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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| Iraq to launch huge Baghdad raids | |
| 2005-05-26 | |
| More than 40,000 Iraqi soldiers are to be deployed in Baghdad in a massive operation to hunt down insurgents, the Iraqi defence minister has announced. Saadoun al-Dulaimi said the force would include troops from the interior and defence ministries. Correspondents say it would be by far the largest operation against insurgents in Baghdad by Iraqi forces. Elsewhere in the Iraqi capital, seven people were killed in two attacks - a car bombing and a shooting. Insurgent attacks on US, Iraqi government and civilian targets have killed about 600 people in May. Mr Dulaimi said the capital would be split into seven areas of operation, and warned that that security measures would be far more strict that had been seen before. "We will also impose a concrete blockade around Baghdad, like a bracelet around an arm, God willing. No-one will be able to penetrate this blockade," Mr Dulaimi said. He said this would be the first phase of a security crackdown that could eventually cover the whole country. Interior Minister Baqir Solagh said: "These operations will aim to turn the government's role [in dealing with the insurgency] from defensive to offensive."
The two attacks in Baghdad included a car bomb which targeted a police patrol, killing three Iraqis. At least two others were injured in the blast, which occurred as people were travelling to work. In the second attack, a university lecturer and three passengers in his car were killed in a drive-by shooting in the capital's southern Aalam district. In a separate incident, a US military convoy was attacked in central Baghdad. One vehicle caught fire but details of casualties are not known. An Iraqi child was also killed during fighting between US forces and insurgents in the north-western city of Talafar, the US military said. "When multinational forces engaged the terrorists, the terrorists used Iraqi children as shields. One child was killed as a result of their action," the US military said in a statement, without specifying who killed the child nor how it had died. And in Qadissiya, in southern Baghdad, police said a member of the Shia Muslim Dawa party was found dead with his throat slit. | |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 At least this appears to be Iraqis demonstraing initiative with respect to combatting the insurgency and ensuring their own security. Unless the sweep devolves into shakedowns and bullying the general populus in Baathist style, Iraq may be taking a step closer allowing us to drop our force levels. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2005-05-26 20:05 |
| #2 Fuck the God willing / insh'allah shit son. If you're serious about it, then just friggin' do it. Refer to the first Fallujah fuckup. That's wimping out. Remember Najaf? Yep, wimpsville. And look who's back creating violence whenever it suits his Iranian Masters. Do not repeat your mistakes - you'll just have to do it all over again, sooner or later. This has been a long time coming. It could be very effective in stopping the terrorist acts, too, if you don't wimp out. And the bonus is that it will likely trigger a real no-shit showdown with Tater, when you get to Sadr City, and finish his career as a terrorist and Iranian agent - if you don't wimp out. Lotsa real wins in here - if you don't wimp out. Tell the Ba'athist and Iranian symps and agents in the parliament to piss off - legislators have no say in security operations. Do it right. Don't wimp out. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-05-26 19:56 |
| #1 Give 'em hell, make 'em dead. |
| Posted by: Hyper 2005-05-26 18:58 |