| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq |
| Foreign nationals captured by U.S. in Iraq |
| 2003-04-11 |
| E.F.L. U.S. Marines in eastern Baghdad captured more than three dozen non-Iraqi fighters and killed at least 70 in two days of fighting, military sources told United Press International Friday. The captured fighters came from Syria, Jordan, Yemen and as far away as Algeria. Many of the foreign fighters were captured during fierce fighting around a mosque where senior Iraqi leaders, including Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, were said to be meeting, and from fighting to secure the al-Azimiyah palace. The Marines captured the 17-acre compound and its palace late Thursday after five hours of fighting. "They fired over 100 rocket-propelled grenades and thousands of rounds of small arms ammunition," said Col. Fred Padila, commander of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines. "It was very hairy." I'm beginning to think that the RPG should replace the AK-47 as the symbol of islamic wackos. One Marine was killed and at least 35 wounded. Marines confirm 70 Iraqi-side fighters were killed, but some estimates put the total as high as 90. Some of the dead were wearing green Iraqi uniforms but many were dressed in all black or in civilian clothes. "These non-Iraq fighters are a problem, but a decreasing one," said a senior military officer, who spoke to UPI on condition of anonymity. "It is decreasing because we are killing them." Heh, heh, heh. The United States has warned about Islamic fundamentalists and other anti-American fighters traveling into Iraq to fight U.S. troops. Military sources said many foreign nationals were recruited by Saddam's regime in the final days before the U.S.-led invasion last month. Syria is believed to be a point of entry. Some of the foreign nationals captured said they were duped, according to military sources. "I was duped, duped, I tell you!" Some had only just arrived in Iraq and believed the government's propaganda that U.S. forces were not in the capital. He must have been a fan of the Baghdad Bob show. After the fighting concluded around the palace late Thursday, UPI saw groups of captured fighters being loaded onto U.S. helicopters for transport to a different location and further interrogation. Despite being blindfolded and handcuffed some of the fighters had to be manhandled onto the aircraft. "Ouch!" Special Marine teams are continuing to hunt down suspected foreign nationals often with the help of Iraqi civilians. At the presidential compound Thursday night, Marines had expected a counter attack by Iraqi fighters that didn't materialize. Two laser-guided bombs dropped earlier at a suspected assembly point for Iraqi fighters put an end to any action they were planning against the U.S. forces. 2000 pound bombs have a way of doing that. Meanwhile, a number of Iraqis who were either captured by the Marines or surrendered have reported press-ganging by remnants of Saddam's Baath Party. "I was drafted! Honest!" |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 Not a good time to have a Syrian or Yemeni accent in Baghdad, I think. Sign language only gets you so far. |
| Posted by: mojo 2003-04-11 12:43:55 |
| #5 Steve, I think the reason that the muj's have been using so many RPGs is "Blackhawk Down." If you remember, Al Qaeda agents introduced the tactic of RPG swarm attacks in Somalia to effectively counter light American forces conducting heliborne hostage snatches. I think everyone here is familiar enough with Arab non-innovation in military matters to know that if something works once, they'll keep using it over and over until so many of them get killed that they stop. I interpret the continuation of RPG swarm attacks as a good sign. It means the Al Qaeda bright boys are too busy running (or are dead!) to gin up new tactics to counter ours. It's second order manifestation that our strategy in the WoT is working. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2003-04-11 10:53:13 |
| #4 Don't the laws and customs of war allow the US to just shoot all these guys, whether they surrender or not? |
| Posted by: Tresho 2003-04-11 10:27:55 |
| #3 I think gangs of men were ordered to press the shirts of Saddam; Torture I tell you! |
| Posted by: George 2003-04-11 09:38:10 |
| #2 Anonymous, it's a old term applied originally (I think) to a naval 'conscription' practice whereby recruits were 'pressed' into service on board naval vessels against their will, by a gang of 'recruiting agents'. Nowadays the navy uses pension plans, reasonable wages and free access to lemons to tempt seamen, rather than coerce. I probably had similar thought to you when I first heard the phrase "bum-rushing" from an American friend... |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2003-04-11 09:33:15 |
| #1 What the hell is "press-ganging" ?? |
| Posted by: Anonymous 2003-04-11 09:16:13 |