Fallujah, Iraq and Operation Valiant Resolve Photos

[Happy2BMe]

Operation Valiant Resolve photos.

[Happy2BMe]

U.S. soldier with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment digs a trench outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq, Monday, April 5, 2004. Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops in tanks, trucks and other vehicles surrounded the turbulent city of Fallujah ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the grisly slayings of four American security contractors last week. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)

U. S. Pfc. Jason Rush of Boise, ID., left, and Lcpl Alex Lemarr of Del Rio, Tx., with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment stand guard outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq, Monday, April 5, 2004. Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops in tanks, trucks and other vehicles surrounded the turbulent city of Fallujah ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the grisly slayings of four American security contractors last week. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)

U. S. Pfc Draper Donavanu of Chinle, Az., with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment stands guard outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq, Monday, April 5, 2004. Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops in tanks, trucks and other vehicles surrounded the turbulent city of Fallujah ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the grisly slayings of four American security contractors last week. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)

U.S. Lcpl. Carrillo Dorado of Los Angeles, Ca., with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment rides on a military truck through the city of Fallujah, Iraq, Monday, April 5, 2004. Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops in tanks, trucks and other vehicles surrounded the turbulent city of Fallujah ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the grisly slayings of four American security contractors last week. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)

U.S. Sgt. Jahmal Guy 0f Marrietta, Ga., with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment rides on a military truck through the town of Fallujah, Iraq, Monday, April 5, 2004. Hundreds of U.S. and Iraqi troops in tanks, trucks and other vehicles surrounded the turbulent city of Fallujah ahead of a major operation against insurgents following the grisly slayings of four American security contractors last week. (AP Photo/Murad Sezer)

[boxerblues]

Thanks for the pics, Godspeed Marines

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[r9etb]

God bless our guys. Please, dear Lord, keep them safe.

[Happy2BMe]

Fallujah photos - as they develop - ping.

[Happy2BMe]

[The Wizard]

that Air Force 1 pic is horrible.......

[apackof2]

Thank you for the pictures, dear Lord place a hedge of protection around our soldiers in Jesus name, Amen

[Mudboy Slim]

I sure as heck wouldn't wanna be an Iraqi Insurgent in Fallujah this week...MUD

[Oldeconomybuyer]

bump

[gramho12]

God bless our guys. Please, dear Lord, keep them safe

Amen

[LibWhacker]

Primitive. Every battalion should have
a couple of backhoes.

God bless and protect our Marines!

[Happy2BMe]

Looks like it will be tough, dirty, and bloody.

(More bloody for them than us, of course.)

The General Patton rule of war appears to be in effect on this one (finally).

[daybreakcoming]

ping please
and thanks for the pics
Godspeed our guys

[apackof2]

BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi judge has issued a murder arrest warrant for a radical Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, for the slaying of another Shiite leader shortly after the U.S.-led invasion of the country, coalition officials said Monday.

Meanwhile, U.S. troops on Monday sealed off the city of Fallujah west of Baghdad, where some 1,200 Marines and two battalions of Iraqi security forces were poised to launch an operation aimed at pacifying the city, one of the most violent places in the Sunni Triangle.

Explosions and gunfire could be heard coming from the center of the city. Streets on the outskirts were largely deserted.

The announcement of the warrant came a day after violent clashes between militiamen loyal to al-Sadr that killed 52 Iraqis, eight U.S. soldiers and a Salvadoran soldier _ some of the worst gunbattles since the ouster of Saddam Hussein.

President Bush said he was committed to the June 30 deadline for transferring power in Iraq and won't be deterred by violence and an armed Shiite revolt against the U.S.-led occupation. "The deadline remains firm," Bush said.

Bush also criticized al-Sadr as "one person that is deciding that rather than allowing democracy to flourish, he's going to exercise force. We just can't let it stand."

Coalition spokesman Dan Senor, who announced the warrant, would not say when al-Sadr would be detained. "There'll be no advance warning," he said.

Since the violence, al-Sadr has been holed up in a mosque in the city of Kufa, south of Baghdad, surrounded by armed supporters.

