Operation Phantom Fury--Day 8-Mop Up Continues; Terrrorist Spread to Other Areas Iraq Live thread

Various Media Outlets | 11/15/04

[IGOTMINE]

That script is Farsi...not Arabic. Not that it makes any difference.

[TexKat]

That script is Farsi...not Arabic. Not that it makes any difference.

Thanks for the info IGOTMINE, but until proven differently to me they all wish me the same, dead.

[TexKat]

U.S. Marines Lance Cpl. Ryan Chapman, from Lawrence, Kansas, a machine gunner of the 1st Battalion 3rd Marine Regiment, talks to the media during a news conference at the Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, southern Germany, Monday, Nov. 15, 2004. He was injured in Fallujah, Iraq, and is now under medical treatment in this military hospital. 'It's nothing too serious, it cracked my skull but I think it looks worse than it is,' he told reporters. 'I want to go back, my buddies are out there.' (AP Photo/Thomas Kienzle)

US Army Spc Kris Clinkscales, 22, of San Antonio, Texas, 20-year-old US Marine, Lance Cpl. Travis Schafer of Puyallup, Washington, 22-year old US Marine, Lance Cpl. Ryan Chapman of Lawrence, Kansas, and 21-year old US Marine, Lance Cpl. Jeffery Owens, from Harlan, Kentucky, from left, who were injured in combat in Fallujah in Iraq, are seen during a news conference at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, southern Germany, Monday, Nov. 15, 2004. A total of 419 US soldiers were brought to Landstuhl for treatment in the last week, 233 of whom had combat-related injuries, according to doctors. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

Dr. Todd Hess, specialist Kris Clinkscales (22) from San Antonio, Texas, Lance Corporal Travis Schafer (20) from Puyallup, Washington, Lance Corporal Ryan Chapman (22) from Lawrence, Kansas and Lance Corporal Jeffery Owens (21) from Harlan, Kentucky (L-R) attend a news conference at the Regional Medical Center, the United States' main European military hospital, in the south western German city of Landstuhl November 15, 2004. U.S. soldiers , chiefly from the U.S. Army and Marines, wounded in Iraq have been arriving for treatment since the Falluja offensive. REUTERS/Alex Grimm

Specialist Kris Clinkscales (22) from San Antonio, Texas, attends a news conference at the Regional Medical Centre, the United States' main European military hospital, in the south western German city of Landstuhl November 15, 2004. U.S. Soldiers, chiefly from the U.S. Army and Marines, wounded in Iraq have been arriving for treatment since the Falluja offensive. REUTERS/Alex Grimm

Lance Corporal Jeffery Owens (21) from Harlan, Kentucky, attends a news conference at the Regional Medical Centre, the United States' main European military hospital, in Landstuhl Germany November 15, 2004. U.S. soldiers, mainly from the U.S. Army and Marines, wounded in Iraq have been arriving for treatment since the Falluja offensive. REUTERS/Alex Grimm

[Allegra]

when you get time take a look at this:

That's frightening! Un-freakin'believable.

The horror of that...all that hate.

[TexKat]

Allawi Announces Arrest of Militant Group

BAGHDAD, Iraq - The leader of a militant group involved in beheading hostages and other attacks has been arrested and the group was broken up, Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said Monday.

Allawi identified the group as Jaish Muhammad, Arabic for Muhammad's Army. The group "has been arrested ... We arrested their leader," Allawi said, identifying him as Moayad Ahmed Yasseen, also known as Abu Ahmed.

Muhammad's Army was known to have cooperated with Jordanian terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and al-Qaida and Saddam loyalists and was responsible for killing and beheading a number of Iraqis, Arabs and foreigners in Iraq, Allawi said.

"They were planning to destroy Fallujah...by blowing up important positions," he said. "They have extensions abroad that I cannot talk about now." Allawi did not say how many members of the group were captured or what kidnappings the group has been involved in.

The militant group was arrested during U.S.-led military operations in Fallujah, the television station said.

Allawi also said officials had arrested members of another group, whom he did not name. He said they have been detained and will be interrogated.

The U.S. military has said in the past that Jaish Mohammed appears to be an umbrella group for former intelligence agents, army, security officials, and Baath Party members.

[TexKat]

I know. But so many of us are not aware of how much they hate us.

[MEG33]

BUMP

[Abigail Adams]

Great pics! But what did those injured soldiers have to SAY? I'd be curious!

[TexKat]

Muhammad's Army

This group, also Saddam loyalists, consists of at least several hundred former members of Iraq's intelligence and security services.

