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Iraq-Jordan
Forces enter Haqlaniya
2005-02-25
US Marines fought their way into the insurgent stronghold of Haqlaniya on Wednesday, intensifying a campaign to bring Iraq's restive western province of Al Anbar under control. A column of tanks and armoured vehicles rolled into the town, about 240km west of Baghdad on the Euphrates river, before dawn and were immediately ambushed. Marines' forces responded with heavy machinegun fire and several tank rounds. "We were hit by an IED (improvised explosive device), a daisy chain [three IEDs linked together] and then we took a rocket propelled grenade," said Sergeant Larry Long, speaking as occasional shots and blasts echoed across the western desert.

Three Iraqis were killed when they drove towards a building occupied by the Marines. There were no US casualties. "A pick-up truck drove towards the building. Iraqi soldiers waved at it to stop but they didn't stop. They didn't pay attention. They turned around, and that's when we shot them," said Major Richard Seagrist.

The offensive was part of Operation River Blitz, launched this week to tackle insurgents hiding out in the huge western province of Al Anbar that stretches to the borders with Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. "The situation in Al Anbar has gone too far which is why we enacted River Blitz. We don't want to present a weak spot to the insurgent," Lieutenant Colonel Greg Stevens of the 1st Marines Expeditionary Force told his troops on the eve of the assault. "We're going into the city and we're staying." Haqlaniya has been a hotspot for months. Four Marines were killed in an ambush near the town in January. The US military said it was expecting strong resistance from foreign fighters who they say have links to Al Qaida. But in the event insurgent resistance was fairly weak. "You don't bring a rifle to a tank fight," Stevens said yesterday.
Posted by:Fred

#68  67 comments. I was sure there was some troll hunting on the way
Posted by: SwissTex   2005-02-25 8:12:54 PM  

#67  you missed my correction in #28, 3dc :-)
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-02-25 8:09:10 PM  

#66  11A5S ---
You screwed up - 6x10^6 NO!
add 3 more zeros 6x10^9
Its a much bigger pile of people and makes your argument all the better.
Posted by: 3dc   2005-02-25 7:03:37 PM  

#65  Here I thought he was just being stealthy.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-02-25 6:54:39 PM  

#64  if he hates the Raiders, he can't be too bad ;-)

Frank G in San Diego
Posted by: Frank G   2005-02-25 6:52:36 PM  

#63  Fine, radrh8r, we'll put you in for a BS degree. ;)
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-25 6:44:07 PM  

#62  Hoked ohn phoenyx werked fer mhe. Aym raydee four Columbiah grahd skewl nowh!
Posted by: radrh8r   2005-02-25 6:40:25 PM  

#61  9.8. Extra points for speed and number.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-02-25 5:11:23 PM  

#60  Yep, looks like the peregrine has gone away, probably to vandalize "Support Our Troops" stickers or plan for the upcoming 30th anniversary of the doper-left's victory over South Vietnam.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2005-02-25 4:59:04 PM  

#59  Aris is WAY smarter than anyone at Columbia (I graduated from there in the 80s).

Peregrine you're an illiterate, and will fit right in at State. You do realize you haven't been elected to anything, right?
Posted by: BMN   2005-02-25 4:26:28 PM  

#58  If you want to have fun with more Peregrine types (equally clueless I might add) go here:

http://abbaskadhim.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Remoteman   2005-02-25 4:00:45 PM  

#57  Mrs D - ;)
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2005-02-25 3:34:18 PM  

#56  It appears Peregrine...has flown away.
Posted by: tu3031   2005-02-25 3:19:29 PM  

#55  OK, DB. JM with the caps lock off.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-02-25 2:47:02 PM  

#54  peregrine is so polysyllabic i think its done some time in the joint--my god it sounds like mikhail suslov and paul sweezy with a little castro thrown in for bravado--remedy is to force feed it steyn, hanson, locke, ,madison,von mises,hayek, friedman and franklin--otherwise it will implode from intellectual self immolation like quang duc
Posted by: SON OF TOLUI   2005-02-25 2:46:31 PM  

#53  Is it really true? Could someone capable of such error; such forests of strawmen, such thickets of ad hominem, such bogs of pidgin logic, such a howling wilderness of idiotarian conformity, linguistic illiteracy, and barbarous grammar; really be a graduate student at any kind of university; nay, at any kind of college, including those for clowns and barbers?
Alas, it named Columbia, so we have our answer.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2005-02-25 2:41:37 PM  

#52  Peregrine says: who the helll are we to tell Iraqis how to treat thier women? You'd like an Iraqi to force his way into your country and tell you how to treat your women?

