Posted on 11/08/2004 8:39:55 AM PST by epluribus_2
NEAR FALLUJAH, Iraq - More than 4,000 U.S. Marines and Army troops punched their way into northeastern Fallujah on Monday, kicking off a massive assault dubbed Operation Phantom Fury that seeks to put an end to half a year of insurgent control of the Sunni Muslim city.
The prelude to the assault on the Askari neighborhood was a crushing air and artillery bombardment of the city that rose to a crescendo by Monday evening, with U.S. strike jets dropping bombs around the clock and big guns pounding the city every few minutes with high-explosive shells.
Meanwhile, insurgents in Baghdad and nearby Ramadi tried to keep up the pressure on the coalition forces with new attacks, including one on a Catholic church in the capital.
Earlier Monday U.S. troops had fought their way into the city's western outskirts, seizing two bridges over the Euphrates River and helping Iraqi soldiers take the city's main hospital in the first stage of a major assault on the insurgent stronghold.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I assumed that the picture was taken just past dawn, and the smoke in the sky was left over from our Illumination rounds over night, but the problem is I'm not military, and I'm wondering if a fellow FReeper with experience can comment on the smoke in the picture.
Give 'em Hell boys!
Dang it, we need a FallujahCam!
For the safety of our troops that wouldn't be a good idea. Wait till the battle is over and our victory secure, then I'm sure they'll show us everything we need to know.
My news radio station just announced that our attack on Fallujah had soldiers from the US and coalition nations trying to "drive" 3000 insurgents from Falljah.
I'm thinking "drive" in this context means "drive into hell."
Did you click onto the BagCam during OIF? That's what I was referring to. It was a joke.
Prairie
hehehe
That looks like artillery smoke to me. After they fire, they can leave smoke rings.
Michael O'Hanlon is now on CNN claiming there are between 10,000 to 20,000 insurgents in Fallujah...he is really spinning today.
A U.S. helicopter was shot down in Fallujah, al-Jazeera reported. There was no confirmation of the report.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aVKzcWUQecYU&refer=europe
Hopefully just wishful reporting by the thugs at AJ.
I miss Achmed and This Old Shack..
Somewhere between 9pm and midnight our time.
Ya I did. :) It was fun hearing the sounds and seeing the sights from that little town square thing. :)
Sounds like in Fallujah it would more accurately be termed This Old Pulverized Heap of Rubble.
>>>I know I love it. I can honestly say I have never seen anyone else treat them like I would want to. I love watching his press conferences more than any other political figure I can remember<<<
me too.. he's either wickedly subtle or ruthlessly blunt.. he's a master at it. Rummy's the best..
Not really...
Although billed as a mine-clearing device, the purpose has always been to clear a lane through obstacles...mines, boobytraps, etc.
Apache or Blackhawk?......
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