U.S. Marines Begin Fallujah Patrols

AP via Washington Times ^ | May 10, 2004

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) -- U.S. Marines began joint patrols with Iraqi security forces Monday in the city of Fallujah under the agreement that ended the almost monthlong siege of the city.

Marines in Humvees and armored vehicles entered the Sunni Muslim city west of Baghdad in a convoy with Iraqi security forces in pickup trucks.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

"It is a good day for peace in Fallujah," said Marine Maj. Gen. James N. Mattis, after meeting with local leaders. "Nobody shoots, everybody waves and smiles. Any day that there is no shooting it is good."

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May 10, 6:51 AM EDT

U.S. Aircraft Said Destroys Iraq Office

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- A U.S. aircraft destroyed a Baghdad office of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, killing two people and injuring six others, his followers said Monday. There was no comment from the U.S. command.

Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, a spokesman for al-Sadr, said the air attack occurred around midnight Sunday. At the same time, U.S. troops also opened fire from nearby streets, destroying a car and a house, he said.

Al-Darraji said two people were killed and six injured but did not say whether they were al-Sadr fighters or whether the casualties were due to the airstrike or ground fire.

The office, located in the Shiite neighborhood of Sadr City, lay in rubble Monday. Residents took to the streets with white plastic buckets and wheelbarrows to remove the rubble. It was one of two main al-Sadr offices in the Baghdad area.

Several Iraqi children displayed gray and white pieces of what appeared to be from a Hellfire missile.

The U.S. command in Baghdad said it had no report on an air attack.

However, a statement by the command said U.S. troops clashed Sunday with "numerous anti-Iraqi forces" in Sadr City, killing 19 of them in separate engagements.

"All 19 insurgent casualties carried rocket-propelled grenade launchers," the statement said.

One U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit by a grenade but there were no U.S. casualties, the statement added.

U.S.-led forces have been trying to kill or capture al-Sadr and disband his militia after an Iraqi judge issued an arrest warrant for the young cleric in connection with the killing last year of a moderate religious leader in Najaf.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

http://ap.washingtontimes.com/dynamic/stories/I/IRAQ_AIR_ATTACK?SITE=DCTMS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[MEG33]

This is the test. May God watch over our Marines.

[Allegra]

Sheik Abdul-Hadi al-Darraji, a spokesman for al-Sadr, said the air attack occurred around midnight Sunday. At the same time, U.S. troops also opened fire from nearby streets, destroying a car and a house, he said.

I slept right through it. As I usually do through these night things. LOL

Hoping Fallujah stays peaceful...

[jwpjr]

Although it does not surprise me it does sadden me that the mainstream press has not mentioned the fact that there have been very few, comparatively, allied casualties the past seven to ten days. When casualties were running high we got a daily recitation of exactly how many had died "since Bush declared an end to major combat." We've gotten somewhat of a handle on the situation and all they talk about is the prison scandal. The public has a very short attention span and even shorter memory. If they don't keep something negative in EVERY broadcast or dispatch from the area the press fears we will forget to be depressed by war. It would be difficult to overstate just how much contempt I have for the mainstream press, not to mention the war's critics who don't hesitate to attack our efforts even if it runs the risk of increasing casualties.

[MEG33]

The short attention span means they will soon tire of the political posturing over the prison scandal,24/7 news about it...even McCain sounded like get it out and move on today...I despair over the lack of attention of the many successes we have had, the positive news. That's why I realize how valuable this site is.

Chris Wallace said when they started the look for positive news in Iraq and achievements he was astonished...too many for the time yesterday on Fox Sunday morning .He doesn't have FR and Ragtime Cowgirl.

[The Mayor]

My Prayers are with them all !
I will post a link to this on Military Monday thread..

[MEG33]

Good news..They just announced this good news about Fallujah on Fox..just one line!

[Brandon]

B-b-b-but .... I thought Fallujah was a quagmire????? </ sarcasm>

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I slept right through it...

Afternoon, Allegra. Very good news. (^:

---

More from our awesome troops - a busy weekend, as usual!

8 19 Insurgents Killed as Coalition Forces Engage Enemy in Baghdad ~ CJTF-7 | 5/10/04

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

My Prayers are with them all !
I will post a link to this on Military Monday thread..

Thank you, and thank you!

Amen!

[The Mayor]

Bump!

[KellyAdmirer]

"All 19 insurgent casualties carried rocket-propelled grenade launchers," the statement said.

What I want to know is, where the heck are all these RPG launchers coming from? Do the native women sit around knitting them or something? Do they milk the goats and produce them that way instead of goat milk? They seem to be a dime a dozen over there, like you can walk over to the corner drugstore and buy a baker's dozen when you have a few spare dinar or whatever they use over there.

[EQAndyBuzz]

There are about 25000 of them over there. All with that 1 rocket in the front.

[XJarhead]

I'm a little curious about all the folks who were saying that we were retreating and giving up in Fallujah.

Seems (shocking, I know), that the professionals on the ground may know a bit more about the situation than folks sitting at their keyboards.

[mikegi]

I'm a little curious about all the folks who were saying that we were retreating and giving up in Fallujah. Seems (shocking, I know), that the professionals on the ground may know a bit more about the situation than folks sitting at their keyboards.

Since I was/am one of those folks, I'll reply. As I wrote in a post long ago, these first patrols won't be attacked. Why should they? They won. We ceded control to them. Did our forces do anything other than drive through the town? Nope.

We are going to regret not turning Fallujah into a lesson for the Iraqis.

[blackie]

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

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[heylady]

One U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle was hit by a grenade but there were no U.S. casualties, the statement added.


Thank you God that there were no casualties.

[SandRat]

It started here do not let it end. As for my household we won't.

[windchime]

Bump!