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| Iraq |
| Al-Qaida says it has missing U.S. troops |
| 2007-05-13 |
| The Islamic State in Iraq offered no proof for its claim that it was behind the attack Saturday in Mahmoudiya that also killed four U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi translator. But the Sunni area known as the "triangle of death" is a longtime al-Qaida stronghold. If the claim proves true, it would mark one of the most brazen attacks by the umbrella Sunni insurgent group against U.S. forces here. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, spokesman for the U.S. military, said 4,000 U.S. troops backed by aircraft and intelligence units were scouring the farming area as the military made "every effort available to find our missing soldiers." President Bush was also getting regular updates on the missing soldiers, said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the White House's National Security Council in Washington. The early morning attack on two U.S. military vehicles outside of Mahmoudiya, about 20 miles south of Baghdad, left the bodies of the four U.S. soldiers and their translator badly burned. Caldwell said the bodies of the interpreter and three of the slain soldiers had been identified, but the military was still working to identify the fifth. Later Sunday, the Islamic State of Iraq posted a brief message on a militant Web site saying it was responsible for the attack and held an unspecified number of U.S. soldiers. The group promised more details later. The Islamic State is a coalition of eight insurgent groups. Late last month, it named a 10-member "Cabinet" complete with a "war minister," an apparent attempt to present the Sunni coalition as an alternative to the U.S.-backed, Shiite-led administration of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. U.S. military officials said they had no indication of who was behind Saturday's attack. "It's difficult to verify anything that al-Qaida in Iraq would say because they lie," said Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a military spokesman. However, "it would not surprise us if it were al-Qaida behind this, because we've seen this type of attack, this type of tactic, before. More AP drivel at link |
| Posted by:Bobby |
| #6 "Posted on a militant website..." How does Internet tracking work in Iraq? What's the turnaround for tracing/interrogating/targeting source? |
| Posted by: Jules 2007-05-13 22:38 |
| #5 The time has come to begin aswering Islamic barbarity in equal or greater measure. Inform the terrorists holding our soldiers that they have 24 hours to release them unharmed. If they do not, a Sunni majority city will be bombed into rubble. Should they be so unwise as to kill all four soldiers, then four Sunni cities are flattened. I no longer care if the cities in question are in Iraq, Saudi Arabia or anywhere else. The Sunnis have worked very hard to breed up these terrorist scum and it is now time to pay the piper. Only when thousands of Muslims are dieing for each of our soldier's death will Islam sit up and take notice. It is long past tea for total war against Islam. David Yerushalmi's article and comments on Moderate Muslims is a must read. He concisely puts forth why Islam and Shari'a law are our deadly enemies. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-13 21:07 |
| #4 Every time something like this happens people demand we give up on the idea of Arab democracy and resort to extreme violence. Sounds like a plan. Kill everything. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2007-05-13 20:53 |
| #3 When the US goes 'Roman', do so such as the siege of Masada by the ancient Romans, circle the area (inner ring and an outer ring), take your time,put the word out that anything larger than a rat, moving at night will be shot,bring the bloodhounds in also. shrink the ring. They'll find our guys dead or alive! |
| Posted by: smn 2007-05-13 20:39 |
| #2 I agree totally. It is way past time to "go Roman"...but I guess it is never too late. Surround the entire area where this took place, out as many miles as it takes, and then systematically tighten the noose destroying EVERYTHING in our path, until (a) we get the troops back or (b) we destroy EVERYTHING! |
| Posted by: Justrand 2007-05-13 20:29 |
| #1 If they kill the prisoners the US military and administration should say loud and publically that there is now a "No Quarter" policy in force in regards to al Qaeda and Taliban (or other) jihadis encountered in the field in accordance with the specifications of the Geneva Convention regarding non-uniformed enemy combatants. Kill the bastards... Kill them all... |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2007-05-13 18:32 |