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| Iraq | |
| US resumes night strikes in Iraq | |
| 2003-11-20 | |
The US occupation forces have continued to pursue resistance fighters in Iraq as part of "Iron Hammer" and "Ivy Cyclone Two" operations. US Navy fighter jets flew sorties over northern Iraq from an aircraft carrier in the Gulf on Wednesday as American forces pounded suspected armed fighters hideouts with heavy weapons. US military spokesmen said the latest offensive formed part of operations Iron Hammer and Ivy Cyclone Two — campaigns launched in the past 10 days to combat the growing number of resistance attacks which have killed 179 US soldiers in just over six months. Jets from the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier dropped 1000 lb bombs on targets near the northern town of Kirkuk, the US military said. Other fighter planes dropped 2000 lb bombs around Baquba, a restive town about 65km north of Baghdad. In Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, the 4th Infantry Division pounded targets with mortars, tanks and Hellfire missiles. In Baghdad, the 1st Armored Division continued its campaign of evening attacks on areas believed to be used by fighters. Explosions echoed across the capital after darkness fell. Aljazeera's correspondent in Basra said that a huge explosion rocked al-Ashaar district on Wednesday evening but no casualties were reported. The incident which was caused by an explosive device, targeted the Organisation of Islamic al-Taliyaa. Also, a British soldier was wounded when his military convoy came under attack in Basra. Following the incident, British forces closed all the roads leading to the attack scene.
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| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #9 if they aren't, a lot of money is being wasted just to put on a show. Wonder how effective an Arclight strike was in actually killing enemy soldiers. My take is, not much. But if you've ever been within 25 miles of one of those awesome man-made tornados, you know just how much the mind part is affected - deep, deep down. The explosion of 109,000 pounds of TNT in an area a half-mile wide, three miles long, over two minutes, is absolutely pee-in-your-pants terrifying, even when you know you're safe. Being on the receiving end, or even nearby, would be orders of magnitude worse - especially since most of the time it comes totally without warning. You don't have to make 'em love you to keep 'em from killing you. They can also be too scared to step out of the shadows long enough to take a shot. Either way, our guys win. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2003-11-20 11:40:21 PM |
| #8 There is an important difference between the 'hearts and mind' rules of engagement in Tikrit, Basra, Bagdad and Mosul. MG Petraeus is in Mosul. The two aggressive operations are in the Sunni triangle. The night attacks are more effective at this time of the year than in the summer because the infrared vision works much better in cooler weather. |
| Posted by: mhw 2003-11-20 3:32:08 PM |
| #7 Hearts & Minds - read "the Village", great book on this subject during 'Nam. Its out of print but can often be found at local libraries. |
| Posted by: Jarhead 2003-11-20 3:18:52 PM |
| #6 One thing I'm curious about - why are suspected armed fighters hideouts being assaulted? Can't anyone confirm that these places being pulverized are indeed guerilla hideouts? Because if they aren't, a lot of money is being wasted just to put on a show. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2003-11-20 1:02:53 PM |
| #5 I think Anonon has identified a key piece of the strategy. An easy $100 for planting a bomb with no consequences is one thing, but if there is more than a slight chance that the guys who do so will get killed/hurt/captured, then no amount of money will be enough for most of these guys... |
| Posted by: Carl in N.H. 2003-11-20 10:37:33 AM |
| #4 No, RMCLEod, I haven't noticed because the news media has not mentioned it that I can tell. So I guess that gives even more evidence about what matters to the media. Thank God for Blogs! |
| Posted by: SamIII 2003-11-20 10:27:20 AM |
| #3 '"Everything is about hearts and minds," he says, as the engines and rotors of his helicopter roar deafeningly overhead. "Not just tonight's activities, but everything that we do is hearts and minds. "Even when you're taking down bad guys you've got to do it in a way that does not create more bad guys than you're taking off the street. "There's actually a sign in our command post," he adds, "that says 'We're in a race to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. What have you done today?" ' Major Gen. David Petraeus, via BBC. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-11-20 10:15:27 AM |
| #2 Anyone else noticed how US casualties have dropped off this week since Iron Hammer got going? Anyone think there's a connection? |
| Posted by: RMcLeod 2003-11-20 2:18:47 AM |
| #1 My take on "Operation Iron Hammer" is that it will deter the mercenaries - like those who shoot at Americans for $500 in Saddam money - by raising the risk factor. And the best way to keep military operations out of your Iraq neighborhood, is to inform to the CPA. Informants might even make more than $500. |
| Posted by: Anonon 2003-11-20 1:49:37 AM |