Their women? Your women?

Um, Peregrine, dear, your male chauvanism is showing.

Anyone who still refers to women as being property, or as a subset of men, or who will not stand for the moral rights of women in a global context, needs to shut up. Either that, or they could subject themselves to the conditions women suffer under totalitarianism and come back and tell us how they liked it.

Communist/Socialist/Facist "agents" of change (i.e. sociopolitical deconstructionists) always sound the same, don't they? Peregrine is a shining example of truly a truly pathetic outlook--troll extraodinaire.

Posted by: ex-lib   2005-02-25 2:38:20 PM  

#51  Peregrine-you are besmirching one of my ancestor's names. Find another name-this one is for those who fought in our country's struggle for freedom. But then, struggling for freedom sounds like it might be out of your league.
Posted by: Jules 187   2005-02-25 2:35:02 PM  

#50  You're too late, SPoD and Bobby. The troll was repelled by the horror of facts that didn't fit its arguments.
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-25 2:31:28 PM  

#49  The troll idiot Peregrine, doctrinaire authoritarian conformist, opens with a series of dismissive ad hominems, then demands logic and facts, then demonstrates its manifest ignorance of these as well.
You will change nothing, Peregrine, you have embraced a dying cause, a narrative of the past. You have sold your soul for power, and will find that you were cheated.
Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy   2005-02-25 2:31:19 PM  

#48  Peregrine - Robert Crwford thinks you ought to go look at the "Fallujah Persepective" posting - about the men and women voters hugging the Marines. Of course, the guy who wrote that was actually there, not sitting in a lecture hall....
Posted by: Bobby   2005-02-25 2:27:06 PM  

#47  I have just the thing here for this.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom   2005-02-25 2:25:45 PM  

#46  BTW, Peregrine....since your computer obviously does not have spell check, try this.

(What the hell is it with wackos on the left wing anyway, and their complete ignorance of spelling, grammar, and basic coherence?)
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2005-02-25 2:20:16 PM  

#45  Mrs. Davis, please. Aris has too much self-respect to become a Columbia University grad student.

BTW, passing into the Foreign Service is easy, as long as when you are taking the interview you never, never insinuate that the host country in the role-playing situations ever has an unreasonable grievance. Take it from someone who's been there, done that.
Posted by: Desert Blondie   2005-02-25 2:14:26 PM  

#44  Peregrine - It luks lyke yewr secundairy educashun didnt due you many favers. I ges Columbia wil tak just about any1. Look owt, forin survis.
Posted by: ET   2005-02-25 2:14:06 PM  

#43  He-who-shall-not-be-named on meth.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-02-25 1:57:09 PM  

#42   Freedom: Give me one city in Iraq that is "free". US administered illegitimate police state-policies; trigger happy shooting at anything that moves - reminds me of video games with other billegerent pals - has turnd Iraq into a haven for some really nasty terrorists. What about freedom to be tortured outside any international law?

What about the freedom to break international law by failing to act within the Geneva Conventions? How do you defend against illegal combatants?

What about freedom for your house to be pollaged in the night, your family detained - by adrenaline-crazed soldiers?

Saddam is out of business. None of that is happening now.

Respect for women: who the helll are we to tell Iraqis how to treat thier women? You'd like an Iraqi to force his way into your country and tell you how to treat your women?

I'd say we'd have a buncha Iraqis with their balls or penises cut off with the menfolk looking on. That's if they mess with my second ex-wife.

I don't think so...
Your wishes are very (seemingly) altruisitc, bring culture to the Iraqis. That was the center of civilization, people.

The operative verb here is 'was' It is now a shithole but with a real cchance to recover and become part of the free world. The Iraqis themselves are seeing to it they don't return to their blood-sodden glorious past.

And our own Rumsfeld was selling those WMS's and supporting Saddam's atrocious acts when it suited our national interests.

I would need a link. And don't worry: I won;t wait for it.
Posted by: badanov   2005-02-25 1:54:03 PM  

#41  Columbia....New York.... Hillary.... Schumer. Was Rudy the only one who learned anything from 9/11? What did YOU learn from 9/11 Peregrine? That we deserved it? Is that why they hit New York?
Posted by: Bobby   2005-02-25 1:39:07 PM  

#40  Peregrine>>bastard begot,bastard intended, and bastard everything promised.
Posted by: out bitch   2005-02-25 1:38:22 PM  

#39  Oh I get it Peregrine. We just have the wrong narrative. Thanks for clearing all of that up. After all, who needs to study the hard subjects with all of that math and logic when reality is just a construct created by the dominant narrative of the ruling class. Other narratives, that involve enslaving people (There I go using value laden teminology again. Sorry, but it will take me a while to reprogram my pre-post-modern illusions), stealing their wealth, and corrupting their morals are just as valid.