Members are thought to be primarily targeting Iraqis who are working with American and other occupation forces. A group with this name is one of several that claimed responsibility for the Aug. 19 bombing of U.N. headquarters in Baghdad.

The group is strongest in Baghdad, Mosul and Fallujah. How closely it is working with the Return Party is unclear. The Opposition

[Allegra]

I know. But so many of us are not aware of how much they hate us.

I know how much they hate us because their hate shakes our buildings and splits the traquility with loud, ugly noises and kills our good soldiers and civilians on a regular basis, but the graphics and message of that clip...

Those people are twisted and despicable.

[TexKat]

They were in good spirits Abigail. The ones that I heard speak earlier this morning explained what had happened to them. They wished that they could rejoin their units to help out but unfortunately they were being sent home early, which they were also happy about.

[TexKat]

Jaysh Muhammad

Jaysh Muhammad (The Army of Muhammad) (JM) is an anti-Coalition group with both politically motivated and religiously motivated elements. By late 2004 it appeared that the politically motivated members are Ba’athist, pro-Saddam elements who tend to be of the Sufi religious soca. The Sufi enjoyed special status during the Regime and hold Izzat al-Duri, the ex-vice-president, in exceptionally high esteem. They were members of intelligence, security, and police forces from the previous regime.

More

[nicollo]

That is the strangest staircase I've ever seen.

Haute Concrete.

[No Blue States]

Red Crescent Gives Up at Fallujah (no thanks terrorist sympathisers)

Thousands" of Kurdish Militia heading to Mosul (good guys)

7 Police Killed in Mosul Fighting(and 30 terrorists Sunday)

http://www.command-post.org/iraq_index.html

[TexKat]

Wounded U.S. Troops Detail Fallujah Fight

Mon Nov 15, 9:38 AM ET

By TONY CZUCZKA, Associated Press Writer

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Fallujah's masked fighters have been fighting house to house, firing from rooftops and mosques with a seemingly unending supply of firepower, wounded U.S. servicemen said Monday, recounting tough urban combat in the Iraqi insurgent stronghold.

"They were ready to fight to the death," Lance Cpl. Travis Schafer, a rifleman with a Marine battalion, told a news conference at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, where he was being treated for a shrapnel wound in his right hand. A rocket-propelled grenade had exploded 15 yards to his right in a deserted marketplace.

"It's house-to-house fighting," he said. "Rooftop-to-rooftop."

About 70 wounded soldiers have been arriving daily at the military hospital in Germany since the week-old offensive in Fallujah began — about twice the normal number of casualties from Iraq.

The troops said the insurgents appeared well-organized and heavily armed.

"They had their own little plan of what they were going to do, a pretty set idea of where they were going to fight," said U.S. Army Spc. Kris Clinkscales, 22, of San Antonio, Texas, his right arm in a sling with shrapnel wounds.

Schafer, of Puyallup, Wash., was surprised by the fighters' firepower.

"It seemed like they have a pretty unlimited amount of RPGs and mortars. They seemed to fling those about wildly," he said.

Schafer, with the 1st Marine Regiment, said his unit had only pushed 400 yards into the city before it took heavy fire from small arms, mortars and RPGs.

"They were locking on us with RPGs and mortars from buildings all around us," the 20-year-old said. "Even from mosques they were firing — from all over the place."

Lance Cpl. Ryan Chapman with the 1st Marine Regiment, had an ugly scar over his left eye — a reminder of his encounter with a sniper.

As his unit came under sustained fire, Chapman had been tracking a sniper with the telescopic sight of his wire-guided missile launcher. But he was hit first, with bullet striking his forehead just below the edge of his helmet.

Chapman, 22, of Lawrence, Kansas, acknowledged he had been lucky, but he said he was eager to get back into action.

"It's nothing too serious. It cracked my skull, but I think it looks worse than it is," he said. "I want to go back — my buddies are out there."

He was among 419 patients admitted to Landstuhl in the last week, 233 of whom had combat-related injuries, according to doctors. The most common wounds have been from bullets or blast injuries from rocket-propelled grenades.

While most the recent casualties in Landstuhl are from Fallujah, officials do not have a precise breakdown.

Another 46 wounded troops from Iraq were en route to the hospital Monday, Landstuhl spokeswoman Marie Shaw said.

The offensive in Fallujah has killed at least 38 American troops and six Iraqi soldiers. The number of U.S. troops wounded is now 275, although more than 60 have returned to duty. U.S. officials estimated more than 1,200 insurgents have been killed.

