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| Iraq |
| Arab volunteers draw U.S. scrutiny |
| 2003-04-09 |
| Edited for length: CALLING THEMSELVES mujaheddin, or holy warriors, the Arab fighters have come largely over the border from Syria, sometimes by the busload, according to U.S. military intelligence. In Baghdad in the past few days, U.S. officers said, some of these fighters have stormed into private homes and used them to ambush invading U.S. Army and Marine columns, sometimes hiding behind women and children. The Arab fighters have come from Egypt, Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Algeria, Morocco, Yemen and the Palestinian territories, according to information collected by U.S. officers from prisoner interrogations and other intelligence. Picking through the pockets of the dead Three nights ago, a Marine unit captured nine Sudanese fighters, two Syrians and an Egyptian after a firefight on Highway 6 leading into Baghdad, officers said. Most of those taken prisoner so far have been ordinary men with little or no military training, except for some from the Palestinian territories. The arrival of foreigners has strained relations between the United States and Syria, the transit point for most of them. U.S. intelligence concluded that a bus struck near the Iraq-Syria border by U.S. warplanes on March 23 carried Palestinian and other Arab men traveling to Iraq to fight in Iraqâs defense. Top U.S. officials have publicly warned Syria not to come to Iraqâs aid. Guess that airstrike wasn't a "mistake" after all. U.S. officers said the guerrillas began coming as soon as war broke out on March 20. âSome are absolutely devoted to anti-Zionism or anti-Americanism,â said a senior officer who asked not to be identified. âSome believe they are coming in solidarity of their Arab brothers.â Others were lured under false pretenses, he said. âThey thought they were going to get a wife. . . . A lot of these guys, this isnât what they signed up for, and theyâre pretty upset. They were forced to fight.â "Hey, where are all the babes?" In some small towns and along the highways between Kuwait and Baghdad, Arab fighters in pickup trucks have fired assault rifles at tanks and armored vehicles, despite the near certainty of being killed by superior firepower. The U.S. armored vehicles just mow down the attackers, officers said. Speed bumps More recently, the Arab guerrillas have made their way to Baghdad, with most of them coming from Yemen and the militant Lebanese group Hezbollah, according to U.S. intelligence. Marine officers said they hope to stanch the flow of arriving foreigners with quick and decisive military victories in Baghdad. Other officers said they were eager to kill as many of the foreign guerrillas as possible in Iraq because it will prevent terrorist attacks on civilian targets elsewhere. âThey should send every volunteer they can think of here,â said Col. Larry Brown, the chief operations officer for the Marines in Iraq. âLet me get âem all at once. Itâll simplify my task later.âAmen, Larry. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 My only regret is that I probably won't be able to get to any victory parades, cheer our troops, and stomp on the toes of any anti-war protestors. Ptah - Consider me your proxy! As soon as the 3rd Cav gets back and has a victory parade in Co. Springs, I'll be there! I'll even wear my steel-toed jump boots with the metal cleats, designed just for stomping bare feet in thong "peace" sandals. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-04-09 19:21:14 |
| #3 The field of battle is the best place to meet them. Especially when the battlefield is already a rout and the bad guys are as likely to catch fire from the rear as from us. |
| Posted by: Dishman 2003-04-09 13:12:15 |
| #2 Other officers said they were eager to kill as many of the foreign guerrillas as possible in Iraq because it will prevent terrorist attacks on civilian targets elsewhere. I had privately hoped, with a little guilt, that as many jehadis and suicide bombers as possible would make their way to Iraq, since it was the "job" of our military to be the target of such attacks. I hate it intensely when our fine soldiers get killed by these Islamofacists. The above quote proves that they are not only aware that this is their "job", but that they're eager to do it. God bless the Coalition and our soldiers! I'm going to make another donation to the USO care package program. My only regret is that I probably won't be able to get to any victory parades, cheer our troops, and stomp on the toes of any anti-war protestors. |
| Posted by: Ptah 2003-04-09 11:42:21 |
| #1 Hard boys with 7.62 x 39's take on a howitzer. Lesson learned: If you want to play army, joining a terrorist camp is not the right way to go. The result is 100% sure. |
| Posted by: George 2003-04-09 10:58:42 |