Given that you don't know the difference between allusion and illusion, I somehow doubt you passed the FSWE, but I have no doubt you are a grad student at Columbia.
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-02-25 1:36:37 PM  

#38  Come on, Peregrine. Use the word Zionist. Please? Make my day. Settle my prejudices.
Posted by: badanov   2005-02-25 1:36:16 PM  

#37  Now that I think about it, though. This certainly explains a lot about the State Department rank-and-file. The ones that don't have the brains to be in the military go to State.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-02-25 1:30:59 PM  

#36  Oh, I'm a grad-student studying U.S. foreign affairs at Columbia University

That explains it. You're a moron!

will be going into the U.S. Foreign Service in one year

Going for the Saudi Pension Plan, I see. Already have some of their talking points memorized.


The zone of international democratic peace is an allusion

To what?

(Christ -- a barely literate twit like this is in graduate school? Does Columbia grant admissions in cereal boxes?)
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-02-25 1:29:23 PM  

#35  Ha ha...Peregrine you ass! Better look for another line of work. I hear Wendy's is hiring.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-02-25 1:29:07 PM  

#34  "...will be going into the U.S. Foreign Service in one year..."
Send this troll's IP address and quotes to the FBI. They need to get it before the application is processed.
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-25 1:25:49 PM  

#33   You take the kids that rode the short bus during grammar school and give them "self esteem" training, and this is what happens, RC.
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-02-25 1:25:43 PM  

#32  All y'all are having too much fun. Is this a great country, or what?
Posted by: Bobby   2005-02-25 1:23:33 PM  

#31  History my friends, it's history that we're talking about.
The democratic peace theory is bunk.

Stats. Econ. Strategy: Hmmph: Christopher Layne: Kant or Cant, the myth of democratic peace: "The zone of international democratic peace is an allusion There is no evidence that demoracy at the structural level negates the structural effects of anarchy at the level of the international political system . . . Those who want to base american foregn policy on the extension of democracy abroad invariably disclaim any intention to embark on a "crusade" . . . These these reassurances are link American security to the nature of other states' internal polical systems: Democratic peace theory's logic inevitably pushes the the United States into a interventionist posture.

Oh, I'm a grad-student studying U.S. foreign affairs at Columbia University and will be going into the U.S. Foreign Service in one year. Change comes from within. Enjoy your e mail chat's buddies.
Posted by: Peregrine   2005-02-25 1:22:37 PM  

#30  Kreist....Moonbat alert!
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-02-25 1:22:19 PM  

#29  I see the tactic. Upon being confronted with any evidence, the fool denies its existence by redefining terms. Yawn -- another Chomsky-deluded brain that is useful only for fertilizer.

I'd love to hear what TGA has to say about this fool saying Germany is not a democracy.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-02-25 1:21:16 PM  

#28  and a correction: that should have been 6x10^9 people...
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-02-25 1:20:14 PM  

#27  Are you a fool? Both countries received massive injections of foreign aid that basically paralized thier political mechanisms You say that like it's a bad thing. So they didn't embrace democracy at the end of a gun? We bribed them into becoming democracies? So what should have happened? The vanguard of the proletariat should have bravely led them into the communist promised land?
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-02-25 1:17:28 PM  

#26  US administered illegitimate police
state-policies;

Liar.

trigger happy shooting at anything that moves

Liar.

- reminds me of video games with other billegerent pals -

Delusional liar.

has turnd Iraq into a haven for some really nasty terrorists.

Idiot. Iraq was a haven for terrorists when Saddam was in power. He was one of the biggest donors to Palestinian terrorist groups, sheltered Abu Nidal and his terrorist group, gave refuge to the last of the 1993 WTC bombers, and ran training camps for international terrorists.

And our own Rumsfeld was selling those WMS's and supporting Saddam's atrocious acts when it suited our national interests.

First, what's a "WMS"? If it means "Weapons of Mass Stupidity", you seem to have been an early test subject.

Second, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Respect for women: who the helll are we to tell Iraqis how to treat thier women?

"Their" women? As in "their property"?

Democracy is home grown, not transplanted.

You mean like in the US? There was never a democracy in the US until European settlers arrived and brought with them Ango-Saxon traditions and ancient Greek ideals.

Your wishes are very (seemingly) altruisitc, bring culture to the Iraqis. That was the center of civilization, people.

