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| Iraq | |
| Mosul Sees Rise in Deadly Attacks on U.S. | |
| 2003-11-22 | |
| Once seen as a success story for a U.S. occupation aimed at peaceful rebuilding, this northern city seems more like a battlefield to many people. Mosul has seen a surge of guerrilla attacks in recent weeks and it also has become the scene of the worst single loss of American life since the invasion of Iraq — the collision of two Black Hawk helicopters last weekend that killed 17 U.S. soldiers and injured five. Mixed population, enough Sunnis around to cause trouble, lots of nooks and crannies in the wilderness nearby for the jihadis, and too many weapons lying around. U.S. authorities investigating the crash say it could have been an accident, although some witnesses said the helicopters were trying to avoid gunfire and others said one had been hit by a missile. Regardless of the cause, the crash revealed simmering resentment to the U.S. occupation among some in Iraq’s third largest city, which is outside the ``Sunni Triangle,’’ the central region that was the center of Saddam Hussein’s support and has seen the most bloodshed since his ouster. ``I was happy because they (the Americans) are our enemies. They persecute us,’’ said Rashad Hamid, a Depends Rashad — are you a dumbass? Nawaf Salah, who lives in the same neighborhood, believes guerrillas shot down the helicopters. ``It’s their right,’’ he said. ``This is our country, not theirs. Why are they (the Americans) here?’’ They helped get rid of Uday and Qusay. Not too far around from Mosul. Remember? On Tuesday, two U.S. soldiers were wounded in Mosul when a bomb went off near their foot patrol. On Nov. 5, gunmen injured five Americans here in a number of attacks that also killed three Iraqis. On Nov. 1, two U.S. soldiers were killed and two injured in a roadside bombing. A few Iraqis believed to be cooperating with the Americans have been gunned down. It’s been an abrupt change for the city. For months, Mosul was relatively quiet and U.S. soldiers focused on rebuilding infrastructure. The attackers are trying ``to impede this heroic city’s march toward peace and progress,’’ Ahmed Chalabi, a leading member of Iraq’s Governing Council, said during a visit this week. ``The more progress achieved the more these people try to do their operations.’’ Maybe we should give Mosul to the Kurds. They seem to know how to handle this. The bloodshed has raised fears that Mosul could be a new battleground for insurgents who have been staging more attacks outside the Sunni Triangle. ``There are former regime members who want to disrupt the successes achieved here in the north,’’ Maj. Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, said in an interview before the crash. And here’s the lede: Although Mosul has sizable Kurdish and Christian communities, it has a Sunni Muslim majority that was a stronghold of support for Saddam’s regime. Abdul Jabbar Abid Mustafa, dean of Mosul University’s school of political science, suspects some guerrillas who were active in central Iraq may have moved to Mosul. "Maybe some of those who advocate resistance in the south have moved to the north for tactical reasons ... so that at the time when the Americans are expecting an operation in Tikrit, it happens in Mosul and takes them by surprise,’’ he said.
So point out the deaders to us and we can grab and go. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #2 Al Guardian is just exaggerating, as usual. The meat of the article is a helicopter accident and two American KIA. The rest consists of a few quotes from local residents (Baathists or Islamists*) who happen to agree with this Guardian editorial masquerading as news. * The mosque quote tends to make me think Islamists. |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2003-11-22 2:28:20 PM |
| #1 Two things: 1) give Mosul to the Kurds My sentiment exactly 2) Saddam has to be caught, though I doubt he's in Iraq now (my first guess is that he's with Chiraq sipping on gin & juice, but more realistically, Syria) |
| Posted by: Rafael 2003-11-22 7:50:41 AM |