[james500]

The Iraqi police said the artillery was being fired from the U.S. Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad into the al-Buaitha neighborhood of Dora, a volatile district that is a Sunni insurgent stronghold.

[BroncosFan]

And I thought people were celebrating the news Broncos D-Line! Sounded like some hurtin’ bombs were coming down across the river.

[Allegra]

with two dozen loud explosions shaking the southern outskirts of the capital.

Hell, those blasts shook the center of the capital.

[JB in Whitefish]

Perhaps a bit LESS “volatile” today...???

[madconserv]

Here is something from Gen Petraeus that I'm sure has alot to do with this only in a differant area: We have achieved some notable successes in the past two months, killing the security emir of eastern Anbar province, detaining a number of key network leaders, discovering how various elements of al Qaeda Iraq operate, taking apart a car bomb network that had killed 650 citizens of Baghdad, and destroying several significant car bomb factories. Nonetheless, al Qaeda Iraq remains a formidable foe with considerable resilience and a capability to produce horrific attacks, but a group whose ideology and methods have increasingly alienated many in Iraq. Sunni insurgents and the so-called Sunni resistance are still forces that must be reckoned with, as well. However, while we continue to battle a number of such groups, we are seeing some others joining Sunni Arab tribes in turning against al Qaeda Iraq and helping transform Anbar province and other areas from being assessed as lost as little as six months ago to being relatively heartening. We will continue to engage with Sunni tribal sheikhs and former insurgent leaders to support the newfound opposition of some to al Qaeda, ensuring that their fighters join legitimate Iraqi security force elements to become part of the fight against extremists, just as we reach out to moderate members of all sects and ethnic groups to try to drive a wedge between the irreconcilables and the reconcilables, and help the latter become part of the solution instead of part of the problem. DoD News Briefing with Gen. Petraeus from the Pentagon ~ April 26, 2007

[LibLieSlayer]

Is there any truth to the rumor that one of harry reid’s assistants was killed in one of the houses targeted in this action? I guess he was there negotiating “terms of surrender” for the dims!

LLS

[WilliamofCarmichael]

It's an old W.W.II trick but it just might work again: pound the target then send in the ground forces! Got it, Washington?

Got air support?

[Candor7]

Softening up the neighborhood. When are they going in? Must have been launching morters from there.