist Sponsoring Country, which I would hope would be Iran. (Let the Israelis kill Syria)

[blackie]

Prayers for our fallen heros and their families!

[Cap Huff]

I know you've been following Wretchard's blog. Today he has a new and very interesting entry about the fighting, and hints about the wider picture that we are not really seeing.

[Dog]

Saw it Cap.....I pinged you to it.....:-)

[Cap Huff]

That you did. It looks like the pings were meeting each other somewhere over the Atlantic!

[Dog]

LOL!

[TASMANIANRED]

Jeff,

I don't want to post for you but this comment deserves a thread all of it's own.

I felt my blood rising up when I read it and instinctively knew this is the right thing to do.

Winning hearts and minds is one thing but being feared and respected for strenght is more important.

By and large it would be Baathists from both Iraq and Syria , el Queada types and wannabe's and those infiltrated from Iran that end up dead.

Sure there will be howling from the liberals but the world would do very well with 10,000 or 50,000 fewer Islamofascists.

What won't be heard though is the Crapulence of the Arab Street. The only thing this bunch appreciates is force.

[oceanview]

the one flaw in your plan - Bush won't get re-elected if this thing erupts into an all out regional war over there as you and many others are pushing for. If Kerry wins, we lose the war on terror.

[oceanview]

buying time, time for this Najaf/Sadr/Shia situation to reach some finality. we have more flexibility to operate in Fallujah since the civilian majorities in the country really don't care too much about it, but we can't be seen as moving in too many civilian areas at once. it stinks, I know, but we can't afford for the whole place to erupt right now.