In the days of Hammorabi, yes. Things have gone down hill there since then. You may have noticed. Then again, you probably didn't. So long as Saddam's rape squads were in operation, you didn't give a rat's ass because it didn't interrupt your quiet little life.

Jesus, do idiots like this ever learn anything new? This is the same crap they were spouting two years ago!
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2005-02-25 1:17:14 PM  

#25  Mindless babble. I'll give you ten bags, Peregrine. Nine for all your crap and one to go over you head.
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-25 1:14:25 PM  

#24  To the fool who said Afghanistan: Have you taken a look at a newspaper lately? The warlords that the CIA paid off to work the Taliban post 9-11 have turned their backs and said they want to challenge central power. Hey guys: ELECTIONS ARE NOT DEMOCRACY, get it? Holding one measly election (ala Iraq) is not democracy. It's shortsighted US foreign policies that get us into these messes (Nicaragua, Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Angola, Guatemala, Afghanistan) Read your history: You think that htese green kids - US marines - are the first time the Middle East has has a foreign aggressor tellign them how to run things? The Middle East has had too much meddling since 1830 with Frenchies comng in and rebuilidng thier schools under colonial policies. You tell me how this is different? Cause we are America? give me a break!~
Posted by: Peregrine   2005-02-25 1:13:05 PM  

#23  Democracy: Get real, give me one country that has "embraced" democracy at the end of gun, just one . . . ? It's a failed record, my friend. Democracy is home grown, not transplanted Um, Japan? Nazi Germany? Facist Italy? Post-colonial India?

Freedom: Give me one city in Iraq that is "free Try any of the Kurdish ones. They have supermarkets and city councils and lots of other nice stuff.

to get hands on some good oil and maintain a hand on the last few spickots that's producing oil So what is wrong with oil? Oil-based fertilizers help keep 6x10^6 people alive on this cozy little planet of ours? Plus it makes plastic, which I assume the keyboard upon which you are pounding out your freedom of speech is made unless you have one of those special ones made from hemp resin.

So do you actually think for yourself or do you always just spout off whatever others tell you at the last ANSWER rally? Have you ever taken a class in statistics? Economics? Strategy? I'll close with an apocryphal story that strikes right at the heart of your arguments, such that they are.

A British Indian Colonial official came across a funeral pyre where the widow was about to be burned alive. Members of the funeral party said that burning widows alive was their customs. The Brit responded: "Well in my country, the custom is to hang chaps that burn women alive."
Posted by: 11A5S   2005-02-25 1:11:37 PM  

#22  Japan? German? Embraced?

Are you a fool? Both countries received massive injections of foreign aid that basically paralized thier political mechanisms Japan was basically a one party system with no opposition in govenment until just very recently. Japan is still a US pawn in geopolitical terms. Opposition? I don't think so.

Germany? We're talking a internationally sanctioned effort to completely rebuild a sister-city that has recognized it's defeat and is essentially a part of the European world order.

You call buying and coercing democracy 'granting freedom' Give me a bag . . .
Posted by: Peregrine   2005-02-25 1:08:37 PM  

#21  Peregrine, you are definitely out of your league here. Be gone, only to return when you have facts and a brain to process them.
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-25 1:05:36 PM  

#20  give me one country that has "embraced" democracy at the end of gun, just one . . . ?

Germany, Japan.

Give me one city in Iraq that is "free"

Basra. Never had Americans in it.

Is the IUD in your larnyx?
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-02-25 1:02:52 PM  

#19  "...give me one country that has "embraced" democracy at the end of gun..."
Peregrine, you stupid ass, how about Germany, Japan, South Korea, Afghanistan, and Iraq??? Sheeesh, what an idiot!
Posted by: Tom   2005-02-25 1:01:09 PM  

#18  Agent AL Chappeau is sending code to Rantburgers.
Posted by: Shipman   2005-02-25 12:56:41 PM  

#17  Other belligerents, please go on beating your hairy chests, and patting each other's hairy asses. You seem to be great at it!

Justrand, let's take your wishful thinking one by one:

Democracy: Get real, give me one country that has "embraced" democracy at the end of gun, just one . . . ? It's a failed record, my friend. Democracy is home grown, not transplanted.

Freedom: Give me one city in Iraq that is "free". US administered illegitimate police state-policies; trigger happy shooting at anything that moves - reminds me of video games with other billegerent pals - has turnd Iraq into a haven for some really nasty terrorists. What about freedom to be tortured outside any international law? What about freedom for your house to be pollaged in the night, your family detained - by adrenaline-crazed soldiers?
Respect for women: who the helll are we to tell Iraqis how to treat thier women? You'd like an Iraqi to force his way into your country and tell you how to treat your women? I don't think so...
Your wishes are very (seemingly) altruisitc, bring culture to the Iraqis. That was the center of civilization, people. And our own Rumsfeld was selling those WMS's and supporting Saddam's atrocious acts when it suited our national interests.