The arrest warrant had been issued several months ago, Senor said, refusing to say why al-Sadr had not been arrested earlier or why its existence was only announced Monday, one day after the al-Sadr-inspired violence.

Al-Sadr is accused in the slaying of Abdel-Majid al-Khoei, a rival Shiite cleric who was stabbed to death by a mob at a Shiite shrine in the city of Najaf in April 2003.

A total of 25 arrest warrants have been issued in the case, and 13 suspects have been taken into custody. Sunday's violence in Baghdad and other cities was sparked by the arrest last week of Mustafa al-Yacoubi, a senior aide to al-Sadr, on one of the warrants.

L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. administrator in Iraq, declared al-Sadr an "outlaw" who threatens Iraq's security.

The fiercest battle took place Sunday in Sadr City, Baghdad's largest Shiite neighborhood, where black-garbed Shiite militiamen loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr fired from rooftops and behind buildings at U.S. troops, killing the eight Americans. At least 30 Iraqis were killed and more than 110 wounded, doctors said.

Violence broke out Monday in another Shiite neighborhood of the capital, al-Shoala, where members of al-Sadr's "Al-Mahdi Army" militia clashed with a U.S. patrol. An American armored vehicle was seen burning and a U.S. helicopter hovered overhead.

Militiamen also clashed with British troops in two southern cities, and three Iraqis were killed, witnesses said, while in several cities al-Sadr followers held sit-in protests, controlled the streets and held police stations.

A Marine was killed Monday in the Fallujah area, the military said, without providing further details. The death _ along with killings of U.S. soldiers in two northern cities and in Sunday's violence _ brought the U.S. death toll in Iraq to at least 613 since the war on Iraq began a year ago.

U.S. commanders have been vowing a massive response after insurgents killed four American security contractors in the city, west of Baghdad, on Wednesday. Residents dragged the Americans' bodies through the streets, hanging two charred corpses from a bridge in horrifying scenes that showed the depth of anti-U.S. sentiment in the city.

The insurgency that has plagued U.S. troops in Iraq for months has been led by Sunni Muslims. But Sunday's clashes in Baghdad and three other cities threatened to open a dangerous new front: a confrontation with Iraq's powerful Shiite Muslim majority, which has until now largely avoided violence with the Americans.

Al-Sadr fiercely opposes the U.S. occupation, but he has not had widespread support among Shiites, who see him as too young, too radical and too inexperienced to lead.

The large protests Sunday in Baghdad, Najaf, Nasiriyah and Amarah _ sparked by the arrest of an aide to al-Sadr _ were a show of force by his militia. But U.S. officials said they believe his appeal among the Shiite public remained limited.

The al-Mahdi Army was out in force Monday in several southern Iraqi cities. In Basra, Shiites who seized the governor's office traded fire with British troops. One Iraqi was killed, al-Sadr's office in the city said.

In the nearby city of Amarah, militiamen marched in the streets, clashing with British troops near the governor's office. Two Iraqis were killed in the exchange of the fire, witnesses said.

Gunmen also held sway in the holy city of Najaf, prompting police to flee their stations, said the Spanish Defense Ministry, whose troops control the region. Witnesses said the police returned later.

The Spanish bases in Diwaniya and Najaf came under sporadic mortar fire overnight but there were no injuries or material damage, the ministry said.

Al-Sadr's main support is among young seminary students and many impoverished Shiites, devoted to him because of his anti-U.S. stance and the memory of his father, a Shiite religious leader gunned down by suspected Saddam agents in 1999.

Al-Sadr has demanded an immediate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, but the cleric's political program has often been unclear. He has repeatedly said that he does not seek political power, but wants an "honest and responsible" government.

The latest violence suggests that al-Sadr wants to raise the profile of his movement at a time when other ethnic and religious groups in Iraq are jockeying for position ahead of the transfer of power to Iraqis.

Sunday evening, U.S. troops moved into Sadr City _ named after Muqtada's father _ after militiamen ambushed a U.S. patrol in the neighborhood, said Maj. Gen. Martin Dempsey, commander of the Army's 1st Armored Division.

More troops streamed in _ up to 1,000 at one point _ fighting sporadic gunbattles with more than 500 militiamen, Dempsey said. The fighting ended after a column of tanks moved in.