No estimate of civilian casualties has been given.

[TexKat]

Zarqawi Tape Calls on Iraq Rebels to Mobilize

DUBAI (Reuters) - An audio tape purportedly from al Qaeda ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi on Monday urged insurgents in Iraq to mobilize against U.S.-led forces and target supply lines to prevent any attacks on other cities after Falluja.

"The enemy has amassed all their capabilities and power to eradicate Islam in Falluja and if the enemy finishes in Falluja they will move toward you, so be alert and foil this plan," said the speaker, who sounded like Zarqawi.

The authenticity of the tape, posted on a Web site often used by Islamists, could not be immediately verified.

"The enemy is weak and cannot widen their battle so do not stop at expelling them ... advance toward them and rain rockets and mortars down on them," said the speaker.

The U.S. military says it has taken control of the western city of Falluja, but scattered resistance remained, particularly in southern parts of the city. The Falluja offensive has fueled violence across Iraq's Sunni Muslim heartland, especially Mosul.

"Block off all their main and secondary supply lines for these are their main arteries and ambush them along those routes for they are exposed and easy prey," the speaker said.

Supporters of Zarqawi's Al Qaeda Organization of Holy War in Iraq are reported to be among insurgents fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces in Falluja. The group has claimed some of the bloodiest suicide bombings and hostage beheadings in Iraq.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Posted this on the Day 7 thread late last night:

___________________________________________________________________________

Major story here:

US bombs gut insurgent bunker complex

The bombs shook the ground of the former insurgent stronghold and set off secondary explosions that went on for 45 minutes but could not be seen above ground, persuading officers of the Army's First Infantry Division that there were large stockpiles of weapons underground.

These were 2000 lb bombs that set off the underground ammo dump that must have been huge!!!!

[spookycc]

Question for FReepers on the Iraq photo threads: I saw a photo on FNC yesterday of the bridge where the four American bodies were hung, in Fallujah, now bearing an inscription by the USMC. Anybody have a screen cap of it?

Thanks!

[anonymoussierra]

BE STRONG AMERICA GOOD COUNTRY STRONG IS GOOD!!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the Drudge Report:

___________________________________________________________

Wounded soldiers describe 'reckles' Fallujah rebels
Mon Nov 15 2004 09:30:56 ET

LANDSTUHL, Germany - Wounded US soldiers being treated at the military hospital here on Monday gave a graphic account of the battle for the rebel Iraqi stronghold of Fallujah.

US-led forces said on Monday they had taken almost complete control of the city after a week-long battle but were still hunting for pockets of diehard rebels.

The handful of Marines and soldiers who met the press were flown to Landstuhl in southwest Germany, which is the largest US military medical facility outside the United States, last week.

They described the rebel fighters as young, disorganised and often reckless but well-armed.

"You recognise them easily. They wear masks, they carry weapons, they move in small squads," said 22-year-old soldier Kris Clinkscales, who suffered an arm injury from an exploding shell.

"Civilians are usually wearing traditional gowns, they lift their hands when they see you."

He said he was sure he had not shot at civilians because they were easy to identify. "There were bodies on the street, but only insurgents," he said.

Clinkscales is among the 275 wounded on the US side according to figures given by commanders in Baghdad, although a spokeswoman for the hospital said that up to Monday it had treated 419 injured servicemen, mostly from the Fallujah offensive, and that 46 more were due to arrive later that day.

Thirty eight US soldiers have been killed in the assault.

Clinkscales, who arrived at the hospital on Saturday, described the rebel fighters' approach as "reckless", "especially the young ones, aged 18 to 20. They were quite disorganised."

Travis Schafer, a 20-year-old Marine, who injured a hand when a shell exploded, said he was sure the rebels were prepared to sacrifice everything.

"These guys are ready to fight to the death," he told the press conference. "I was surprised by the weapons they had," he added, describing seeing "loads of RPGs (rocket-propelled grenade launchers) and machine guns".

And Schafer said the battle had been conducted from street to street.

"This is a rooftop to rooftop kind of fight. You see the snipers jumping from one roof to another."

Ryan Chapman, a 22-year-old Marine, was hit above the left eye by a sniper's bullet, but escaped with a fractured skull.

"People keep on telling me that I'm lucky," he said. "I don't mind being lucky."

Despite his brush with death, Chapman was keen to return to fight in Iraq.

"I want to go back. It kills me when I see the news, when I think of all my buddies back there."

More than 1,200 rebels have been killed in the battle, the US military said on Monday.