Fierce Fighting With Sunnis and Shiites Spreads to 6 Iraqi Cities

[nodehopper]

Fierce Fighting With Sunnis and Shiites Spreads to 6 Iraqi Cities


Published: April 7, 2004

AGHDAD, Iraq, April 6 — American forces in Iraq came under fierce attack on Tuesday, with as many as 12 marines killed in Ramadi, near Baghdad, and with Shiite militiamen loyal to a rebel cleric stepping up a three-day-old assault in the southern city of Najaf, American officials said.

In Falluja, where last week American security contractors were killed and their bodies mutilated, American warplanes fired rockets at houses, and marines drove armored columns into the heart of the city, where they fought block by block to flush out insurgents. Several arrests were made.

It was one of the most violent days in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein, with half a dozen cities ignited. One of the biggest questions at day's end was the role of most of the majority Shiites previously thought to be relatively sympathetic to American goals. </snip>

more here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/07/international/middleeast/07IRAQ.html?hp

[opihimoimoi]

1. Has the doo doo hit the fan??

Could be. I feel for our troopers.

[tedoll78]

2. I get the feeling that it has.

And we're in a lose-lose situation.

If we take-out their leader, we make him a martyr and ensure unending attacks.

If we don't take-out their leader, we come-across as weak, which only serves to embolden the insurgents.

Either way, it doesn't look pretty for our soldiers.

And that idiot in Das White Haus is insisting on that silly turnover date.. it has 'civil war' written all over it..

[opihimoimoi]

3. He so dumb he don't even know it

Come, we go drink

[Oilwellian]

4. This is not good

A defining moment in the nightmare we're living.

[VolcanoJen]

5. CNN-International reports an assault underway in Kut

Coalition sources in southern Iraq are telling CNN International this morning that an assault on the Coalition Headquarters in Kut is underway. It is believed to be sparked by al-Sadr supporters; black smoke can be seen rising from the area.

No word on casualties, or anything more about the situation. It's just trickling in now...

It's just staggering, how widespread this uprising has been.

[TahitiNut]

6. This is exactly what I predicted.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=466539#466780

It'll only get worse.

[aquart]

7. Page 2 admits to five Americans killed:

At least five marines were killed in the operation in and around Falluja on Sunday and Monday, according to military officials in Washington. Four of them were killed on Monday by an improvised explosive device, the officials said.

That's the only mention I can find of our casualties in Falluja. AP doesn't mention them at all.

<http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA52Z70RSD.html>

[Old and In the Way]

10. So we lost 5 US Military guys to avenge 4 "Contractors"

Why didn't the fellow "contractors" do the avenging?

This is so totally nuts. This administration is setting up our sons and daughters, for what?

Political cover?
Business deals?
9/11 Hearing distractions?

I have never been so ashamed of my government. Never.

[radfringe]

8. chalk one up for the "UNITER"

he's managed to unite all of the Iraqi factions/ethnic groups...against us

[tlcandie]

9. Updates from Electronic Iraq...

12 Marines, 66 Iraqis Killed in Battles
http://www.kolotv.com/news/headlines/668037.html

British soldiers head for Iraq
http://www.five.tv/home/frameset/?content=97666&id=story2100107

<snip>
Almost 5,000 British soldiers are going out to the Gulf to take over from four or five brigades which will return home.
<snip>

Saddam being held in Qatar
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040406/wl_mideast_afp/iraq_britain_saddam_040406231955

Occupation tightens siege on Falluja
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A73529F1-1554-4C68-8774-BA478D565B02.htm

<snip>
"They are attacking residential neighbourhoods," he said as US warplanes swooped over the area and fired rockets. Intense gunfire could be heard from the streets.

"The residents of Falluja are asking where is the (US-appointed) Iraqi Governing Council," said an obviously shaken Mansur. "They are asking why the Iraqis are not protecting them."
<snip>

<snip>
US marines tried for a third time to take control of the town but were forced to retreat.
<snip>

Dozen marines killed, Iraqi toll mounting
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/660FF109-9E21-4AF8-BCA3-C39E0FE67917.htm


Al-Sadr supporters have taken to the streets for the third day

<snip>
Al-Sadr ordered his loyalists to join the resistance after Spanish forces opened fire on demonstrators in Najaf, killing at least 20 Iraqis and wounding scores.
<snip>


Al-Sadr City has been the scene
of deadly clashes in recent days


There seems to be no let up to
the suffering of Iraqis

Fighting resumes in Falluja
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D43A5CDF-E1AF-4572-B027-B2AE9F4AC150.htm

<snip>
Mansur reported on Monday that unconfirmed reports suggested that 20,000 US marines were besieging the town, trying to enter it from different points.
<snip>

<snip>
"Golan inhabitants say US forces used cluster bombs and missiles against them," he said. "Citizens of the city are completely enraged - but not afraid - waiting for the coming events," the correspondent said.
<snip>


US marines seal off the restive town 65km west of Baghdad

[Zhade]

11. What are they doing in that last picture?

I mean, I know the caption says they're sealing off the town, but what exactly is that picture showing? We don't get to see so much operational detail, this could be revealing.

Anyone have any idea?

[nodehopper]

12. are those bodies?

[Zhade]

13. Nope, don't appear to be bodies. Metal objects of some kind, maybe.

I zoomed in in Photoshop (300%) - they're not bodies. I guess they're some form of road obstacle.