During the fighting, police evacuated three stations, which Mahdi Army militiamen then seized, U.S. officials said. They were later forced out by U.S. troops, they added.

Monday morning, U.S. tanks were parked in one of the neighborhood's main markets. Many stalls in the market were burned out, and buildings were pockmarked with bullet holes.

The other main fighting Sunday came outside Najaf, where militiamen opened fire on the base of Spanish troops, sparking a battle that lasted several hours. A Salvadoran soldier and 22 Iraqis were killed, Spanish and Iraqi officials said.

Al-Sadr supporters also were angered by the closure of his weekly newspaper by U.S. officials, who accused it of inciting violence.

In other developments: _ U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met with members of Iraq's Governing Council as he launched a mission to help in the transition to an interim government after sovereignty is handed back to Iraqis on June 30.

_ A suicide attacker detonated a bomb-laden vehicle as he tried to enter a U.S. base in the northern city of Kirkuk, killing one U.S. soldier and wounding six Americans and six Iraqis, the military said. A roadside bomb, meanwhile, killed a U.S. soldier in the city of Mosul.

FOR DISCUSSION ONLY AP

[dansangel]

Prayers lifted up for the safety and protection of our troops.

Dear Father, please hold our troops in Your loving hands and protect them the way that they protect us with their selfless acts. Bless their families and help to quell their fears. Allow us to express our gratitude to these people openly. We ask these favors in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Thank you for posting this ((((Happy2BMe)))))))

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Getting ready to change sign? New sign...Welcome to the DEAD ZONE.

[jimbo123]

Here's what AP and Reuters doesn't want you to know about the death of the Salvadoran soldier:

From the Washington Post:

"Witnesses said they saw militiamen capture a Salvadoran soldier and execute him by forcing a grenade into his mouth that detonated."

AP and Reuters are covering up for their fellow terrorists.

[Mo1]

Amen!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks, Happy!

Pics, ping.

---

Related:

8 MSNBC: US Helicopters destroy 5 house in Fallujah ~ MSNBC ticker | 4/05/04 | MSNBC

8 Marines Encircle Fallouja (Operation Valiant Resolve commencing) ~ LA Times | 4/04/04 | Tony Perry and Edmund Sanders

8 Curfew imposed on sealed off Falluja ~ Al Jazerra.net (enemy press) | 4/05/04

8 Former Marine Captain Dale Dye, re. Iraq - KFI AM radio, 4/05/04, rough transcript

8 Iraq - Shiites seize Basra govt office ~ Agence France-Presse | 4/05/04

8 IRAQ: Warrant Issued for Shiite Cleric's Arrest ~ Las Vegas Sun | 4/05/04 | AP

8 Iraq's Yacoubi Charged with Conspiracy to Murder (Moqtada al-Sadr aide) ~ Reuters | 4/05/04

8 Iran declares war on U.S. ~  More on Sadr's pals and other bad guys aiming to start a civil war and prevent freedom in Iraq ~ WorldNetDaily | 4/05/04 | Joseph Farah

8 US tanks deploy in Baghdad as Shiite radicals take to streets ~ AFP | 4/04/04

[Mo1]

God bless our guys. Please, dear Lord, keep them safe.

Amen!

[blackie]

Great pix ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[TomGuy]

Kill'em 'til they're dead, guys!



[Watching Mr. Zovko's brother on DaySide with Linda Vester. He is furious with rage that the monsters would perpetrate such an atrocity on persons doing humanitarian good. Mr. Zovko was one of the contractors murdered in Fallujah. Those contractors were protecting a food convoy bringing food into Fallujah.]

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[apackof2]

Oh that doesn't surprise me

I posted the article for the few tidbits of truth in it

[alpha-8-25-02]

agreeing with you in prayer.
GODSPEED MARINES
SEMPER FI

[RightWhale]

It would be poor tactics to put heavy machinery in front of infantry.

[N8VTXNinWV]

We agree with this prayer in Your Name, Father. Amen!

[RightWingMama]

I think I can speak for all cubicle bound folks. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping!

And all the links.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

Ah, come on. Scrappin' young lads need their exercise.