So get real, drop the facade and come clean (it would be much less hypocritical) these are Realist opportunities to make money for our military industrial complex, and the country as our economy is more and more precarious, to get hands on some good oil and maintain a hand on the last few spickots that's producing oil, and in reasserting bellicose rightist policies of enshrouding it in "spreading democracy".
Posted by: Peregrine   2005-02-25 12:53:14 PM  

#16  Mrs Davis: Nicely put. Peregrine...where were you when Saddam was stuffing families into shredders? STFU
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2005-02-25 12:47:52 PM  

#15  Worse than that, Raj. In this battle of wits, she's armed with cliches.
Posted by: Pappy   2005-02-25 12:47:12 PM  

#14  "You don't bring a rifle to a tank fight,"

Same concept applies here, troll...
Posted by: Raj   2005-02-25 12:26:29 PM  

#13  Peregrine...
"...and shove 'universal' values down people's throats"

Which "universal values" do you find most reprehensible...maybe we could edit the list of values to suit you.

- democracy
- freedom in general, to speak and think and travel freely
- respect for women
- respect for religions OTHER than Islam
- for that matter, respect for different FLAVORS of Islam
- freedom from rape and pillage by Baathists, Jihadists, or whichever faction has the upper hand on any given day
- freedom to NOT attend "spontaneous" protests against the Great Satan (i.e., US)

etc...

I can't wait (ok, I can) to read which of these values you find so horrible that making it possible for people to enjoy and embrace them equates to "shoving it down their throats.
Posted by: Justrand   2005-02-25 11:58:58 AM  

#12  poor little Peregrine - got drunk and wandered into the wrong bar.
Posted by: 2b   2005-02-25 11:34:24 AM  

#11  Iraqi men women and children getting pummeled in Iraq,

yes, its most unfortunate, but now the Iraqi people are fighting back against the jihadi terrorists - they still need our help though, in places like Anbar province. G-d bless the troops, and may they be successful and come home safely.
Posted by: liberalhawk   2005-02-25 11:23:00 AM  

#10  Peregrine probably does put her IUD up her ass. And that's probably where it belongs.
Posted by: Mrs. Davis   2005-02-25 11:20:56 AM  

#9  Mine too - it's extra hairy, Peregrine.

BTW, don't insult such a fine predator species - given your post, you're far better suited to be Hyena, methinks.
Posted by: .com   2005-02-25 11:18:58 AM  

#8  kiss my ass, Peregrine.
Posted by: Frank G   2005-02-25 11:03:11 AM  

#7  Can we stop with the pathetic nationalism. We've got innocent (read, did not ask for war on terrorism) Iraqi men women and children getting pummeled in Iraq, and we're glamorizing "our boys" - who have signed legal documents to kill and die - like we're in a John Wayne Western. This aint Hollywood boys, get your head out of your @%$# and connect the dots. You go riding in to town on your big steel horse, kill innocents and shove "universal" values down people's throats, with an Abrahms to boot, and you're gonna get a IUD up yours; and that just may be justice of a lasting sort
Posted by: Peregrine   2005-02-25 10:57:14 AM  

#6  Trolling for terrorists!
Posted by: phil_b   2005-02-25 8:52:25 AM  

#5  Great picture, everytime I see our boys doing dirty work it makes me prouder than ever to be an American. God Bless the USA and the protetors of freedom. Thank you so much guys - come home safe.
My wife and 4 children thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Posted by: Rightwing   2005-02-25 8:43:15 AM  

#4  4 IEDs going off like that, right on the column, and no casualties?
The column was all armored vehicles, buttoned up looking for a fight. Most of the casulaities from IEDs come from "soft" vehicles on convoy duty.
Posted by: Steve   2005-02-25 8:16:30 AM  

#3  4 IEDs going off like that, right on the column, and no casualties?
Posted by: gromky   2005-02-25 2:52:41 AM  

#2  marines manuever to engagement--lookin' for hajjis to light up--its a freedom thing
Posted by: SON OF TOLUI   2005-02-25 2:05:49 AM  

#1  A column of tanks and armoured vehicles rolled into the town..

Well boys, there's a new sheriff in town..yup.
Posted by: 2b   2005-02-25 1:51:03 AM  

00:00