There are buildings still standing. Why are there buildings still standing? Should there be buildings still standing?

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

My pleasure. Truly.

Thanks to all the cubicle-bound folks, and involved parents and grandparents for keeping the homefront strong. (^:

[tessalu]

The USA is a little slow about arresting Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr, much too slow. I saw the news of our USA soldiers in Iraq, and it made me very angry that the USA would allow mobs of Shias in the streets when any fool would know they would riot. It is pure foolishness to ask the USA troops to fight a civilized war when they are fighting demons in Iraqi garb.

This is just not the right time to even ask the USA troops to "win friends and influence people", when they have been marked for death. It is just wrong to place our troops in harm's way, and giving them orders which does not allow them to properly protect themselves. The USA troops have been sent into the lions den. Old fools send our young men into battle to die, while they sit back and call call for a sanitized battle and civilized behaviour. I am angry!

[MEG33]

May God bless our Marines and others involved in this mission.May He guide the planners and the leaders with good decisions.May He help them bring about a good result.May the murderers of the security guards,the body abusers meet justice.

May any photographers ,newspersons who knew there were ambushes planned be punished and thrown out of Iraq.

[tessalu]

I call for Shiite Muslim cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr to be "Yassinized" immediately. I think that he is begging for a quick trip to see his 72 virgins.

[ought-six]

"Thank you for the pictures, dear Lord place a hedge of protection around our soldiers in Jesus name, Amen."

Lord, hear our prayer.

[P8riot]

"It is a good thing that war is so terrible, because otherwise we would grow too fond of it." Robert E. Lee CSA

[Happy2BMe]

Note the vehicle the .50 cal is mounted on in the third pic from the top.

[alpha-8-25-02]

I APPRECIATE YOUR FRUSTATION!
i am a vietnam era marine veteran.that war had our hands tied behind our backs.if you want some real reporting go to militarynews.com.unfortunately we still have to deal with some rules of engagement,however speaking from experiance our troops are better trained and equipped than ever before.
they also have a president and cabinet that is resolved to get the bad guys.unlike some prior administrations that did not back up the atrocity that was somalia.
GODSPEED

[ExpatCanuck]

The latest violence suggests that al-Sadr wants to raise the profile of his movement at a time when other ethnic and religious groups in Iraq are jockeying for position ahead of the transfer of power to Iraqis.

If he is trying to position himself as someone that must be included in any kind of power sharing agreement, he may have overplayed his hand. I hope we don't enter into any kind of agreement with this scumbag; his head needs to be on a stick in Fallujah's main square.

[brydic1]

Just viewed a picture on Fox News showing Sadr in a mosque surrounded by hundred of supporters who also were in the mosque. They have vowed to defend him to the death. They will not allow our troops to arrest him by going into the mosque. It seems that it is perfectly allowable for Islamic extremists to blow up temples (throughout France, Tunisa and Israel) and christian churches (throughout Kosovo and Pakistan) but they apparently are convinced that we will hold their mosques inviolate. I say, don't go into the mosque and arrest this terrorist. I say this is tailor made for sending this mosque and all other mosques in Iraq which harbor terrorists or immans advocating terrorism and their supporters to oblivion. And if there are protests from other camel jockeys send them to oblivion as well.

[theirjustdue]

"U.S. soldier (MARINE) with the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment digs a trench outskirts of Fallujah, Iraq"

An excellent choice to help clean things up.

Well known in Nam as "The Professionals", was one of the first Marine units there to face large scale combat.

But then, I may be a bit biased. Just happens to be my old unit that I went over with in 65.

[EternalVigilance]

Your bias is more than justified.

Thank you for your service

May the Lord protect these brave men.

[B4Ranch]

Not an uncommon sight. I'd like to see them on some D-8 CATS and level the rathole.

[LibWhacker]

Why is that? Sorry if it's a dumb question, but I only manned a typewriter when I was in the Army. Know NOTHING about infantry tactics!

[MeekOneGOP]

[LibWhacker]

lol

[boxerblues]

May any photographers ,newspersons who knew there were ambushes planned be punished and thrown out of Iraq stuck in a same room with Al-Sadr when the Marines show up.